When we speak of the Lord’s Return, we often encounter labels like “Futurism.” While this sounds like a complex theological invention, it actually represents a very simple commitment: Taking God at His Word.
1. What is “Futurism” and why do we hold to it?
Futurism is the belief that the prophecies concerning the Tribulation, the Antichrist, and the Second Coming have not yet happened.
Some suggest these events were fulfilled in 70 A.D. when Rome destroyed Jerusalem. However, the Bible describes events that have never occurred in human history:
- A global government requiring a mark for all commerce.
- A third of the sea turning to blood.
- Every eye on earth seeing the Lord at once.
If these didn’t happen in the past, they must happen in the future. To believe otherwise is to treat the scriptures as a metaphor or a myth rather than a divine warning.
“And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” — Matthew 24:30 (KJV)
2. Is this a “Modern Invention”?
Critics often claim this view started in the 1830s. This is a forensic falsehood. The “Early Church Fathers”—those who were taught by the Apostles or their immediate students—wrote extensively about a literal future Antichrist and a literal 1,000-year reign of Christ. We are not following a “new” system; we are returning to the original expectation of the first-century church.
3. How does this answer the “Heard it since the 60s” fatigue?
The difference between a “theological theory” and “prophetic reality” is physical evidence.
We hold to this view “now” because the physical requirements for these prophecies are finally present. In the 1960s, a “cashless society” was a science-fiction concept. In 2025, it is a policy goal of global banks. The “Futurist” view is the only one that remains relevant as technology catches up to the Book of Revelation.
The Final Verdict
We do not use these labels to be “academic.” We use them to defend the literal truth of the Bible against those who try to “spiritualize” away the warnings of the Lord. The “Answers to Questions” series isn’t about winning a debate; it’s about making sure the watchman’s trumpet gives a certain sound.
“For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” — 1 Corinthians 14:8 (KJV)