So, the idea of "Jesus coming down to earth" is ridiculous, to say the least.
You think so, huh? Apparently you never heard of the 2 prophecies in the OT about the coming to earth of the Messiah. First Advent He came as a baby to become the Suffering Servant. The Second Advent He comes back as King of kings and Lord of lords to rule over the earth for 1,000 years. The OT has no prophecy for a "third" coming of the Lord. Where did you get that idea from, since the OT doesn't help you?
1 Thess 4-
14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that
God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 After that,
we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
v.14- where will God "bring" Jesus?
v.16- Jesus comes down from heaven. Where do you think He will be going? Mars?
v.17- living believers will be caught up together with "them", meaning Jesus and all the dead saints from heaven. There's no air in space, yet this verse says believers will meet the Lord in the AIR. That would be earth.
It is a foolish claim to say that Jesus coming down to earth is ridiculous.
1 Cor 15:23 - But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then,
when he comes, those who belong to him. Where do you think Jesus will be coming TO?
2 These 2:1 - Concerning
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and
our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters,
Where do you think the living believers will meet the Lord's coming?
The Jews wanted an earthly King and Jesus told them that His kingdom was not of this world (Jn 18:36).
That was during His life on earth, when He was fulfilling the Suffering Servant role that was prophesied in the OT.
Dispensationalism comes around and defaces His kingship which is in the heavens (Eph. 1:20-22) and tries to drag the Lord our God back down to earth so He could be a physical King having a physical kingdom. Whatever for?[/QUOTE]
OK, so you're an amillennialist then. You are reading the Bible very wrongly.
I suggest you put on your thinking cap when you read the scriptures and stop letting others tell you to believe them.
I suggest that you believe what the Bible SAYS about end times, esp after Jesus comes to earth to end the Tribulation and sets up His kingdom here on earth.
I expect that you have already ripped Rev 20 out of your Bible. Sad.