This Same Jesus

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In Acts 1:9-119And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. (Acts 1:9‑11), we find recorded, by the Holy Spirit, an account of the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ into heaven. If we couple this scripture with what we read in Luke 24:50-5150And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. 51And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. (Luke 24:50‑51), we find that this event occurred in Bethany, for it says, “He led them out as far as to Bethany  ... and  ... He was parted from them.” Geographically Bethany lay about two miles east of Jerusalem, on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, on the road to Jericho. When our Lord ascended back to heaven, we read that “a cloud received Him out of their sight” (Acts 1:99And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. (Acts 1:9)). But then the disciples, who were gazing up into heaven, saw two men in white apparel (evidently angels), who gave them a precious promise: “This same Jesus  ... shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven” (vs. 11). To what does this refer?
If we look into the Word of God, we find two other verses that refer to our Lord’s return, both using the word “cloud” or “clouds.” When this word is used in Scripture, very often, and perhaps most of the time, it is indicative of the divine presence. In 1 Thessalonians 4:1717Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:17), where Paul gives us details as to the rapture of the saints, we are told that “we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” Then, in Revelation 1:77Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. (Revelation 1:7), referring to our Lord’s coming back to this world in judgment, we read, “Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him.” These two events are distinct and are separated in time by at least seven years. To which of these does the Spirit of God refer in Acts 1?
The Kingdom to Israel
When our Lord had risen from the dead, the disciples were evidently not sure how events in this world would develop, and being godly Jews, they asked Him, “Wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:66When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? (Acts 1:6)). But our Lord’s answer was, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power” (vs. 7). The expression “times and seasons” refers to events in this world, and our Lord was not going to reveal all this to His disciples at that time. God was indeed going to allow the gospel to be preached to the nation of Israel from a risen Christ in glory, by the power of the Spirit of God. Consequent upon the ascension of Christ, the Holy Spirit would come down to indwell believers on earth, and in His power one more opportunity would be offered to the Jews. But the Lord knew full well that they would send a messenger after the Lord Jesus, in the stoning of Stephen, saying, “We will not have this man to reign over us” (Luke 19:1414But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. (Luke 19:14)). Once this had happened, all was over with the Jews, for the moment, although Paul and others with him continued to preach to them first of all, giving them every chance to believe the gospel. Later too, Paul could say to the Thessalonians, “Of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you” (1 Thess. 5:11But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. (1 Thessalonians 5:1)). By this time all was clear, for Paul was to “complete the Word of God” (Col. 1:2525Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; (Colossians 1:25) JND). In the truth of the assembly, which was given to Paul, all God’s counsels are displayed. But before Paul came on the scene, the disciples were not totally clear as to all the events to take place on earth.
However, they were clear on one thing; the Lord Jesus had told them in John 14 that if He went away, He would return and receive them unto Himself. Yet the account in Acts 1 does not exactly correspond with Paul’s description of the Lord’s coming in 1 Thessalonians 4. I would suggest that all this only shows the perfection of the Word of God. From the description given of our Lord’s ascension from the Mount of Olives, it is clear that the angels’ statement about His returning “in like manner” refers to His appearing on earth at the end of the great tribulation, as foretold in Zechariah 14:44And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. (Zechariah 14:4): “His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.” After the awful judgments of the great tribulation, our Lord will return to reestablish His relationship with His earthly people and will descend onto the same Mount of Olives from which He ascended.
The Moral Implication
However, the moral implication of this statement of the angels is surely connected with the rapture — the Lord’s coming for us. If the disciples were saddened at the Lord’s leaving them, they were reassured that He would return. For a short while they expected the kingdom to be set up, and thus Peter could say to them, “He [God] shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things” (Acts 3:20-2120And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 21Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. (Acts 3:20‑21)). But as the Jewish nation rejected the gospel from a risen Christ in glory, it became clear that the kingdom would be postponed. Eventually God allowed the city of Jerusalem to be destroyed by the Romans. The true hope of every believer would be for our Lord to come again, to receive them unto Himself into a heavenly kingdom. Truly we may say, with Paul, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!” (Rom. 11:3333O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! (Romans 11:33)). In no way did the statement of the angels to the disciples interfere with our Lord’s revelation of the rapture in John 14. Rather, Israel was given one more test, with a promise that would have been carried out, had they believed. “Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world” (Acts 15:1818Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. (Acts 15:18)).
W. J. Prost