Exploring the Seven Dispensations and Their Significance in Biblical History 5-8-26

Learning how to tell what time it is.

One needs to understand that there are seven time periods or dispensations of time because they reveal what each specific time was and it’s purpose; where the church is now and our future. When one time period ended, a new one began.

1)      Innocence –

Adam had not sinned. Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.  And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;  but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:15-17).

2)      Conscious –

 Adam and Eve sinned and they became aware of sin once they disobeyed God- 

Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” So, he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?” Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”

The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate” (Genesis 3:6-13), Before the fall they did only knew what was good.

3)      Civil Government- After the flood

Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God, He made man (Genesis 9:6). This was the beginning of the court system; human government was established,  and to take another person life resulted in capital punishment. In other words, God gave people life and no one has the right to take another person’s life.

4)      Promise-

Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing” (Genesis 12:1-2).

5)      Law/Israel – The dispensation of the law extends to the cross

Then all the people answered together and said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do.” So, Moses brought back the words of the people to the Lord (Exodus 19:8).

6)      Grace/Church Age- This is where the church is

For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17).

Prior to going into the last dispensation of times, the tribulation will take place on earth and the saints/church will be in heaven with Jesus.

7)      Millennial Kingdom/New Heavens-New Earth-

that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him (Ephesians 1:10).

This will help the readers to understand the past, present and future when it comes to time periods. It will also open your understanding about scriptures that have been misinterpreted.

This is my prayer - The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints (Ephesians 1:18).

Betty A. Burnett ~ burnettministries.org