This dispensation is found in Genesis 1-3.

• Responsibility – During this dispensation man’s basic responsibility was not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
• Failure – Man failed to keep this commandment and so both Adam and Eve fell into sin.
• Judgment – The judgment of God was to put a curse upon the man, woman, creation and the serpent. There would be physical death for all mankind.
• Grace – See Genesis 3:15. God promises a coming Saviour who will crush the head of the Devil.

This dispensation is found in Genesis 4-8.

• Responsibility – To obey his conscience.
• Failure – Man did not have a Bible or prophet from God and again man fails. In Genesis 6 man fell into immorality.
• Judgment – God brings the flood.
• Grace – This is shown by Noah and the Ark.

This dispensation is found in Genesis 9-11.

• Responsibility – To be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth. Man was given the prerogative of taking another’s life. This is the essence of human government.
• Failure – Man falls into immorality in Genesis 9-10 and spiritual apostasy in Genesis 11. The tower of Babel brings astrology, idolatry and sensuality.
• Judgment – God confuses the language of man by making him speak in many languages. This is the origin of all the languages in the world today.
• Grace – This is shown when God calls a righteous man called Abram. From him God will do something new – Israel.

This dispensation is found in Genesis 12-50.

• Responsibility – To believe the promise that God gave to Abraham that through his seed the Saviour of the world would come.
• Failure – There is plenty of failure in this time. E.g. Jacob and his family.
• Judgment – Israel goes into bondage for 400 years in Egypt.
• Grace – God’s grace is shown in Exodus 12 in the exodus of the nation of Israel.

This dispensation lasts from the Exodus till the end of the Old Testament.

• Responsibility – To obey the law given to Moses by God.
• Failure – Man’s failure is evident throughout the rest of the Old Testament.
• Judgment – This has been three-fold.

1. The Assyrians carried away the ten tribes into captivity. (722 BC).
2. The Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar carried Judah into captivity. (606, 597 & 587 BC).
3. The Romans come in and wipe out the Temple and Jerusalem. The people of Israel are scattered. (70 AD).

• Grace – Jesus Christ.

This is the dispensation we live in today.

• Responsibility – To respond to God’s grace and believe in Jesus Christ.
• Failure – Man’s failure is evident by the fact that many do not believe in Jesus Christ.
• Judgment – This judgment will be in the Tribulation Period and will fall upon the Jews and unbelievers.
• Grace – The rapture of the Church is God’s grace in this dispensation.

This dispensation will reign for 1,000 years.

• Responsibility – To acknowledge the King (Jesus) and to obey His rule.
• Failure – Man’s failure is seen in Revelation 20 when Satan is set loose for a while and gathers many people together to fight against the King but is finally defeated.
• Judgment – The Great White Throne will be God’s judgment in this dispensation on those who have not recognised the Kingship of Christ.
• Grace – The Two Witnesses will preach a message of grace and many will be saved.

There are three things:-

• There is surely a purpose and a plan in history. It’s God’s plan.
• In every situation man fails, even with grace. God has put man under a variety of tests. That is the point of the various dispensations. Every man has failed and so we are without excuse.
• These dispensations explain important difference that exist today from previous days. E.g. Why do we not worship on a Saturday? Why do we not tithe?