Did Dispensationalism Exist Before Darby?

Darby

Dispensationalism is often associated with Darby (1800 –  1882), which teaches that the the scriptures should be read using the historical-grammatical hermeneutic, leading to a belief in chiliasm (premillennialism) and a futurist eschatology.  Despite being popularized by Darby, there are earlier references to such beliefs.

To start with, we have Pierre Poiret, who is often quoted as an early dispensationalist before Darby. In fact, even those who have criticized dispensationalism have mentioned him as a proto-dispensationalist theologian. For example, the book "A Case for Historic Premillennialism: An Alternative to "Left Behind" Eschatology, ´states:

Some of the earliest evidence of a dispensational approach to Scripture appears also in the French mystic Pierre Poiret (1646-1719) 

Charles Ryrie (a proponent of dispensationalism) also states:

Pierre Poiret

Pierre Poiret was a French mystic and philosopher (1646-1719). His great work, L’OEconomie Divine, first published in Amsterdam in 1687, was translated into English and published in London in six volumes in 1713- The work began as a development of the doctrine of predestination, but it was expanded into a rather complete systematic theology. In viewpoint it is sometimes mystical, represents a modified form of Calvinism, and is premillennial and dispensational..... There is no question that we have here a genuine dispensational scheme. He uses the phrase "period or dispensation" and his seventh dispensation is a literal thousand-year millennium with Christ returned and reigning in bodily form upon the earth with His saints, and Israel regathered and converted. He sees the overthrow of corrupt Protestantism, the rise of Antichrist, the two resurrections, and many of the general run of end-time events (Dispensationalism)

We also see dispensationalism in Nathaniel Holmes (1599–1692), who wrote concerning the rapture:

What may be conceived to be the cause of this rapture of the Saints on high to meet the Lord in the clouds, rather then to wait his coming to the earth. What if it bee, that they may be preserved during the conflagration of the earth, and the works thereof, 2 Pet.3.10. That as Noah, and his family were preserved from the deluge, by being lift up above the waters in the Ark, so should the Saints at the conflagration bee lift up in the clouds unto their Ark, Christ, to be preserved from the Deluge of fire, wherein the wicked shall be consumed?

 John Balirchensa writing in 1660ad, argued that the promises to Israel will come to be:

[I]ndeavor to informe your selfe of those things which belong unto your present Dispensation. Look not for the Accomplishment of those things in your Age, which the Scripture hath declared shall not be brought to passe until future Times. Take heed how you apply those Promises that are made unto the Jewes, (and shall not be fulfilled unto them before their restoring out of their present Captivity) unto the Gentiles who shall live before the conversion of the Jewes.

Manuel Lacunza (1731 – c. June 18, 1801) was also a writer who lived slightly earlier than Darby. Lacunza but being similar dispensationalism. Lucunza taught that there will be a future restoration of Israel along with Futurist eschatology (which refers to the prophecies of the Bible being fulfilled in the future). Though Manuel was a Catholic, his works were banned by the Catholic church.

However, going into the early church, we see a good example of dispensationalism, that being Nepos. Nepos was a 3rd century theologian in Egypt, who wrote a book called "Refutation of the Allegorisers", although now lost, we know of the views of Nepos through Eusebius. It is evident that Nepos advocated a historical-grammatical hermeneutic, which lead Nepos to take the Old Testament millennial prophecies literally, this was mentioned by Eusebius:

Besides all these the two books on the Promises were prepared by him. The occasion of these was Nepos, a bishop in Egypt, who taught that the promises to the holy men in the Divine Scriptures should be understood in a more Jewish manner, and that there would be a certain millennium of bodily luxury upon this earth. (Church History)

It is clear that Nepos did not teach historic premillennialism, because Eusebius specifically called him for taking the "promises to the holy men in a more Jewish manner", which is not true of historic premillennialists. Historic premillennialists take the promises given to Israel as an allegory for blessings for the church, thus they would not agree with Nepos, who argued that they should be taken literally.

Another early Christian to foreshadow dispensationalism was Pseudo-Ephraem, who stated:

All the saints and elect of God are gathered together before the tribulation, which is to come, and are taken to the Lord, in order that they may not see at any time the confusion which overwhelms the world because of our sins. –Pseudo-Ephraem (c. 374-627)

We also see indications that Papias (early 2nd century) taught similar views to dispensationalism, as he appears to have attributed Ezekiel 36 to the millennial age, instead of the church. Papias was a student of the apostle John and quotes from an apparent saying of Jesus that although was not written in the scripture he claimed to be passed unto him by John. However, this does not diminish scriptural sufficiency, as even if this saying is accurate, it teaches the same content as mentioned in Ezekiel 36, thus containing no new doctrine that is not written in the bible. We know that there are many sayings of Jesus that were not written down (John 21:25), however the scripture does contain every doctrine God wanted to give to us. Although, since Papias is likely writing from memory, the exact wording is unlikely identical to what Jesus would have actually said.

 Now, If you read Ezekiel 36 it refers to blessings to Israel, and if attributed to the millennial age instead of a spiritualized fulfillment in the church, your theology comes very close to dispensationalism.  Papias is often argued to have been a historic premillennialist, not close to dispensationalism, however this quote implies otherwise as historic premillennialists do not take Ezekiel 36 as literal, because that would imply a special role for Israel.

The reason why we know that this was attributed to the millennium by Papias, is that Irenaeus commenting on his works (as they were still available then), said that this was to be fulfilled in "those times" (a word used for the millennium by Irenaeus, who also affirmed millennialism):

As the elders who saw John the disciple of the Lord remembered that they had heard from him how the Lord taught in regard to those times, and said]: 

 The days will come in which vines shall grow, having each ten thousand branches, and in each branch ten thousand twigs, and in each true twig ten thousand shoots, and in every one of the shoots ten thousand clusters, and on every one of the clusters ten thousand grapes, and every grape when pressed will give five-and-twenty metretes of wine. And when any one of the saints shall lay hold of a cluster, another shall cry out, 'I am a better cluster, take me; bless the Lord through me.' In like manner, [He said] that a grain of wheat would produce ten thousand ears, and that every ear would have ten thousand grains, and every grain would yield ten pounds of clear, pure, fine flour; and that apples, and seeds, and grass would produce in similar proportions; and that all animals, feeding then only on the productions of the earth, would become peaceable and harmonious, and be in perfect subjection to man.

This is a quote of Ezekiel 36, which says:

28 Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God. 29 I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. I will call for the grain and multiply it, and bring no famine upon you. 30 And I will multiply the fruit of your trees and the increase of your fields, so that you need never again bear the reproach of famine among the nations.

Thus it appears that Papias took Ezekiel 36 as being fulfilled in the millennium, which necessitates a Jewish restoration. We know Papias affirmed a literal millennium, because Eusebius commenting on his works said thus:

Amongst these he says that there will be a millennium after the resurrection from the dead, when the personal reign of Christ will be established on this earth. He moreover hands down, in his own writing, other narratives given by the previously mentioned Aristion of the Lord's sayings, and the traditions of the presbyter John. (Eusebius, church history)

Although Ignatius (died 108/140ad) did not write much on eschatology, we see that Ignatius does seem to have agreed with dispensationalists on the new law, as Irenaeus argued that old testament works such as the sabbath are no longer in force, which covenant theologians hold are necessary to keep:

"If, therefore, those who were brought up in the ancient order of things have come to the possession of a new hope, no longer observing the Sabbath" (epistle to the Magnesians)

Irenaeus (130 – c. 202ad) also taught that God arranged history in certain "dispensations" and in premillennialism. We see in his book "Against Heresies" this written:

Irenaeus

Therefore the Son of the Father declares [Him] from the beginning, inasmuch as He was with the Father from the beginning, who did also show to the human race prophetic visions, and diversities of gifts, and His own ministrations, and the glory of the Father, in regular order and connection, at the fitting time for the benefit [of mankind]. For where there is a regular succession, there is also fixedness; and where fixedness, there suitability to the period; and where suitability, there also utility. And for this reason did the Word become the dispenser of the paternal grace for the benefit of men, for whom He made such great dispensations, revealing God indeed to men, but presenting man to God, and preserving at the same time the invisibility of the Father, lest man should at any time become a despiser of God, and that he should always possess something towards which he might advance; but, on the other hand, revealing God to men through many dispensations, lest man, falling away from God altogether, should cease to exist. For the glory of God is a living man; and the life of man consists in beholding God. For if the manifestation of God which is made by means of the creation, affords life to all living in the earth, much more does that revelation of the Father which comes through the Word, give life to those who see God. (Against Heresies)

Irenaeus also defended premillennialism against the Gnostics. In Irenaeus' day, the Gnostics would deny premillennialism due to being too "worldly", however Irenaeus was strong in his premillennial conviction, writing:

The predicted blessing, therefore, belongs unquestionably to the times of the kingdom, when the righteous shall bear rule upon their ­rising from the dead; when also the creation, having been renovated and set free, shall fructify with an abundance of all kinds of food, from the dew of heaven, and from the fertility of the earth: as the elders who saw John, the disciple of the Lord, related that they had heard from him how the Lord used to teach in regard to these times (Against Heresies)

Irenaeus also taught "futurism" (the view that biblical prophecy will be fulfilled in the future), he took Daniel as referring to a future Antichrist and that the years described are literal, about which he wrote in Book V, Chapter 25 of his "Against Heresies" in detail.

However, Irenaeus did not extend the literal hermeneutic to the entire bible, as it had became popular to take the prophecies about Israel to the church, he also taught that. Despite that, his theology has some elements of dispensationalism.

Even somewhat later, the pretrib rapture was affirmed by Fra Dolcino in the 13th century, as the book "The History of Brother Dolcino" which recorded his beliefs said:

“Again, [Dolcino believed and preached and taught] that within those three

years Dolcino himself and his followers will preach the coming of the

Antichrist. And that the Antichrist was coming into this world within the

bounds of the said three and a half years; and after he had come, then he

[Dolcino] and his followers would be transferred into Paradise, in which are

Enoch and Elijah. And in this way they will be preserved unharmed from

the persecution of Antichrist. And that then Enoch and Elijah themselves

would descend on the earth for the purpose of preaching [against] Antichrist.

Then they would be killed by him or by his servants, and thus Antichrist

would reign for a long time. 

Fra Dolcino was influenced by Joachim of Fiore, who also taught some similar views to dispensationalism, although he did not believe in the rapture.