Standing on the Mount of Olives overlooking the temple, Jesus has just told His followers not to worry their pretty little heads about the "when" of God's kingdom (v7).
He tells them that they are about to go out on a worldwide mission of God fueled by the power of God (v8). We then come to three verses in Acts 1 that are miraculously spectacular.
While Jesus' followers received His instructions regarding their global assignment, "He was lifted up" (v9). In his prequel, Luke gives us a complimentary account of Christ's return trip to heaven (Lk 24:50-51).
In his Gospel, Dr. Luke gives us the location (Bethany), tells us the Lord lifted His hands and blessed them, and as He did so, He "was carried up into heaven."
All of that description fits nicely into what he tells us in Acts 1. His blessing clearly includes His promise of the Spirit's arrival and their global Gospel assignment. At this point, things get weird. REALLY weird!
As Jesus was still speaking to them, "He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out of their sight." His disciples saw the whole thing.
The good doctor tells us that "they were looking on." The remaining 11 apostles saw it (we'll go into why we think this is just the 11 in a minute). Not just one or two witnesses, but 11. Without corroboration, who would believe them?
The apostles saw their Lord lift off and head home. On a cloud, no less. Clouds play an important role in the coming and going of the manifest presence of God.
The glory cloud led and protected Israel in the wilderness. The glory cloud filled the tabernacle and the temple. Prophets continually describe clouds as part of God's earth-rumbling arrival.
A cloud rolls onto the mountaintop during Jesus' transfiguration. And Christ told His followers that He we would see Him return one glorious day riding on a cloud.
Clearly this wasn't your garden variety cloud. Not a cumulus. Not a stratus. No, this most likely was the supernatural shekinah cloud. And Jesus rode this glory cloud back to His heavenly throne room at the right hand of His Dad.
Luke doesn't tell us how long this took. He just tells us that the "cloud took Him out of their sight." At some point, they couldn't see Jesus anymore.
If that's not bizarre enough, Dr. Luke's description gets even stranger. As the Lord disappeared into the sky over Israel, "two men stood by them in white robes" (v10).
These were clearly angels in human form. It may have even been the very same dudes the women had seen at the grave site (Lk 24:4).
The description of their apparel as "white robes" doesn't really do justice to the Greek. The word leukos means not only white, but brilliant, shining and radiant.
This isn't just a white suit. These were supernaturally shiny. Consistently, the Bible describes this as the wardrobe of angels and others making supernatural appearances.
While the boys are staring into the sky, the dazzling duo asks them a question (v11). "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven?"
The phrase "men of Galilee" points out that only the remaining 11 apostles were there that day. All of Jesus' chosen disciples were Galilean except for Judas Iscariot.
Since Judas had betrayed Christ and committed suicide (Acts 1:16-19), only those from Galilee remained.
They asked the guys why they continued to stare into sky. My first thought is rather obvious. For heaven’s sake, didn’t you just see what happened?!?
The reason they are looking into the sky is because they just watched one of the most amazing things in a long list of miraculous events of the past three years. I mean, the risen-to-life Jesus just rode a cloud into heaven!
The question asked by the two men gives us a hint that they may well have been the same two angels at the empty tomb. The reason? Both times they focused the attention of the people back onto what was more important.
They told the women that there was no reason to look for a living Jesus in the graveyard. And here they told the 11 to stop worrying about Jesus' departure and be confident of His return.
"This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven." First of all, they confirm Jesus' destination. He headed home to heaven.
Second, He's coming back!!! It will be on His glorious return that establishes God's glorious kingdom. And when He comes back, rest assured that He'll be riding that very same shekinah glory cloud (Mt 24:30; 26:63; Mk 14:26; Lk 21:27; Rev 1:7).
The two dazzling angels reminded the 11 that they had a mission. Wait for God's Spirit. Then take Jesus' message of His gracious Gospel to the entire planet. And be sure that He's coming back, cloud and all.
Who goes up, must come down.
©2011
Jay Jennings
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