The student of Bible prophecy is greatly assisted in his understanding of prophetic truth and the various ways God deals with man if he keeps in mind the great broad aspects of God’s plan as revealed in a study of the dispensations.

What a skeleton is to the body, what an outline is to a book, dispensations are to the content of the Bible. They give shape to God’s eternal program. They give a knowledge of God, His dealings with man, and His ultimate plan, showing definite order and arrangement. As used in connection with a study of God’s eternal program, it may be defined as a probationary period in man’s history when God tests him according to a fixed standard of conduct or responsibility, under which man is expected to remain true.

What is a dispensation? The word itself comes from the Greek word, oikonomia, and means administration, stewardship, managing of a household or estate. The word is not found in the Old Testament, but occurs four times in the New Testa­ment: 1 Corinthians 9:17; Ephesians 1:10; 3:2; Colossians 1:25.

By John G. Hall

(Eph 1:9-13) That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,

Blessings were made known to believers, by the Lord's showing to them the mystery of his sovereign will, and the method of redemption and salvation. But these must have been for ever hidden from us, if God had not made them known by his written word, preached gospel, and Spirit of truth. Christ united the two differing parties, God and man, in his own person, and satisfied for that wrong which caused the separation. He wrought, by his Spirit, those graces of faith and love, whereby we are made one with God, and among ourselves. He dispenses all his blessings, according to his good pleasure. Matthew Henry's Commentary