LOOKING TOWARD HEAVEN

Acts 1:9-12 And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which 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. Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.

Jesus had just told His apostles that the promised kingdom would be established only by the power of God, and it would take place where and when He chose to do so. Jesus had also told them that they would receive power from the Holy Spirit that would enable them to be witnesses unto Me (Christ Jesus), throughout the known world (See Acts 1:7-8). And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight. In the gospel that bears his name, Luke gave this account of this event: And He led them out as far as to Bethany, and He lifted up His hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven (Luke 24:50-51).

Many people saw Jesus after He was raised from His death by crucifixion. It seems significant that, although Jesus' apostles did not witness His coming forth alive from the confines of His tomb of death, they did see, with their own eyes, His ascension back into Heaven, from whence He had originally come to earth. Jesus did not merely vanish from earth. Rather His apostles were eye-witnesses of this extremely important event. And by inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God, they attested to this very fact, which is the basis of New Testament Christianity through which God's plan of eternal salvation was made known to the world. Where would we find the hope of eternal life had it not been for the resurrection of Christ that was confirmed by many, and His ascension back into Heaven, that was witnessed by His apostles? The lesson text tells that they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He (Jesus) went up and disappeared from sight.

Immediately, as this occurred, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel. From Luke's description of their clothing, it can readily be inferred that they were two angels sent to them with a comforting message from God. It is mere speculation, but could it be the same two angels that appeared at the Jesus' tomb the morning after His resurrection (Luke 24:3-5; John 20:11-12)? However, here, after the ascension of Jesus, we find two men that appeared to be angels speaking to the apostles and saying to them, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? His apostles were referred to as men of Galilee, because, while in the province of Galilee, and immediately before Jesus delivered His "Sermon on the Mount," He chose His first twelve apostles to follow Him during His earthly ministry. For that reason, His apostles were referred to as Galileans as they delivered God's message of salvation on the Day of Pentecost (See Acts 2:4-7).

The apostles, without having complete understanding of what lay in store for them, were told by these angels of God that 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. Their master, the one that they had accepted as the Messiah, the Savior of the world, had been taken from them. Therefore, they were given comfort by the angels that He would return to them by descending back down to their presence once again from His heavenly abode. This is exactly what Jesus promised when He gave them this prophesy: And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also (John 14:3). With God's angelic consolation, then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet (The Mount of Olives), which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey, that is, as far as the Jewish people, by tradition, were allowed to travel on the Sabbath Day. Immediately before their return, Luke told us that they worshipped Him, and after entering the city of Jerusalem, they were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God (See Luke 24:52-53). As we study these blessed events, we, like the apostles of Christ, should also be found looking toward heaven for our comfort and consolation found in a Savior that promised He would return and receive the faithful, obedient children of God as His own.