The Apostles Watch Jesus Ascend from the Mount of OlivesBible World
1:9Acts 1:9
And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
After He had finished speaking His directions and commission, while the disciples were looking on He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. He went up visibly and bodily in the same tangible human form they had known, rising slowly with hands outstretched in blessing over them. The cloud that hid Him was a cloud of glory, a chariot of living angels veiling His triumphant escort to His Father's throne as a Conqueror who had finished His work and triumphed over death and the grave. From that throne He continues His work as Advocate, Intercessor and Mediator for fallen humanity, and having received all power He sent the promised Holy Spirit to His waiting witnesses. This same Jesus will come again in like manner as He was seen to go, visibly, bodily and personally with clouds of angels in power and great glory as King.
Setting and Visible Manner
After He had finished speaking His directions and commission to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost earth, while the disciples beheld He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. The taking up was visible before their eyes and preceded His promised return in like manner, giving assurance that He would be with them always and that they had a Friend at court in heaven. He ascended visibly and bodily in the same tangible human form the disciples had lived with, traveled with, and known, the same divine Teacher who had worked with them going from them into heaven. He rose from near Bethany while they watched by heavenly power, drawn heavenward by a divine power stronger than any earthly attraction.
He rose slowly from among them, drawn heavenward by a power stronger than any earthly attraction. As He went His hands were outstretched in blessing over the disciples as assurance of His protecting care, for them and for all who would later believe in Him and accept Him as personal Saviour. His nail-bruised hands that had blessed the sick and rebuked demons were extended as if embracing the whole world and blessing all His followers, with beams of light seeming to fall from them. The ascension took place from the Mount of Olives near Bethany with the eleven, after forty days of instruction about God's kingdom following His resurrection. In that time He authenticated Himself as a living Saviour no longer to be associated with the tomb but to be thought of as glorified before the heavenly universe.
That mountain was a spot often hallowed by His presence, where He had found rest, where groves and glens were consecrated by His prayers and tears, where the steeps had echoed triumphant shouts proclaiming Him king, where on its descent He had found a home with Lazarus at Bethany and at its foot in Gethsemane He had prayed and agonized alone, and where He stood with yearning heart overlooking Jerusalem as the holy Shekinah had stood upon the eastern mountain in departing from the first temple. It was chosen instead of Zion or Moriah where He had been mocked and rejected, and upon its summit His feet will rest when He comes again not as a man of sorrows but as a glorious and triumphant King, while Hebrew hallelujahs mingle with Gentile hosannas and the redeemed host swell the acclamation, Crown Him Lord of all. The cloud that received Him was a cloud of glory, a cloudy chariot of living angels, which veiled His heavenly escort and welcome from mortal eyes. His ascent accorded with the meekness and quietness of His life, and the full glory of His track to heaven, the brightness of the heavenly escort, the myriads of angels, and the opening of God's gates were hidden from mortal sight.
His departure was solemn, quiet, and sublime, in harmony with the meekness and quiet of His life, with His countenance shining with heavenly brightness and smiling lovingly. In His last tender interview on the Mount of Olives near Bethany He looked lovingly on the eleven gathered about Him with light radiating from His countenance, with words of deepest tenderness and no upbraiding for faults and failures, while the awestruck disciples looked with straining eyes for the last glimpse of their ascending Lord. The glory was mercifully veiled so the disciples could endure the sight, take up earthly life and the commission with courage, properly value the Comforter in reproach, imprisonment and death, and keep attention on His earthly character, beauty and majesty of life, perfect harmony of attributes, and mysterious union of divine and human, which they were to copy. Had they seen and heard the full glory they could not have endured the sight and could hardly have taken up earthly life again, and their senses were not to be infatuated with heaven so as to lose sight of what they were to imitate.
At the same moment the sweetest and most joyous music from the angel choir floated down and was heard briefly as He went, while angelic music sounded as the cloud of glory received Him from sight. As He was received, His parting promise to be with them always even to the end of the world and the sound of His voice came back to them and remained with them, coming back to their minds on Olivet.
Heavenly Welcome and Triumph
He ascended to His Father's throne as a divine Conqueror returning with the trophies of victory to the heavenly courts, having finished the work given Him to do and having triumphed over death and the grave. He had tarried on earth after His resurrection to become familiar to His disciples in His risen and glorified body, authenticating Himself as a living Saviour no longer to be associated with the tomb but to be thought of as glorified before the heavenly universe. He met with the eleven on the Mount of Olives for His final display of glory and last season with them, reiterating His instructions and recalling His teaching about the vine and the union of His church with Himself and the Father, though they did not know it would be their final season with their Master.
He was escorted triumphantly to the city of God and His heavenly home and dominion by holy angels, the heavenly host, and myriads awaiting His coming. As He was parted from them and taken up leading the way upward to the holy city, a multitude of the heavenly host attended Him while an innumerable company awaited His coming, meeting Him as He passed from sight with songs of joy and triumph. The disciples returned certain He was the Son of God.
A multitude of captives raised at His resurrection followed with Him, leading captivity captive. He went up as one mighty in battle, a conqueror leading captivity captive, with a shout and the sound of a trumpet, and with a multitude of captives raised from their graves to join the armies of heaven. His ascension was His inauguration, a jubilee in heaven, when having ascended on high leading captivity captive He claimed the gift of the Spirit to pour out upon His disciples.
At the city the escorting angels cried in triumphant tones for the everlasting doors and gates to lift up for the King of glory to come in, answering the waiting angels that He is the Lord strong and mighty in battle and the Lord of hosts. Then the heavenly train passed into the city of God, where 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 ascension was worthy of His exalted character, taking place amid acclamations of praise and celestial song, not for His own interest but as the covenant-making Redeemer of His believing sons and daughters made His through faith in His name.
He returned to His own dominion to be enthroned before the heavenly universe and the unfallen worlds as High Priest and Redeemer for those who call upon Him in truth, so that believers would be impressed with the glorious reception of the Son in the home He had left. For our sake He had become poor that through His poverty we might be made rich, and as Commander of all the heavenly host He was received by the rejoicing ranks of cherubs and seraphs. The chariots of God, twenty thousand, even thousands of thousands, escorted Him to His heavenly home.
He ascended to His Father, received all power and authority in heaven and on earth, and returned to impart it to His disciples, giving gifts unto men. All who come to Him repentant, confessing their sins, He receives into favor and freely pardons, and if they remain true to Him He will exalt them to His throne and make them His heirs to the inheritance purchased with His own blood. His exaltation followed His death for guilty humanity and His meek forgiveness of His murderers.
Brought into the Father's presence, He received assurance that His sacrifice was accepted and His atonement for human sin was sufficient. The Father ratified the covenant to receive repentant and obedient people and love them as He loves His Son. The world, divorced from God by sin, was drawn across the gulf and given another trial, so that receiving Christ as a sin-pardoning Saviour man might become an heir of God and a joint-heir with Christ.
Still bearing humanity, He ascended triumphant and victorious, bearing the marks of His suffering as trophies of victory, a victory that would destroy the power of the first rebel. His ascension brought rejoicing in heaven and the announcement to all worlds that humanity had been redeemed. Heaven's gates were open to repentant people who would end their rebellion and return to loyalty to God's law.
All heaven had waited with eager desire for the end of His stay in a world marred by the curse of sin, and the heavenly host waited eagerly to welcome Him back from the prison-house of death. Yet He turned their welcome aside because His heart was with the disciples He had left on Olivet and with His struggling children on earth. His desire is that those given to Him will one day be with Him where He is.
He took again His own exalted stature and was clothed with the majesty and glory that was His before He left heaven. The marvel to all heaven is not that He resumed it, but that the Father allowed the Son to lay aside that glory, come down to earth, and submit to humiliation and the agonizing death of the cross to save fallen man.
The shining cloud held a company of angels waiting to escort Him to His heavenly home, and the time had come for the heavenly universe to receive their King. The two angels seen after He was hidden were the most exalted of the angel throng, the same two who had come to the tomb at His resurrection and who had been with Him throughout His life on earth. Though they longed to join the throng that welcomed Jesus, in sympathy and love for those He had left they waited to give comfort, for angels are ministering spirits sent to minister for those who shall be heirs of salvation.
Moses saw Him ascending after His resurrection as a majestic conqueror, escorted by angelic hosts and accompanied by a multitude of captives. He learned that he would attend Christ and welcome Him at the everlasting gates. The sight filled Moses with joy and glory.
Heavenly Ministry for Humanity
He was taken up in the sight of His disciples after commissioning them to witness to the world, and the cloud that received Him from view marked His return to the Father to occupy His Father's throne and continue the work of atonement as humanity's Advocate, Intercessor, and Mediator for fallen humanity. He came from heaven because He loved humanity, and He went to heaven to act as its advocate, entering God's presence as its Advocate after His earthly life, ministry, rejection, trial, crucifixion, and resurrection. His ascension means He is now in heaven interceding for His people, having taken His position as Advocate in the heavenly courts, able and willing to help them whenever they call upon Him. His personal presence is no longer on earth, but His sympathies remain with His people, and He is their representative and Friend at court, pleading the cases of all who accept Him as Saviour. That assurance gave the disciples holy boldness, because they knew they had a Friend at court in heaven and that He would be with them always.
By His Spirit He remains with His people as truly as when He was visibly on earth, and His promise to remain with them always continues unchanged. He is risen and alive, not dead or sleeping in the tomb, and as He ascended in the clouds He blessed His disciples and promised to remain with them, a promise they heard as He passed from their sight. After His resurrection He went to heaven to minister for humanity, first entering the holy place where through His sacrifice and merits He presented His people's prayers, repentance, and faith before God and interceded for them. He then entered the Most Holy Place to make atonement for their sins and cleanse the sanctuary, and His high-priestly work completes the plan of redemption through a final atonement for sin. He entered heaven in divine form as the same Jesus who ascended from the Mount of Olives after His pilgrimage of matchless love on earth, while His disciples looked with straining, wistful eyes toward the cloud that received Him until it vanished in the distant heavens, their hearts swelling first with fear and then with hope.
He ever lives there to make intercession, bearing a human heart that loves, pities, and sympathizes with all human woe because He Himself endured sorrow, temptation, conflict, and tears. His ascension gives believers citizenship in heaven where their living, loving Jesus is, and He is a present help to them in time of trouble. He is not enclosed in Joseph's tomb but has risen and ascended into the heavens as a living Saviour at the right hand, who died from love to give hope, strength, and courage, and a seat with Him upon His throne to those who only believe. He stands ready and able to help whenever called upon, knows all weighty responsibilities, will not leave alone those who do not leave Him, is honored when the soul is committed to Him as a faithful Creator and trusts His mercy rather than carrying burdens alone. In His own person His death, resurrection, appearances, and ascension establish for believers the reality of the resurrection and the future immortal life of the just.
The very same Jesus who gave the Sabbath and directed how to keep it, who is the Alpha of Genesis carrying history step by step through the ages, through His incarnation and offering of Himself as a living sacrifice for the redemption of a fallen world, ascended to His Father where He is Advocate in the courts of heaven. He was tried but not condemned because there was nothing to condemn, with Pilate declaring no fault in Him, yet He gave Himself up to be murdered because His own nation were jealous of Him and hated Him, dying as a malefactor on the cross of Calvary, being laid in the grave, and rising the third day and proclaiming over the rent sepulchre of Joseph that He is the resurrection and the life. He did not remain long silent in the grave but walked forth from the tomb in triumph after an angel rolled back the stone, then ascended to His Father and after that ascent revealed Himself again to His disciples. Those disciples afterward astonished those who crucified Christ by their boldness and excellent instruction although known as ignorant men, because they had been with Jesus and learned of Him, and their lessons handed down still carry the light given to the apostles which will be imparted to all who connect with God.
Promise of Second Coming
Two angels declared that this same Jesus who was taken up into heaven while His disciples beheld Him will come again in like manner as He was seen to go, visibly, bodily and personally, the very same tangible human person who had lived and traveled with them, with hands once stretched out in blessing as they gazed for the last sight, to be seen again. His visible ascent was quiet and fitting to the meekness of His life with heavenly glory veiled from mortal sight, and the angels' assurance of His return in the same manner became the lasting promise in harmony with His own promise to return and to be with them even to the end of the world. He will return surrounded by clouds of angels, a cloud of living angels and the heavenly host, with power and great glory as King, no longer in lowliness, to receive the obedient and loyal to Himself and to be admired in all them that believe. As Advocate and friend at court pleading the cases of all who accept Him, having ascended after His advent to this world and entered God's presence with the blood of the atonement still bearing humanity triumphant and victorious, He will appear again as King in glory.
That assurance made the disciples return to Jerusalem with great joy rather than mourning, for their joy rested not in parting but in His coming again, in His going to prepare mansions, and in the coming of the Holy Spirit. It remains the hope and joy of all true lovers of Christ till the close of time. The verse fixes the manner as a literal, visible coming from heaven, so any prophesying that locates Him in the desert or in secret chambers contradicts the word and must be rejected, and all true prophesying on that point must recognize His visible coming from heaven. His ascent gives the waiting saints a pattern as they gaze toward heaven for His return in the glory of the Father with holy angels, and those who are holy and have followed His example, for whom He prepares mansions, will welcome Him with joy.
Upon Olivet's summit His feet will rest when He comes again, the same Mount of Olives from which He ascended after tarrying in risen glorified body, not as a man of sorrows but as a glorious and triumphant King, while Hebrew hallelujahs mingle with Gentile hosannas and the voices of the redeemed as a mighty host swell the acclamation, Crown Him Lord of all. That same place is where He returns in majesty at the close of the thousand years, as the angels promised. His second appearing is the great event to be contemplated and talked of and kept fresh before the minds of the people, and God's people are to warn the world to prepare for it 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. His going calls every person to be prepared for the coming of the Son of man by living faith in the Saviour and repentance of sins so as to meet Him in peace, cultivating the knowledge He gave about His second appearing, searching the Scriptures, getting ready as wickedness increases, doing the very work God appointed to be done, and watching and working patiently.
His ascension joined with His sufferings to save fallen man, His resurrection, and His second appearing coming in power and great glory belongs to the plan of salvation and is a fitting subject for public preaching to a large mixed crowd of believers and unbelievers. Spoken with deep feeling in the power and demonstration of the Spirit, this combined truth of ascension and second advent produces respectful, attentive listening and moves even unbelievers to tears.
Spirit and Pentecost Preparation
The taking up in Acts 1:9 came just before the promised Holy Spirit was given, and the promise made before the ascension was fulfilled in Acts 2 after crucifixion and resurrection. It belongs to the account of the commission, the promise of the Spirit, and the angels' message to the waiting disciples. The outpouring had been waiting for the ascension together with crucifixion and resurrection.
The ascension was an inauguration and jubilee in heaven. Having ascended on high leading captivity captive, He claimed the gift of the Spirit to pour out upon His disciples. After He was taken up the disciples spent ten days offering petitions for the outpouring while Christ in heaven added His intercession. The Spirit was then given as promised, falling like a rushing mighty wind with a fullness and power as if long restrained, to be communicated through the church to the world.
After reaching His throne He sent the Holy Spirit as promised in response to His disciples' prayers. The Spirit comes as His representative, heavenly Teacher and Guide, to make real in hearts and lives all that His death on the cross made possible. He did not leave followers without help in ascending to the Father, for the Spirit is given as His representative and heavenly angels are sent as ministering spirits to aid those fighting the good fight of faith against great odds. Jesus remains their helper, watching over them and understanding peculiarities of character better than anyone, and if they are willing to be guided He throws around them good influences that enable them to accomplish all His will.
The parting scene on Olivet when Jesus was taken from sight, with the angels' promise, came before the disciples went out on their mission and before the power and glory of Pentecost. It was a time of communion with the Saviour, joined with the meeting on the mountain in Galilee and the days of prayer and communion in the upper chamber and upper room. That scene and those days were their preparation through communion and prayer.
The ascension took place very soon before the day of Pentecost. After He ascended His followers took hold of the word He had declared in His earthly ministry, and when they prayed in oneness of accord and mind God answered by sending the Holy Spirit, so that every man heard in his own language and thousands were converted in a day. The same blessings can still be claimed by consecration to God, working in harmony with His Word, exalting it and obeying its precepts, and complying with the conditions of united prayer.
In that waiting time begun when He was taken out of sight, the disciples came to God in simple faith, true humility, firm dependence, and full surrender, asking for the things they needed. Heaven waits to open opportunities before those who walk before God in true simplicity. He cannot cooperate with people as fully as He desires until they come as the disciples came then, and when they yield themselves fully He works as the case requires.
After He ascended the disciples gathered together and prayed earnestly and unitedly for the Holy Spirit, an example teaching the need for earnest united prayer before consequential decisions. He was taken up while they watched and a cloud received Him from sight, then angels received and escorted Him, a cloud of angels, to the city of God just after He gave the promise of the Spirit and the commission to witness to all nations. The disciples returned to Jerusalem certain and assured that Jesus was the Son of God, and prepared in prayer and humility to receive the promised baptism of the Spirit.
Witness and Gospel Mission
After charging them to tarry in Jerusalem until endued with power from on high and to receive the Spirit to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth, He was taken up while they beheld until a cloud hid Him from sight. That departure came after forty days of instruction about God's kingdom and finished His directions, commission, and promise, marking His final departure and visible return to heaven. The command connected with His departure remains in force, entrusting the disciples with carrying the gospel work forward to completion to the world. The event gave holy boldness, with assurance that He would be with them always and that they had a Friend at court in heaven.
He left His work for His servants and chosen co-laborers to carry forward in His name, to free the oppressed, strengthen the weak, comfort mourners, and care for the brokenhearted. He continued to watch over its progress from heaven with deep concern, going forward with greater power as He and His Father do greater things than were seen on earth. His ascension thus left the church beginning its work without His personal presence on earth.
His ascension with His death, resurrection, sufferings, crucifixion, and promised return is one of the central truths and central themes of the gospel that ministers are to present with love and earnestness so that Jesus, not the minister, is made known. These truths are to fill their minds to awaken love and fervent faith, and in close connection with His second advent are a fitting subject for public preaching to large mixed crowds of believers and unbelievers. Spoken with deep feeling in the power and demonstration of the Spirit, they produce respectful, attentive listening and move even unbelievers to tears. His ascension and His work in heaven as Advocate and Mediator for fallen humanity were joyful subjects of the disciples' preaching and conversation about His teaching and healing, accompanied by the Holy Spirit with power. The lessons He gave just beforehand contain instruction people need, and His ascension points forward to His return in the clouds with power and great glory to receive the obedient and loyal to Himself.
Having spoken with Him after He rose and watched His ascension with their own eyes, the disciples became eyewitnesses whose positive testimony could meet false reports denying His resurrection and boldly take up the work where He laid it down, beginning in Jerusalem. Their direct testimony disturbed those in power and challenged the Sadducees' denial of the resurrection, helping lead the rulers to imprison the apostles. It established His unbelieving brothers in faith and confirmed Paul's and John's witness that He was seen, handled, spoken with, risen, and ascended. After He was taken up the apostles went everywhere preaching His work as Teacher and Healer, and the Holy Spirit accompanied them making their witness powerful. The work of reaching people continued, as God sent a heavenly message to Cornelius and directed Peter to bring him further light. His ascension is part of the work of redemption revealing God's love and assuring the power promised for future work, belonging to the Scripture account that shows God's mighty power at work with heaven cooperating with those who do the Lord's work.
Comfort Assurance and Readiness
The last sight the disciples had was of a sympathizing Friend and glorified Redeemer going up visibly while they watched until a cloud veiled Him from sight. His going was solemn, quiet and sublime, in keeping with the meekness and quietness of His life, His countenance shining with heavenly brightness and a loving smile and His nail-bruised hands that had blessed the sick and rebuked demons outstretched over them in blessing as if embracing the whole world. It was the very same Jesus who had walked and talked and prayed with them, broken bread with them, been with them in boats and groves and toiled with them up Olivet, who went into heaven in tangible human form to occupy His Father's throne and continue the atonement as humanity's Advocate and Intercessor. The full glory of His track to heaven, the brightness of the heavenly escort, the myriads of angels and the opening of God's gates was mercifully veiled from mortal eyes, as Moses veiled his face, lest they could not have endured the sight nor taken up earthly life again to carry out the commission nor properly valued the Comforter in bearing reproach, imprisonment and death. Their senses were not to be infatuated with heaven so as to lose sight of His earthly character, the beauty and majesty of His life, the perfect harmony of attributes and the mysterious union of divine and human which they were to copy, and with that last remembrance and the angels' testimony they returned to Jerusalem full of joy and praise and told others, not mourning.
Because the risen Jesus whom they had known and handled was taken to heaven, heaven was no longer an impersonal region of spirits but was associated with a living Friend who pleads for them, prepares mansions for them as their future home and serves as their advocate. His departure gave prayer new meaning as communion with their Saviour, with confidence that prayer offered in His name would be answered, and with assurance of His continuing presence and the sound of His voice remaining with them as He went. Now in heaven interceding for His people, He is able and willing to help when called upon. His resurrection and ascension assure victory over death and the grave and pledge that heaven is open to those made clean through the Lamb's blood, for He ascended as humanity's representative and God will bring those who reflect His image to see and share His glory.
He left a sacred trust to the closest associates who had been with Him, yet a great work of training and discipline still had to be accomplished in them before they were prepared for it, for though they had responded to His love they were slow of heart to believe. The account places Mary His mother among those who continued afterward, one who had seen Him not in His glory but in His sufferings, and calls believers to cultivate the knowledge He gave of His second appearing, to search the Scriptures, to get ready as wickedness increases, and to do the very work God appointed. His ascension together with His resurrection evidences His divinity and gave clear light sufficient to call to discipleship, so that refusal by stubbornly resisting the clear evidence brought by the Holy Spirit is the unpardonable sin, and His going fulfilled His own word which leaders sought to keep the people ignorant of. After He was glorified before them they remembered the words He had spoken, and had they believed His word and searched what the Scriptures wrote concerning Him while He lay in the tomb they would have been saved much sorrow and would have found comfort and hope.
The disciples heard His ascending song with angels singing and His hands outstretched in blessing for only a few moments, and did not hear the greeting He received in heaven, where all heaven united in His reception, His entrance not begged, and all heaven honored by His presence. His short work mainly among the Jews set forth the object of His mission, laid the foundation for His disciples, and showed that His work is to set souls free from the slavery of sin. His going to heaven did not end His work but passed it to His disciples as witnesses to carry outside the camp the message of a Saviour's love, with His lessons of practical service repeated generation after generation, going forward with greater power than while He was on earth because He and His Father work together to do greater things for His people than they saw while He was among them.
After He had finished speaking His directions and commission, while the disciples were looking on He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. He went up visibly and bodily in the same tangible human form they had known, rising slowly with hands outstretched in blessing over them. The cloud that hid Him was a cloud of glory, a chariot of living angels veiling His triumphant escort to His Father's throne as a Conqueror who had finished His work and triumphed over death and the grave. From that throne He continues His work as Advocate, Intercessor and Mediator for fallen humanity, and having received all power He sent the promised Holy Spirit to His waiting witnesses. This same Jesus will come again in like manner as He was seen to go, visibly, bodily and personally with clouds of angels in power and great glory as King.
Setting and Visible Manner
After He had finished speaking His directions and commission to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost earth, while the disciples beheld He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. The taking up was visible before their eyes and preceded His promised return in like manner, giving assurance that He would be with them always and that they had a Friend at court in heaven. He ascended visibly and bodily in the same tangible human form the disciples had lived with, traveled with, and known, the same divine Teacher who had worked with them going from them into heaven. He rose from near Bethany while they watched by heavenly power, drawn heavenward by a divine power stronger than any earthly attraction.
He rose slowly from among them, drawn heavenward by a power stronger than any earthly attraction. As He went His hands were outstretched in blessing over the disciples as assurance of His protecting care, for them and for all who would later believe in Him and accept Him as personal Saviour. His nail-bruised hands that had blessed the sick and rebuked demons were extended as if embracing the whole world and blessing all His followers, with beams of light seeming to fall from them. The ascension took place from the Mount of Olives near Bethany with the eleven, after forty days of instruction about God's kingdom following His resurrection. In that time He authenticated Himself as a living Saviour no longer to be associated with the tomb but to be thought of as glorified before the heavenly universe.
That mountain was a spot often hallowed by His presence, where He had found rest, where groves and glens were consecrated by His prayers and tears, where the steeps had echoed triumphant shouts proclaiming Him king, where on its descent He had found a home with Lazarus at Bethany and at its foot in Gethsemane He had prayed and agonized alone, and where He stood with yearning heart overlooking Jerusalem as the holy Shekinah had stood upon the eastern mountain in departing from the first temple. It was chosen instead of Zion or Moriah where He had been mocked and rejected, and upon its summit His feet will rest when He comes again not as a man of sorrows but as a glorious and triumphant King, while Hebrew hallelujahs mingle with Gentile hosannas and the redeemed host swell the acclamation, Crown Him Lord of all. The cloud that received Him was a cloud of glory, a cloudy chariot of living angels, which veiled His heavenly escort and welcome from mortal eyes. His ascent accorded with the meekness and quietness of His life, and the full glory of His track to heaven, the brightness of the heavenly escort, the myriads of angels, and the opening of God's gates were hidden from mortal sight.
His departure was solemn, quiet, and sublime, in harmony with the meekness and quiet of His life, with His countenance shining with heavenly brightness and smiling lovingly. In His last tender interview on the Mount of Olives near Bethany He looked lovingly on the eleven gathered about Him with light radiating from His countenance, with words of deepest tenderness and no upbraiding for faults and failures, while the awestruck disciples looked with straining eyes for the last glimpse of their ascending Lord. The glory was mercifully veiled so the disciples could endure the sight, take up earthly life and the commission with courage, properly value the Comforter in reproach, imprisonment and death, and keep attention on His earthly character, beauty and majesty of life, perfect harmony of attributes, and mysterious union of divine and human, which they were to copy. Had they seen and heard the full glory they could not have endured the sight and could hardly have taken up earthly life again, and their senses were not to be infatuated with heaven so as to lose sight of what they were to imitate.
At the same moment the sweetest and most joyous music from the angel choir floated down and was heard briefly as He went, while angelic music sounded as the cloud of glory received Him from sight. As He was received, His parting promise to be with them always even to the end of the world and the sound of His voice came back to them and remained with them, coming back to their minds on Olivet.
Heavenly Welcome and Triumph
He ascended to His Father's throne as a divine Conqueror returning with the trophies of victory to the heavenly courts, having finished the work given Him to do and having triumphed over death and the grave. He had tarried on earth after His resurrection to become familiar to His disciples in His risen and glorified body, authenticating Himself as a living Saviour no longer to be associated with the tomb but to be thought of as glorified before the heavenly universe. He met with the eleven on the Mount of Olives for His final display of glory and last season with them, reiterating His instructions and recalling His teaching about the vine and the union of His church with Himself and the Father, though they did not know it would be their final season with their Master.
He was escorted triumphantly to the city of God and His heavenly home and dominion by holy angels, the heavenly host, and myriads awaiting His coming. As He was parted from them and taken up leading the way upward to the holy city, a multitude of the heavenly host attended Him while an innumerable company awaited His coming, meeting Him as He passed from sight with songs of joy and triumph. The disciples returned certain He was the Son of God.
A multitude of captives raised at His resurrection followed with Him, leading captivity captive. He went up as one mighty in battle, a conqueror leading captivity captive, with a shout and the sound of a trumpet, and with a multitude of captives raised from their graves to join the armies of heaven. His ascension was His inauguration, a jubilee in heaven, when having ascended on high leading captivity captive He claimed the gift of the Spirit to pour out upon His disciples.
At the city the escorting angels cried in triumphant tones for the everlasting doors and gates to lift up for the King of glory to come in, answering the waiting angels that He is the Lord strong and mighty in battle and the Lord of hosts. Then the heavenly train passed into the city of God, where 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 ascension was worthy of His exalted character, taking place amid acclamations of praise and celestial song, not for His own interest but as the covenant-making Redeemer of His believing sons and daughters made His through faith in His name.
He returned to His own dominion to be enthroned before the heavenly universe and the unfallen worlds as High Priest and Redeemer for those who call upon Him in truth, so that believers would be impressed with the glorious reception of the Son in the home He had left. For our sake He had become poor that through His poverty we might be made rich, and as Commander of all the heavenly host He was received by the rejoicing ranks of cherubs and seraphs. The chariots of God, twenty thousand, even thousands of thousands, escorted Him to His heavenly home.
He ascended to His Father, received all power and authority in heaven and on earth, and returned to impart it to His disciples, giving gifts unto men. All who come to Him repentant, confessing their sins, He receives into favor and freely pardons, and if they remain true to Him He will exalt them to His throne and make them His heirs to the inheritance purchased with His own blood. His exaltation followed His death for guilty humanity and His meek forgiveness of His murderers.
Brought into the Father's presence, He received assurance that His sacrifice was accepted and His atonement for human sin was sufficient. The Father ratified the covenant to receive repentant and obedient people and love them as He loves His Son. The world, divorced from God by sin, was drawn across the gulf and given another trial, so that receiving Christ as a sin-pardoning Saviour man might become an heir of God and a joint-heir with Christ.
Still bearing humanity, He ascended triumphant and victorious, bearing the marks of His suffering as trophies of victory, a victory that would destroy the power of the first rebel. His ascension brought rejoicing in heaven and the announcement to all worlds that humanity had been redeemed. Heaven's gates were open to repentant people who would end their rebellion and return to loyalty to God's law.
All heaven had waited with eager desire for the end of His stay in a world marred by the curse of sin, and the heavenly host waited eagerly to welcome Him back from the prison-house of death. Yet He turned their welcome aside because His heart was with the disciples He had left on Olivet and with His struggling children on earth. His desire is that those given to Him will one day be with Him where He is.
He took again His own exalted stature and was clothed with the majesty and glory that was His before He left heaven. The marvel to all heaven is not that He resumed it, but that the Father allowed the Son to lay aside that glory, come down to earth, and submit to humiliation and the agonizing death of the cross to save fallen man.
The shining cloud held a company of angels waiting to escort Him to His heavenly home, and the time had come for the heavenly universe to receive their King. The two angels seen after He was hidden were the most exalted of the angel throng, the same two who had come to the tomb at His resurrection and who had been with Him throughout His life on earth. Though they longed to join the throng that welcomed Jesus, in sympathy and love for those He had left they waited to give comfort, for angels are ministering spirits sent to minister for those who shall be heirs of salvation.
Moses saw Him ascending after His resurrection as a majestic conqueror, escorted by angelic hosts and accompanied by a multitude of captives. He learned that he would attend Christ and welcome Him at the everlasting gates. The sight filled Moses with joy and glory.
Heavenly Ministry for Humanity
He was taken up in the sight of His disciples after commissioning them to witness to the world, and the cloud that received Him from view marked His return to the Father to occupy His Father's throne and continue the work of atonement as humanity's Advocate, Intercessor, and Mediator for fallen humanity. He came from heaven because He loved humanity, and He went to heaven to act as its advocate, entering God's presence as its Advocate after His earthly life, ministry, rejection, trial, crucifixion, and resurrection. His ascension means He is now in heaven interceding for His people, having taken His position as Advocate in the heavenly courts, able and willing to help them whenever they call upon Him. His personal presence is no longer on earth, but His sympathies remain with His people, and He is their representative and Friend at court, pleading the cases of all who accept Him as Saviour. That assurance gave the disciples holy boldness, because they knew they had a Friend at court in heaven and that He would be with them always.
By His Spirit He remains with His people as truly as when He was visibly on earth, and His promise to remain with them always continues unchanged. He is risen and alive, not dead or sleeping in the tomb, and as He ascended in the clouds He blessed His disciples and promised to remain with them, a promise they heard as He passed from their sight. After His resurrection He went to heaven to minister for humanity, first entering the holy place where through His sacrifice and merits He presented His people's prayers, repentance, and faith before God and interceded for them. He then entered the Most Holy Place to make atonement for their sins and cleanse the sanctuary, and His high-priestly work completes the plan of redemption through a final atonement for sin. He entered heaven in divine form as the same Jesus who ascended from the Mount of Olives after His pilgrimage of matchless love on earth, while His disciples looked with straining, wistful eyes toward the cloud that received Him until it vanished in the distant heavens, their hearts swelling first with fear and then with hope.
He ever lives there to make intercession, bearing a human heart that loves, pities, and sympathizes with all human woe because He Himself endured sorrow, temptation, conflict, and tears. His ascension gives believers citizenship in heaven where their living, loving Jesus is, and He is a present help to them in time of trouble. He is not enclosed in Joseph's tomb but has risen and ascended into the heavens as a living Saviour at the right hand, who died from love to give hope, strength, and courage, and a seat with Him upon His throne to those who only believe. He stands ready and able to help whenever called upon, knows all weighty responsibilities, will not leave alone those who do not leave Him, is honored when the soul is committed to Him as a faithful Creator and trusts His mercy rather than carrying burdens alone. In His own person His death, resurrection, appearances, and ascension establish for believers the reality of the resurrection and the future immortal life of the just.
The very same Jesus who gave the Sabbath and directed how to keep it, who is the Alpha of Genesis carrying history step by step through the ages, through His incarnation and offering of Himself as a living sacrifice for the redemption of a fallen world, ascended to His Father where He is Advocate in the courts of heaven. He was tried but not condemned because there was nothing to condemn, with Pilate declaring no fault in Him, yet He gave Himself up to be murdered because His own nation were jealous of Him and hated Him, dying as a malefactor on the cross of Calvary, being laid in the grave, and rising the third day and proclaiming over the rent sepulchre of Joseph that He is the resurrection and the life. He did not remain long silent in the grave but walked forth from the tomb in triumph after an angel rolled back the stone, then ascended to His Father and after that ascent revealed Himself again to His disciples. Those disciples afterward astonished those who crucified Christ by their boldness and excellent instruction although known as ignorant men, because they had been with Jesus and learned of Him, and their lessons handed down still carry the light given to the apostles which will be imparted to all who connect with God.
Promise of Second Coming
Two angels declared that this same Jesus who was taken up into heaven while His disciples beheld Him will come again in like manner as He was seen to go, visibly, bodily and personally, the very same tangible human person who had lived and traveled with them, with hands once stretched out in blessing as they gazed for the last sight, to be seen again. His visible ascent was quiet and fitting to the meekness of His life with heavenly glory veiled from mortal sight, and the angels' assurance of His return in the same manner became the lasting promise in harmony with His own promise to return and to be with them even to the end of the world. He will return surrounded by clouds of angels, a cloud of living angels and the heavenly host, with power and great glory as King, no longer in lowliness, to receive the obedient and loyal to Himself and to be admired in all them that believe. As Advocate and friend at court pleading the cases of all who accept Him, having ascended after His advent to this world and entered God's presence with the blood of the atonement still bearing humanity triumphant and victorious, He will appear again as King in glory.
That assurance made the disciples return to Jerusalem with great joy rather than mourning, for their joy rested not in parting but in His coming again, in His going to prepare mansions, and in the coming of the Holy Spirit. It remains the hope and joy of all true lovers of Christ till the close of time. The verse fixes the manner as a literal, visible coming from heaven, so any prophesying that locates Him in the desert or in secret chambers contradicts the word and must be rejected, and all true prophesying on that point must recognize His visible coming from heaven. His ascent gives the waiting saints a pattern as they gaze toward heaven for His return in the glory of the Father with holy angels, and those who are holy and have followed His example, for whom He prepares mansions, will welcome Him with joy.
Upon Olivet's summit His feet will rest when He comes again, the same Mount of Olives from which He ascended after tarrying in risen glorified body, not as a man of sorrows but as a glorious and triumphant King, while Hebrew hallelujahs mingle with Gentile hosannas and the voices of the redeemed as a mighty host swell the acclamation, Crown Him Lord of all. That same place is where He returns in majesty at the close of the thousand years, as the angels promised. His second appearing is the great event to be contemplated and talked of and kept fresh before the minds of the people, and God's people are to warn the world to prepare for it 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. His going calls every person to be prepared for the coming of the Son of man by living faith in the Saviour and repentance of sins so as to meet Him in peace, cultivating the knowledge He gave about His second appearing, searching the Scriptures, getting ready as wickedness increases, doing the very work God appointed to be done, and watching and working patiently.
His ascension joined with His sufferings to save fallen man, His resurrection, and His second appearing coming in power and great glory belongs to the plan of salvation and is a fitting subject for public preaching to a large mixed crowd of believers and unbelievers. Spoken with deep feeling in the power and demonstration of the Spirit, this combined truth of ascension and second advent produces respectful, attentive listening and moves even unbelievers to tears.
Spirit and Pentecost Preparation
The taking up in Acts 1:9 came just before the promised Holy Spirit was given, and the promise made before the ascension was fulfilled in Acts 2 after crucifixion and resurrection. It belongs to the account of the commission, the promise of the Spirit, and the angels' message to the waiting disciples. The outpouring had been waiting for the ascension together with crucifixion and resurrection.
The ascension was an inauguration and jubilee in heaven. Having ascended on high leading captivity captive, He claimed the gift of the Spirit to pour out upon His disciples. After He was taken up the disciples spent ten days offering petitions for the outpouring while Christ in heaven added His intercession. The Spirit was then given as promised, falling like a rushing mighty wind with a fullness and power as if long restrained, to be communicated through the church to the world.
After reaching His throne He sent the Holy Spirit as promised in response to His disciples' prayers. The Spirit comes as His representative, heavenly Teacher and Guide, to make real in hearts and lives all that His death on the cross made possible. He did not leave followers without help in ascending to the Father, for the Spirit is given as His representative and heavenly angels are sent as ministering spirits to aid those fighting the good fight of faith against great odds. Jesus remains their helper, watching over them and understanding peculiarities of character better than anyone, and if they are willing to be guided He throws around them good influences that enable them to accomplish all His will.
The parting scene on Olivet when Jesus was taken from sight, with the angels' promise, came before the disciples went out on their mission and before the power and glory of Pentecost. It was a time of communion with the Saviour, joined with the meeting on the mountain in Galilee and the days of prayer and communion in the upper chamber and upper room. That scene and those days were their preparation through communion and prayer.
The ascension took place very soon before the day of Pentecost. After He ascended His followers took hold of the word He had declared in His earthly ministry, and when they prayed in oneness of accord and mind God answered by sending the Holy Spirit, so that every man heard in his own language and thousands were converted in a day. The same blessings can still be claimed by consecration to God, working in harmony with His Word, exalting it and obeying its precepts, and complying with the conditions of united prayer.
In that waiting time begun when He was taken out of sight, the disciples came to God in simple faith, true humility, firm dependence, and full surrender, asking for the things they needed. Heaven waits to open opportunities before those who walk before God in true simplicity. He cannot cooperate with people as fully as He desires until they come as the disciples came then, and when they yield themselves fully He works as the case requires.
After He ascended the disciples gathered together and prayed earnestly and unitedly for the Holy Spirit, an example teaching the need for earnest united prayer before consequential decisions. He was taken up while they watched and a cloud received Him from sight, then angels received and escorted Him, a cloud of angels, to the city of God just after He gave the promise of the Spirit and the commission to witness to all nations. The disciples returned to Jerusalem certain and assured that Jesus was the Son of God, and prepared in prayer and humility to receive the promised baptism of the Spirit.
Witness and Gospel Mission
After charging them to tarry in Jerusalem until endued with power from on high and to receive the Spirit to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth, He was taken up while they beheld until a cloud hid Him from sight. That departure came after forty days of instruction about God's kingdom and finished His directions, commission, and promise, marking His final departure and visible return to heaven. The command connected with His departure remains in force, entrusting the disciples with carrying the gospel work forward to completion to the world. The event gave holy boldness, with assurance that He would be with them always and that they had a Friend at court in heaven.
He left His work for His servants and chosen co-laborers to carry forward in His name, to free the oppressed, strengthen the weak, comfort mourners, and care for the brokenhearted. He continued to watch over its progress from heaven with deep concern, going forward with greater power as He and His Father do greater things than were seen on earth. His ascension thus left the church beginning its work without His personal presence on earth.
His ascension with His death, resurrection, sufferings, crucifixion, and promised return is one of the central truths and central themes of the gospel that ministers are to present with love and earnestness so that Jesus, not the minister, is made known. These truths are to fill their minds to awaken love and fervent faith, and in close connection with His second advent are a fitting subject for public preaching to large mixed crowds of believers and unbelievers. Spoken with deep feeling in the power and demonstration of the Spirit, they produce respectful, attentive listening and move even unbelievers to tears. His ascension and His work in heaven as Advocate and Mediator for fallen humanity were joyful subjects of the disciples' preaching and conversation about His teaching and healing, accompanied by the Holy Spirit with power. The lessons He gave just beforehand contain instruction people need, and His ascension points forward to His return in the clouds with power and great glory to receive the obedient and loyal to Himself.
Having spoken with Him after He rose and watched His ascension with their own eyes, the disciples became eyewitnesses whose positive testimony could meet false reports denying His resurrection and boldly take up the work where He laid it down, beginning in Jerusalem. Their direct testimony disturbed those in power and challenged the Sadducees' denial of the resurrection, helping lead the rulers to imprison the apostles. It established His unbelieving brothers in faith and confirmed Paul's and John's witness that He was seen, handled, spoken with, risen, and ascended. After He was taken up the apostles went everywhere preaching His work as Teacher and Healer, and the Holy Spirit accompanied them making their witness powerful. The work of reaching people continued, as God sent a heavenly message to Cornelius and directed Peter to bring him further light. His ascension is part of the work of redemption revealing God's love and assuring the power promised for future work, belonging to the Scripture account that shows God's mighty power at work with heaven cooperating with those who do the Lord's work.
Comfort Assurance and Readiness
The last sight the disciples had was of a sympathizing Friend and glorified Redeemer going up visibly while they watched until a cloud veiled Him from sight. His going was solemn, quiet and sublime, in keeping with the meekness and quietness of His life, His countenance shining with heavenly brightness and a loving smile and His nail-bruised hands that had blessed the sick and rebuked demons outstretched over them in blessing as if embracing the whole world. It was the very same Jesus who had walked and talked and prayed with them, broken bread with them, been with them in boats and groves and toiled with them up Olivet, who went into heaven in tangible human form to occupy His Father's throne and continue the atonement as humanity's Advocate and Intercessor. The full glory of His track to heaven, the brightness of the heavenly escort, the myriads of angels and the opening of God's gates was mercifully veiled from mortal eyes, as Moses veiled his face, lest they could not have endured the sight nor taken up earthly life again to carry out the commission nor properly valued the Comforter in bearing reproach, imprisonment and death. Their senses were not to be infatuated with heaven so as to lose sight of His earthly character, the beauty and majesty of His life, the perfect harmony of attributes and the mysterious union of divine and human which they were to copy, and with that last remembrance and the angels' testimony they returned to Jerusalem full of joy and praise and told others, not mourning.
Because the risen Jesus whom they had known and handled was taken to heaven, heaven was no longer an impersonal region of spirits but was associated with a living Friend who pleads for them, prepares mansions for them as their future home and serves as their advocate. His departure gave prayer new meaning as communion with their Saviour, with confidence that prayer offered in His name would be answered, and with assurance of His continuing presence and the sound of His voice remaining with them as He went. Now in heaven interceding for His people, He is able and willing to help when called upon. His resurrection and ascension assure victory over death and the grave and pledge that heaven is open to those made clean through the Lamb's blood, for He ascended as humanity's representative and God will bring those who reflect His image to see and share His glory.
He left a sacred trust to the closest associates who had been with Him, yet a great work of training and discipline still had to be accomplished in them before they were prepared for it, for though they had responded to His love they were slow of heart to believe. The account places Mary His mother among those who continued afterward, one who had seen Him not in His glory but in His sufferings, and calls believers to cultivate the knowledge He gave of His second appearing, to search the Scriptures, to get ready as wickedness increases, and to do the very work God appointed. His ascension together with His resurrection evidences His divinity and gave clear light sufficient to call to discipleship, so that refusal by stubbornly resisting the clear evidence brought by the Holy Spirit is the unpardonable sin, and His going fulfilled His own word which leaders sought to keep the people ignorant of. After He was glorified before them they remembered the words He had spoken, and had they believed His word and searched what the Scriptures wrote concerning Him while He lay in the tomb they would have been saved much sorrow and would have found comfort and hope.
The disciples heard His ascending song with angels singing and His hands outstretched in blessing for only a few moments, and did not hear the greeting He received in heaven, where all heaven united in His reception, His entrance not begged, and all heaven honored by His presence. His short work mainly among the Jews set forth the object of His mission, laid the foundation for His disciples, and showed that His work is to set souls free from the slavery of sin. His going to heaven did not end His work but passed it to His disciples as witnesses to carry outside the camp the message of a Saviour's love, with His lessons of practical service repeated generation after generation, going forward with greater power than while He was on earth because He and His Father work together to do greater things for His people than they saw while He was among them.