Let's look at it this way.When John the son of Zacharias appeared and announced unto the people the advent of the Kingdom of God, they asked him, “Who art thou? Art thou the promised Messiah?” He replied, “I am not the Messiah.” They then asked him, “Art thou Elias?” He replied, “I am not.” John 1:19–21.
These words clearly establish that John the son of Zacharias was not the promised Elias. But on the day of the transfiguration on Mount Tabor, Christ explicitly said that John the son of Zacharias was the promised Elias.
Clearly John was not literally Elias, but Jesus told His disciples that he was. The return of Jesus is the same as the return of Elias. John had all the attributes of Elias and this was the precise meaning of this prophecy fulfilled by John. The same fulfilment of prophesy will take place when one with the attributes of Jesus arises.
So don't worry about courts of law and such nonsense, try to comprehend the spiritual insight within the Bible. You are probably the only poster on HC that might get it. Jesus will never return in any literal sense, but a being with His characteristics and qualities will and this is meant by the return of Jesus.
Christianity does not have a doctrine of reincarnation and a literal return of Jesus means that Christians believe in reincarnation. They do not. John the Baptist came in the spiritual power of Elias and a being will come with the spiritual power of Christ and this will suffice as the return of Christ.
As for clouds, the symbolic meaning of this is to hide from clear view, to obscure. The appearance of the returned Christ will be difficult to see and comprehend because it will be from and obscured position, thief in the night, so to speak and nothing obscurers more than a rigid, fixed, intransigent belie system which Christianity has become. Just as the Pharisee could not recognise Christ, so to Christians will not recognise His return.
