Can there be a coming on the clouds beyond the 1st century AD?

Can there be a coming on the clouds beyond the 1st century?


Summary

Before the 1st century AD, the LORD came many times on the clouds in judgment. Similarly, after Jesus ascended, He told His disciples they could expect Him to come on the clouds. Jesus used the Greek word "parousia" to indicate a coming that He would do, which could imply that after coming He would depart into heaven again. 

The same way that the LORD was coming often before the 1st century AD in order to exercise His dominion from heaven on earth, the same way Jesus could come also several times to do so if needed. There may be evidence that He did so in the 1st century, but also in battles beyond the 1st century, indicating that He would have continued to exercise His dominion along with glorified believers from heaven also. 

You can find evidence for that below. 


The LORD came many times on the clouds before the 1st century AD

The LORD came at many occasions in judgment before the 1st century AD. 

For example, David testified that the LORD came down against His enemies: "In my distress I will call upon the LORD, and I will cry out to my God, and He will hear my voice from His temple, and my outcry (will come) into His ears. Then the earth was shaken and quaked, and the foundations of heaven were confounded and torn asunder, because THE LORD WAS ENRAGED WITH THEM. There went up smoke in His wrath, and fire out of His mouth will devour; coals were kindled by it. AND HE bowed (the) heavens, and CAME DOWN, and darkness (was) under His feet. And He sat upon (the) cherubs and spread out, and WAS SEEN upon (the) wings of (the) WIND" (2 Samuel 22:7-11).

Another example, it was written in the context of the destruction of Egypt around the sixth century B.C: "Behold, THE LORD sits on a swift CLOUD, and WILL-COME to Egypt" (Isaiah 19:1).

Another example, it was written in the context of the destruction of Jerusalem around the sixth century B.C: "behold, THE LORD IS COMING out from His place, AND WILL COME DOWN, and will embark on the heights of the earth. And the mountains will be shaken under Him, and the valleys will melt like bees-wax before (the) presence of fire, and like water being brought down by a slope. All these (things are) because of (the) godlessness of Jacob, and because of (the) sin of (the) house of Israel. What (is) the godlessness of Jacob? (It is) Samaria, is it not? And what (is) the sin of (the) house of Judah? (It is) Jerusalem, is it not?" (Micah 1:3-5).


Jesus said that He would come on the clouds

Jesus said in the 1st century that He would come on the clouds: "they-will-see the Son (of) man COMING on the CLOUDS (of) heaven with power and great glory. And He-will-send-out His angels" (Matthew 24:30-31).

In the 1st century, an army of glittering appearance was seen in the sky around AD 66 before the First Roman-Jewish War which led to the destruction of Jerusalem around AD 70.

For more information:
Matthew 24:30 - Coming on the clouds with angels (1st century historical fulfillment?):
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Jesus mentioned that His coming would be a "parousia", implying a departure to heaven afterward

Jesus said: "just-as the lightning comes-out from (the) east and is-appearing as-far-as (the) west, so will-be the COMING [parousia 3952 in Greek] (of) the Son (of) Man" (Matthew 24:27). 

The Greek word for "COMING" [parousia 3952 in Greek, noun] used in Matthew 24:27 may also be translated as "presence" or "stay". It can denote an extended period of time in which someone is for example coming to a city, being present and staying there for some time, and then departing from where they came. Jesus came from heaven, and so could depart again there afterward.

For more information:
Matthew 24:27 - Coming like the lightning (1st century historical fulfillment?):
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Jesus is reigning in heaven and could come if He wants to in the coming ages

Before the 1st century AD, THE LORD was reigning from heaven, and CAME several times in order to judge people, before departing again to heaven to reign from there again. 

Jesus was given to sit on the right side of the power in the 1st century AD in order to reign from heaven, and after His COMING He could have departed again to heaven to reign from there again. 

If THE LORD had the freedom to do that several times before the 1st century AD, it could stand to reason that Jesus could also do that several times beyond the 1st century AD.

Furthermore, the author of Hebrews wrote that "JESUS CHRIST (IS) THE SAME YESTERDAY and today and TO THE AGES" (Hebrews 13:8) in the plural. So the same way that Jesus was the same "YESTERDAY" (Hebrews 13:8), the same way He is "TO THE AGES" (Hebrews 13:8) in the plural. Paul wrote about "the COMING AGES" (Ephesians 2:7) in the plural.

If Jesus was reigning in the 1st century and came on the clouds at some point in order to judge people (like THE LORD was recorded to do multiple times before the 1st century AD), then it comes to reason that in the COMING AGES Jesus could also come if He wants to for the purpose of judging any nation or city or people if He wants to in a similar way. 

Jude wrote: "(to the) only God our Savior through JESUS CHRIST our Lord, glory, majesty, DOMINION, and authority BEFORE EVERY AGE, and now, AND FOR ALL AGES" (Jude 1:25).


Possible evidence that Jesus may have come with glorified believers beyond the 1st century AD?

The LORD came several times in the Bible with His angels in the context of battles for the purpose of judging people. For example, in the context of the attack of a city it was written: "Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, open the eyes of the servant, and let him see.” And the LORD opened his eyes, and he saw; and, behold, the mountain (was) full of horses, and chariot(s) of fire round about Elisha!" (2 Kings 6:17). 

During wars beyond the 1st century AD, people have reported that angels or glorified believers (who died earlier and would have been in heaven at the time) would have come to help them in battle. 

For example, during a battle around 1097 AD during the siege of Antioch by the crusaders.

Around the 12th century AD, it was written in "Gesta Francorum":

"Then, there came out from the mountains, also, countless armies with white horses, whose standards were all white. And so, when our leaders saw this army, they were entirely ignorant as to what it was and who they were, until they recognized the aid of Christ, whose leaders were St. George, Mercurius and Demetrius. This is to be believed, for many of our men saw it."

How could glorified believers be present in heaven beyond the 1st century? One understanding is that when Jesus said that He would come in the 1st century, He would also bring people who previously died into heaven, in order for them to also be glorified.

For more information on that:
Resurrection from the dead (1st century historical fulfillment?)
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