If we don't learn our history...you know the rest

For the past 5+ years I've been committed to re-examining my faith. So often our faith (or lack there of) is simply handed down from our family and we never investigate or even identify what it is that we believe. So I decided a while ago that I was going to take the time to develop my own relationship with God, the Creator, the Universe, or whatever name you choose and accept that it may look differently from what others think it should. My main goals were (and still are)

-to identify what I believe,
-to pinpoint why I believe what I believe,
-to give myself permission to change those beliefs
-to acknowledge there are some things I won't be able to figure out

I consider myself to be Christian. This was the faith that was handed down to me by my parents and the dominant religious faith of Americans. I acknowledge that those two facts alone probably contribute more to me following Christianity than probably I even realize. If I happened to be born in a different country and culture I can't deny that would greatly influence my religious identity. Nonetheless, I do attempt to live my life by principles outlined by Jesus so for all intents and purposes I'm a Christian.
Anyway, as a part of my spiritual growth process I joined an international, inter-denominational bible study, which will remain nameless as I don't know the "rules" of this whole blog thing. The study goes through a particular book of the bible over the length of an entire school year. I like it because it provides a very structured approach to bible study and allows me to come to my own conclusions with minimal outside influence. This year the study is on the book of Matthew and I have come to a conclusion about something. I don't think there is any way we can know what the "Return of Christ" is going to look like.
In reading Matthew, the Jews had expectations of what was going to happen when their Messiah came based on how they understood the scriptures (our old testament). It was said that Elijah, who is reported to have ascended into heaven years earlier, would return first and then after that the Messiah would come. This savior was going to be the king of all kings and rescue Israel from oppression. And what do they get? They get some hogwash of John the Baptist being Elijah, and they get Jesus. A rule breaking, wine drinking, guy that hangs out with sinners and others of ill rapport. Let alone, this guy claims that he is in fact their king. He doesn't appear to be royalty, he's hated by many, is called a blasphemer, and if he is a king he doesn't appear to be saving Israel from anything.
I'll admit it. Had I been in around during that time I would've totally dismissed Jesus and his claims. Why? Because he wouldn't have matched up with how I interpreted the scriptures, and this leads me to the point of the post. Why do we as Christians think we can pinpoint the what and how of Jesus' return? Sure, it's fun to speculate, but why fuss and argue over it? It could very well be a symbolic return. It could be that the literal person of Jesus isn't going to return, but the world will come into the fullness and enlightenment of his message. It could be, dare I say it, like Elijah "returning" in the form of John the Baptist, a new messenger with the spirit (character) of Jesus, or it could very well be a literal return with trumpets sounding, white horses, and all that jazz. My point is I don't know and I'm fine with that. I'm going to try and learn from the history of my forefathers in faith and not presume to know exactly how this whole thing will play out.