cannot agree with your premise that a second coming is not prophesied in the Hebrew Bible.  It is true that the final resurrection is never called a second coming in the Old Testament, but then again, it is never called a second coming in the New Testament either.  Here is the bottom line (at least in my opinion, of course!).  The Hebrew Scripture includes prophecies about the first coming of Jesus (Isaiah 53, Psalm 22, Micah 5, Isaiah 9, Isaiah 11, Zechariah 9, Zechariah 11 and so many more), and it also has prophecy about a final coming and final judgment (most clearly implied in Daniel 12:2-4).  If the Hebrew Bible includes both an initial coming of the Messiah to the earth (it does), and if it also prophesies a final coming, resurrection and judgment (it does), then, by definition, the Hebrew Bible does prophesy a second coming of the Messiah.

On this basis, I cannot agree with your premise.  The New Testament writers, including Matthew (Matthew 25), Paul (1 Thess 4-5) and John (Revelation 20-22), all predict what we can call a second coming of Christ, but this final resurrection and judgment is also anticipated in the Old Testament, and they certainly did not “invent” this idea.  All Scripture is inspired by God, and that includes both the messianic prophecies of a coming Savior who will die on a cross for our sins, and the return of that Savior at the end of time.

Also, you claim that the Messiah is not in any sense God.  You are most certainly wrong about that.  In Zechariah 11:11-13, the Messiah who is betrayed for 30 pieces of silver is identified as God (the price at which they priced me).  The Messiah is also called “Mighty God” and “Prince of Peace” in Isaiah 9:1-6.  It seems that someone is doing a rather selective reading of the Hebrew Bible to conclude that there is no second advent of the Lord in the Old Testament, or that the Messiah is merely human.  These are a misunderstanding of the Hebrew Bible—a common one, but incorrect.

Also, Jesus did bring “world peace” in a sense—in the sense that he created peace for his disciples, and especially peace between Jew and Gentile.  Jesus definitely defeated Israel’s enemies, which were sin and Satan.  He did rebuild the temple, but that temple is spiritual, not physical (Ephesians 2:19-22).  It is the Church.  And he did bring back all the true children of Abraham to the Kingdom of God (Galatians 3:7).  Many of the Jews misinterpreted and misunderstood the Messiah, but Jesus did fulfill all of these expectations, although the fulfillment was more spiritual than physical.  Let us not make that mistake.

John Oakes