Principles of Dispensation
Although it is true that one of the major rules of dispensational bible study is to interpret the bible literally, we must also use common sense as human beings as well!
For example, our Lord calls Herod a "fox."
Luke 13:32
And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.
That does not mean that Herod was a little four-legged animal. Right? No, what it means is that he is "sly” and "cunning" like the animal called a fox. Obviously, the Lord knew that Herod was not a literal fox, but he used the animal as a descriptive term to describe him.
The same is done in Galatians 2 by our Apostle Paul when he calls Peter, James, and John "pillars."
Galatians 2:9
And when James, Cephas [Hebrew word for Peter], and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
We know that these three men were not big pieces of marble or granite that hold a building up, but they were the "leaders,” "heads,” and the men that held up that Jewish believing remnant of kingdom saints called the little flock.
Every human being uses that type of language everyday in our normal conversations, as well. We say someone is "cold blooded,” or "on top of the world,” or "strong as an ox,” etc. None of these terms are literally true about the person, but they are descriptive of something about that person.
We gentiles were considered "dogs" by the Jews in time past, but we are not literal four-legged animals. It is descriptive of our uncleaness before God.
Matthew 15:25-26
Then came she [a gentile woman] and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread [the blessings that belonged to Israel, in this case healing], and to cast it to dogs [the gentiles].
The main rule of dispensationalism is found in the word itself! The word means to dispense or "give out." God is dispensing/giving out His Grace today without the Law or Israel.
2 Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
To rightly divide the word of truth—that's dispensationalism! Dividing truth given for today, from truth given for time past, and truth given for the future.
Ephesians 2:3, 13, 7
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past [past] in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
But now [present] in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
That in the ages to come [future] he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
So the main thing of dispensationalism is not being literal, but knowing which dispensation the writer is writing in.
Ephesians 3:1-6
For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages [time past] was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now [in the present] revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
Romans 16:25
Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation [now given] of the mystery, which was kept secret [in time past] since the world began,
Colossians 4:3
Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to [now] speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
Hopefully this helps!
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