Each dispensation is a revelation or unveiling of God, His unchanging nature, and His overarching will. Each of the first six (6) dispensations exposes the fact that man cannot of His own accord please and serve God acceptably, since each of these six reveals man’s utter failure in righteousness. There are only two dispensations in which man can please God and these are accomplished only by faith, trusting the work of God through His Son and His Cross-work on behalf of sinful mankind.

• The 1^st of these two dispensations is the Gentile age of “The dispensation of the Grace of God” (Eph. 3:2) wherein man can only be saved by grace, through faith ALONE in Christ ALONE, realizing the Crosswork of the Lord Jesus Christ on man’s behalf.
• The 2^nd of these two dispensations is “the Dispensation of The Fulness of Times” (Eph. 1:10). Only then is ALL things accomplished “in heaven and on earth” in accord with God’s eternal plan… through the Crosswork of the Lord Jesus Christ according to the will of the Father.

Part 2 – The 1^st through 5^th Dispensations

Let’s now consider each of the first 5 dispensations, individually and in their chronological order.

1. The First Dispensation is called ‘the Dispensation of Innocence’ (Genesis 1:28-30 and 2:15-17).

This dispensation covered the period of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. In this dispensation God's commands were to (1) replenish the earth with children, (2) subdue the earth, (3) have dominion over the animals, (4) care for the garden, and (5) abstain from eating the fruit from “the tree of knowledge of good and evil.” God warned of the punishment of physical and spiritual death for disobedience. This dispensation was a short-lived and was brought to an end by Adam and Eve’s disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit and their expulsion from the garden. Their promised death was delayed since God made provision to cover their sin when He clothed their innocence and nakedness with the skins of an innocent animal who blood was shed in order to provide that sin-covering. By this they had learned to make innocent animal blood sacrifices for their sins which they taught their sons; i.e., Able. This of course modeled the coming of the Promised One who crush the head of the Serpent and pay for and ‘take away the sins of the whole world’ – the Lord Jesus Christ. Man was only permitted to eat raw herbs and seeds.

2. The Second Dispensation is called the ‘Dispensation of Conscience’

Having eaten of “the tree of knowledge of good and evil,” Adam and Eve and their offspring now were tested to live by their now ‘activated conscience’ (Rom. 2:15). The ‘Dispensation of Conscience’ lasted about 1,656 years from the time of Adam and Eve’s eviction from the garden until Noah’s flood (Genesis 3:8–8:22). This dispensation demonstrates what mankind will do if left to his own will and conscience, which have been polluted with the ‘sin nature’ (cf. Rom. 8:3) inherited from Adam (cf. Rom. 5:12). The five major aspects of this dispensation are;

1) a curse upon the serpent (Satan,

2) a change in womanhood and childbearing,

3) a curse upon nature,

4) the imposing of work on mankind to produce his own food, and

5) the promise of Christ as ‘the seed of the woman who will bruise the serpent’s head (Satan).’

With this man became “continually evil,” resulting in the Noahic flood judgment (Gen. 6).

3) The Third Dispensation is the ‘Dispensation of Human Government’

It began in Genesis 8 when God destroyed life on earth with a 2^nd flood, saving just the one family of Noah. They were to restart the human race and “replenish the earth” with people. God made the following promises and commands to Noah and his family:

1. God will not curse the earth again.
2. Noah and family are to replenish the earth with people.
3. They shall have dominion over the animal creation.

4. They are now allowed to eat meat, fish, and vegetation
5. The law of capital punishment is established.
6. There never will be another worldwide flood.
7. The sign of God's promise will be the rainbow.

Noah’s descendants did not scatter and fill the earth as God had commanded, thus failing in their responsibility in this dispensation. About 325 years after the flood, the earth’s inhabitants began building a tower of Babel, a great monument to their solidarity and pride (Genesis 11:7-9). God brought the construction to a halt, creating different languages to enforce His command to “replenish the earth.” The result was the rise of different nations and cultures. From that point on, “human governments” have been a reality.

4. The Fourth Dispensation, called ‘the Dispensation of Promise’

It started with the call of Abram, a Gentile, who became Abraham and continued through the lives of the patriarchs, and ended with the Exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt, a period of about 430 years. During this dispensation God developed a great nation that He had chosen as His people, Israel (Genesis 12:1–Exodus 19:25).

The basic promise during the Dispensation of Promise was the Abrahamic Covenant. Here are some of the key points of that unconditional covenant:

1. From Abraham would come a great nation that God would bless with natural and spiritual prosperity.
2. God would make Abraham’s name great.
3. God would bless those that blessed Abraham’s descendants and curse those that cursed them.
4. “In thee [Abraham] shall all the families of the earth will be blessed.” This is fulfilled in Jesus Christ and through His Cross-work of salvation for all men who will believe, trusting in Him as Savior.
5. The sign of the covenant is “circumcision.”
6. This covenant, which was repeated to Isaac and Jacob, is confined to the Hebrew people and all those of the Twelve (12) tribes of the children of Israel (Jacob).

After God delivered Abraham to the land of Canaan, God tested Abraham's faith again. This time Abraham faltered. After Abraham had lived in Canaan for a while, a great famine spread across the country. Very little rain fell and with little water to put on the crops, food became difficult to find. Abraham and his wife Sarai decided to move to Egypt to live until the famine passed. God did not tell Abraham to do this.  Abraham decided to move to Egypt on his own.

On the way to Egypt, Abraham realized that Sarai’s (i.e., Sarah, his wife) beauty could be a problem.  He feared that the Egyptians would kill Abraham in order to take his wife from him. He suggested to Sarai (Sehr-eye) that they tell the Egyptians she was his sister instead of admitting that she was his wife.  Abraham felt that if they believed Sarai was his sister then they would treat him well.

As expected, the Pharaoh’s officials, saw Sarai and told the Pharaoh (a type of “king” in Egypt) about the beautiful woman.  She was taken to the Pharaoh’s palace to become a part of the Pharaoh’s harem.  And as Abraham had expected, because of Sarai, they treated him well giving him sheep, cattle, camels, and maidservants.

Sarai was only a member of the Pharaoh’s harem and had not yet become one of his wives.  Still, the treatment of Sarai must have angered God because he in turn, inflicted diseases on the Pharaoh.  The Pharaoh called for Abraham and asked, “What have you done to me? Why didn’t you tell me that Sarai was your wife?”

The Pharaoh returned Sarai to Abraham and asked that they leave Egypt.  He sent men to make sure Abraham was safe on his journey and allowed Abraham to take all the gifts the Pharaoh had given him.  Abraham became very wealthy because of his stay in Egypt but his lack of faith almost caused him to lose his wife.

Abraham’s situation shows us that God’s people should trust him completely and not resort to self-directed schemes that may go against what God would want us to do.  Abraham nearly destroyed the agreement he had with God when he took his self-directed trip to Egypt. 

Ultimately the children of Abraham wound up on 400 years of bondage in Egypt under Pharaoh.

5) The Fifth Dispensation is called ‘the Dispensation of The Law’

God raised up Moses to lead the children of Israel our t of Egypt in a most miraculous way, which is well known. Israel was first born as a nation in Exodus 19:5-6. “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: ⁶ And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. Exodus 19:6 (KJV)”

 This lasted almost 1,500 years, from the Exodus (Exo 19:5) until it was suspended after Jesus Christ’s death. This dispensation will continue after the Rapture of the Gentile “body of Christ” to heaven, during the Millennium, with some modifications. During ‘the Dispensation of the Law,’ God dealt specifically with the Nation of Israel through the Mosaic Covenant, or “the Law of Moses,” as found in Exodus 19–23.

Leviticus is filled with details laws covering all aspects of life… from foods, crops rotation, worship, sacrifices, marriage, and so much more. The many laws made them a “peculiar people” in the earth. Their diet was now restricted to just certain kinds of meats and fishes… with their vegetation (Lev. 11).

They were under The Law of ‘blessing and cursing’ based upon, “if thou…” This dispensation involved temple worship directed by priests, with further direction spoken through the God’s mouthpieces, the prophets of Israel. Israel consistently killed the prophets that God sent to them (Luke 13:34) and corrupted ‘the Mosaic Law,’ adding manmade laws, which Jesus called “traditions” that made God’s ‘law of no effect’ (Mark 7:13).

Eventually, due to the continued disobedience of the people of the Nation Israel as to the covenant of “the Law,” the tribes of Israel lost the Promised Land and were subjected to bondage under the Nations (i.e., the Gentiles; e.g., Babylon).

This dispensation did not end but it was interrupted when Israel “fell” (Rom. 11:10-12, 25) and the resurrected Christ from heaven saved Saul of Tarsus and made him “Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:13). This was God setting aside of Israel for a time in which He would establish the new “dispensation of the grace of God” (Eph, 3:2) given to Paul to form the Gentile “body of Christ.” Israel under the Law ill pick up after the Rapture of “the church, which is His body” (Eph. 1:22b-23a) to dwell “eternal in the heaven” (2Cor 5:1b). Paul explains this in Romans 11 as seen by these verses.

“Let their [Israel’s] eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway. ¹¹ I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. ¹² Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? Romans 11:10-12 (KJV)
¹⁵ For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? Romans 11:15 (KJV)
²⁵ For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery [secret plan of God], lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in [with their Rapture to heaven].” (Romans 11:25 (KJV)

Part 3 – The 6^th, 7^th and 8^th Dispensations

6. The Sixth Dispensation, the one in which we now live, is the Gentile “Dispensation of the Grace of God” (Eph. 3:2).

This is ‘the grace-Church age’ that has occurred between the 69th and 70th week of Daniel 9:24. It started with the conversion and call of Saul of Tarsus who became the Apostle Paul (Acts 9) as “The Apostle to the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:13). “The Dispensation of the Grace of God” will end with the Rapture of “the body of Christ” (1 Thess. 4:13-18, 1Cor 15:51-55). Then “the church, which is His body” (Eph. 1:22b-23a) being “caught up”; not to be confused with the Nation Israel who is never promised heaven. Israel is promised to co-reign with Christ on earth in the Kingdom of Heaven coming to earth.

Today’s grace-church is the called people which Paul calls “the body of Christ.” This dispensation is worldwide and includes both grace-believing Jews and the Gentiles (cf. Gal. 3:28). Man’s responsibility during the Dispensation of Grace is only to believe on “the Lord Jesus Christ” to be saved (Acts 16:31, Eph. 2:8-9).

Jesus Christ is “the Son of God” (John 3:18) who in this dispensation is present in every believer as the Holy Spirit in the form of “the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:2a, Col. 1:27), sealing them securely for eternity (cf. Eph. 1:13), with Himself be the riches of the Gentiles.

This dispensation has lasted for over 2,000 years, and no one knows exactly when it will end except that there will be one final individual person who will complete “His body” (Rom. 11:25b). We do know that it will then end with the Rapture of all the regenerated grace believers from the earth to going into heaven to dwell “eternal in the heavens” (2 Cor. 5:1b) with Christ. Heaven is the eternal home of all the members of “the body of Christ” (Phil. 3:20, 21).

Following the Rapture there will be the “Judgment Seat of Christ” where the believers of “His Body” will be awarded ‘their position in the government of heaven… for eternity’ (cf. 2Tim. 2:12, 1Cor 6:3).

Simultaneously, the Tribulation period judgments of God upon the unbelievers. It is a time when God will then ‘purge out the rebels’ among Israel and the world (Eze. 20:38) in preparation for the Millennial reign of Christ.

7. The Seventh Dispensation is called ‘the Millennial Kingdom’ of Christ on Earth

The only people allowed to enter the Kingdom on earth are the born-again Kingdom Gospel believers and righteous survivors of the seven years of the Tribulation period. It will last for 1,000 years as Christ Himself rules on earth with “a rod of Iron” since not all those born of human flesh during the Millennium will come to believe or trust in Christ. This Kingdom will fulfill all the prophecy to the Jewish nation concerning Christ’s return to be their Messiah King.

Initially, no unsaved person is allowed access this kingdom. Satan is bound during the 1,000 years. This period ends with the final rebellion of the rebels (Revelation 20:11-14) who will be ‘devoured (consumed) with fire from heaven’ (Rev. 20:9).

The old earth is destroyed by fire, and the New [renewed] Heaven and New [renewed] Earth of Revelation 21 and 22 will appear forever.

8. Last is the final “Eternal Kingdom” – having no ending, which Paul here refers to as “the dispensation of the fulness of times.”

“That in THE DISPENSATION OF THE FULNESS OF TIMES he might gather together in one ALL THINGS [realms] IN CHRIST, both which are IN HEAVEN, and which are ON EARTH; even in him:” Ephesians 1:10 (KJV)

      - Herein Israel will forever co-reign with Christ on the New Earth as His kings and Priest

“And hast made us [saved Israel] unto our God kings and priests: and We [saved Israel] Shall Reign On The Earth.” (Revelation 5:10 (KJV)
“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection [from the grave]: on such the second death hath no power, but they [saved Israel] shall be priests of God and of Christ, and SHALL REIGN WITH HIM a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:6 (KJV)

- The Gentile “church, which is His body” will co-reign with Christ … “Eternal in The Heavens.” The heavens which had been corrupted by the Rebellion of Lucifer will be purged and cleansed.

“Behold, he [the Lord] putteth no trust in his saints [angels]; yea, the Heavens Are Not Clean in his sight.” (Job 15:15 (KJV)

“And THE DEVIL that deceived them WAS CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE AND BRIMSTONE…” (Revelation 20:10 (KJV)

The members of “the body of Christ” will fill the seats of rank and authority in the heavenly government… in place of fallen Lucifer and his angelic host, forever, (cf. 2 Tim 2:12, 2 Cor 5:1) after they are “cast out” (Rev. 12:9). Those offices of rank and authority in Col. 1:16 are the heavenly government that was created by Him and for His rule through the members of “the body of Christ.”

“For by him [Jesus] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:” (Colossians 1:16 (KJV)

“If we suffer [endure], We Shall Also Reign With Him: if we deny him, he also will deny us [from reigning in heaven while yet we are saved]:” (2 Timothy 2:12 (KJV).