Jesus Gives His Promise to Return to Earth

And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Acts 1:9-11

Steps: 11, 12

After Jesus had been with the disciples for 40 days, as He had been with Moses in the Old Testament, Jesus rose up in the air and was accepted into a cloud of angels and the disciples could no longer see Him. This is one of the remarkable claims of the Bible. After the disciples were standing there looking for Jesus two men (angels) stood by and asked them why they were standing there looking up into heaven. These men assured the disciples that this same Jesus, which went up in their sight would come again, in like manner – in a cloud of angels, and would return to Earth. This is a promise of God, and it will be done just as His first coming was completed in accordance with all of the details of the Scripture. (See I Thessalonians 4:13-18; I Corinthians 15:50-58).

Prayer for Today: What a spectacular promise, that You would come again someday. Help us to take You literally about this promise. What an honor and a privilege to see You coming personally to get us. It is an amazing thought to think about, You coming back in a cloud of angels to gather us to You forever. Grant us courage and faith to believe You and to trust You to prepare us for such an experience.