One of the most common errors of Christian theology is assuming the return of Jesus is a late-stage development—a novel Christian doctrine derived from a handful of New Testament prooftexts. Scripture does not allow this. The return of Jesus is the climactic fulfillment of the central narrative of the entire Bible. It is the climax of the story that God has been telling since the Exodus.

From Moses to the Prophets, from the Psalms to the Gospels, the Bible consistently frames salvation as God coming from heaven, marching, returning to dwell with His people, and leading His redeemed along a highway, from Sinai to Zion. The many passages that speak of these things are not mere poetry. They are framed as a far more glorious amplified version of the very real historical events of the Exodus. Even as God liberated Israel, led them out of Egypt, defeated their enemies, and brought them into the promised land, so also do the prophets promise a far greater and more glorious personal appearing of YHVH in which all of the previous events are repeated. Even as He once came down on Mount Sinai, so will He come back in glory to restore His people, judge His enemies, and reign on the earth from Zion.

The New Testament doesn’t invent this expectation. It looks to the many promises and prophecies found throughout the Old Testament and it appropriates them all and applies them to the return of Jesus. The central hope of the Old Testament is the crowning hope of the New Testament, only now YHVH is given a name—Jesus, or more accurately, Yeshua. - Joel Richardson