John Nelson Darby (1800-1882) and then Scofield synthesized most of the beliefs that make up dispensational theology. Thus, Dispensationalism in its earliest form was born among the Plymouth Brethren, though there is evidence of a pretribulational eschatology in such sermons as "On the Last times, the Antichrist, and the End of the World." Ephraem the Syrian (306-373 a.d.) asserted that at the imminent coming of the Lord "all saints and the elect of the Lord are gathered together before the tribulation which is about to come and are taken to the Lord." (Grant R. Jeffrey, "A Pretrib Rapture Statement in the Early Medieval Church," When the Trumpet Sounds, pp. 110-111). Others "claim" Justin Martyr (A.D. 110-165), Iranaeus (A.D. 130-200), Clement of Alexandria (A.D. 150-220), Augustine (A.D. 354-430), and then Pierre Poiret (1646-1719), John Edwards (1637-1716), and Isaac Watts (1674-1748) supported primitive or early dispensational concepts... (The Moody Handbook of Theology by Paul Ennis). Big Mac has his own form of dispy....

Eschatology impacts many other issues in theology and thus "must" be studied to remain balanced elsewhere. As you study dispy balance it with a good study of CT which hopefully will reveal the errors of the dispy hermeneutic.

Reformed and Always Reforming,