Since I was old enough to understand it, I’ve believed, taught, and written about Dispensational Theology. I just call it “Left Behind Theology.” Critics say it is a modern invention that came along in the 1800s. Please, read the Bible. The prophetic angle of Dispensationalism represents one-third of the Bible.
Simple Definitions
Dispensationalism teaches a literal Antichrist, a literal “Time of Jacob’s Trouble” or Tribulation, a literal Rapture, a literal Second Coming, a literal thousand-year Millennium, and distinct roles for Israel and the church. Israel has a glorious future. God has made promises to her and will fulfill them, and the church has not replaced her.
A dispensation is the divine administration of a period of time–seven dispensations in God’s plan for humanity. God works in different ways with different people during different periods of time. Things were different pre-flood and post-flood. One could say there were different rules for different periods of time.
Since the 1970s, Hal Lindsey’s Late Great Planet Earth and the Left Behind book and film series by Tim LaHaye have been the face of Dispensationalism. Millions of people read and viewed these products and finally put a name to what they already believed just by reading the Bible.
The other option—Covenant Theology—does not see the promises to Israel as literal, but fulfilled in the church. It teaches Amillenialism, or we are in the Millennium now and have been since the cross.
Leave It To Tucker Carlson
But now this theology—since it represents the truth—is under brutal attack. And wouldn’t you know, Tucker Carlson has provided the platform to trash it. His guest, J.D. Hall, should be careful throwing stones.
According to “Ministry Watch,” Hall embezzled thousands of dollars from his church in Montana, was convicted of DUI, domestic abuse, and more. But he is Carlson’s spokesman to trash the truth for nearly two hours.
You can watch the painful ordeal here, but buckle up. Sadly, it has almost one million views on YouTube. Only conspiracies and lies can attain those numbers.
Christian Zionism Has Corrupted Christianity?
Hall denigrates Christian Zionism, as does Tucker Carlson, who insists “a lot of people have died because of Christian Zionism.” The program is titled, “Origins of Christian Zionism, How it Corrupted American Christianity and Why It Is Finally Collapsing.”
But think about the accusation: Christian Zionism has corrupted Christianity. That suggests standing by Israel has a cancerous effect.
Ray Fava, an under 30 online host and writer who loves to attack Dispensationalism, states, “J.D. Hall’s appearance on Tucker Carlson has shifted the conversation on Christian Zionism and Dispensationalism, as Hall has emerged as one of the best at articulating how Scripture disproves the premise of God’s chosen people not being the universal church.” He represents Covenant Theology as does J.D. Hall. The church is the new Israel.
Fava suggests that J.D. Hall and Carlson, “destroyed Dispensationalism.” It would take much more than these fools to accomplish that. It is wounded as I acknowledge below.
Blame it All on Darby and the Scofield Bible!
It is no surprise that The Gospel Coalition writes an article titled “The Rise & Fall of Dispensationalism: How the Evangelical Battle Over the End Times Shaped a Nation.”
John Nelson Darby gets all the blame by them, as well as the Scofield Bible. Darby would be shocked to hear what he is being credited for today! But even Al Mohler takes a swing at Darby as he further describes Dispensationalism’s rise and fall.
The early church was Dispensational and premillennial. Sadly, the Reformers held on to the eschatology of Rome and few got these issues right, thus millions of church attendees are being misled in thousands of churches.
The Firewall
But it is true that Dispensationalism is bruised. That should be expected since it provides a theological firewall against the raging antisemitism exploding around the world.
Thankfully, God has raised up some modern spokesmen, theologians, authors, and more, who are pushing back. Some include the above-mentioned Hal Lindsey and Tim LaHaye, along with Dr. Mark Hitchcock, Dr. Ron Rhodes, Dr. Jeff Kinley, Gary Hamrick, Jack Hibbs, Amir Tsarfati, Terry James, Barry Stagner, Dr. Ed Hindson, Dr. Dave Reagan, Dr. Erwin Lutzer, Todd Hampson, Brandon Holthaus, Tom Hughes, and many more. The list is long and I am leaving out many who should be included.
God knew we needed good theologians to share the truth today as we hurdle pell-mell into the very last days.
Replacing the Truth with Unsound Doctrine
Sadly, the 45 and under evangelical has pretty much abandoned Israel and Dispensationalism. They more readily embrace Covenant Theology and even Anglicanism. Many embrace the Palestinian cause and have no clue Yasser Arafat invented the people and Palestinianism.
They suggest writers like me represent “doom and gloom” and have misplaced loyalties that actually put Israel before Jesus! They say I am putting a damper on their future by suggesting the Rapture is imminent.
Leading to the Ultimate Abandonment
All of this is leading to the ultimate Israel abandonment spoken of in Zechariah 12:3, when Israel simply becomes the world’s “burdensome stone” and not the end-time marker and signal that time is running out andJesus is coming soon.
Israel is the clock; Jerusalem is the minute hand; the Temple Mount is the second hand.