As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
Review of the book Dispensational Hermeneutics by Michael Vlach. It is published by Theological Studies Press (Paperback and Kindle, 111 pages).
The subtitle of the book is “Interpretation Principles that Guide Dispensationalism’s Understanding of the Bible’s Storyline.”
Introduction
As we approach this New Year, our world is weighted down with manifold troubles. Yet believers in Christ need not succumb to despair. God’s Word gives us the capacity to discern God’s work in history—in light of the prophetic Scriptures. Jesus, in fact, entreated His followers to engage in this exercise, and chided those who were unable to “discern the signs of the times” (Matt. 16:3).
“of the nineteen uses of βασιλεία in the NT epistles, fully half of them occur in contexts of church membership, most often that of church discipline.” - DBTS Blog
“a collection of essays written by leading scholars in the field of dispensational theology…. a festschrift in honor of Charles A. Hauser, Jr.” - Central Seminary
“Darby, not nearly as sanguine about the prospects of the world or church, advanced a decidedly pessimistic eschatology, embracing what Hummel calls ‘new premillennialism,’ or what ended up being called ‘dispensationalism.’” - Acton
Read Part 1.
Fazio sees a cyclical aspect to this type of philosophical swing and believes that a commitment to literal interpretation might also move to another point on the globe, such as African nations or other developing countries.
Have the blessings God promised to the Chosen People of Israel been redirected to all believers in the church? Will the church receive the prophetic future God promised the Jewish people repeatedly throughout the Old Testament?
People who answer yes to these questions hold to a position referred to as Replacement Theology, or Supersessionism.1 This influence is growing today; and it’s important to ask, “What should we who love Israel—and God’s future plan for Israel—do about it?”
“Hummel contends that dispensationalism shaped not just American fundamentalism or evangelicalism but the United States as a whole. To this day, he writes, dispensationalism remains ‘one of America’s most resilient and popular religious traditions’ ” - CToday
“What is unique about Discovering Dispensationalism is that the contributors seek to highlight key dispensational principles that can be found in nearly every era of church history.” - DBTS Blog
Read the series.
In the previous installment, I primarily addressed the need for the leaders of dispensational churches—including pastors and all members of the congregation—to take their roles more seriously.
Discussion