Act 1:9 | KingComments | STEP | With the command to His disciples to be His witnesses, the Lord’s task on earth is complete. He is lifted up before the eyes of the disciples. It is a spectacular event that is described in a simple and calm way. It is not a sudden taking away as with Enoch ( ) or being picked up by a fiery chariot and fiery horses as with Elijah ( ). The cloud that takes Him away from their eyes will be the cloud that some disciples also saw when they were with Him on the mountain of transfiguration ( ). The cloud is the symbol of the glory of God. Seeing the Lord Jesus ascending to heaven like this, must have been an extraordinary sight. They gaze at Him until He enters the cloud. Did they look sad, adoring, surprised? It must have been a mixture of these feelings. Gazing into the sky, looking at the Lord Who is going away from them, two men joined them. They are two angels. We read nothing of the disciples’ amazement at the appearance and words of the angels. The angels call them back to order. The question “why do you stand looking into the sky?” can perhaps be taken as an admonition that also applies to us. It is not meant that we, now that the Lord is in heaven, should wait for His return with our arms crossed. There is work to be done. Certainly, it is important to keep expecting Him, but a living expectation of Him will encourage us to be active. The angels speak of the return of the Lord Jesus as a promise. This promise does not concern His coming for the believers to take them up ( ), but concerns His return on earth. He Who then returns is “this Jesus”, and no one else. He will also return to the same place from where He went to heaven, the Mount of Olives ( ). He will come back visibly; He will come back in the clouds and He will return with power and great glory ( ). All this is presented to them as hope in addition to the command of .

‏ Acts 1:9

The Ascension

With the command to His disciples to be His witnesses, the Lord’s task on earth is complete. He is lifted up before the eyes of the disciples. It is a spectacular event that is described in a simple and calm way. It is not a sudden taking away as with Enoch (Heb 11:5) or being picked up by a fiery chariot and fiery horses as with Elijah (2Kgs 2:1 ; 11). The cloud that takes Him away from their eyes will be the cloud that some disciples also saw when they were with Him on the mountain of transfiguration (Lk 9:34). The cloud is the symbol of the glory of God.

Seeing the Lord Jesus ascending to heaven like this, must have been an extraordinary sight. They gaze at Him until He enters the cloud. Did they look sad, adoring, surprised? It must have been a mixture of these feelings.

Gazing into the sky, looking at the Lord Who is going away from them, two men joined them. They are two angels. We read nothing of the disciples’ amazement at the appearance and words of the angels. The angels call them back to order.

The question “why do you stand looking into the sky?” can perhaps be taken as an admonition that also applies to us. It is not meant that we, now that the Lord is in heaven, should wait for His return with our arms crossed. There is work to be done. Certainly, it is important to keep expecting Him, but a living expectation of Him will encourage us to be active.

The angels speak of the return of the Lord Jesus as a promise. This promise does not concern His coming for the believers to take them up (1Thes 4:15-18), but concerns His return on earth. He Who then returns is “this Jesus”, and no one else. He will also return to the same place from where He went to heaven, the Mount of Olives (Zec 14:4). He will come back visibly; He will come back in the clouds and He will return with power and great glory (Mt 24:30). All this is presented to them as hope in addition to the command of Acts 1:8.