“Yep. This is why it’s all opinion. But some opinions have more “literal” support in the bible than others.”
No, only one has literal support. We know from 1 Thes. 4 that the living can’t precede the “dead in Christ”, so there can’t be a rapture before the resurrection, and Revelation 20 places that resurrection after the return of Christ at the end of the tribulation. It’s right there, in no uncertain terms. If we ignore these certain statements of the Bible and instead try to focus on vaguer passages that might be construed in other ways, then we are not trying to interpret the Bible, but rather change the message of the Bible to suit our own wants.
“Regarding the “two” returns of Jesus, there are two, sort of. The first is described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. “
Okay, we know this event happens after the tribulation, because, as I said above, it can’t precede the first resurrection described in Rev. 20.
“But it is not really the “first”. The important thing to note is that Jesus has not really returned to earth yet. When, after we are caught up with him, do we set food with him again on earth? That is debatable.”
Yes, of course he has returned, because the events of Rev 19 directly precede these events, and in those verses, Jesus descends from heaven and destroys the armies of the beast.
There are 3 parts to the first resurrection...The Firstfruits, the (main) Harvest and the Gleanings...It's good to study up on those...