Beth-El Baptist Church

08/05/2012

Greg Tomlinson


What is pre-millenial dispensationalism??


One of the most common views affecting the interpretation of the bible is the view of the dispensationalist. This view was largely started with J. N. Darby popularized in the Scofield Reference Bible.


  1. What is meant by a dispensation?

1 Corinthians 9:16-18 Ephesians 1:9-11; 3:2-6


The word “dispensation” is the translation from the Greek word “oikonomia” which is sometimes translated as “stewardship”. It has to do with the management and oversight of that which belongs to another. In particular it has to do with God's working in and amongst mankind since the beginning of time. It has to do with a series of successive workings of God. The most popular is a series of 7 dispensations (Innocence (Gen 1-2), Conscience (Gen 3-9), Government (Gen 10-11), Promise (Gen 12-Exo 19), Law (Exo 20-mal 4), Grace (Mat-Jude), Kingdom (Rev)).


  1. What is meant by pre-millenial?

Revelation 20:1-7; 11:15-18 Acts 1:6-8


Pre-millenialism has to do with the 1,000 year time during which Satan will be bound and unable to influence the people. It is during this 1,000 year time that dispensationalists believe that promises made to the nation of Israel will be literally fulfilled. It is during this 1,000 year time that dispensationalists believe that Christ will reign as King of the earth and that the nation of Israel will be reestablished to reign with Him.


  1. What are some of the distinguishing teachings?

Matthew 24:15-22 Revelation 7:11-17

Revelation 3:9-11 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17


Associated with the teaching of pre-millenial dispensationalism is the concept of a pre-tribulation rapture. This means that all who are truly in Jesus Christ (the church) will be removed from the earth to enter into the heavenly kingdom.


Romans 11:25-32


The dispensationalist makes a great distinction between the New Testament Church (spiritual) and the descendants of Israel (national and ethnic). During the 1,000 year reign, the church will not be the conduit through which God works. In stead God will return to working with and through national and ethnic Israel. There are some within dispensationalism who believe that there is a different salvation program for ethnic Israel that is distinct from the salvation program for the gentile world.



Matthew 3:1-3; 13:11-16; 21:28-31

The dispensationalist often make a distinction the “kingdom of heaven” and the “kingdom of God”. In which the “kingdom of heaven” is associated with ethnic Israel as an earthly political kingdom and the “kingdom of God” is associated with the church as a spiritual kingdom.


  1. What are some great challenges to pre-millenial dispensationalism?

Galatians 3:27-29 Ephesians 2:13-14

Matthew 7:21-23; 12:24-28; 19:23-26


God does not make a distinction between the Jew and the Greek but has broken down the way that separated them. The separation was accomplished by the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Matthew actually uses the terms “kingdom of heaven” and “kingdom of God” as being one in the same so to make a distinction between them is going too far.


Ezekiel 44:2-3; 45:21-25 John 14:6

Hebrews 10:14-18


Perhaps the greatest challenge to dispensationalism is the understanding of literal fulfillment of the OT prophecies in a physical sense for the nation of Israel. As an example, Ezekiel indicates that the prince (a picture of Jesus Christ) will be performing sacrifices for sin – for Himself and for all of the people. This implies a separate salvation plan for Israel since the temple sacrifices come back, but Jesus is clear that salvation is THROUGH Jesus Christ and that the last effective (useful) sacrifice to ever be made was made by Jesus Christ on the cross. He is done making sacrifices.