Dispensationalism Has a History of False Teachers

Dispensational Premillennialism Has a Long History of False Teachers Teaching False Predictions

When Dispensational Premillennialism was introduced in the early 1800s it quickly led to many predictions about what was expected at that time to be the soon, imminent, return of Christ. led to chronic, repeated, continuous false teachings. At first Dispensational Premillennialism was associated by label specifically to the writings/teachings of John Darby, but the belief in a separation between Israel and the Church, along with the belief in the needed overhaul (restoration) of the Church, and the imminent apocalypse were shared by a variety of sects in the 1800s. Because of the beliefs the Church was corrupt and soon-occurring apocalypse, preachers began making a series of predictions and not a single one of them came true. 

One of the most observable occurrences of this in the 19th century isn't specifically Dispensationalist! The of "The Great Disappointment" was the invention of premillennialist William Miller, who believed the whole of scripture should be used and if a person was about to piece together its whole without contradiction, then he couldn't be incorrect. During the Second Great Awakening the formerly Baptist preacher William Miller predicted Jesus would return by October 22, 1844. His teachings were instrumental in the forming of the Adventist movement (those hoping in the imminent advent of Christ) and from them was formed the Seventh Day Adventist movement. When October 22nd came and went and Christians hadn't been removed from the earth in a rapture and Jesus hadn't returned, Miller and the Adventists were ridiculed. One follower at the time wrote, "I waited all Tuesday [October 22] and dear Jesus did not come;—I waited all the forenoon of Wednesday, and was well in body as I ever was, but after 12 o'clock I began to feel faint, and before dark I needed someone to help me up to my chamber, as my natural strength was leaving me very fast, and I lay prostrate for 2 days without any pain—sick with disappointment."

Did that stop Miller or other apocalyptic teachers from making predications? We all know the answer is a loud and unequivocal, "NO!" Since its inception Dispensationally Premillennial teachers have been making a series of predictions and not a single one of them has ever come true. Not one. This can be observed on an almost daily basis anytime any Christian turns on the radio, turns on the television, or views a webcast.


As I have noted on many prior occasions where the early history has been posted, this problem began in early and mid-1800s with the rise of what became known as the “restoration movement” of which John Darby’s views were only a part. Darby’s hermeneutic assumed three things:

1. Dispensations exist wherein God engages humans differently and these dispensations are not related to one another in any cohesive or unified manner, 
2. All scripture, especially Old Testament prophesy, should be read literally, and 
3. There is a distinct and non-overlapping separation between Israel and the Church. 

This hermeneutic comes accompanied with the beliefs the Church is corrupt and in need of restoration that will not happen so Jesus will rapture away the Church and bring about the apocalypse. 

None of these measures as scriptural. None of them were held historically by the mainstream, orthodox Chruch prior to the 19th century, either.  So, the introduction of the Dispensationalist hermeneutic should be understood as one the preeminent sources for the abhorrent (and aberrant) practice of false predictions. As I have already documented HERE, it is not a modern phenomenon based on some twisting, abuse or perversion of Darby’s views. Darby’s teachings themselves are in error and they have begotten further error in both thought, doctrine, and practice. I'd again like to make it clear, the concept of a "dispensation" is not new, and the term can be found in the Bible. The existence of the word is not in dispute. The Dispensationalist treatment of the word, however, is not found in scripture. That link will show two Dispensationalists defending Dispensationalism unable to prove their use is taught in the Bible. It's ironic because the Dispensationalist demands scripture be read literally but s/he has applied the concept of dispensations without scripture labeling itself as they do. The Dispensationalist has, instead, given it a new significance and a new application to the term.

Much built on this new and different and false teaching proves false, but this op is specifically on the matter of false predictions. 

As part of the restoration movement, Darby and the Dispensationalists vilified the Church. The core belief of all the restorations sects was the belief the Church is corrupt and in need of restoration. The problem, sectarian-wise, was that each sect had its own idea of what restoration looked like. Each appealed to some earlier stage of the Church found in scripture but none of them agreed and all of them appealed to scripture selectively. In the case of Dispensationalism Darby argued the Church was so corrupt only his little sect was the true Church. At first this was the Brethren movement in general, but eventually he and a few others separated from the other Brethren groups and then he himself, amidst intractable and irreconcilable differences with his buddies, left to form his own group, the Extreme Brethren, within the Brethren congregations. Individuals and sects claiming they are the true Church isn’t just false teaching, it is a landmark feature of cults.


Darby believed the Church should separate entirely from the world. He and the subsequent leaders of Dispensationalism believed Christians should NOT participate in politics of social policy. They taught and continue to teach a “two kingdoms” theology in which the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the world remain distinctly separate, and Christians are to have nothing whatsoever to do with the things of the world. They often appeal to the “two kingdoms” of Augustine’s “The City of God,” but they grossly misrepresent Augustine’s teaching to make it something entirely different and apply it for entirely different purpose. The scriptures teach God’s kingdom is not of this world, but it is decidedly on this world in the forms of God's Providence, Christ's incarnation, the presence of the Church, and the work of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, the Church is NOT to be separate; it is to preach and apply the gospel in all areas of life, making disciples of all the nations, baptizing them and teaching them the commands of Christ. Now, while this teaching of separation has changed in the last few decades (largely due to the influence of Francis Schaeffer, and Roe v Wade), it remains a prominent feature of Dispensationalism found in the belief that the Church will not prevail over the gates of hell but will instead become increasingly impotent and the world goes to hell in a handbasket (because of the Church’s absence) and will need to be rescued in a rapture wherein it is removed from the planet, leaving the earth Churchless, without any witness to Christ but the supposedly prophesied absence. It is a false teaching.

The Millerite's Great Disappointment wasn't the the only false prediction of the 1800s. In the late 1800s in America the Civil War was the sign (the sign, not merely a sign) the end of the world was nigh. The inventions of machines made war increasingly destructive and in the early 1900s the "war to end all wars" prompted a new wave of harbingers making false predictions. The same ensued with the rise of existentialism and Communism and WWII and then the rise of modern Israel and Korea, Viet Nam, the Seven Days War, and on and on and on and not a single one of the predictions ever coming true. In the 1960s and 70 a plethora of new teachers arose predicting Christ’s return by 1988, forty years after the inception of modern Israel. These include, but are not limited to, Chuck Smith the founder of the Calvary Chapel sect of congregations, John Walvoord, former president of Dallas Theological Seminary (the leading Dispensationalist seminary in the world), Pat Robertson of CBN and the 700 Club, and most infamously, Hal Lindsay. Even Billy Grahem fell prey to this practice (and as far as I know is the only one to have expressed any regret). Since their time others have risen, such as David Jeremiah, who make predictions based on the latest news cycle and millions of dollars off the sales of their apocalyptic sermons and books. When these predictions don't happen “adjustments” are made and none of those predictions don't come true, either. In the last 20-25 years there has been a move away from specific "date setting," to a broader "time-frame setting," but they have refused to stop making appeals to soon-occurring events that still nonetheless never happen. Anyone and everyone reading this opening post can turn on their radio, turn to the Christian broadcast station and here Dispensationally Premillennial teachers making predictions that do not and will not come true. Each and every one of them a false teacher who is teaching falsely based on the views of a 19th century false teacher. *


No other theology fosters this behavior to this degree or for such an enduring period of time, and not without in-house correction. It is unique to Dispensational Premillennialism. 

*Clarification: Many Dispensational Premillennial leaders teach a proper doctrine of God, a mostly correct Christology, a mainstream soteriology, hamartiology, or other basic doctrines of historical, mainstream, orthodox Christianity. It is their eschatology that leads to false predictions. Furthermore, Historical Premillennialists do not generally fall into this category of false predictions. It is specifically Dispensational Premillennialists that do this chronically... and they've been doing it for 200 years.