This Same Jesus

By:
Narrator: Chris Genthree
 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 10
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“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 1:1111Which 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 1:11)).
Sometimes we hear this scripture referred to as a touching reminder of the Lord’s coming for us (the rapture). Then someone else points out that this verse is not referring to the rapture when we rise to meet the Lord in the air, but rather to the Lord’s appearing when He again comes to earth and sets His feet upon the Mount of Olives (Zech. 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)).
While acknowledging the importance of each of these great moments, I would suggest that this verse does not exactly refer to either the Lord’s coming for us or His coming with us in power and glory at His appearing.
The occasion here answers in character to His coming for us, that is, to faith and for those who look for Him, but it is at the time of His appearing. As to time, it is a private manifestation of the Lord Jesus to His own: godly Jews waiting for Him on earth — not Christians welcomed home to heaven.
The Book of the Acts picks up where the Gospel of Luke left off. (Luke wrote both books.) The Lord Jesus took a few of those who loved Him outside of Jerusalem (apart from that system that rejected Him) to Bethany (that place of communion with His own), situated near the Mount of Olives, and from there He ascended to heaven where the clouds received Him out of their sight. This is where Christianity begins. As another has well said, “Christianity begins on the other side of the cloud.” Christ glorified in heaven and the Spirit of God dwelling on earth characterize this present day. Seven years after the Spirit of God is taken out of the world, Christ will come again to earth, not to suffer but to reign.
Joseph made himself known to his brethren only after he had dismissed all others from his presence (Gen. 45:11Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. (Genesis 45:1)). Likewise, when the Lord directed Thomas (a type of the repentant Jewish remnant) to His hands and side, it was a private session, for scripture records, “The doors being shut” (John 20:2626And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. (John 20:26)). The public vindication of Christ is something every true heart yearns to see, but how precious to consider also those private moments when He reveals Himself to those He loves and for whom He suffered.
W. J. Brockmeier