"Vistas of Coming Glory" by Wallace Jackel pp112-115

IS FUTURISM A MODERN INVENTION?

The term Futurism has arisen by reason of a particular interpretation, attached to the book of Revelation. Futurists are so designated because they teach that Revelation 4-19 awaits fulfilment in the future, at the end of the Church age.

On page 148 "A New Heaven and a New Earth," the author professes to discover the origin of Futurism with certain Jesuit priests, namely Bellarmine and Ribera, who, it is alleged, promulgated the theory in the sixteenth century. It is further alleged that the theory has come down to modern times via J. N. Darby and the Scofield Bible.

Such reckless allegations are doubtless good propaganda intended to sway Protestant sentiments against Futurism, but they are quite destitute of proof and lacking in factual evidence.

We invite our friends to make a study of the works of these Jesuits, and they will discover that the systems of Ribera and Bellarmine have much more in common with the Historical school, and aspects of A-millennialism than Futurism.

If Scofield or Darby had reproduced the Systems of Ribera and Bellarmine, it would have been something altogether alien to modern Futurism. After all, thousands have arrived at an identical position without having heard of any of these men. Anyone who accepts the Scriptures at their face value must arrive sooner or later at the Futurist position, or something closely approximating to it.

A further allegation on page 148 is to the effect that 	Dr. Scofield's futuristic theory was entirely unknown to the writers of the New Testament. By the same token of course, most other doctrines immediately become suspect. It could be said with equal force that most creedal formulas and much
theological terminology were likewise unknown.
		
The doctrines of eschatology, predestination, sanctification, etc., yea, the whole of systematic theology in that sense was unknown to the writers of the New Testament.

The truths represented in the formulated creeds of the Church are found scattered throughout the Scriptures. Heresy compelled the Church to define its beliefs, and the science of theology brought together these scriptures in an orderly system. That is exactly what happened in respect to eschatology. Individual scriptures were brought together and formulated into a doctrine. Futurism as a system may not have been known to the New Testament writers, or even the Patristic writers, but the individual items which Constitute that system were enthusiastically believed. 
The salient features of Futurism are all found in the Patristic writings.
(1) The Rapture of the Church, pre-millennial and pretribulation.
(2) The rule of Anti-Christ.
(3) The seven-year period, and the half of the week.
(4) The revival of Israel, and the restoration of Palestine.
(5) The coming of the Lord to the Mount of Olives, and the 1,000 year reign of Christ and the saints.
(6) The dispensational method.

	We contend that the doctrines which constitute Futurism formed a part of the historic faith from the beginning. Let us hear the testimony of the Christian scholars who lived during the first three centuries of the Church.

Irenaeus (Bishop of Lyons A.B. 200), was a friend of Polycarp, who in turn was a convert of the Apostle John. He writes thus:-
"But when this Anti-Christ shall have devastated all things in this world, he will reign for three years and six months, and sit in the temple of Jerusalem, and then the Lord shall come from heaven in clouds, sending this man and those who followed him into the lake of fire; but bringing in for the l righteous the times of the Kingdom.
"The predicted blessing therefore, belongs to the times of the Kingdom, when the righteous shall bear rule, upon their rising from the dead."

Irenaeus (Against Heresies 5.29) writes this concerning the Rapture:-
	"And therefore, when in the end the Church shall be suddenly caught up from this, it is said, 'there shall be tribulation such as has not been since the beginning'." There is here a clear hint of the pre-tribulation Rapture.

It is evident that Irenaeus, living in the second century, did not subscribe to the modern theory that the destruction of Jerusalem was the Great Tribulation, but affirmed his belief in a future tribulation of three and a half years, in the reality of Anti-Christ, in the personal reign of Anti-Christ, in the Rapture of the Church, and the future Kingdom.

Tertullian (120-225) (Against Marcion, Book 3), quotes 1 Thess. 4, "For we shall according to the Apostle be caught up into the clouds to meet the Lord, even the Son of Man who shall come in the clouds according to Daniel."

Justin Martyr, living in the second century A.D., was a pronounced Pre-millenialists.
"But I, and whoever are on all points right minded Christians, know that there will be a resurrection of the dead and a thousand years in Jerusalem, which will then be built, adorned and enlarged, as the prophets, Ezekiel and Isaiah and others, declare.
"And further, a man named John, one of the Apostles, predicted by a revelation that was made to him that those who believed in our Christ would spend 1,000 years in Jerusalem."

Commodianus (Bishop of North Africa, A.D. 250), wrote:
"They shall come also who overcame cruel martyrdom under Anti-Christ, and they shall live for the whole time. But from the 1,000 years God will destroy all those evils."

Tertullian (Against Marcion, Book 3), writes:
"But we do confess that a Kingdom is promised to us upon the earth, although before heaven only in another state of existence, inasmuch as it will be after the resurrection for a thousand years, in the divinely built city of Jerusalem."

In the writings of Lactantius five things in particular are mentioned:
(1) The madman, Anti-Christ.
(2) The coming of Christ with His saints.
(3) Universal Peace.
(4) Christ's reign with the saints.
(5) The 1,000 years duration of the Kingdom.

The Shepherd of Hermas (A.D. 140-150). "Go therefore, and tell the elect of the Lord His mighty deeds, and say to them that this beast is a type of the Great Tribulation that is coming."

Papias, Bishop of Hierapolis (A.D. 80-163). Fragments 4 and 5, describes in lyrical terms the fertility of the millennial times, affirms his belief that there will be a millennium after the resurrection of the dead. "when the personal reign of Christ will be established on the earth."

Nepos (Egyptian Bishop, A.D. 230-250) wrote to defend millennialism after Origen attacked it. According to his opponents Nepos taught, "After this (first) resurrection, the Kingdom of Christ was to be upon earth a thousand years, and the saints were to reign with Him."

Hippolytus also referred to the duration of the Tribulation as "one thousand, two hundred and three-score days."

The dispensational method so inveighed against by modern theorists was undoubtedly known and practiced. Augustine no less, is credited with the oft-quoted dictum, "Distinguish the dispensations and the Scriptures agree, " and he was the first to adopt the practice of dividing history into seven periods while the distinctions made between the various groups of events such as we find in the writings of Lactantius accord very w ell with the dispensational method. Concerning the beliefs of the early church, Chillingsworth testifies, "The doctrine of the millenaries was believed and taught by the most eminent fathers of the age after the Apostles; it was the catholic doctrine of those times."

What then was the "doctrine of the millenaries" which was so widespread as to be designated "catholic"? Not belief in a millennium merely, but all the individual doctrines which taken together and formulated into a chronological system constitutes present day Futurism.

It is doubtless the arrangement of these early doctrines into a chronological system that stirs the ire of our friends, but surely we have the strongest reason for believing that the knowledge of prophecy would be increased as the age nears its end.

The book of Daniel, sealed for so long, was a dark mystery until modern times, but that which so grievously puzzled other generations is no longer a mystery. The veil has been lifted, and the message of Daniel is open for all to receive.

Then too, we today are in the fortunate position of being able to see the age in retrospect, and benefit greatly from the past. Time and again, theories have arisen only to vanish into the night of history. Truth is impartial and has no favourites, and the relentless unfolding of time has given a dignified burial to many a human fetish.

The post-millennial theory arose, held the stage, and drew many after it, but its altars are forsaken, and it has vanished into the limbo of forgotten theories. Its devotees have transferred their allegiance to another deity, A-millennialism, which is filling the air with loud trumpetings, but we are confident that it too will fill its niche in the museum of obsolete theories.

The Pre-millennial truth has stood by the grave of all its enemies, it was this truth in which the early church delighted for 300 years, and it still commands the allegiance of a great section of the Church

Believers, however, must be prepared for minor adjustments in their beliefs as the event draws near. A great mountain viewed from the distance appears as one huge hazy mass, but as we draw nearer, the whole thing breaks up into valleys, gorges, cliffs, peaks; so with the landscape of prophecy.

The second advent dominates the future like some great Everest, and the nearer we approach in time, the more clearly the details will show up. We confess that there is much dark detail which calls for reverent caution, there are subsidiary truths and minor points that call for a humble diffidence, where a profession of ignorance is no dishonour, and is to be preferred to a belligerent cocksureness. Specializing in irrelevancies can be a prolific cause of mischief. After all, it is the mainImagesline of prophecy for which we contend.