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What Is Futurism? What Is Historicism? What Does the Bible Say?

 by Joe Haynes

Updated October, 2024

What is Futurism?

Futurism, as it pertains to Bible prophecy, is the theory that most of the events of Revelation, and the 70th week of Daniel 9, are to be fulfilled sometime in the future.  Futurists generally believe that an individual will appear on the world stage who will usurp the place of Christ as the head of the Church.  This individual, they anticipate, will deceive many people into believing that he is some kind of messiah.  He will become a world-leader, and through his influence persecute Christians and Jews for a period of time.  This person, futurists believe will be the Antichrist.

• Some Futurists believe that Christ will return at the beginning of Antichrist's reign to rescue the faithful Christians and take them to heaven so that they are spared the seven years of "great tribulation."  After these seven years Christ will return to earth with His saints to destroy Antichrist and establish His Kingdom on earth to last a thousand years. This is usually called the dispensational, or "pre-tribulation rapture" view.

• The other main view of Futurism holds that Christians will not be spared from the tribulation under the Antichrist.  These Futurists believe that Christ will only return to rescue His Church and destroy the Antichrist at the end of seven years of persecution.  Most Christians today hold one of these two Futurist views. This is often mistakenly called the "historical premillennial" or "post-tribulation rapture" view.

What is Historicism?

Historicism, as it pertains to Bible prophecy, is the theory that most of the events of Revelation, Daniel, and other major prophecies in the Bible, are now either fulfilled or being fulfilled as history unfolds. Historicists generally believe that someone did appear on the world stage who usurped the place of Christ as the head of the Church; that he did deceive most so-called Christians into believing they need him in order to be saved; and that he did become a world-leader, and through his leadership did persecute both Christians and Jews for a period of time. Historicists believe this has happened and that this Antichrist is the office of the Popes of the Roman Catholic Church (also known as "the papacy").

Historicism is the view that most of Revelation describes history as it has been unfolding over the last 20 centuries.  Historicists see in the prophecies concerning the Dragon, the Beast, the False Prophet, and the Whore of Babylon, references to the pagan Roman Empire, papal Rome (that is, Roman Europe under the rule of the popes ), the Papacy, and the Roman Catholic Church.  The majority of Historicists also identify the symbols of the smoke rising from the Abyss and the invasion of locusts as descriptions of the rise and spread of Islam. This view united all Protestants throughout the Reformation and has largely been replaced by Futurism as the dominant eschatology (belief about the end-times) of evangelical Christians.

To put it another way, Historicism is the method of interpreting Biblical prophecy by comparing history to the prophecy in question. Historicists believe that prophecy is history pre-written. Therefore prophecy can be understood by looking to the past to discover what has, and hasn't, been fulfilled. Historicism, as a school of thought, like futurism, contains many differing opinions as to details of prophetic interpretation. It is not a system that must stand or fall by its ability to withstand criticism. It is a method of interpretation that allows its adherents to continually re-evaluate their opinions as they grow in their understanding of both history, and the Bible.

What does the Bible have to say?

From the prophet Daniel, we know that Antichrist would come out from among 10 kingdoms (Dan. 7:24,25), and we know that these 10 kingdoms are most likely those of Western Europe. We know this because the fourth beast is undoubtedly the Roman Empire, and the ten horns are found on the head of the fourth beast: "After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns," (Dan. 7:7 ESV). In addition to this fourth beast, Daniel saw three other beasts (Dan 7:4-6). But these ten horns he saw in verse 7 are not found on the heads of any of the first three beasts, only on the head of the fourth. The first three beasts represent the empires of Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece, and the fourth represents Rome. Which suggests that the ten horns of verse 7 are not to be located in the lands ruled by Babylon, Persia, or Greece, but in those lands unique to Rome. That means Western Europe.

Verse 12 seems to confirm this conclusion: "As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time," (Dan. 7:12 ESV).  Since the four beasts are separate from each other, and the lives of the first three "were prolonged for ...a time," it would be unreasonable to go looking for the identification of the ten horns on the fourth beast's head in the lands ruled by the first three--Babylon, Medo-Persia, or Greece.

"These ten kings should be looked for in the territory of the western empire of Rome only. 'The ten horns of the fourth empire must none of them be sought for in the realms of the third, second, or first, but exclusively in the realm of the fourth, or in the territory peculiar to ROME, and which had never formed part either of the Grecian, Medo-Persian, or Babylonian empires.' The master mind of Sir Isaac Newton perceived this long ago. He says: 'Seeing the body of the third beast is confined to the nations on this side the Euphrates, and the body of the fourth beast is confined to the nations on this side of Greece, we are to look for all the four heads of the third beast among the nations on this side the Euphrates, and for all the eleven horns of the fourth beast among the nations on this side of Greece.'..." (H.Grattan Guinness, Light for The Last Days, Edited by E.P. Cachemaille. ( London & Edinburgh: Marshall, Morgan & Scott, 1917), pp. 72-73.) (emphasis mine)

The next detail in Daniel 7 predicts the rise of what is commonly called "the Antichrist." "I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things," (Dan. 7:8 ESV). What we are calling the Antichrist is the eleventh horn, the one that "came up among" the original ten horns on the head of the fourth beast. Therefore, since the fourth beast is Rome, and the ten horns are in Western Europe, so is the Antichrist. The next part of the prophecy reveals that the ten horns are kings (of kingdoms) that would rise up in the territory formerly ruled by the Roman Empire (horns growing on the head of a beast are a good way to represent kingdoms emerging from the former territory of an empire). And if the ten horns are kings with kingdoms, so is the eleventh horn, the Antichrist.

15 "As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me was anxious, and the visions of my head alarmed me.  16 I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of the things.  17 'These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth.  18 But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.'  19 "Then I desired to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet,  20 and about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions.  21 As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them,  22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.  23 "Thus he said: 'As for the fourth beast, there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and it shall devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and break it to pieces.  24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the former ones, and shall put down three kings.  25 He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.  (Dan. 7:15-25 ESV, emphasis added)

So, to sum up what we know:

1. Antichrist rises among ten other kingdoms that emerge from the ruins of the Roman Empire, the fourth beast

2. These ten kingdoms are to be found in the region of Western Europe never ruled by the previous three world empires, Babylon, Medo-Persia, or Greece

One interpretation best fits the evidence we have seen so far. I suggest it is the following...

Interpreting the Biblical Evidence

1. The fourth beast is the Roman empire. It was the fourth empire following Nebuchadnezzar's, as the head of the Babylonian. (Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome)

2. The Roman empire is shown to exist in some form continuously until the coming of Christ. (Dan. 2:33-34, 40-44)

3. The 10 horns are a description of a divided, but united, Western Europe. This has been the state of things since the fall of the last Roman emperor, Augustulus, in 476 A.D. (Three did fall shortly afterward, only to be replaced; the 10-fold division was to be characteristic of the Beast's "empire" at the coming of Christ.)

4. One power, different from the 10 horns, did arise from among them:

• 607 A.D. The Emperor Phocas declared the Roman pontiff, Boniface III, head over all the churches of Christendom, and even of Constantinople. At this time as well, the last of the 10 "Roman" kingdoms, the Anglo-Saxons and the Lombards "gave in their formal submission to the religious supremacy of Papal Rome." For nearly a thousand years, after this point, the 10 primary powers of Europe gave their allegiance to the Pope of Rome, as if to Christ Himself!

• 1073 A.D. Pope Gregory VII claimed authority and temporal power over kings, and succeeded in removing the German emperor Henry IV from the throne, replacing him with another.

• 1198 A.D. Innocent III brought the power of the Pope to new heights. "He excommunicated Sweno, king of Norway; threatened the king of Hungary to alter the succession; put the kingdom of Castile under an interdict; and when Philip Augustus of France refused at his bidding to take back his repudiated wife, Innocent did not hesitate to punish the whole nation by putting France also under the same dreaded penalty, until her king humbly submitted to the Pope's behest. King John of England and Philip II of Aragon were both constrained to resign their kingdoms and receive them back as spiritual fiefs from the Roman pontiff, who claimed also the right to decide the election of the emperors of Germany by his confirmation or veto." (Romanism and the Reformation, H.Grattan Guinness. N.J.: OFPM, 1967. p.14. -- from the Second edition, 1891.)

• 1294 A.D. Boniface VIII declared that the Pope represents God upon Earth. "In the summary of things concerning the dignity, authority, and infallibility of the Pope, set forth by Boniface VIII, are these words: 'The pope is of so great dignity and excellence, that he is not merely man, but as if God, and the vicar of God (non simplex homo, sed quasi Deus, et Dei vicarius). The pope alone is called the most holy,... Divine monarch, and supreme emperor, and king of kings... The pope is of so great dignity and power, that he constitutes one and the same tribunal with Christ (faciat unum et idem tribunal cum Christo), so that whatsoever the pope does seems to proceed from the mouth of God (ab ore Deo). ...The pope is as God on earth (papa est QUASI DEUS IN TERRA )." (Romanism and the Reformation, H.Grattan Guinness, p. 16)

• 1964 AD -- "The Roman Pontiff, as the successor of Peter, is the perpetual and visible principle and foundation of unity of both the bishops and of the faithful. "

"Bishops, therefore, with their helpers, the priests and deacons, have taken up the service of the community, presiding in place of God over the flock..."

"...bishops by divine institution have succeeded to the place of the apostles, as shepherds of the Church, and he who hears them, hears Christ, and he who rejects them, rejects Christ and Him who sent Christ."

"...bishops in an eminent and visible way sustain the roles of Christ Himself as Teacher, Shepherd and High Priest, and that they act in His person."

"The pope's power of primacy over all, both pastors and faithful, remains whole and intact. In virtue of his office, that is as Vicar of Christ and pastor of the whole Church, the Roman Pontiff has full, supreme and universal power over the Church. And he is always free to exercise this power."

"Bishops, teaching in communion with the Roman Pontiff, are to be respected by all as witnesses to divine and Catholic truth. In matters of faith and morals, the bishops speak in the name of Christ and the faithful are to accept their teaching and adhere to it with a religious assent. This religious submission of mind and will must be shown in a special way to the authentic magisterium of the Roman Pontiff, even when he is not speaking ex cathedra; that is, it must be shown in such a way that his supreme magisterium is acknowledged with reverence, the judgments made by him are sincerely adhered to, according to his manifest mind and will."

"And this infallibility with which the Divine Redeemer willed His Church to be endowed in defining doctrine of faith and morals, extends as far as the deposit of Revelation extends, which must be religiously guarded and faithfully expounded. And this is the infallibility which the Roman Pontiff, the head of the college of bishops, enjoys in virtue of his office, when, as the supreme shepherd and teacher of all the faithful, who confirms his brethren in their faith,(166) by a definitive act he proclaims a doctrine of faith or morals. And therefore his definitions, of themselves, and not from the consent of the Church, are justly styled irreformable, since they are pronounced with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, promised to him in blessed Peter, and therefore they need no approval of others, nor do they allow an appeal to any other judgment."

-from the DOGMATIC CONSTITUTION ON THE CHURCH
LUMEN GENTIUM
SOLEMNLY PROMULGATED BY HOLINESS
POPE PAUL VI
ON NOVEMBER 21, 1964

5. The "Whore of Babylon" who "rules over the kings of the earth" is "that great city" which is also a fallen church of Christ, refusing to believe that she is fallen--and now false--the False Bride of Christ, that is why she is called a "Whore" (Rev. 17:18), she is the "Church of Rome", who, under the leadership of the Papacy, is estimated to have murdered more than 50 million saints, calling them heretics for not submitting to the Pope, throughout the "Dark Ages." Paul Johnson, the well known historian, and a Roman Catholic himself, quotes in A History of Christianity, p. 514, "The oath of allegiance of all Roman Catholic bishops includes the promise: 'with all my power I will persecute and make war upon heretics.' (Note Dan.7:21 and Rev.13:7.)

6. As the "seventy-weeks prophecy" of Dan. 9 was fulfilled- each day representing a year- (thus 70 weeks, or 490 days, was fulfilled in 490 years)- so the 1260 day period of "war against the saints" by the Beast- or "time, times and half a time"- was fulfilled in a large 1260 YEAR period. Nobody can say for certain what exact terminal points for this period God had in mind, however, the illustration can be made very well, that the war of deceit waged by the Papacy corresponded with its' "temporal" power, which lasted, approximately, from 610 A.D. until 1870 A.D.

"He who, being a man, a sinful man, makes himself a god as the Pope does, who claims divine powers and prerogatives, is unquestionably a blasphemer, and that antichrist." -- Matthew Henry

I am suggesting it is a serious mistake to wait around for the Antichrist to be revealed in the future when he has already been revealed in the past. The real, historical Antichrist has been identified by men like Wycliffe, Calvin, Luther, Knox, Huss, Wesley, J.C. Ryle, Charles Spurgeon, Sir Isaac Newton, H. Grattan Guinness, E.B. Elliot, A.B. Simpson, A.J. Gordon, and hundreds of other leaders of Christ's Church through the last five centuries: by all the Reformers, all the Puritans, and by a lot of their theological heirs. This Antichrist, this "Son of Perdition" as he is called by the Westminster and the Baptist Confessions of Faith (Chapter 26, paragraph 4), has already risen, is already at work deceiving billions and leading them away from saving faith in Jesus Christ. The part that is still in the future is when the Lord Jesus will destroy the Antichrist along with his counterfeit church. Not by human hand, and not by human intervention or agency, lest anyone think to take matters into his own hands! I do not condone hatred but prayer; not violence but patience. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil," (2 Cor. 5:10 ESV). Justice will be done by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself when He returns:

And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. (2 Thess. 2:8 ESV)