Does Jesus Return To This Earth?
Does the Bible teach that Jesus
will return on the ground
to
this Earth?
OR
...does the Bible teach that Jesus
would never set foot
on
this Earth again after His public ascension?
The next few pages will demonstrate Scripturally that Jesus never sets foot on this Earth again.
On a scale of one to ten of false doctrines now besetting
the
Is it possible that a
deception of this magnitude could have a major part of the Church of Jesus Christ
totally barking up the wrong tree about End Time matters?!
If one can lay aside all previous input on the subject, and
look anew at the related Scriptures (keeping in mind the promotion of
Dispensational-Millennialism from 12th and 13th century Christ-hating Kabbala teachings! - HERE), the answer will be plain
enough.
With that in mind, let’s
search for the Scriptural proof that Jesus never sets foot on this Earth
again for a Millennial reign or anything else.....
-------
We can start by taking note of the premier "proof
text" used by those who teach that Christ will return to this earth at
some future time. The reference is in the Old Testament Book of Zechariah,
Chapter 14, verses 3 & 4:
Then shall the LORD go forth,
and fight against those nations,
as when He fought in the day of
battle.
And His feet shall stand
in that day upon the
which is before
and the
cleave in the midst thereof
toward the east and toward the
west,
and there shall be a very great
valley;
and half of the Mount shall remove
toward the north, and half of it
toward the south.
(Note: Much of this can also be found in
the "Dispensationalism and
Millennialism..." essay, pages 19-24....)
Aside from those
verses one searches the Scriptures in vain for any prophesy of Jesus actually,
physically coming to the ground on this earth. This is strange, to say
the least, seeing that such a mountain of teaching is built on Him being on the
earth and physically reigning in
Since Zechariah 14 is the
critical load-bearing Scriptural prophesy which holds up the teaching that
Christ will physically return to the ground on this earth after His first visit
and ascension , we must determine if this reference tells us what we are
told it tells us, or whether it doesn’t.
Where do we start?!
Well, let us first remind ourselves that this is an Old Testament prophesy written
494 years before Jesus was born and well over five hundred years before His
feet did indeed stand on the Mount of Olives (v.4). Realizing that
fact alone, one must immediately wonder why this reference couldn’t be to His
first coming. One must wonder why the fulfillment of this prophesy has to be
stretched 2500 years and more into the future instead of 500 years, when the
New Testament tells us that Jesus did in fact come and stand on the Mount of
Olives.
There are several ways to read the highly
allegorical/poetic/symbolic/figurative language contained in this chapter of
Zechariah. Verse 4 speaks also "of the
Given that common understanding about the figurative use of
this word in the Bible, isn’t there every reason to at least consider and test
and see if this is one of those times when the reference is meant to be taken
figuratively rather than literally?? After all,
most doctrinal teaching controlling the evangelical Churches’ direction today
rests squarely on whether this is literal or figurative! It is hugely
important!
So, certainly there is every reason to look for a
figurative, allegorical interpretation, and no reason to declare dogmatically
that this is to be taken literally. (There is no reason to take it literally,
that is, except to uphold Kabbala-based
Dispensational doctrine, the Scofield Bible notes
behind a lot of it, and the ineffably powerful presence and control by the
literal 1000 year advocates over modern day evangelism!)
Since then the word "mountain" figuratively refers
numerous times to "kingdom and strength through rulership"
in Scripture (Unger's Bible
Dictionary, p.765) and since Jesus’ coming totally overturned the Old Testament place of
the Jews and established His New Testament system wherein "whosoever
will" was invited and there was "no respecter of persons", etc.,
it is infinitely more sensible to conclude that this prophesy in Zechariah was
fulfilled some 530 years after it was given, than it is to stretch it some 2500
years and counting.... Sheesh....
But
that is only the beginning of the difficulties of stretching this prophesy
fulfillment to the present and beyond! Verse 8 says: "...it
shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from
And look at the next verse, Verse #9. It says: "And the
LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and
His name one." Was Jesus King "over all the earth" almost 2000
years ago? If He was, this prophesy was fulfilled and the ubiquitous teaching
that He has yet to come to fulfill it is a deception with enormous
ramifications!
Rest assured, it was fulfilled some 530 years after it was
given in Zechariah and is not a future event. (See: "Jesus:
King Now or Coming King"?)
As one reads on for the context
in Zechariah 14, one sees all sorts of things going on that would not be possible
or make any sense if the verse about Jesus setting His feet on the Mount of
Olives referred to Him coming to rule the world from Jerusalem during a yet
future thousand years of bliss on earth. Notice these ill-fitting
incongruities: Terrible plagues smite people (v.12); there is tumult with
neighbor fighting neighbor (v.13); Judah is fighting at Jerusalem (v.14); there
are plagues on horses and mules and camels and asses and "all of the
beasts"(v.15); drought is put on some who don’t come up to worship and
others are killed (vs.17,18).
This is a blissful "millennium"?! There are
"bells on the horses" (v.20), sacrifices are being made (v.21) {with
Jesus, the one and only last sacrifice present}?! I don’t think so!
When trying to discover the fulfillment of this part of
Zechariah, is it not the more Scriptural thing to do to go to Nehemiah 8:14-18
where the conditions befitting the times and what is going on are spelled out??
The time in Nehemiah in those verses is 444 B.C., a full half century after
Zechariah’s dual prophecies, and a full thirty years after Esther’s behavior
had secured total Jewish control over the whole Persian Empire and great
numbers of the Jew’s former enemies were killed or became converts to Judaism
and completely subject to Mordicai’s dictates (Esther Chs.8 & 9)!!
What is the point of trying to
stretch Zechariah’s prophesies two thousand and five hundred years into the
future when most of what is said can clearly be accommodated much better twenty
and fifty years later, and when the part about Jesus can be accommodated five
hundred years later when He tore down the old system forever and erected a new
one that cannot be changed??
So, if the
strongest Bible case for Jesus setting His feet on this earth again can be
whittled down to nothing in a few minutes, how can it be that so many
Christians believe with all their hearts that the Bible teaches that He is
physically coming back to terra firma earth and rule as king for a thousand
years?? Could a deception that
pervasive and persuasive ever grab hold and not turn loose of so many
people?! (Hah! To answer that question, one again has only to look at the
Copernican and Darwinian deceptions and see how many people {in and out of
churches} believe these are scientific truths beyond the remotest hint of being
challenged!) The folly of literalizing and then leaning almost completely on
one passage of Scripture as a "proof text" for a doctrine--when the
"mountain" in that passage is interpreted figuratively and then fits
all other Scriptures on the subject!--is what has happened with this chapter in
Zechariah.
-------
OK. Let’s look at some Scriptures
where the nature of Jesus’ return--His Second Coming--is plainly taught,
and see what they say:
1) Acts 1:9,10,11 says:
"And when He had spoken
these things,
while they beheld He was taken
up;
and a cloud received Him out of
their sight.
And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as He went up,
behold, two men stood by them
in white apparel;
Which also said, Ye men of
why stand ye gazing up into
heaven?
this
same Jesus,
which
is taken up from you into heaven,
shall
so come in like manner
as ye
see Him go into heaven."
"...shall come in like manner...." What
"manner" is that? This Scriptural picture speaks of Christ’s return
all right, and He shall definitely return! No
argument there whatsoever! But the picture does not speak of any
place on earth to which He will return, but rather to the "manner" of
His return. That "manner" is the same as when He left, that is to
say, in a "cloud". We see this confirmed numerous times in
Scripture....
2) One such confirmation with which all prophesy buffs are
aware is the "Rapture" passage in I Thessalonians 4:13-18. Here we
see the key point in question clearly spelled out in a way which not even those
who firmly believe Jesus is physically coming to earth to rule and reign will
contest. That point is that in this passage He
definitely returns from heaven, but He just as definitely does not come to
earth, but rather, returns only in the clouds. Note:
"...the Lord Himself shall
descend from heaven with a shout...
and the dead in Christ shall rise
first...." (v.16)
But where is Jesus when these are raised? Answer: the same
place He is when He raises those who are alive at that time. Note the very next
words in v.17:
"Then we which are alive and
remain
shall be caught up together
with them [the dead in Christ]
IN THE CLOUDS, to
meet the Lord
IN THE AIR: and so
shall we:
a) be with the Lord in the air for seven years (Dispensationalist-Millennialist teaching) or: b) "ever be with the
Lord" (what the verse says). (??)
It is not hard
to see why millennialist doctrines have to go thru
all that fancy hermenutical footwork about the postponed
70th week, etc., etc., to make the Rapture a distinct and separate Coming of
Christ which precedes the alleged coming back for a millennial rule.... Jesus
has to be on the ground for the millennium and it is clear that He never comes
to the ground in the Rapture passage! More, the fact that He
doesn’t come to earth to carry out the Rapture reinforces the conclusion that
He comes ONLY in the clouds when He does return because: a) There is no Scripture (when there should be A
LOT OF IT!) which actually says He comes to earth; b)
He resurrects Christians in the Rapture without coming to earth, so the
resurrection of everybody else {John 5:28,29} could be done the same way (and
sequentially on the same day!); c) Several
Scriptures describe Him coming from heaven to earth without actually setting
foot on the earth; d) Jesus pulverizes those
at Armageddon from the sky without ever coming to earth (though this is not the
2nd Coming but merely the end of the 7th Trumpet plague); e) The dissolution of the earth (II Pet. 3:10-12)
is accomplished by fire coming "DOWN from God out of heaven" ( Rev.
20.9; Luke 17:29,30; II Thess. 1:7,8), again showing
a major event carried out by Jesus from the sky (this one is part of the true
2nd coming, the very last event of the very last day of this earth’s history).
Parenthetically again, but most
interestingly, the 1599 edition of the
Geneva Bible (some 12 years before the KJV came out), gives in the marginal
notes the consensus of the great 16th century Protestant Bible Scholars, a
consensus which paints an altogether different picture of End Time events than
is trumpeted everywhere today. Note: "At
the Second Coming, Jesus will bring an end to history. He will raise the
dead and judge the world (John 5:28,29) and impart to God’s children their
final glory (Rom. 8:17,18; Col. 3:4).... According to I Thess.
4:16,17...those who have died in Christ will be raised, and Christians living
on the earth will be caught up to meet Christ. This event will mean the
end of life in the world as we have known it, and the beginning
of life in unbroken communion with God. The idea that Christians will be
taken out of this world for a period after which Christ will appear still a
third time ...lacks Scriptural support. The "shout,"
"voice," and "trumpet" of v.16 give the distinct impression
that the rapture will be public and not secret (Luke 17:24;
21:35; Rev. 1:7.) ...In other words, the rapture of Christians spoken of in
4:17 will not occur before the arrival of the day that will also bring sudden
and inescapable destruction to the wicked." {So much for all the "secret rapture" and "left
behind" hype from books, pulpits, movies and videos!}
So--getting back to the manner of Christ’s coming--we
see here in the Rapture passage particularly, a stated return of Jesus from
heaven to deal with His people on earth (dead and alive) without ever setting
foot on the ground. We keep that firmly in mind as we examine some other
Scriptures related to Christ’s return which are on the same day (the last
day)....
3) Matthew 24:30b says:
"...and they shall see the
Son of Man coming
IN THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN
with power and great glory."
It doesn’t say He comes on down to earth there, does it?
Just in the clouds. More, it sounds as though He already has "power and
great glory" and is not coming to get either one and reign on earth.
(Pages 22,23 of "Dispensationalism...."
(HERE) explain
why Jesus is already King and is not coming to be King. We will look at that
important Scriptural rejection of the millennial doctrine also at the end of
this evidence and further see why the millennium is a "Jewish fable"
{Titus 1:14}, designed long ago by the Devil to lead God’s people away from an
accurate interpretation of End Time events....)
4) As recorded in Matthew 26:24, Jesus said:
"...Hereafter shall ye see
the Son of Man
sitting on the right hand of
power,
and coming in the clouds of
heaven."
Does Jesus then come on down to earth? It doesn’t say
so. You can add to it if you want to.... "the right hand of power"
always refers to God the Father's throne (Rom.
8:34; Eph. 1:20; Col. 3:1; Heb.
1:3,13; etc.) Father God comes with Jesus to this great
culminating event. Does Father God come on down to earth also in the millennialist teaching...or stay there...or go back to the
third heaven? ..Creates a big problem, doesn't it?
5) Revelation 1:7 says:
"Behold, He cometh with
clouds
and every eye shall see
Him..."
Does Jesus then come on down to earth? It doesn’t say
so. Again, you are free to add to the Scripture if you want, mindful that
you are doing so to lend credence to man’s doctrine and tradition, and in
defiance of God’s fearsome warning in Rev. 22:18,19....
-------
Without adding to or subtracting from God’s Word on this
matter, we go with what we know and nothing more. What we know is this:
a) Jesus comes back from heaven in the clouds to
Rapture the dead and living Christians (I Thess.
4:13-18). He never sets foot on the earth. More, there is absolutely no
Scripture which says that this Rapture will happen at some point before the
last day of this earth’s history. Indeed,
Scripture is plain that the last day is the only time that it can happen!
b) Major point: There is a resurrection of everyone who has
ever died and is not taken up in the rapture. Note John 5.28.29:
"Marvel not at this:
for the hour is coming,
in the which ALL that are in the
graves
shall hear His voice,
And shall come forth;
they that have done good,
unto the resurrection of life;
and they that have done evil,
unto the resurrection of
damnation."
There is nary a hint that Christ is on the earth when He
resurrects the good and the bad who weren’t Christians. It makes no sense that
He would be unless we further theorize that there is another ascension and a
3rd Coming.... What these verses flatly say is that this is a separate
resurrection which includes "good" as well as "evil" dead
people from the past. Only the Christian dead are raised in the
Rapture verses....
So, get it straight
once and for all: Here is plain affirmation that many people who--for
good reasons--have not been Christians throughout history will nevertheless be
saved by their good works. They are people who are "born again"
according to Scripture rather than the draconian and contra-Scriptural
distortion of the "born again" message so common in evangelist
circles. Note this confirmation in I John 2:29: "If ye know that He is righteous,
ye know that everyone that doeth righteousness is born of Him..."
[And Acts 10:34,35]. Consider this
book on God’s Judgment (HERE), who is going to
Heaven (HERE),
and why "Judgment begins at the House of God..."(I Pet.4:17,18) HERE... (Again; this relevant new link: HERE.)
Scripture tells us that He "cometh with clouds"
and every eye will see Him in the sky (Rev.1:7; Matt.24:27). It tells us that
He sends fire down from heaven, and devours those not raptured
or otherwise resurrected (Rev.20:9). It tells us that Jesus bombards the army
of the Beast and the False Prophet at Armageddon from the sky (..at the end of 7th Trumpet time frame: Rev. 16:21).
It tells us that He burns up, melts, and dissolves the earth (II Pet. 3:10-12)
from the sky. It tells us that, from heaven, He causes the earth to flee away
never to be found again ( Rev. 20:11; Isaiah 65:17).
The only thing
that comes down to where this earth is presently located is The New Earth with
a New Jerusalem on it which God promised He would create and put in place
(Isaiah 65:17; 66:22; Rev. 21:2.10). It
comes right to the place John saw in the vision, i.e., right to where the old
earth was, and which, after its dissolution, will be moved out of the way,
having "fled away never to be seen again" (Rev.20:11).
That is to say, the New Earth comes right to the center of
the universe where--in the first creation--He hung the old stationary earth on
nothing, and declared that it could not be moved...not by Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, Newton, Einstein, Sagan,
the Pope or anybody else, until HE moves it to make way for the eternal
New Earth with its New Heavens! (begin HERE)
This is all done
from the sky. Jesus never sets foot on this earth again. This earth is not to
be re-upholstered so Jesus can come and rule, as the millennialist
fable teaches, nor--as the capstone of the Kabbalistic
version of Dispensationalism anticipates--is it to be
the site of the reign of another messiah than Jesus (which "messiah"
in the secular Zionist version merely means world rule by the Zionist State of
Israel).
That’s about it for this overview. Several short books
dealing in greater detail with all the subjects involved can be considered HERE.
Those who are beginning to get the picture as to what
a gargantuan deception the millennial doctrine of Jesus ruling on earth is,
will want to check this out too: "Jesus
Is Not Coming To Be King and Rule and Reign, He Has Been King of Kings and Lord
of Lords Since the Day of His Resurrection"
HERE...
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