Question: Will Jesus set His feet on the earth when He comes again.?
Answer: According to the way I understand the Scriptures, the answer is “No.” But that will, no doubt, require some projection and explanation, and I do not guarantee that I can explain it to everyone’s satisfaction.
In Revelation 20:11-13, we have a description of the judgment scene in these words: “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the EARTH and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.” Note, it says in this passage that the EARTH fled away from the presence of Him Who sat on the throne. The earth was corrupt and cursed because of sin (Genesis 3:17, Genesis 6:12, and Isaiah 24:5-6). When Jesus came the first time, He came clothed in a fleshy body, “…In the likeness of sinful flesh,…” (Rom 8:3), and He walked on earth here among men and identified with men and took their sins on Himself that He might bear them to Calvary and there make an atonement for them. Now that has been accomplished. When He comes again “…without sin unto salvation” (Hebrews 9:28), in complete holiness and in the naked, unsheathed glory of the Father and surrounded with all the holy angels, He will not count the corrupt and defiled earth as a suitable and fit place for Himself and those who will accompany Him to come in contact with. He will be through with the earth forever, so He will just banish it from Him as He approaches.
Peter wrote, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” II Peter 3:10. Paul declares that this will be “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,…” and that it will be “…at the last trump:…” And Paul describes this coming of the Lord and sounding of His trumpet in these words in I Thessalonians 4:14-17, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
Now I am somewhat familiar with the doctrine of the “Rapture” which is read into this passage and so generally taught in Christendom today. But I do not identify with that teaching, and for the simple reason that this passage makes no reference at all to the saints coming back here at the end of seven years to reign in Christ’s kingdom here on the earth for a thousand years or any length of time. Quite the contrary. It says they will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall they EVER be with the Lord up there. This is further proof that Christ will not touch His feet upon this earth again, but will come in the clouds of heaven and catch His saints up to meet Him in the air.
I Corinthians 15:52 is speaking of the same thing as I Thessalonians 4:14-17, and there this trump is called the last trump. Also, Jesus said that saints would be raised on the last day (John 6:39-40, 44, 54.) Can you see the folly of trying to believe or prove there will be a thousand years or any number of days at all after the last day or the last trump to call forth the wicked dead for judgment after the righteous dead have been resurrected to reign with Christ in His kingdom on the earth? The holy Scriptures do not teach such a thing, and neither do they teach that Christ will ever set His feet upon this earth again.
Now we will look at a text in Zechariah 14:4, which is strongly set upon by advocates on the Millennium doctrine. It reads: “And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.” This chapter opens with the statement, “Behold, the day of the Lord cometh,…” Verse 3 says, “Then shall the Lord go forth,…” Then verse 4 says, “And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives,…” Then it is clear that it is the Lord’s feet that will stand there and that it will be in THE DAY OF THE LORD. Several times in this chapter reference is made to “IN THAT DAY” (verses 6, 8, 13, and 20, besides this verse 4 which we are considering). These references all refer to the DAY OF THE LORD (verse 1). No doubt, this 14th chapter of Zechariah is referring directly to events pertaining to literal Israel. Many scriptures and prophecies that pertain to literal Israel also have a clear fulfillment in spiritual Israel (the church in this dispensation).
I feel that Zechariah 14:4 is in this classification as well as several other verses in this chapter. We know that Jesus often went to the mount of Olives and spent considerable time there with His disciples when He was here upon the earth. In fact, it was the last place on earth that His feet touched and He ascended to heaven from there. Jesus Christ ushered in the gospel day (the DAY OF THE LORD) and shed abroad the burning, shining light of the gospel in the world. At that time He stood on the mount of Olives time and again. But the scriptures referred to above strongly infer that He will never touch foot on any spot on this earth again.
However, I feel that Zechariah 14:4 is prophetic and figurative and refers to spiritual truths in Christ’s kingdom. This mountain stood on the east side of the city of Jerusalem and afforded a commanding view of the city and the temple. The city and its temple were both types of the Church of God. Then figuratively Jesus stands on the mount of Olives overlooking and observing all the operations of the Church. The mountain cleaving in the midst and forming a very great valley between, some have interpreted as the atonement of Christ extending back to include people in the law age and extending forward to cover this grace dispensation. There is some basis for this, inasmuch as Christ was a Lamb “…slain from the foundation of the world.” (Revelation 13:8.) Others have interpreted it as referring to the removing or breaking down of the mountain or barrier or “middle wall of partition” (Ephesians 2:14-15) of the law system with its ordinances and rituals which stood as an insurmountable barrier to the Gentiles and opening the way through faith and grace for the Gentiles to have an access and entrance into the Church. I can see good basis for this also, since the mountain cleaved to the east and to the west and also removed to the north and to the south, which would include all the cardinal points of the compass and signify the gospel to the whole world and the bringing in of every nation, kindred, tongue, and people (Revelation 7:9.)
I correlate or parallel this with what is said of the ministry of John the Baptist in Luke 3:4-6, “…Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” In other words, it signifies the coming of Christ, the establishing of His kingdom and the effects of His gospel to all people.
