Futurist View of Christ's Second Coming in Eschatology
The futurist view in Christian eschatology interprets biblical prophecies, particularly those concerning Christ's Second Coming, as referring to events yet to unfold in the future. This perspective often contrasts with preterist interpretations, which see many prophecies as already fulfilled in the past, such as in the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 [3].
Key biblical passages frequently cited in support of a futurist understanding include those that speak of Christ's return "with clouds" and the accompanying signs in the heavens [3, 4]. For instance, Matthew Henry notes that Mark 13:24-27 points to Christ's second coming to judge the world, distinguishing it from the destruction of Jerusalem [3]. The disciples, in their initial inquiry, had conflated these two events, a misunderstanding that Christ clarified by indicating that the "end of the world" and the "day of judgment" would occur after the tribulation associated with Jerusalem's destruction [3].
Prophecies in the Old Testament, such as those found in Daniel, are also interpreted futuristically. Adam Clarke, commenting on Daniel 2:28, states that the phrase "in the latter days" generally signifies "the times of the Messiah" in prophetic literature, indicating events that will transpire from Daniel's time "to the latest ages of the world" [1]. This suggests a broad, unfolding timeline for prophetic fulfillment. Similarly, Keil & Delitzsch describe Daniel 9:24, concerning the seventy weeks, as a "divine revelation regarding the future development of the kingdom of God," acknowledging the varied interpretations due to the brevity of the text and the difficulty in calculating the period [5].
The New Testament further emphasizes a future return of Christ. John Gill, in his commentary on Revelation 1:7, interprets "Behold he cometh with clouds" as referring to a future coming of Christ to execute judgment, distinguishing it from his coming to take vengeance on the Jews at Jerusalem's destruction [4]. Gill also interprets Christ's declaration in Revelation 22:7, "Behold, I come quickly," as referring to the "second and personal coming of Christ to judgment," rather than an earlier event like the destruction of Jerusalem, which had already occurred when John wrote Revelation [8].
The concept of Christ as "he that shall come" is central to the futurist perspective. The author of Hebrews encourages patient endurance by considering the shortness of the time until Christ's coming, drawing from Habakkuk 2:3-4 [7]. John Gill also connects Hebrews 10:37, "For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come," to Christ's future coming in his kingdom and power, which includes his second advent, even though the original Habakkuk prophecy also referred to his first coming [6]. Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown highlight that while Habakkuk referred to a vision coming, Paul, under inspiration, applies this prophecy to Christ as "the grand and ultimate subject of all prophetical vision," finding its "final and exhaustive fulfilment" in Him [7].
The "kingdom of heaven" in parables, such as those in Matthew 25, is sometimes understood in a futurist sense, referring to the Gospel church state "a little before his second coming to judgment" [2]. This suggests that the spiritual condition of the church in the end times, characterized by a potential "lukewarm, drowsy, and sleepy condition," is a future concern leading up to Christ's return [2].
Thus, the futurist view consistently interprets key eschatological texts as pointing to a future, often literal, fulfillment of prophecies related to Christ's return, the judgment, and the establishment of his kingdom, distinguishing these events from past historical occurrences.
Sources
- Daniel (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Daniel 2:28: There is a God in heaven - To distinguish him from those idols, the works of men's hands; and from the false gods in which the Chaldeans trusted. In the latter days - A phrase which, in the prophets, generally means the times of the Messiah. God is about to show what shall take place from this time to the latest ages of the world. And the vision most certainly contains a very extensive and consecutive prophecy; which I shall treat more largely at the close of the chapter, giving in the mean time a short exposition.”
- Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 25 (introduction): Then shall the kingdom of heaven,.... The Gospel church state; See Gill on Mat 13:24 either as it would be a little before the coming of the son of man to take vengeance on the Jews; or as it will be a little before his second coming to judgment: for the parable is manifestly connected with, and refers to the preceding chapter, which chiefly treats of Jerusalem's destruction: but though the Jews were in great security before their utter ruin, yet it does not appear that the Christian church was then in such a lukewarm, drowsy, and sleepy condition, as th”
- Mark (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Mark 13:24: These verses seem to point at Christ's second coming, to judge the world; the disciples, in their question, had confounded the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world (Mat 24:3), which was built upon a mistake, as if the temple must needs stand as long as the world stands; this mistake Christ rectifies, and shows that the end of the world in those days, those other days you enquire about, the day of Christ's coming, and the day of judgment, shall be after that tribulation, and not coincident with it. Let those who live to see the Jewish nation destroyed, ”
- Revelation (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Revelation 1:7: Behold he cometh with clouds,.... John carries on the account of Christ in his kingly office, one branch of which is to execute judgment; and describes him by a future coming of his, which cannot be understood of his coming to take vengeance on the Jews, at the time of Jerusalem's destruction, though that is sometimes expressed in such language, and with such circumstances, as here; see Mat 24:30; because if this revelation was made to John, in the latter end of Domitian's reign, as is commonly reported by the ancients, and in the year 95 or 96, as chronologers gen”
- Daniel (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Daniel 9:24: The divine revelation regarding the seventy weeks. - This message of the angel relates to the most important revelations regarding the future development of the kingdom of God. From the brevity and measured form of the expression, which Auberlen designates "the lapidary style of the upper sanctuary," and from the difficulty of calculating the period named, this verse has been very variously interpreted. The interpretations may be divided into three principal classes. 1. Most of the church fathers and the older orthodox interpreters find prophesied here the appe”
- Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 10:34: For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come,.... That the person spoken of is the Lord Jesus Christ, is evident from the prophecy in Hab 2:3 here referred to, and from the character of him that is to come, Mat 11:3 and from parallel places, Jam 5:7 and this is to be understood, not of his coming in the flesh, for he was come in the flesh already; though Habakkuk indeed refers to his first coming, yet not to that only, but including his second coming also; but of his coming in his kingdom and power to destroy Jerusalem, and take vengeance on the Jews, fo”
- Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 10:37: Encouragement to patient endurance by consideration of the shortness of the time till Christ shall come, and God's rejection of him that draws back, taken from Hab 2:3-4. a little while-- (Joh 16:16). he that shall come--literally, "the Comer." In Habakkuk, it is the vision that is said to be about to come. Christ, being the grand and ultimate subject of all prophetical vision, is here made by Paul, under inspiration, the subject of the Spirit's prophecy by Habakkuk, in its final and exhaustive fulfilment.”
- Revelation (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Revelation 22:7: Behold, I come quickly,.... These are the words not of the angel, but of Christ, as is manifest from Rev 22:12 and which are to be understood not of Christ's coming in his power to destroy Jerusalem, for this was past when John had these visions, and wrote this book; but of the second and personal coming of Christ to judgment, as is clear from Rev 22:12 which though it will not be sooner than the time appointed, yet will be as soon as that time is come, and sooner than is generally expected by men. The Ethiopic version adds, "as a thief", as in Rev 16:15 and becau”