Just so I understand what people mean when they say "Futurism", what is the definition of this, at least as it is used on this board?
What is 'Futurism'?
- Thread starter JosyWales
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I use that term to identify folks who largely follow the popular eschatologies made famous by CI Scofield, John Walvoord, Hal Lindsey, and Tim Lahaye, among others.
I've always defined futurism as the concept that there will be a pre-tribulational rapture sometime in the future, and the events as set forth in Revelation as well as the other places in the Bible will occur in the future. Basically, they believe Revelation hasn't happened yet. (Oversimplification, of course, but the idea is that most everything to all prophecy about the end times is still awaiting fulfillment.)
I realize the Rapture part will vary - as there are certainly mid and post tribulation believers around - but futurism tends to go hand-in-hand with the pretribs.
I realize the Rapture part will vary - as there are certainly mid and post tribulation believers around - but futurism tends to go hand-in-hand with the pretribs.
I've understood this to relate to the particular set of prophecies that are commonly debated as either fulfilled/unfulfilled, or literal/allegorical.
An example of fulfilled/unfulfilled would be the Great Tribulation, Future, under a coming Antichrist, or Past (Preter) under historical Rome (e.i. 70 AD).
The Preterist sees the Great Tribulation has having already occured. The Futurist sees it yet to come.
An example of literal/allegorical would be the Millennium, Future, Jesus coming to rule the earth for 1000 year from Jerusalem, or Allegorical, Jesus rules the earth in His Church.
The Amillennialist sees the kingdom as now, and continuing, the Futurist sees it yet to come.
As with any prophecy labeling, I find a wide variety within the different camps.
Some the Great Tribulation has already happened, or the Millennium is fulfilled in the Church, but Jesus has yet to come back. Others say these are so, and Jesus has come back - in His church. Or in Judgment of Jerusalem.
Love in Christ,
Mark
An example of fulfilled/unfulfilled would be the Great Tribulation, Future, under a coming Antichrist, or Past (Preter) under historical Rome (e.i. 70 AD).
The Preterist sees the Great Tribulation has having already occured. The Futurist sees it yet to come.
An example of literal/allegorical would be the Millennium, Future, Jesus coming to rule the earth for 1000 year from Jerusalem, or Allegorical, Jesus rules the earth in His Church.
The Amillennialist sees the kingdom as now, and continuing, the Futurist sees it yet to come.
As with any prophecy labeling, I find a wide variety within the different camps.
Some the Great Tribulation has already happened, or the Millennium is fulfilled in the Church, but Jesus has yet to come back. Others say these are so, and Jesus has come back - in His church. Or in Judgment of Jerusalem.
Love in Christ,
Mark
Retrobyter
Well-Known Member
Shalom, JosyWales.
"Futurism" is a nickname for "Premillennialism," the concept that Yeshua` haMashiach (Jesus the Messiah or Jesus the Christ) will return in the future before a time known as the Millennium, a "thousand-year" period which defines the first 1000 years of the reign of the Messiah.
If you would prefer, it could also be considered "anti-preterism" in philosophical eschatology.
Both Hitch and Hammerstone above have hinted that pretribulational rapturism, which is but one branch of premillennialism, is the dominant viewpoint within premillennialism. However, there are also pre-wrath rapturism and posttribulational rapturism as well as partial rapturism branches. Of course, those who accept preterism - the concept that almost all prophecies were fulfilled in the first century - will object to ANY of the rapturism points of view. It all depends on how one treats the time period of the "tribulation."
Most say that the "tribulation" is a seven-year period that is yet to happen. Some say that it is a seven-year period that has already begun. Many consider the last 3.5 years to be the "Great Tribulation" in which most of the bad things that happen in Revelation will occur. A few of us, like myself for instance, believe that the "tribulation" is NOT a seven year period but is an almost 2000-year period that started in the first century but continues today and will continue into the future until the Messiah returns. I just simply do not equate the "tribulation" with Dani'el's 70th "Seven" (Dan. 9:24-27). Most do.
There's a nifty little book I got at WalMart titled "Bible Prophecy For Blockheads: A User-Friendly Look at the End Times" by Douglas Connelly (Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI, 2002, ISBN 0-310-23588-X, softcover) that can help you sort all this out. I don't believe everything he believes, but he does a good job of explaining the various views without putting too much of a slant on things. Of course, there may be other good books that have been developed over the last ten years, but I like this one.
Hope this helps.
"Futurism" is a nickname for "Premillennialism," the concept that Yeshua` haMashiach (Jesus the Messiah or Jesus the Christ) will return in the future before a time known as the Millennium, a "thousand-year" period which defines the first 1000 years of the reign of the Messiah.
If you would prefer, it could also be considered "anti-preterism" in philosophical eschatology.
Both Hitch and Hammerstone above have hinted that pretribulational rapturism, which is but one branch of premillennialism, is the dominant viewpoint within premillennialism. However, there are also pre-wrath rapturism and posttribulational rapturism as well as partial rapturism branches. Of course, those who accept preterism - the concept that almost all prophecies were fulfilled in the first century - will object to ANY of the rapturism points of view. It all depends on how one treats the time period of the "tribulation."
Most say that the "tribulation" is a seven-year period that is yet to happen. Some say that it is a seven-year period that has already begun. Many consider the last 3.5 years to be the "Great Tribulation" in which most of the bad things that happen in Revelation will occur. A few of us, like myself for instance, believe that the "tribulation" is NOT a seven year period but is an almost 2000-year period that started in the first century but continues today and will continue into the future until the Messiah returns. I just simply do not equate the "tribulation" with Dani'el's 70th "Seven" (Dan. 9:24-27). Most do.
There's a nifty little book I got at WalMart titled "Bible Prophecy For Blockheads: A User-Friendly Look at the End Times" by Douglas Connelly (Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI, 2002, ISBN 0-310-23588-X, softcover) that can help you sort all this out. I don't believe everything he believes, but he does a good job of explaining the various views without putting too much of a slant on things. Of course, there may be other good books that have been developed over the last ten years, but I like this one.
Hope this helps.
Just so others know, one could label me as a post-tribulational pre-millennialist. I believe in the literal bodily (resurrection body) return of our Lord Jesus and our gathering after... the tribulation which then begins His Millennium reign.
But all those kind of categories and labels come from men's seminary categories, and not from God's Word. One needs to be careful putting too much emphasis on those seminary terms, because Satan's host uses them like how man does with political parties and such. Christ's coming is going to happen only one way, which will be according to what God's Word says as written, and that is what we all should heed; not playing seminary politics.
The seminary politics is an example of the doctrines of men our Lord Jesus warned us about, i.e., the fragments gathered up after feeding the five thousand and the seven thousand. Our Lord Jesus called them 'leaven' doctrines. They rely on only a small portion of The True Bread, then adding leaven to that part in order to create confusion.
But all those kind of categories and labels come from men's seminary categories, and not from God's Word. One needs to be careful putting too much emphasis on those seminary terms, because Satan's host uses them like how man does with political parties and such. Christ's coming is going to happen only one way, which will be according to what God's Word says as written, and that is what we all should heed; not playing seminary politics.
The seminary politics is an example of the doctrines of men our Lord Jesus warned us about, i.e., the fragments gathered up after feeding the five thousand and the seven thousand. Our Lord Jesus called them 'leaven' doctrines. They rely on only a small portion of The True Bread, then adding leaven to that part in order to create confusion.
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