1But know this: that in the last days, grievous times will come. 2For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3without natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, not lovers of good, 4traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5holding a form of godliness but having denied its power. Turn away from these, also. 6For some of these are people who creep into houses and take captive gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8Even as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind, who concerning the faith are rejected. 9But they will proceed no further. For their folly will be evident to all men, as theirs also came to be.

10But you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, steadfastness, 11persecutions, and sufferings—those things that happened to me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I endured those persecutions. The Lord delivered me out of them all. 12Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14But you remain in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them. 15From infancy, you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, 17that each person who belongs to God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

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Biblical Dispensations

Biblical Dispensations

Chart | Gen 1:26–28 | Hershel Wayne House
DispensationOpening eventResponsibilityFailureJudgment
InnocenceCreationObey God — Gen 1:26-28; Gen 2:15-17Disobedience — Gen 3:1-6Curse and death — Gen 3:7-19
ConscienceThe fallDo good and offer blood sacrifice — Gen 3:5, 7, 22; Gen 4:4Wickedness — Gen 6:5-6, 11-12The flood — Gen 6:7, 13; Gen 7:11-14
Human governmentThe floodScatter and multiply — Gen 8:15–9:7Did not scatter — Gen 11:1-4Confusion of languages — Gen 11:5-9
PromiseTower of BabelDwell in Canaan — Gen 12:1-7Dwelt in Egypt — Gen 12:10; Gen 46:6Egyptian bondage — Exod 1:8-14
LawExodusKeep the whole law — Exod 19:3-8Broke the law — 2 Kgs 17:7-20; Matt 27:1-25Worldwide dispersion — Deut 28:63-66; Luke 21:20-24
Church ageDispersion and regathering of Israel — Ezek 36:16-19; Ezek 36:20-24Faith in Jesus; keep doctrine pure — John 1:12; Rom 8:1-4; Eph 2:8-9Impure doctrine — John 5:39-40; 2 Tim 3:1-7Apostasy and false doctrine — 2 Thess 2:3; 2 Tim 4:3
Millennial reignArmageddonObey and worship Jesus — Isa 11:3-5; Zech 14:9, 16Final rebellion — Rev 20:7-9Satan loosed and eternal judgment — Rev 20:11-15

The accompanying diagram locates the last fulfilled event at Matt 27:50-51, the rapture of the saved at 1 Thess 4:13-18, and the return of Christ in glory at Rev 19:11-16. It also shows the seven-year tribulation between the church age and the millennial reign, followed by the great white throne and eternity future.

Biblical Dispensations

Biblical Dispensations