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>>>The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.<<<

It never says they come to earth; it only implies that they “fight” those on earth. Recall that Christ used the Roman armies to carry out his judgement on Jerusalem and Israel. He also used the armies of Babylon to carry out his judgement in the old testament; as well as the Assyrian armies against Egypt.

>>>So, the answer to the apparent problem is simple: Christ is ruling from Heaven now, but at the end of days, He will return to destroy His enemies, and then the 1000 year reign begins.<<<

I understand what you are implying, but I cannot find that in the scripture. If it was true, there should be multiple references. Even the “Sword” doesn’t fit: it comes out of the Lord’s mouth. All we have is this symbolic passage from the Revelation, which has generated about a zillion and one different interpretations, and it is still early.

Philip

QUOTE: It never says they come to earth; it only implies that they “fight” those on earth.

That verse does not state it explicitly, but these do:

Zachariah 1:2 I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city.
3 Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle.
4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.
5 You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquakea in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.

“It never says they come to earth; it only implies that they “fight” those on earth. Recall that Christ used the Roman armies to carry out his judgement on Jerusalem and Israel. He also used the armies of Babylon to carry out his judgement in the old testament; as well as the Assyrian armies against Egypt.”

These verses clearly say Christ himself slays His enemies, who are on earth, with the two-edged sword that proceeds from His mouth. The armies of Heaven are following him, and the Beast, and the kings of the earth gathered to fight Christ and His army. The birds are called to feast on the corpses, so this is obviously a real battle, where birds live, on earth. I can’t see how anyone can interpret it another way unless they just really don’t want to believe what the text says.

“I understand what you are implying, but I cannot find that in the scripture. If it was true, there should be multiple references.”

There are! How many verses do you need about the Second Coming in order to believe He is actually coming back?

” Revelation 1:7 ESV
Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. “

” Hebrews 9:28 ESV

So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. “

” Joel 3:1-2

“For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land, “

” Acts 1:9-11 ESV

And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” “

If Jesus wasn’t coming back, why do all the verses say He is?

“Even the “Sword” doesn’t fit: it comes out of the Lord’s mouth.”

Yes, that is symbolic, obviously, but 2 Thessalonians has a parallel passage that gives us more information:

“2 Thessalonians 2:8 ESV

And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.”

In one verse, the beast is killed with the two edged sword proceeding from Christ’s mouth, and in the other the lawless one is killed with the breath of His mouth. I think they are both poetic ways of saying that Christ will slay His enemies with a word, as He has the power of God.

Regarding who does the destroying in Revelations 19, consider this:

Rev 19:13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.

And then understand it from this Passage in Isaiah :

Iaiah 63: 1Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, proclaiming victory, mighty to save.”
2 Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress?
3“I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing.
4 It was for me the day of vengeance; the year for me to redeem had come.
5 I looked, but there was no one to help, I was appalled that no one gave support; so my own arm achieved salvation for me, and my own wrath sustained me.
6 I trampled the nations in my anger; in my wrath I made them drunk and poured their blood on the ground.”

Jesus tramples the peoples of the Earth by himself, on the earth!