Clarence Larkin (1850-1924) was an American Baptist pastor, Bible teacher, and author. He is best known for the detailed dispensational charts he drew to illustrate God’s plans for humanity throughout history. Larkin’s charts and writings had a profound influence on dispensational premillennialism in the early 20th century.
Larkin was born on October 28, 1850 in Chester, Pennsylvania. He grew up in a devout Baptist family. As a young man, Larkin worked as a bank clerk and studied mechanical drawing. He became very skilled at drafting detailed architectural and mechanical drawings.
In his late 20s, Larkin felt called by God to enter full-time Christian ministry. He enrolled at the Baptist Training School for Ministry in Philadelphia and graduated in 1886. Larkin was ordained as a Baptist minister and served several churches in New Jersey and Pennsylvania over the next 20 years.
Larkin had poor eyesight and never mastered the Greek and Hebrew languages. Yet he was a diligent student of the English Bible. He memorized lengthy passages of Scripture and had an exceptional grasp of biblical themes and prophecies. Larkin was also gifted at explaining complex theological ideas in simple, easy-to-understand terms.
In 1904, Larkin resigned from pastoral ministry to devote himself full-time to lecturing, teaching, and writing. His main goal was to explain the dispensations of God revealed in the Bible – the different periods of history in which God relates to human beings in different ways. Larkin traveled across America giving lectures illustrated by large canvas charts up to 30 feet long!
Larkin believed God inspired these detailed dispensational charts, just as He inspired the Bible text. The giant charts were painted in vivid, contrasting colors. They included creative diagrams, lists, illustrations, symbols, and Biblical text references. Larkin skillfully summarized complex prophecy concepts in the charts.
Larkin published several books of dispensational Bible studies illustrated by his famous charts. These included:
- Rightly Dividing the Word (1908)
- The Book of Daniel (1919)
- The Book of Revelation (1919)
- The Second Coming of Christ (1920)
- A Dispensational Truth (1920)
- Spirit World (1921)
Larkin’s books were widely distributed and extremely popular among Protestant conservatives in the early 1900s. Even today, Larkin’s works continue to introduce new generations to dispensational premillennial theology.
So what are the key elements of Larkin’s dispensational charts and theology?
The Ages and Dispensations
The overarching framework of Larkin’s theology is that God relates to human beings differently in different ages and dispensations throughout history. According to Larkin’s charts, there are seven dispensations:
- Innocence – Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden
- Conscience – From the Fall to the Flood
- Human Government – After the Flood to the Abrahamic Covenant
- Promise – From Abraham to Moses
- Law – From Moses to Christ
- Grace – The Church Age from Pentecost to the Rapture
- Kingdom – The Millennial Kingdom of Christ on Earth
Each dispensation reveals more of God’s purposes. But human failure leads each dispensation to end in judgment. The dispensations reveal the progressive revelation of God’s plan across the ages. Larkin believed we are currently living in the Dispensation of Grace, awaiting the imminent Rapture of the Church.
Detailed Charts of the Ages
Expanding on the dispensations, Larkin’s charts depict detailed overviews of God’s plan for the ages including:
- The course of this present age
- The second coming of Christ
- The tribulation judgments
- The millennium kingdom
- The judgments on Satan, Antichrist, False Prophet
- The Great White Throne judgment
- The new heaven and new earth
The panoramic charts trace God’s dealings across the dispensations. They outline important events, personalities, covenants, and judgments. Larkin aimed to provide a comprehensive dispensational timeline from Genesis to Revelation.
Focus on End Times Prophecy
Much of Larkin’s work focused on Biblical prophecy, especially prophecies related to the end times and second coming of Christ. He took the futurist position that the book of Revelation describes events still future to our time.
Some of the key end times themes in Larkin’s theology include:
- The rapture – when living believers will suddenly be caught up to meet Christ in the air
- A tribulation period of divine judgments on earth
- The rise of Antichrist and a one-world government
- The campaign of Armageddon culminating in Christ’s return
- Binding of Satan and Christ’s millennial kingdom
- Final rebellion crushed and Satan cast into the Lake of Fire
- Great White Throne judgment of the lost
- Eternal state of the new heaven and new earth
Larkin took these end times events literally, not symbolically. His charts depict intricate details of the sequence and duration of coming last days events based on Bible prophecies.
Support for Zionism
Unlike many early dispensationalists, Larkin strongly supported Zionism – the right of Jews to return to Palestine and establish their own state. In 1918 he published a booklet called The Coming Crash in which he urged the British government to support a Jewish homeland in Palestine.
Larkin believed this was a necessary fulfillment of Biblical prophecy leading to Christ’s return. When the modern state of Israel was established in 1948, many premillennialists saw it as confirming Larkin’s end-times predictions.
Influence on Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism
In the early 1900s, Larkin’s teachings became very influential among Protestant fundamentalists and evangelicals. His charts were prominently displayed in churches, Bible institutes, and homes.
Larkin provided a coherent dispensational theology linking a literal interpretation of Genesis to a literal fulfillment of Revelation. This gave theological grounding for fundamentalist doctrinal battles against modernism and evolution.
Dallas Theological Seminary and Moody Bible Institute adopted and promoted Larkin’s dispensational premillennialism. His works molded the eschatology of a generation of conservative Protestants, shaping the modern evangelical movement.
Today, Larkin’s detailed approach has been critiqued. Critics argue he promoted overly rigid systems not sufficiently grounded in exegesis. Some contend his charts foster an obsessive focus on end times speculation.
But none can deny Larkin’s profound influence. His dispensational charts and writings dramatically impacted how conservative Christians interpreted the Bible in the 20th century. Larkin helped establish premillennial eschatology as a dominant force in the evangelical movement.
Critiques of Larkin’s Teachings
While Larkin’s dispensational premillennialism gained wide popularity, some theologians also offered substantive critiques of his teachings:
- Larkin’s theology has been critiqued for promoting a rigidly systematic approach not always faithful to the biblical text. His charts sometimes impose an artificial literalism not intended by authors.
- Some argue Larkin’s detailed focus on end times speculation is unhealthy. It distracts from Christ’s teachings about living faithfully now.
- Larkin’s strong distinction between Israel and the church does not account for NT teaching on the church as the new covenant people of God.
- Some contend dispensationalism inherently teaches two different ways of salvation leading to a bifurcated understanding of covenant theology.
- Larkin places emphasis on escapist eschatology rather than social action. He focuses on being raptured out of this world rather than transforming it.
So in summary, Larkin made noteworthy contributions helping popularize premillennialism. But aspects of his dispensationalism remain contentious among theologians today.
Larkin’s Lasting Legacy
Clarence Larkin passed away on January 24, 1924 at age 73, leaving behind his legacy as a Bible teacher and dispensational theologian. What are some lasting results of Larkin’s ministry?
- Larkin helped dispensational premillennialism become a dominant view among fundamentalists and evangelicals.
- His charts and books introduced intricate Bible prophecy schemes to mass audiences.
- He modeled self-sacrifice, working tirelessly despite handicaps to share his teaching.
- Larkin promoted interest in studying Revelation as relevant to today, not just the past.
- His writings encouraged appreciation for the unity of Scripture across dispensations.
- Larkin influenced leading evangelical institutions like Dallas Theological Seminary.
- He contributed to growth of the Bible conference movement in the early 1900s.
Love him or critique him, none can deny the immense influence of Larkin’s dispensational charts and writings on the church in the 20th century. His works remain a testimony to his dedication and sincerity in teaching God’s Word.