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What events are expected before Christ’s return in dispensational premillennialism?

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millennialism Vision of the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven, from the Bamberg Apocalypse, c. 1000–20; in the Bamberg State Library, Germany (MS. 140).

In dispensational premillennialism, the period leading up to the return of Christ is characterized by a series of catastrophic events. Central to this belief system is the Rapture, the rescue of living believers who are "caught up" to meet the Lord.1

Following this, the world is expected to undergo a period of intense tribulation, typically lasting seven years, which includes the following developments:

The Rise of the Antichrist: A figure who acts as the polar opposite of Christ will emerge to reign, deceive people with signs and wonders, and eventually demand to be worshipped as God.12
Global Suffering: The era will be marked by widespread war, disease, and famine.1
Fulfillment of Prophecy: Dispensationalists often view the formation of a Jewish state in Palestine as a necessary prophetic event that must occur to facilitate the Second Coming.3

These events are viewed as part of a specific "dispensation," or period of testing, before Christ returns to inaugurate the millennium, a 1,000-year reign of peace on earth.14