And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
The disciples stood on the Mount of Olives gazing steadfastly after Jesus as He went up bodily and visibly before their eyes into heaven, when two angels in the form of men in white stood beside them. He rose slowly with hands outstretched in blessing until a shining cloud composed of living angels received Him out of their sight. Their message made His ascent the pattern of His return, that the same personal Jesus who was taken up will come again in like manner in visible bodily form, not in secret. He ascended to His Father's throne to continue His work as humanity's Advocate, Intercessor and Mediator for all who accept Him. He was welcomed with triumph by innumerable angels and the heavenly host, still bearing humanity as the victorious Redeemer, pledging heaven open to those who reflect His image and establishing the reality of the resurrection and immortal life of the just.
Ascension Time and Place
The steadfast gaze toward heaven belongs to the ascension from the Mount of Olives near Bethany, where Jesus went with the eleven disciples for the final meeting and last display of His glory at the end of His time with them. It followed forty days in His risen body and final instruction and sacred conversation in which He spoke with them and repeated His earlier directions, and it is the same event told in Luke 24:50-53 of His going up to heaven to His Father and their Father and to His Father's throne. The disciples did not know this was their last time with Him.
The ascent was visible and bodily in tangible human form before their eyes into heaven. It was the same Jesus who had lived and worked with them, who had walked and talked and prayed and eaten and sailed and rested with them and climbed Olivet with them that day, going up as their living, tangible Teacher and divine Teacher to occupy His Father's throne. Its heavenly brightness and glory were veiled from mortal sight.
As He slowly rose His hands were stretched out in blessing, His wounded hands mercifully extended over them as if embracing the whole world, with beams of light falling on the watching ones. His face shone with heavenly brightness and smiled lovingly in loving sympathy, and the last look and last remembrance left to them was of love, of a sympathizing Friend and glorified Redeemer. Then a cloud of glory received Him out of sight amid sweet, joyous music from the angel choir, and the disciples stood gazing steadfastly after their vanishing Lord with straining eyes and gaze still riveted upward to catch a last glimpse, first with fear and sorrow in sorrowfully watching, then with joy and hope because the same Saviour would come again and they would see Him.
The watching scene stands just before the fulfillment of the Saviour's promise of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 and before Pentecost with its power and glory. It followed communion with Jesus, with the night of communion and the meeting on the mountain in Galilee, and it preceded days of prayer and communion in the upper chamber and the disciples going out on their mission and going forth on their service. It is part of the account in the first chapter of Acts connected with that fulfillment.
Those looking steadfastly upward included Mary the mother of Jesus, who had seen the Saviour in His sufferings and not in His glory. As they watched the heavens receive Him ascending and glorified before them, His parting promise to be with them always even to the end of the world came back to them. That sight brought back to their memory the words He had spoken to them about the future.
Two Men in White
The two in white apparel were holy angels in the form of men, standing beside the disciples on the Mount of Olives near Bethany while they still gazed upward with straining eyes for a last glimpse after a cloud of glory hid their ascending Lord from sight. Their heavenly character was immediately recognized, though they appeared in human form. They addressed the disciples with voices that sounded like richest music, like the sweet, joyous music of the angel choir just heard at the ascension, and they spoke to comfort them.
They belonged to the company waiting in the shining cloud to escort Jesus to His throne, and in sympathy and love for those left behind they separated from that escort company to speak. They were commissioned to come to remove all uncertainty and to turn attention from watching His departure to the promise of His return. That shining cloud that received Him out of sight was itself composed of living angels, the heavenly host escorting Him with power and great glory.
They were mercifully sent in apparel like men because the disciples could not have endured the glory of heavenly beings.
Promise of His Return
The two angels standing beside the watching disciples turned their gaze from His departure to the promise of His return, declaring that the same Jesus who was taken up into heaven will come again in like manner as they saw Him go. The ascension is thus the pattern for the return, making His coming a promised second advent assured by the very way He went up in a cloud. The event is a key to understanding the history that follows and the lessons still to come, joined to the promise that the Holy Spirit would come upon the disciples.
He ascended as a personal Saviour in bodily form and will personally return in visible bodily form from heaven. His coming will not be a hidden presence in the desert or in secret chambers, and any prophesying that contradicts this plain declaration must be rejected, while all true prophesying recognizes His visible coming from heaven. As He ascended to His Father He promised to come again in like manner, surrounded by clouds of angels. He will come in the clouds with power and great glory, to appear not in lowliness but as heaven's King accompanied by angels, escorted by the heavenly host. His ascension from the Mount of Olives after His resurrection is also where He will return, and He went to heaven still bearing humanity, triumphant and victorious.
This promised second appearing is the great event to be contemplated, talked of, and kept fresh before the minds of the people, and it is the warning God's people are to give to call the world to prepare, even while the sleeping church and the world sound the cry of peace and safety and ask in scorn where the promise of His coming is. The same Jesus who is now Advocate and friend at court pleading the cases of all who accept Him as Saviour will return to be admired in all them that believe. The second advent is a very old doctrine preached by Christ Himself and dwelt upon with joy and triumph by Jesus and His apostles, not a new and strange belief or heresy. It gives high authority for believing in the Lord's soon coming, was presented together with the ascension, and the signs of the times show His advent is near, even at the door.
The angels had been part of the company escorting Christ to heaven and separated from that company to give this message, renewing the promise that Jesus will return as they saw Him go. Their announcement that the same Jesus whom the disciples had loved on earth would come again recalled His promise to prepare a place for them and come again to receive them to Himself, and it agreed with His promise to return. It turned their sorrow into great joy and triumph that Jesus was risen and ascended and would return, giving joy and hope, not sorrow that He had left them. They had joy because the same Saviour who ascended with hands stretched out in blessing would come again in like manner, and they would see Him, and the last look they saw on His face was one of love.
Together with Christ's commission to His disciples and His promise of the Holy Spirit and with the word, Let not your heart be troubled, the message teaches the necessity of being educated to believe the Word of God and to show faith by works in practical godliness. The ascension account in Acts 1:9-15 gives the knowledge Christ gave about His second appearing and shows what should be, calling everyone to cultivate the knowledge of Christ's second appearing, to search the Scriptures, to get ready as wickedness increases, and to do the very work God has appointed to be done. As the men of Galilee gazed into heaven at His ascension from the Mount of Olives, so the waiting saints at His return will likewise look toward heaven as they await Him.
Heavenly Reception and Ministry
He went up to occupy His Father's throne and to continue His work as humanity's Advocate, Intercessor, and Mediator, pleading the cases of all who accept Him from His place in the heavenly courts. There He ever lives to make intercession and to be a present help in time of trouble, and believers have citizenship with Him there. By this ministry man may be brought to believe on Him whom the Father sent.
The full glory of His heavenly welcome was veiled from mortal sight, so the disciples saw only the quiet visible ascent in solemn sublimity, in harmony with the meekness and quiet of His earthly life. The brightness of the heavenly escort and the opening of the glorious gates of God to welcome Him were not discerned, as Moses veiled his face, and the last remembrance left to them was of a sympathizing Friend and glorified Redeemer. Had the inexpressible glory, the myriads of angels, and the bursts of triumph as the everlasting doors were lifted up been revealed, they could not have endured the sight or taken up earthly life again to carry out His commission with courage, nor properly appreciated the Comforter the Holy Spirit to bear reproach, imprisonment and death. Their senses were not to become infatuated with heaven so as to lose sight of His earthly character to be copied, His beauty and majesty, the harmony of His attributes, and the mysterious union of divine and human in His nature.
As they gazed He was received into a rejoicing throng of cherubim and seraphim who escorted Him to His home with triumphant song. Amid the chariots of God, twenty thousand, even thousands of angels, a multitude of captives raised from their graves joined the armies of heaven to follow Him upward. All heaven waited for the hour of triumph, angels came to receive the King of glory, a multitude of the heavenly host attended Him on the way, and an innumerable company of angels awaited His coming in the holy city. His entrance into the city of God was proclaimed with Lift up your heads, O ye gates, for the King of glory, the Lord strong and mighty in battle, the Lord of hosts, with Moses among those who opened the everlasting gates. Within, all the heavenly host surrounded their majestic Commander in deepest adoration, cast their glittering crowns at His feet, and filled heaven with rich music and songs on golden harps to the Lamb who was slain yet lives again in majesty and glory. His going up was His entrance into His appointed honor, returning as Commander of the heavenly host to His own dominion to be enthroned before the heavenly universe and the unfallen worlds as a gracious High Priest and mighty Redeemer, and God would have believers impressed with the glory of that reception.
He ascended still bearing humanity, triumphant and victorious over death and the grave. He went not in His own interest but as the covenant-making Redeemer of His believing sons and daughters made His through faith in His name, as one mighty in battle, a conqueror leading captivity captive. He completed the plan of salvation and returned to the exalted stature, majesty, and glory He had before coming to earth, fulfilling prophetic history as the promised Messiah. At the Father's throne His sacrifice was accepted, and humanity estranged from God by sin was given another opportunity, so that those who receive Him as a sin-pardoning Saviour may have everlasting life and become heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ.
He is not enclosed in Joseph's tomb but has risen and ascended as a living Saviour who died to give hope, strength, courage, and a seat with Him upon His throne. He knows all weighty responsibilities and trials, even trials from brethren and familiar friends, stands ready and able to help whenever called upon at the right hand, and will not leave alone those who do not leave Him. His heart was with the sorrowing disciples He had left on Olivet and with His struggling followers on earth, so that as He entered heaven He held back the eagerly pressing heavenly host, while His sympathy continued as He represents and intercedes for them at God's throne. His voice and promise to remain with them always even to the end remained with them, heaven was no longer merely an unseen region but the home of their beloved tangible Friend who pleads for them, and by His Spirit He remains with His people as truly as when He moved visibly on earth.
His ascension marked His inauguration in heaven, after which He took His position as Advocate and added His intercession to claim the promised gift to pour out. After the disciples prayed for ten days of one accord and one mind, the Spirit came upon them with power on Pentecost, so that every man heard the Word in his own language and thousands were converted in a day. His ascent to the Father as humanity's representative pledges that heaven is open to those who wash their robes of character and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. God will bring those who reflect Christ's image to behold and share His glory, and His resurrection, appearances in His own person, and ascension establish the reality of the resurrection and the future immortal life of the just for those who believe in Him.
Witness, Spirit, and Mission
The upward gaze belongs to Christ's special directions for proclaiming the gospel, and to neglect what He instructed there is to lose much. After that sight the disciples were filled with holy boldness from the assurance that Jesus would be with them always and that they had a Friend at court. The accompanying word turned their attention from watching His departure to the promise of His return, and the whole event is a key to understanding the history that follows and the lessons still to come.
The parting on Olivet with the angel's promise came before the mission and before the power and glory of Pentecost, following communion with the Saviour and preceding days of prayer in the upper chamber. That order teaches that communion with God must come before service for God, joining the night of communion, the meeting on the mountain in Galilee, and the days of prayer and communion in the upper chamber as preparation for the mission. Their gathering afterward to pray and seek the Holy Spirit exemplifies earnest united prayer before weighty decisions. Returned to Jerusalem certain that Jesus was the Son of God, they were made ready in unclouded faith, prayer and humility to receive the Holy Spirit, showing the simple faith, truer humility, firmer dependence and full surrender that allow God to cooperate fully.
Those who looked steadfastly upward became eyewitnesses who had seen Him go up, and their direct testimony answered false reports about His resurrection and bore witness to Christ. John's testimony about the ascension is clear and forcible, and after Christ had ascended John disturbed those in power by bearing witness with power that Christ was a risen Saviour.
They continually recounted the ascension with gladness and thanksgiving rather than grief or shame, and their testimony was received by many. It became with His resurrection and His work in heaven as Mediator for fallen humanity a joyful theme of preaching and conversation. Presented together with His sufferings and crucifixion, His triumphant ascension remains an inspiring gospel theme to awaken love and fervor in every heart.
The verse stands in the opening history of Acts, which is important for setting the work in order and learning lessons for the church's mission. It belongs to the first chapter of Acts in connection with the fulfillment of the promise of the Holy Spirit. There it stands together with Christ's commission, His promise of the Holy Spirit, and the word Let not your heart be troubled, teaching the necessity of being educated to believe God's Word and to show faith by works in practical godliness.
The ascension was presented together with the subject of His second advent. With His sufferings, resurrection, and second appearing coming in power and great glory, it is part of the plan of salvation to save fallen man. Like His rejection, suffering, death and resurrection, the ascension after His resurrection was part of His completed mission, fulfilling prophetic history and showing Him to be the promised Messiah.
The disciples stood on the Mount of Olives gazing steadfastly after Jesus as He went up bodily and visibly before their eyes into heaven, when two angels in the form of men in white stood beside them. He rose slowly with hands outstretched in blessing until a shining cloud composed of living angels received Him out of their sight. Their message made His ascent the pattern of His return, that the same personal Jesus who was taken up will come again in like manner in visible bodily form, not in secret. He ascended to His Father's throne to continue His work as humanity's Advocate, Intercessor and Mediator for all who accept Him. He was welcomed with triumph by innumerable angels and the heavenly host, still bearing humanity as the victorious Redeemer, pledging heaven open to those who reflect His image and establishing the reality of the resurrection and immortal life of the just.
Ascension Time and Place
The steadfast gaze toward heaven belongs to the ascension from the Mount of Olives near Bethany, where Jesus went with the eleven disciples for the final meeting and last display of His glory at the end of His time with them. It followed forty days in His risen body and final instruction and sacred conversation in which He spoke with them and repeated His earlier directions, and it is the same event told in Luke 24:50-53 of His going up to heaven to His Father and their Father and to His Father's throne. The disciples did not know this was their last time with Him.
The ascent was visible and bodily in tangible human form before their eyes into heaven. It was the same Jesus who had lived and worked with them, who had walked and talked and prayed and eaten and sailed and rested with them and climbed Olivet with them that day, going up as their living, tangible Teacher and divine Teacher to occupy His Father's throne. Its heavenly brightness and glory were veiled from mortal sight.
As He slowly rose His hands were stretched out in blessing, His wounded hands mercifully extended over them as if embracing the whole world, with beams of light falling on the watching ones. His face shone with heavenly brightness and smiled lovingly in loving sympathy, and the last look and last remembrance left to them was of love, of a sympathizing Friend and glorified Redeemer. Then a cloud of glory received Him out of sight amid sweet, joyous music from the angel choir, and the disciples stood gazing steadfastly after their vanishing Lord with straining eyes and gaze still riveted upward to catch a last glimpse, first with fear and sorrow in sorrowfully watching, then with joy and hope because the same Saviour would come again and they would see Him.
The watching scene stands just before the fulfillment of the Saviour's promise of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 and before Pentecost with its power and glory. It followed communion with Jesus, with the night of communion and the meeting on the mountain in Galilee, and it preceded days of prayer and communion in the upper chamber and the disciples going out on their mission and going forth on their service. It is part of the account in the first chapter of Acts connected with that fulfillment.
Those looking steadfastly upward included Mary the mother of Jesus, who had seen the Saviour in His sufferings and not in His glory. As they watched the heavens receive Him ascending and glorified before them, His parting promise to be with them always even to the end of the world came back to them. That sight brought back to their memory the words He had spoken to them about the future.
Two Men in White
The two in white apparel were holy angels in the form of men, standing beside the disciples on the Mount of Olives near Bethany while they still gazed upward with straining eyes for a last glimpse after a cloud of glory hid their ascending Lord from sight. Their heavenly character was immediately recognized, though they appeared in human form. They addressed the disciples with voices that sounded like richest music, like the sweet, joyous music of the angel choir just heard at the ascension, and they spoke to comfort them.
They belonged to the company waiting in the shining cloud to escort Jesus to His throne, and in sympathy and love for those left behind they separated from that escort company to speak. They were commissioned to come to remove all uncertainty and to turn attention from watching His departure to the promise of His return. That shining cloud that received Him out of sight was itself composed of living angels, the heavenly host escorting Him with power and great glory.
They were mercifully sent in apparel like men because the disciples could not have endured the glory of heavenly beings.
Promise of His Return
The two angels standing beside the watching disciples turned their gaze from His departure to the promise of His return, declaring that the same Jesus who was taken up into heaven will come again in like manner as they saw Him go. The ascension is thus the pattern for the return, making His coming a promised second advent assured by the very way He went up in a cloud. The event is a key to understanding the history that follows and the lessons still to come, joined to the promise that the Holy Spirit would come upon the disciples.
He ascended as a personal Saviour in bodily form and will personally return in visible bodily form from heaven. His coming will not be a hidden presence in the desert or in secret chambers, and any prophesying that contradicts this plain declaration must be rejected, while all true prophesying recognizes His visible coming from heaven. As He ascended to His Father He promised to come again in like manner, surrounded by clouds of angels. He will come in the clouds with power and great glory, to appear not in lowliness but as heaven's King accompanied by angels, escorted by the heavenly host. His ascension from the Mount of Olives after His resurrection is also where He will return, and He went to heaven still bearing humanity, triumphant and victorious.
This promised second appearing is the great event to be contemplated, talked of, and kept fresh before the minds of the people, and it is the warning God's people are to give to call the world to prepare, even while the sleeping church and the world sound the cry of peace and safety and ask in scorn where the promise of His coming is. The same Jesus who is now Advocate and friend at court pleading the cases of all who accept Him as Saviour will return to be admired in all them that believe. The second advent is a very old doctrine preached by Christ Himself and dwelt upon with joy and triumph by Jesus and His apostles, not a new and strange belief or heresy. It gives high authority for believing in the Lord's soon coming, was presented together with the ascension, and the signs of the times show His advent is near, even at the door.
The angels had been part of the company escorting Christ to heaven and separated from that company to give this message, renewing the promise that Jesus will return as they saw Him go. Their announcement that the same Jesus whom the disciples had loved on earth would come again recalled His promise to prepare a place for them and come again to receive them to Himself, and it agreed with His promise to return. It turned their sorrow into great joy and triumph that Jesus was risen and ascended and would return, giving joy and hope, not sorrow that He had left them. They had joy because the same Saviour who ascended with hands stretched out in blessing would come again in like manner, and they would see Him, and the last look they saw on His face was one of love.
Together with Christ's commission to His disciples and His promise of the Holy Spirit and with the word, Let not your heart be troubled, the message teaches the necessity of being educated to believe the Word of God and to show faith by works in practical godliness. The ascension account in Acts 1:9-15 gives the knowledge Christ gave about His second appearing and shows what should be, calling everyone to cultivate the knowledge of Christ's second appearing, to search the Scriptures, to get ready as wickedness increases, and to do the very work God has appointed to be done. As the men of Galilee gazed into heaven at His ascension from the Mount of Olives, so the waiting saints at His return will likewise look toward heaven as they await Him.
Heavenly Reception and Ministry
He went up to occupy His Father's throne and to continue His work as humanity's Advocate, Intercessor, and Mediator, pleading the cases of all who accept Him from His place in the heavenly courts. There He ever lives to make intercession and to be a present help in time of trouble, and believers have citizenship with Him there. By this ministry man may be brought to believe on Him whom the Father sent.
The full glory of His heavenly welcome was veiled from mortal sight, so the disciples saw only the quiet visible ascent in solemn sublimity, in harmony with the meekness and quiet of His earthly life. The brightness of the heavenly escort and the opening of the glorious gates of God to welcome Him were not discerned, as Moses veiled his face, and the last remembrance left to them was of a sympathizing Friend and glorified Redeemer. Had the inexpressible glory, the myriads of angels, and the bursts of triumph as the everlasting doors were lifted up been revealed, they could not have endured the sight or taken up earthly life again to carry out His commission with courage, nor properly appreciated the Comforter the Holy Spirit to bear reproach, imprisonment and death. Their senses were not to become infatuated with heaven so as to lose sight of His earthly character to be copied, His beauty and majesty, the harmony of His attributes, and the mysterious union of divine and human in His nature.
As they gazed He was received into a rejoicing throng of cherubim and seraphim who escorted Him to His home with triumphant song. Amid the chariots of God, twenty thousand, even thousands of angels, a multitude of captives raised from their graves joined the armies of heaven to follow Him upward. All heaven waited for the hour of triumph, angels came to receive the King of glory, a multitude of the heavenly host attended Him on the way, and an innumerable company of angels awaited His coming in the holy city. His entrance into the city of God was proclaimed with Lift up your heads, O ye gates, for the King of glory, the Lord strong and mighty in battle, the Lord of hosts, with Moses among those who opened the everlasting gates. Within, all the heavenly host surrounded their majestic Commander in deepest adoration, cast their glittering crowns at His feet, and filled heaven with rich music and songs on golden harps to the Lamb who was slain yet lives again in majesty and glory. His going up was His entrance into His appointed honor, returning as Commander of the heavenly host to His own dominion to be enthroned before the heavenly universe and the unfallen worlds as a gracious High Priest and mighty Redeemer, and God would have believers impressed with the glory of that reception.
He ascended still bearing humanity, triumphant and victorious over death and the grave. He went not in His own interest but as the covenant-making Redeemer of His believing sons and daughters made His through faith in His name, as one mighty in battle, a conqueror leading captivity captive. He completed the plan of salvation and returned to the exalted stature, majesty, and glory He had before coming to earth, fulfilling prophetic history as the promised Messiah. At the Father's throne His sacrifice was accepted, and humanity estranged from God by sin was given another opportunity, so that those who receive Him as a sin-pardoning Saviour may have everlasting life and become heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ.
He is not enclosed in Joseph's tomb but has risen and ascended as a living Saviour who died to give hope, strength, courage, and a seat with Him upon His throne. He knows all weighty responsibilities and trials, even trials from brethren and familiar friends, stands ready and able to help whenever called upon at the right hand, and will not leave alone those who do not leave Him. His heart was with the sorrowing disciples He had left on Olivet and with His struggling followers on earth, so that as He entered heaven He held back the eagerly pressing heavenly host, while His sympathy continued as He represents and intercedes for them at God's throne. His voice and promise to remain with them always even to the end remained with them, heaven was no longer merely an unseen region but the home of their beloved tangible Friend who pleads for them, and by His Spirit He remains with His people as truly as when He moved visibly on earth.
His ascension marked His inauguration in heaven, after which He took His position as Advocate and added His intercession to claim the promised gift to pour out. After the disciples prayed for ten days of one accord and one mind, the Spirit came upon them with power on Pentecost, so that every man heard the Word in his own language and thousands were converted in a day. His ascent to the Father as humanity's representative pledges that heaven is open to those who wash their robes of character and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. God will bring those who reflect Christ's image to behold and share His glory, and His resurrection, appearances in His own person, and ascension establish the reality of the resurrection and the future immortal life of the just for those who believe in Him.
Witness, Spirit, and Mission
The upward gaze belongs to Christ's special directions for proclaiming the gospel, and to neglect what He instructed there is to lose much. After that sight the disciples were filled with holy boldness from the assurance that Jesus would be with them always and that they had a Friend at court. The accompanying word turned their attention from watching His departure to the promise of His return, and the whole event is a key to understanding the history that follows and the lessons still to come.
The parting on Olivet with the angel's promise came before the mission and before the power and glory of Pentecost, following communion with the Saviour and preceding days of prayer in the upper chamber. That order teaches that communion with God must come before service for God, joining the night of communion, the meeting on the mountain in Galilee, and the days of prayer and communion in the upper chamber as preparation for the mission. Their gathering afterward to pray and seek the Holy Spirit exemplifies earnest united prayer before weighty decisions. Returned to Jerusalem certain that Jesus was the Son of God, they were made ready in unclouded faith, prayer and humility to receive the Holy Spirit, showing the simple faith, truer humility, firmer dependence and full surrender that allow God to cooperate fully.
Those who looked steadfastly upward became eyewitnesses who had seen Him go up, and their direct testimony answered false reports about His resurrection and bore witness to Christ. John's testimony about the ascension is clear and forcible, and after Christ had ascended John disturbed those in power by bearing witness with power that Christ was a risen Saviour.
They continually recounted the ascension with gladness and thanksgiving rather than grief or shame, and their testimony was received by many. It became with His resurrection and His work in heaven as Mediator for fallen humanity a joyful theme of preaching and conversation. Presented together with His sufferings and crucifixion, His triumphant ascension remains an inspiring gospel theme to awaken love and fervor in every heart.
The verse stands in the opening history of Acts, which is important for setting the work in order and learning lessons for the church's mission. It belongs to the first chapter of Acts in connection with the fulfillment of the promise of the Holy Spirit. There it stands together with Christ's commission, His promise of the Holy Spirit, and the word Let not your heart be troubled, teaching the necessity of being educated to believe God's Word and to show faith by works in practical godliness.
The ascension was presented together with the subject of His second advent. With His sufferings, resurrection, and second appearing coming in power and great glory, it is part of the plan of salvation to save fallen man. Like His rejection, suffering, death and resurrection, the ascension after His resurrection was part of His completed mission, fulfilling prophetic history and showing Him to be the promised Messiah.