Chapter 8 – Who Saw His Return?

If Jesus did promise to return in His generation, does the first century contain any history that proves Jesus and His angels came on the clouds?

In 66 AD, several trustworthy historians documented sightings of angelic armies engaged in aerial battles, shortly after Passover. These accounts provide compelling evidence for Jesus’ return during the time of his disciples. The reports describe chariots and soldiers fully armed running among the clouds and encircling cities. One of these reliable historians is Josephus, a Jewish historian who wrote about these events in 75 AD. He states:

Besides these [signs], a few days after that feast, on the one- and-twentieth day of the month Artemisius, [Jyar,] a certain prodigious and incredible phenomenon appeared; I suppose the account of it would seem to be a fable, were it not related by those that saw it, and were not the events that followed it of so considerable a nature as to deserve such signals; for, before sun-setting, chariots and troops of soldiers in their armour were seen running about among the clouds, and surrounding of cities. Moreover, at that feast which we call Pentecost, as the priests were going by night into the inner [court of the] temple, as their custom was, to perform their sacred ministrations, they said that, in the first place, they felt a quaking, and heard a great noise, and after that they heard a sound as of a great multitude, saying, “Let us remove hence”¹

Josephus is the most well-known Jewish historian of his time. He was a Jewish priest and general during the war in 67 AD. After receiving a prophetic dream of the Jews’ destruction, he promised to serve as a minister of God and surrendered to the Romans.² Immediately after, God miraculously delivered him from a life-threatening situation.³ Josephus later became a historian dedicated to unbiasedly recording the events he witnessed during the war.⁴ Churches, historians, preachers, and seminary schools quote and validate his works.

Additionally, Tacitus, a Roman senator and historian writing between 100-110 AD, mentioned the appearance of angelic armies in the skies. He described battles in the skies, the illumination of the temple by a sudden radiance from the clouds, and a voice proclaiming the departure of the gods:

Prodigies had occurred, which this nation, prone to superstition, but hating all religious rites, did not deem it lawful to expiate by offering and sacrifice. There had been seen hosts joining battle in the skies, the fiery gleam of arms, the temple illuminated by a sudden radiance from the clouds. The doors of the inner shrine were suddenly thrown open, and a voice of more than mortal tone was heard to cry that the Gods were departing. At the same instant there was a mighty stir as of departure. Some few put a fearful meaning on these events, but in most there was a firm persuasion, that in the ancient records of their priests was contained a prediction of how at this very time the East was to grow powerful, and rulers, coming from Judæa, were to acquire universal empire.⁵

Tacitus is renowned for his meticulousness and skepticism, making his accounts valuable in validating historical events like the crucifixion of Christ. He was a senator and historian and one of his duties included overseeing religious cults in Rome.

Sepher Yosippon, a work by an anonymous Jew writing in the tenth century, wrote that these angelic armies in 66 AD were horses and riders of fire.

Moreover, in those days were seen chariots of fire and horsemen, a great force flying across the sky low to the ground coming against Jerusalem and all the land of Judah, all of them horses of fire and riders of fire.⁶

The quote from Sepher Yosippon sounds like a fulfillment of 2 Thessalonians 1:6-7.

2 Thessalonians 1:6-7 (WEB) For it is a righteous thing with God to repay affliction to those who afflict you, 7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire

The anonymous Pseudo-Hegesippus, estimated to have been written between 370-375 AD, also described this event and mentioned a tremendous figure leading the army.

Also after many days a certain figure appeared of tremendous size, which many saw, just as the books of the Jews have disclosed, and before the setting of the sun there were suddenly seen in the clouds chariots [p. 393] and armed battle arrays, by which the cities of all Iudaea [Judea] and its territories were invaded.⁷

It is not difficult to imagine that Christ was leading this army of angels against Jerusalem.

Will Every Eye See Him?

Regarding the visibility of Christ’s return, some translations of Matthew 24:30 suggest that everyone worldwide would witness it.

Matthew 24:30 (WNT) Then will appear the Sign of the Son of Man in the sky; and then will all the nations of the earth lament, when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with great power and glory.

However, a more accurate translation refers to the “tribes of the land,” specifically the twelve Jewish tribes of Israel, as stated in the International Standard Version:

Matthew 24:30 (ISV) Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all ‘the tribes of the land will mourn’ when they see ‘the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven’ with power and great glory.

This translation is supported by the Greek word “phulé,”⁸ often translated as “tribes” (Matthew 19:28), and the word “earth” or “gé,” which can refer to the land of Israel (Matthew 2:6, 20-21) and generally means a region or country (Matthew 2:6,20-21).⁹ The word “gé” is often used to describe specific regions: the “land of Judah” (Matthew 2:6), the “land of Israel” (Matthew 2:20-21), the “land of Zebulun” and the “land of Naphtali (Matthew 4:15), “the land” or localized region where Jesus preached (Matthew 9:26,31), “the land of Sodom and Gomorrah” (Matthew 10:15), and “the land of Sodom” (Matthew 11:24). The same is true for Luke 21:35, where Young’s Literal Translation translates “the whole earth” as “land.”

Luke 21:35 (YLT) for as a snare it shall come on all those dwelling on the face of all the land

Jesus’ prediction that all the tribes of the land would mourn seems to be a reference to Zechariah 12:10-14, where the prophet predicted that in Jesus’ generation, the tribes of Israel would mourn for him who they pierced.

Zechariah 12:10-14 (WEB) I will pour on David’s house, and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they will look to me whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and will grieve bitterly for him, as one grieves for his firstborn. 11 In that day there will be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. 12 The land will mourn, every family apart; the family of David’s house apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; 13 the family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of the Shimeites apart, and their wives apart; 14 all the families who remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.

Jesus compared the visibility of his return to a lightning strike, which is limited to a specific geographical region.

Matthew 24:27 (WEB) For as the lightning flashes from the east, and is seen even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.

Additionally, Jesus instructed those in Judea to flee to the mountains to escape the tribulation, indicating that the events were localized rather than worldwide.

Matthew 24:15-18 (WEB) “When, therefore, you see the abomination of desolation,Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11 which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take out the things that are in his house. 18 Let him who is in the field not return back to get his clothes.

According to these passages, only those in Judea would witness Christ’s return, and it would be the twelve tribes of Israel who would mourn, not the entire world. Given Jesus’ promise to return within His generation, along with the extraordinary historical accounts of angelic armies appearing on the clouds that align with the biblical description of His return, it is reasonable to conclude that these events were fulfilled as promised.

Footnotes