What is the return of Jesus supposed to do, and, when it occurs, how will we know? Many believers think they already know what Jesus’ return means, and they could tell us exactly what would occur, once the event begins. In other words, the Bible says it will occur, they believe it, and they aren’t shy about telling others exactly what Jesus’ return will look like. In fact, when it was convenient for businesses to believe Jesus would return, the publishing industry invented very large headlines, which they called Second Coming headlines. Books have been written to express the imagination of the author, as he thought about Jesus’ return to Earth. Folks have also presumed to know, when Jesus would return, despite Jesus’ warning against such predictions (Matthew 24:36). Many evils were brought to bear upon folks who believed such false prophets.[1]
The fact is clear that there is a great amount of data in the literary world that concerns Jesus’ return to this Earth. The problem is, the amount of data written down does not mean it’s all true. Neither does it mean that any of it is true. All we are able to conclude correctly is, many folks have written many things about Jesus’ return, and very little of the data is supported by God’s word. For example, the entire doctrine about the Rapture is based upon a single verse in the Bible (1Thessalonians 4:17). Indeed, without this verse, the Rapture doctrine would have no foundation! The entire teaching is based upon the interpretation that Paul is speaking about the atmosphere. If Paul isn’t speaking of the Earth’s atmosphere,[2] what would that do to the interpretation that Jesus’ return is yet future?
What would meeting the Lord in the air mean, if Paul wasn’t speaking of the Earth’s atmosphere? In 1Corinthians 9:26 Paul spoke of his fight being real, not as one beats the air (an imaginary fight). In 1Corinthians 14:9 Paul described speaking in an unknown tongue (language) was like speaking into the air, vis-à-vis speaking but no one understanding what is spoken. So, simply because Paul mentions the word air (aer, G109), doesn’t necessarily mean he is describing what’s going on in the Earth’s atmosphere! He could be saying the Lord would return during an air of violence and persecution. Moreover, Jesus’ coming in the clouds doesn’t necessarily describe a physical event. According to Isaiah 19:1, the Lord had come in the clouds (of war) to judge Egypt. That coming wasn’t a literal or physical event, describing God’s activity.
Another example of the misuse of the word air (aer, G109) is found in Ephesians 2:2, “Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the AIR (aer – G109), the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience.” Here, Paul is describing how many believers once walked, prior to their coming to Christ. They walked according to the course of the world, vis-à-vis according to the prince (the Jewish authorities, especially the high priest) of the power of the air. In other words, when they were unbelievers, like Paul/Saul (Acts 8:1; 9:1-3) they acted in accordance with the bias of the authorities responsible for the persecution of believers, which was in accordance with the air of wickedness or the air of bias against the Gospel.
We need to keep in mind that, whenever one of the writers of the New Covenant text describes what’s going on in heaven, where God dwells, or what occurs at the Second Coming of Christ, concerning which no one knows the day or the hour (Matthew 24:36), this doesn’t mean that what is said is clear to our understanding. The men, who write such things, are describing events that language, itself, is a poor communicator (cp. 1Corinthians 2:9). No language of men is adequate enough to describe these things clearly enough that we may conclude, we know accurately, what the writer is trying to say (cp. 2Corinthians 12:3-4). While this isn’t so of all scripture, it is so, when someone is trying to describe those things that occur in heaven, where the Lord dwells. “Come, Lord Jesus… on Earth as it is in Heaven” (Revelation 22:20; Matthew 6:10).
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[1] We are presently involved in a study of N.T. Wright’s book, Simply Jesus, and, while Dr. Wright believes in the future return of Jesus, I do not. I believe Jesus returned, as he said he would, to judge Jerusalem and the nations, and that coming occurred in AD 70 with the war between Rome and Jerusalem.
[2] See Merriam Webster’s definition of the word AIR. Number three in the definition allows for: the outward appearance of a thing; the surrounding or pervading influence (e.g. an air of mystery); the look, appearance, or bearing of a person (demeanor); or an artificial manner (put on airs).
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