Day 2

Goals for Today  What are the major Tenets of Dispensationalism?  How many dispensations are there?

Review from Yesterday  Emile Guers  Student of JN Darby who refuted the false teaching of Edward Irving in the decade of the 1820s. Irvingism took the 1,260 days of Daniel’s prophesy (Dan. 7:25, 12:7) to have begun on January 14, 1832 and was to be ended with Christ’s coming on July 14, Guers rightly taught and defended that this time was still future. Irvingism was also charismatic, believed in salvation through sacraments and taught a need for additional revelation therefore denying the sufficiency of Scripture

Devotional-Matthew 21:1-17  What dispensation did this take place during?  Is there any significance to Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem?  He entered on the same day the Paschal lambs used for the Passover would enter  He entered offering Himself as their king  The people superficially received Him as their king, but less than a week later he would be rejected!  This failure of the Jews to repent and turn to their Messiah brought in a new dispensation.

Historical Development of Dispensationalism  Prior to 325 AD it was widely held by distinguished Bible teachers that there would be a visible reign of Christ in glory on the earth with the risen saints for a thousand years before the general resurrection and judgment  AD Apologists  Justin-Thousand year literal reign which was imminent  Irenaeus-First of many that would follow that believed that human history could be divided into 7 1,000 year periods (see page 2 of Stallards notes-brief sketch…)

Historical Development of Dispensationalism  Theologians  Augustine’s anti-chiliasm (a millennial) brought an end to the belief in a literal, 1000 year reign of Christ. The Alexandrian School had already accomplished this in the East.  Church=Kingdom of God on earth  Head of church is the Vicar of Christ (Pope in Rome)  Recapitulation view that breaks Revelation down into 7 literary parts and each part begins with the 1 st advent and continues to eternity. Thus we are living in the millennium now  Since we are in the millennium Satan is considered bound  By implication, Augustine’s approach makes one unified people with no distinction between OT Israel and NT Church

Historical Development of Dispensationalism  Middle Ages (including dark ages)  Some evidence of a chiliastic approach in the east.  Reformation  Luther-Similar to Irenaus (2 nd century) believed the world encompassed 7 1,000 year periods. Adam, Noah, Abraham, David, Christ, Pope- Great Tribulation (with Pope Hildebrand who along with subsequent Popes was the anti- christ). The willful king of Daniel 11 was the Pope and Babylon in Revelation as the Roman Catholic Church

Historical Development of Dispensationalism  Reformation  Calvin-strengths Amillennialism and precursor to Reformed Theology which used to be used interchangeably with Covenant Theology. He further believed the church existed before Pentecost and there is no future for Israel (Replacement Theology)  Westminster Confession of Faith ( )- Reformed thinking with Amillennial position, one general judgment and resurrection.

Rise of Postmillennialism  Daniel Whitby ( )  Optimism abounded and it was a new thought that the church would build and usher in the Kingdom by their success in turning around the world to God  Jonathon Edwards ( )  Reformed Theolgy that loved Eschatology and believed Christ’s return would be the year 2000  Augusts Strong (Early 1900s)  Strong Post-milliannialists  The World Conflicts highlighted with the holocaust and WW 1 and 2 took much of the steam out of this engine  Lorraine Boettner  wrote a book as recent as 1957 entitled The Millennium in which he affirms a postmillennial return of Christ as well

Historical Development of Dispensationalism  Edward Irving—Black Eye to dispensational movement. His theology included a return of Christ on July 14, 1835 and tongue- speaking, prophetic revelation and the appointment of apostles.  1820s to 1874-John Nelson Darby-His visits to the USA including a congregation in St. Louis. His teaching influenced a pastor of a Presbyterian congregation, James Brookes. A congregational pastor in St. Louis that was influenced by Brookes teaching was CI Scofield!  Emily Guers 1820s – Direct disciple of Darby who refuted the teaching of Edward Irving  Millerites-Believe according to Daniel 8:14 that God would establish his Kingdom in This didn’t happen and to His credit he admitted he was wrong and needed to study further. One of his followers, however, Ellen G. White didn’t follow his lead and took the teaching onward and insisted that Christ had come and returned to his heavenly tabernacle and as such they began worshipping on the 7 th day and they are now known as the 7 th Day Adventists.

Historical Development of Dispensationalism  Present 1900s to present  Scofield-Scofield Reference Bible (1909 and 1927)that clearly laid out the dispensational scheme  Arno C. Gaebelein was a driving force behind Scofield’s study Bible  Lewis Sperry Chafer-Systematic Theology in sidenote, Chafer had been the song leader for Scofield during meetings!  John F. Walvoord-President of DTS after Chafer  J. Dwight Pentecost (DTS)  Charles Ryrie (DTS)  Alva J. McClain (Grace Seminary)

Review of 7 Dispensations  Innocence  Conscience  Government  Patriarch  Notice the shift to a distinct group of people  Law  A Distinct Group of People is fully Realized  A prescribed manner of worship is revealed  Grace-  The group is no longer defined at all by ethnicity, but by their faith  Worship is focused primarily upon the person of Jesus and not the prescriptions of religion  Millennium

Heart of Dispensationalism

Sine Qua None – Major tenets of Dispensationalism (p )  A Consistent, Literal Hermeneutic  Grammatical-We seek to understand the original language and intent of the writing. This would also encompass different genres and styles of writing.  Psalm 1-Picturesque language  SOS 4:1-3; 5:10-16-Love Poetry  Psalm 19-Poetry  Genesis 1-Historical Language  Genesis 5-Historical  Historical-We seek to understand the people and context to which the message was given.  John 5:1-Jesus went “up” to Jerusalem when he was actually coming down from Galilee which was North  GREAT QUOTE ON PAGE 97 by Oswald Allis

Sine Qua None – Major tenets of Dispensationalism (p )  A Consistent, Literal Hermeneutic  2 Timothy 3:16-17  Who is this written to?  What is the intended response?  Does is apply directly or indirectly to us?  How does it apply?  Deut. 6:4-9  Previous questions PLUS Does the NT repeat this command?  Matthew 21:2-6

Sine Qua None – Major tenets of Dispensationalism (p )  A Consistent, Literal Hermeneutic  Distinction Between Israel and the Church  Romans 11:11-36  Isaiah 10:20-11:10; Rev. 20:1-10

Sine Qua None – Major tenets of Dispensationalism (p )  A Consistent, Literal Hermeneutic  Distinction Between Israel and the Church  Focus on the Glory of God  Isa. 42:8  2 Pet 1:16-17  Isa 14:12-15-Satan’s fall