What would it take to change your mind?

[CoxRox]

Interesting.

And its interesting to me that you say that "When He returns the second time it is understood He will use not so much a literal sword (although it could be read literally I suppose)" (my bolding).

If it could be read literally by what criteria do you decide whether its literal or metaphorical? How do you stop yourself from simply cherry picking?

As with any similar passages. And of course I am Including - ones about Jesus and/or with Jesus in them.
Evf

It is usually clear from the context when a scripture is speaking in a metaphorical sense. (I don't want to sound glib, but after twenty odd years reading it you become confident that you are understanding it correctly, although I'm sure I still misunderstand some of it). In the verses I quoted from Revelation, they are clear about the purposes of Jesus returning and the imagery of warfare, swords etc is used. There is no doubt that what these verses are claiming is that God is going to destroy all who oppose the establishment of His Kingdom via Jesus. How is he going to 'destroy' them? Either they will drop down dead possibly via earthquakes or other natural forces and/or maybe Jesus with His armies of angels will literally kill people. There is only one end result: the deaths of millions of people. The book of Revelation is full of symbolic imagery but the principles or 'results' they depict, are in my opinion, clear to understand. I hasten to add there is much in Revelation that I do not understand fully, but as regards Jesus' returning, when we take the other books of the Greek Scriptures (NT) into consideration, then I believe we can be clear of the overall meaning of what Jesus' second coming will entail.