Dispensational Guidelines

Dispensational Hermeneutics, Interpretation Principles that Guide Dispensationalism Understanding of the Bible's Storyline
by Michael J. Vlach
Theological Studies Press, 2023
111 pages

…it Is helpful to have a basic grasp of dispensationalism’s view of the grand narrative of scripture.
That is what we present below.

Key Elements of Dispensationalism’s Storyline
“There is more to the Bible than mere redemptive history. The Bible is a history of the rule of God as much as it is a history of his saving acts.” (p.12)

1. The Necessity and Centrality of the Mediatorial Earthly Kingdom of God.

Gods ultimate purpose for man is not just to be “saved“ but to rule God’s creation for His glory. This must occur with mankind being in proper relationship with God and with other fellow human beings. …Dispensationalism asserts that “salvation“ has three main components that must be adequately addressed. First, there is salvation of the individual. Second, salvation extends to the salvation and restoration of ethnicities, nations, and society (see Isaiah 2; 19:16-25; Rev. 21:24; 22:2). And third, salvation extends to the healing of all creation (Isaiah 11:6-9; Rom. 8:19-22). (p. 12-13)​

2. Focus on the Biblical Covenants and All Their Dimensions

Dispensationalism asserts that the explicitly mention biblical covenants should be the starting points and priority for understanding God’s covenantal purposes in the Bible. This involves the Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, and New covenants. (p. 13-14)​

3. Continuing Significance of Ethnic/National Israel

Israel remains important to God’s purposes. While currently in unbelief as a nation, Israel has never lost its significance. Israel has not been replaced or superseded as God's people/“God has not rejected his people whom He foreknew” Rom. 11:2). (p. 17)​

4. Distinction between Israel and the Church

…the church is not Israel and Israel is not the church. Dispensationalism, therefore, rejects replacement theology or supersessionism in which the church is viewed as replacing or fulfilling Israel in a way that spiritualizes Israel and/or makes national Israel nonsignificant in God’s purposes. (p. 18)​

5. Continuing Significance of Geo-Political Nations

…important to the dispensational storyline is the significance of geopolitical nations, even in the future. .…the church of this age is not the final era of God’s plans on earth. (p. 19)​

6. Premillennialism

"not all premillennialists are dispensational but all dispensationalists are premillennialists"
All dispensationalists hold to premillennialism and its view that there will be a coming kingdom reign of the Messiah and His saints for one-thousand years on earth, over nations, after the second coming of Jesus (see Rev. 20:1-10 … Dispensationalism links the Abrahamic, Davidic, and New covenants with the coming millennium. …Dispensationalism believes all dimensions of these covenants will be fulfilled in their entirety during this millennial kingdom this involves the complete fulfillment of all spiritual, physical, material, national, and international blessings.
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