The video link is at the bottom of the page.
1. Introduction
Eschatology, the study of the end times, is often understood through two major perspectives: the optimistic Victorious Eschatology and the more pessimistic Futurist view. Awakening Impact Ministries’ Statement of Faith embraces the Victorious Eschatology perspective, which teaches that the church will enter heaven as a glorious bride rather than as a defeated minority raptured away from a future Antichrist. Today, more Christians are baptised in the Holy Spirit than at any other time in history. The Bride of Christ is more glorious and powerful now than at any previous stage, including the era of the early church.
2. Victorious Eschatology
I must honour Dr Harold R Eberle, whom I met in Pakistan in 2016 while we were both ministering there. His book “Victorious Eschatology” has been the foundation for much of the ongoing eschatological Revelation on this website ever since. He even coined the term “Victorious Eschatology.”
A. History of Victorious Eschatology:
The early church fathers taught Victorious Eschatology. The Schofield Reference Bible, published in 1909, shifted overall education on the end times to Futurist Eschatology.
B. Victorious Eschatology and Father-Son Theology:
According to Father-Son Theology, God originally intended to have sons and daughters.
Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.
Ephesians 1:4-5
Our Father’s desire is for His children to be blessed and succeed. Contrary to original Futurist teaching, it is not a remnant that will be “saved” at the end.
C. Victorious Eschatology and Glorious Sons & Daughters:
Further to this, God desires His sons and daughters to be glorious:
For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Hebrews 2:10
Some futurists say that “sons to glory” refers to believers in heaven or during the Millennium. However, Hebrews 2:11 clarifies that the author of Hebrews is referring to the present, not the future.
For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,
Hebrews 2:11
Victorious Eschatology teaches that until Jesus Christ’s final return, the sons and daughters of God will influence the world through a mighty wave of evangelism, and the church will reign and govern in the spirit realm as it is supposed to.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.
Romans 8:18-19
D. Victorious Eschatology and Glory Fills the Earth:
It believes that before Jesus Christ’s final return, the glory of the Lord will fill the earth through the glorious sons and daughters of God, who will rule and reign.
For the earth will be filled
Habakkuk 2:14
With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD,
As the waters cover the sea.
In direct contrast to Futurist teaching, God’s glory fills the earth. Futurism falsely claims that just a small remnant will remain.
3. Futurist Eschatology
Where people are in a church teaching against speaking in tongues today, they generally have difficulty receiving their heavenly prayer language. The same with Futurist Eschatology – if you believe that things are getting worse rather than better, you will be focusing on the negative rather than building your faith by strengthening your heart.
Therefore, if we believe in remnant theology, our hearts might not allow us to believe in great things, and our faith could suffer. If your theology is that the glory of the Lord will fill the earth, then your heart will permit you to believe in great things. For example, in my travels to Muslim countries, I expect to see hundreds—and sometimes I see over a thousand—Muslims come to Christ, not just one or two.
A. History of Futurist View:
John Nelson Darby was a member of the Plymouth Brethren. Leaving them, he founded the Exclusive Brethren. Neither of these denominations believed that miracles and healings happen today. Rather than changing his erroneous mindset, Darby changed his theology to suit his personal experience—a dangerous thing to do.
Darby held numerous false doctrines. Most seriously, he denied the doctrines of imputed righteousness and the gift of righteousness. Instead, he taught that Jesus kept the law on our behalf. However, the Bible teaches that Jesus fulfilled the law and that righteousness is a gift.
Darby never witnessed anyone healed because he did not believe in it, yet during the same period, the renowned Charles Spurgeon saw thousands healed. Charles Spurgeon said the following about Darbyism:
“With the deadly heresies entertained and taught by the Plymouth Brethren, in relation to some of the most momentous of all the doctrines of the Gospel and to which I have adverted at some length, I feel assured that my readers will not be surprised at any other views, however unscriptural and pernicious they may be, which the Darbyites have embraced and zealously seek to propagate.
Grant, James (1875). The Plymouth Brethren: Their History and Heresies.
B. Dispensational View
Futurist eschatology purists must also adhere to the dispensational view.
Dispensationalism states that after the deaths of the first 14 apostles (Paul being the last, Matthias replacing Judas Iscariot), there will be no more apostles or prophets, only teachers, evangelists, and pastors. This heresy teaches that only apostles can perform miracles, and that now that the New Testament writings are complete, there are no more healings or miracles today (Cessationist View). However, Pentecostals and Charismatics who still hold to the Futurist View have chosen to remove some teachings (Cessationist View) while retaining the remainder.
4. Preterist Views vs Futurist Views
A. Futurist View
The Futurist View wrongly assumes that the Greek word Parousia refers only to Jesus’ first and second advents. The purpose of the first is to save humankind from its sin. The second advent is Jesus’ final return, where He will judge humanity and send them to eternal torment or eternity to heaven to rule and reign.
B. Preterist View
The Preterist View holds that Jesus has already returned for His final return and will not return. This view holds that we are now in heaven or that heaven begins after death. They correctly believe that the New Testament and Daniel teach that Jesus came:
- At his birth
- The start of his ministry
- At the Mount of Transfiguration
- When the Father inaugurated the Son
- Three historians confirm the appearance of the Son of Man above Jerusalem on 21 May 66 CE.
However, Preterists do not believe that Jesus is coming a final time and see no value in the return of the Jews to Israel.
C. Partial Preterist View
The partial preterist view agrees with the first five points of the Preterists. Partial Preterists add a final physical coming after the Millennium finishes. Jesus will return physically in glory, with the resurrection and judgment of the dead (As per the Nicene Creed).
Partial preterists do not believe that it is now heaven on earth, but do believe that we now rule and reign with Christ, and sin and sickness no longer reign.
Some partial preterists see an actual 1000-year reign that ended sometime in the past. Awakening Impact Ministries shares the view of other partial preterists that the Greek text does not specify an exact 1000 years for the Millennium. We see the return of Israel to their land as a sign that the Millennium is coming to an end and that this brings the fulfilment of:
Now whenever the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Revelation 20:7-10
5. Millennium
A. Futurist View and the Millennium:
To account for scriptures that present healing and miracles as signs of the kingdom of God, they place the kingdom in a future millennial reign. In this view, Jesus establishes a natural kingdom in which Jesus and the church rule from Israel. Yet Jesus said that the kingdom of God is within you.
B. Dispensational View
The dispensational view teaches that one day is as a thousand years. Accordingly, there were six days of creation followed by one day of rest. John Nelson Darby held that there were 4,000 years from Adam to Jesus, leading to the conclusion that there have now been 6,000 years from Adam to the present, after which the Millennium will begin.
However, according to the dispensational view, there are still about 215 years remaining before the 6,000 years are complete, as we are currently (February 2026) in Anno Mundi 5786 according to the Hebrew calendar. This Dispensational view is unbiblical and originated with a girl who claimed to have a vision in the 1860s—hardly a sufficient basis on which to build an entire theological worldview!
C. Victorious Eschatology
Victorious Eschatology holds that the millennial reign began shortly after the Great Tribulation, which Daniel prophesied would last 2300 days.
It teaches that the kingdom began at Jesus Christ’s ascension and continues until Jesus returns the domain to the Father. We will look further into the Millennium in a separate study.
Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.
1 Corinthians 15:24
Scripture is unequivocal that His kingdom has come NOW!
If you believe in Victorious Eschatology, that the kingdom is here now, you will have complete freedom to heal the sick because correct teaching will strengthen your heart. Proverbs teach us:
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
Proverbs 23:7
6. Antichrist
A. Futurist View and the Antichrist:
Unlike in Victorious Eschatology, the Futurist View believes that the Antichrist is still to come. The devil will possess the Antichrist. He will institute a one-world government, an economic system, and a one-world religious system. Some people holding this view believe that the devil (or God) always has an anti-Christ ready for Jesus’ return!
B. Victorious Eschatology View
The correct view is that the Antichrist was known to the Thessalonian church in 56 CE, and that Nero began to act like the Antichrist in 62-64 CE. Nero fulfilled all the Antichrist’s requirements, including having the number 666. He also started the Great Tribulation on 27 December 66 CE, as a result of Simon Ben Giora and the Jews killing nearly 6200 Romans.
7. Revelation
A. Futurist View
Futurists argue that John wrote Revelation after the destruction of Jerusalem so that they can discount historical truths.
B. Partial Preterist View
Substantial biblical and historical evidence places the writing of Revelation between 63 and 65 CE. This date indicates that every prophecy in Revelation can occur either before or after this period. It also suggests that the seven seals, 144,000, bowls, and trumpets are linked to specific events of the Tribulation.
C. The Great Apostasy
Futurists talk a lot about deceiving spirits in the last days. Victorious Eschatologists recognise that after Paul, John was the leading theologian who argued against the Great Apostasy until his death. The apostasy Jesus was talking about, which occurred in the last days (ending in 70 CE), was the Gnostic doctrine that held that Jesus never came in the flesh. One-third of the early church fell to this during John’s lifetime.
8. The Seventy Week Prophecy
A. Futurists and the Seventy Weeks
Futurists propose a 2000-year gap after the 69 weeks (483 years), but this isn’t necessary.
B. Calling Jesus the Antichrist
Futurists have misinterpreted Daniel 9:27, suggesting that the Antichrist is the Prince, when Daniel clearly states that the Messiah is the Prince.
C. Seven-year peace treaty
Futurists say Antichrist will make a seven-year peace treaty with Israel
D. Historical View of the Seventy Week Prophecy
The historical view is entirely straightforward. Starting in 1 Tishrei (12 September), 458 BCE, and counting 483 years (49 weeks), we arrive at the start of Jesus’ ministry on Cheshvan 22 (23 October), 26 CE, when Jesus is 30 years old. We add 1260 days, bringing us to Jesus’ death on Nisan 15, 30 CE. Jesus’ death marks the start of the New Covenant. Then, a further 1260 days of the apostles confirming the Covenant in relative peace bring us to Cheshvan 2 (15 October), 33 CE, the date of Stephen’s martyrdom and the end of the seventy-week prophecy. The complete lesson, including the spreadsheet, is available here.
E. Futurist View and the Great Tribulation
They will refer to the coming Great Tribulat, pointing toing Jesus’ clear prophecy that it will occur within one generation. Jesus’ prophecy linked the Great Tribulation to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE, by the Romans.
The Great Tribulation began on 27 December, 66 CE, when the Antichrist finally declared war on the Jews after the defeat of the XII Fulminata Legion, and concluded on 10 April, 73 CE, with the end of the Jewish Roman War and the fall of the last Jewish city of Masada.
F. Futurist View and the Rapture:
Futurists believe there will be a rapture before, during, or after the Great Tribulation. John Nelson Darby taught that there would be not one but two raptures! One for the elect (his wife and followers) and one for people like you and me. The Exclusive Brethren, describing themselves as the true church, still hold to this absolute separation from the world. This teaching, along with Futurist Eschatology, is a deception. There is NO RAPTURE.
G. Futurist View and the Apostasy:
Unlike Victorious Eschatology, they will speak of a great falling away and of only a few being saved at the end, resulting in a fear-based gospel. It isn’t very optimistic because it believes that only a few will go to heaven. However, it was the gnostics of the first century who brought about the Great Apostasy, in which one-third of Christianity fell into gnosticism. We look at this in depth in our lesson on False Christs and Prophets.
This pessimistic view aligns with the Reformed Theology perspective, which portrays God as an angry Deity pouring His wrath on humanity.
H. Second Coming
Futurists, like us who teach Victorius Eschatology, believe that Jesus is coming again. However, you may be surprised to know that there are six comings of Jesus listed in the New Testament!. The fifth coming, 21 May, 66 CE, is documented by three historians. Jesus was seen with his armies of horses and chariots in the clouds by over a million people, the night before the Romans surrounded the first major city in Israel.
I. The Chinese will Cross the Euphrates
We will look at this in the lesson on the Great Tribulation. However, this is realised by an army of horsemen (the Xth Legio Equestris) of ten thousand men from across the Euphrates, and by another legion of ten thousand men (XII Legio Fulminata), responsible for guarding the Euphrates in 70 CE.
9. Rapture
A. Futurist View
There will be a rapture at some time before, during, or after the Great Tribulation. John Nelson Darby taught that there would be not one but two raptures! One for the elect (his wife and followers) and one for people like you and me. The Exclusive Brethren, describing themselves as the true church, still hold to their absolute separation from the world. This teaching, along with Futurist Eschatology, is a deception.
B. Victorious Eschatology View
This is simply at the return of Christ before the Great White Throne of Judgement. Believers have nothing to fear from this, because negative judgment is based only on not believing in Jesus.
Hell Does Not Involve Eternal Torment covers every scripture on the subject of Hades and Hell.
10. Great Tribulation
A. Futurist View and the Great Tribulation
Futurists refer to the coming Great Tribulation, ignoring Jesus’ clear prophecy that it will happen within a single generation. Jesus connected the Great Tribulation to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE and predicted that the Romans would be the Abomination Causing Desolation responsible for it. Frankly, adherents of Futurist Eschatology could only dismiss Jesus’ prophecy in Matthew 24 as false.
B. The Gospel Shall Be Preached to All Nations
Futurists argue that the Great Tribulation cannot have occurred because the gospel has not been preached to all nations.
However, the New Testament repeatedly states that the apostles preached to every nation and people under heaven. The first Early Church Fathers corroborated this.
C. Seven Seals of Revelation
Futurist put these into the future. They refer to a third of humankind being killed and blood moons to say we live in the last days.
However, Jesus stood up in response to Stephen’s martyrdom and to open the first seal of His 30 CE prophecy. Each seal finds its fulfillment within the first forty years. History records that there was a blood moon on the day Titus surrounded Jerusalem, and that on the day of Jerusalem’s destruction the full moon turned red while the sky was darkened by the fire and smoke that covered the city. In this period, one third of Israel is killed, and wars, rumors of wars, false prophets and false Christs, famine, pestilence, and earthquakes all increase in frequency.
D. 144,000 Jewish Virgins
It is sadly laughable how many false theologies and cults arise from Revelation 7. These are 144,000 Jews who come to Christ before the start of the Great Tribulation in 66 CE, and who keep themselves spiritually pure by refusing to follow the Old Covenant and the New Covenant at the same time (syncretism).
E. Army Crossing the Euphrates
Futurists wrongly interpret the last seven years of the Seventy-Week Prophecy as the Great Tribulation still to come. However, Daniel teaches that this period will be 2,300 days, or approximately six years and four months. This is exactly how long it took from the time Nero—the Antichrist—changed his policy from appeasement to declaring war on December 27, 66 CE, until the fall of the last stronghold, Masada, and the conclusion of the First Jewish–Roman War on April 10, 73 CE.
F. Dating the Great Tribulation
Futurists misinterpret the final seven years of the Seventy-Week Prophecy as a Great Tribulation that still lies in the future. Daniel, however, indicates that this period will last 2,300 days—approximately six years and four months.This is precisely the length of time between Nero—the Antichrist—abandoning his policy of appeasement and declaring war on December 27, 66 CE, and the fall of the last Jewish stronghold, Masada, marking the end of the First Jewish–Roman War on April 10, 73 CE.
G. Forty-Two Month, 1290-, 1335-Day Prophecies
These prophecies from Daniel and Revelation are not future events. They began on Passover (Nisan 15), 67 CE, with three signs on that Passover.
These signs showed the glory departing from the Temple, the east gate opening by itself, and a heifer giving birth to a lamb as it was being sacrificed. This marked the start of the 42-month prophecy on the Hebrew calendar (equivalent to 41 Gregorian months), ending on Elul 15, 70 CE, with the destruction of Jerusalem. Likewise, Daniel’s 1,290-day and 1,335-day prophecies also begin on this date.
The 1,290 days end after 10,000 people were killed in celebration of Domitian’s birthday. The blessing of reaching 1,335 days is seen in Titus’s revelation at the Sabbatical River that the Jews deserved to be saved, after which they were settled in Antioch, the center of Christianity for 1,000 years.
H. Five-Month Prophecy
Some futurists claim that the five‑month prophecy in the Book of Revelation refers to helicopter gunships and make other similarly implausible assertions. It does not. Had they understood the Hebrew calendar as it was in 69–70 CE, they would have recognized that it clearly refers to the five months during which Titus besieged Jerusalem, from Nisan 15 until the city’s destruction on Elul 15.
11. Summary of Victorious Versus Futurist Eschatology
- Victorious Eschatology births out of the teaching that a loving Father desires to have sons and daughters through Jesus Christ.
- Futurist Eschatology is tied to the view of a distant God who is wrathful toward sinners (as in Greek mythology).
- Victorious Eschatology believes that the last days finished in 70 CE, in accordance with Je us’ prophecy. It believes we are in a new age of grace. It separates the last days from the End of the Age.
- Futurist Eschatology holds that Jesus’ prophecy was delayed for some reason (and therefore Jesus ma e a mistake). It believes that the last days and the End of the Age are still to come.
- Victorious Eschatology says that the knowledge of the glory of the Lord will cover the whole earth.
- Futurist Eschatology believes will save only a few.
- Victorious Eschatology believes that the sons of God will grow from glory to glory.
- Futurist Eschatology believes there will be a great turning away from the gospel.
- Victorious Eschatology was the prime teaching for the first 1900 years of church history.
- Futurist Eschatology was popularised by a man who did not believe miracles were for today, nor that righteousness is imputed o a free gift. Today, the church he founded believes that they cannot associate with anyone else in t e world!
12. Which View Better Describes our Abba Father?
Which vision sounds more like the heart of a mighty God and a loving Father to you?
It has always been God’s intention to have sons and daughters who are holy and blameless. He accomplished this through Jesus Christ. God will present a glorious Bride to Jesus to be His wife. From the beginning, God intended for the Holy Spirit to have one majestic temple—the Church—and millions of living temples: individual believers filled with the Spirit of God.
Victorious eschatology has always made room for this reality. Futurist eschatology, however, must constantly adjust itself to make it possible.
© Use by Permission Awakening Impact Ministries / Dr Neville Westerbeek van Eerten D. Miss. 2026
