When Jesus left the disciples gazing upward with anxious eyes toward the spot where He had vanished from their vision, their quivering hearts were made to vibrate with joy by a wonderful message of consolation. We can never realize the depths of emotion that stirred the souls of that little company as they listened to the words of the white-robed messengers who were commissioned from the courts of heaven to comfort their hearts in that trying hour. It was not enough for them to know that He was coming back again, but when they heard the angels calmly, and we imagine slowly and emphatically, say: “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,” they knew that some day they would see that same familiar form; that they would hear that same familiar voice, and be able to identify Him by those recently familiar scars.
It seems to the writer that the effect of those three words, “This same Jesus,” on that lonely little band of believers will never be equaled on this earth until that same promise is fulfilled. It was indeed a precious thought to those disciples who had journeyed with the Master in His earthly pilgrimage to know that “the Seed of the woman” who had been bruised and slain on Calvary, was to return to the scene of His earthly humiliation, still the Seed of the woman, to harvest the fruit of His sacrifice. Ought it not to be a precious thought to us who have not seen the Saviour literally as did those who watched Him ascend into heaven, that when He comes again, we too, if faithful, shall be permitted to see Him just as they saw Him when He went away!
We can not too often read or meditate upon the wonderful scene and promise recorded in Acts 1:9-11. In Luke 24:52, 53 we read that the disciples returned from the scene of His ascension, and went to Jerusalem “with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God.” No doubt one great cause of their rejoicing was that they knew they would some day see Him again just as they had seen Him when He was with them. If the hope of Christ’s literal, visible appearing could fill the hearts of those disciples with such joy, what fulness of joy will be manifested when all those who have waited for His advent behold His real presence revealed in the white cloud at His appearing.
In Rev. 1:7 the beloved disciple portrays the scene of the second advent in language which shows that he had not forgotten what the two angels said at the Saviour’s ascension: “Behold, He cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him.” The Saviour’s own description of His second coming gives us an idea of the character of the clouds with which He will return. “When the Son of Man shall come in His glory and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit on the throne of His glory.” Matt. 25:31. When one angel came to roll the stone away from the tomb, “his appearance was as lightning and his raiment white as snow.” When Jesus comes attended by all the angels robed in the white light of heaven, there will be seen what John foresaw in vision: “I looked and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of Man.” Rev. 14:14.
“They also which pierced Him” will be present when He comes, and will see the same Jesus who stood robed in the purple robe of mock royalty when that hoarse cry of “Away with Him, crucify Him” rose from the bloodthirsty mob. When He comes clad in His rightful robes of royalty, still bearing the scars of Calvary, those who pierced Him will see the same Jesus who looked down on them from the cross. When the blue scroll of heaven rolls back and reveals the Man of Calvary robed in kingly beauty stretching forth His nail-scarred hands toward the earth, that scene will strike terror to every beholder who is not prepared to receive Him. “The heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chief captains and the mighty men, and every bondman and every free man hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of His wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?” Rev. 6:14-17.
When “the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel and with the trump of God,” it will then be too late to plead for mercy, so the Lord is now sending forth His heralds to sound an alarm while yet there is time for preparation. By those who are prepared to meet Him it shall be said in that day: “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him and He will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.” Isa. 25:9. From this scripture it appears that only those who have waited for Him will be ready to meet Him, so let us be sure that we know what it means to be waiting for Him, waiting as we would wait for some member of the family to return after a prolonged absence.
