Jesus … will come in the same way as you saw him go

 

These words should be familiar to all Bible readers: they are the words of the “two men … in white robes” (a common way of describing angels) – it is what they said to the disciples as their astonished eyes watched their Lord ascend upwards “and a cloud received him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9-11). We suspect it was no ordinary cloud, but like the cloud that Moses climbed up into on the mountain (Exodus 24:16).

“9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they were looking stedfastly into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 who also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking into heaven? this Jesus, who was received up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going into heaven.” (Acts 1:9-11 ASV)

“And the glory of Jehovah abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.” (Exodus 24:16 ASV)

Israel location Judea and Samaria. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Countless generations of Bible believers have looked for their Lord to descend from heaven in their lifetime. The disciples had asked,

“Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (verse 6)

and were told by their Lord they were to be “my witnesses in Jerusalem” – but ultimately that the witnessing was to be “to the end of the earth” (verse 8). He had said this earlier, also on the mount of Olives,

“this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).

The other sign which Jesus gave, which Luke also recorded, was that

“Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (21:24).

 

Today, Jerusalem is constantly a centre of world attention – and the returned Jews have made it the capital of their resurrected country. The evidence is plain that the climax of the ages is near. But we know, and must emphasize that it was not for his disciples, then or now, to know exactly when. Notice again the answer of Jesus when the disciples asked him,

“Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (verse 6).

They were commissioned to be “my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria” (verse 8). It is for true believers today to complete that commission “… and to the end of the earth”.

Are you his disciple? Are you helping this commission to be carried out? If you are, you will be really looking for his return “in the same way (as the disciples) saw him go into heaven”.

As his disciple you will be following the examples given in the book of Acts, which we have now started reading. Notice the way in which the Old Testament is often quoted as an essential part of that message. It tells us many details of the Kingdom Jesus will set up, also giving us examples of faithful service (and failures) as we are reading in the book of Deuteronomy.

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Additional reads:

1. Heavenly creatures do they exist
2. Angels (“Our world” article)
3. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #5 Prayer #2 Witnessing
4. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #5 Prayer #3 Callers upon God
5. Festival of Freedom and persecutions
6. Jeruzalem Gods city
7. Jerusalem God’s City for ever
8. Presentation: Crisis in the Middle East – Bible Expectations
9. Isaiah prophet and messenger of God
10. What Jesus Did – Misleading around the Messiah and the final assessment
11. How do we know the coming of Jesus is very near?
12. Armageddon, har and megiddo, an action or a place
13. The Song of The Lamb #3 Daniel and Revelation
14. The Song of The Lamb #8 Revelation 15 Lessons for us today
15. Uncovering the Foundations of Faith
16. Certainty in a troubled world
17. The day is near studyweekend
18. End Times
19. The Conclusion of the System of Things
20. Signs of the Last Days
21. 14 Nisan a day to remember #2 Time of Jesus
22. Nazarene Acts of the Apostles Chapter 2 v14-20 Pentecostal Sermon
23. Because men choose to go their own way
24. The famine of the word
25. Messengers of Jesus will be hated to the end of time
26. Discipleship way of life on the narrow way to everlasting life
27. Do we have to be an anarchist to react
28. Zion, Flames, Terror, Signs and Games of Peace
29. Babylon is fallen
30. Gaza in Bible Prophecy
31. Hamas the modern Philistines
32. Turkey and Pictures for the times coming
33. Syrian capital facing total destruction in the coming months
34. Crimea votes overwhelmingly to join Russia
35. Swallowing up Crimea, who is next
36. Catholicism, Anabaptism and Crisis of Christianity
37. Missionary action paradigm for all endeavours of the church
38. Breathing to teach
39. Which Christians Actually Evangelize
40. Together tasting a great promise
41. Witnessing Glad Tidings
42. Zionism comments and the place of Jerusalem in the world
43. Will Jesus ever return to the earth?
44. Articles on the Belgian Biblestudents about the Return of Christ
45. The Return of Christ seen through the eyes of the Brethren of Christ
46. The Ecclesia of the Belgian Christadelphians looking at the Return of Christ
47. Why did Christ not reveal the exact time of his second coming?
48. Looking forward to the return of Jesus
49. Secret or public return of Jesus

 

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