4th & 5th Dispensations

Consider This...

Theological Thoughts to Encourage the Heart & Stir the Mind ___________________________________________________

Volume I         April 2011     Issue 16

         Following the dispensation of Government, which ended in Genesis 11:9, began the dispensation of Promise. In his book, Dispensationalism, Dr. Charles Ryrie states, “Until this dispensation, all mankind had been directly related to God’s governing principles. Now God marked out one family and one nation and in them made a representative test of all.”1

         This new dispensation starts in Genesis 11:10 with the genealogy of Abram, beginning with Shem, immediately following the tower of Babel, and extends to Exodus 18:27. God’s promise to Abram was to make a great nation of him and make his name great. Also included in this dispensation was the promised land. As long as Abram and his people believed and served God, as well as stayed in the Promised Land, they would be blessed. But, of course, failure came quickly. Jacob led the people into Egypt and they were enslaved. But again God’s glory was shown as He protected his people and killed their oppressors. He led them away, parted the sea, and closed it on the Egyptians as they were pursued. God provided for them even after their failure by sending manna from heaven and by leading them with a cloud during the day and a pillar of fire by night. So many times the people failed, but every time, God’s mercy was shown in His provision and protection.

         God’s command had been to believe and stay in the Promised Land, but the people failed. So, God called Moses, a descendent of Abraham, and gave him what we now call the Ten Commandments. This began the fifth dispensation, the dispensation of Mosaic Law. This dispensation gave the people the responsibility to follow the law and walk with God. There were actually over 600 commandments during this economy, covering the time period from Moses to the death of Christ, or Exodus 19:1 to Acts 1:26. The people were to keep all of the law, but they failed. As a result, there were many judgments. This law was, by no means, a way of justification, but of condemnation. According to Romans 3:20, “Therefore, by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Because of the failure of the people, there were many times of captivity. God’s grace was shown in six ways during the dispensation of the Mosaic Law:

         1) Grace was displayed by God’s election of Israel. 2) Grace was displayed in God’s frequent restoration of His sinning people. 3) The giving of the New Covenant, which was announced during the law period. 4) God displayed His grace under the law by the enablement He gave. 5) It was during the period of the law that God revealed Himself experientially to His people as Yahweh. 6) The great covenant with David was made during the Mosaic economy and its very institution was an act of great grace on God’s part.

         During this time, God’s hesed or “steadfast loving-kindness” was shown. A promise like this was one of the most evident displays of God’s grace.

Jonathan Halk

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1Ryrie, Charles C. Dispensationalism. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1995