"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 1:10-11 (Read 1-11).
Today is Ascension Day, 40 days after Easter, the day on which Christians celebrate the glorious ascension of Jesus to the right hand of God the Father in heaven, a position of power and authority in which Jesus rules over and fills all things for the furtherance and establishment of His eternal kingdom (cf. Ephesians 1:19-23; Daniel 2:44).
And this Word of God, which was spoken by angels to the disciples who had just witnessed Jesus' ascension into heaven, teaches us that Jesus Christ will return visibly in the clouds of glory on the Last Day.
The Bible says: "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen" (Revelation 1:7).
As Jesus ascended into heaven, so He shall also return on the Last Day, the Day of Judgment. Every eye will see Him! Are you ready for His return and judgment? Are you prepared to meet Him?
Those who do not trust in Him for salvation will wail in sorrow at His return because they stand condemned for not trusting in the only begotten Son of God (John 3:18). But those who do believe in Him as their Savior -- trusting that they have pardon for their sins and peace with God for the sake of Christ's innocent sufferings and death in their stead -- will rejoice at His return because He comes to take them to be with Him forever in the mansions of heaven (cf. Luke 21:27-28; Hebrews 9:27-28; John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
Dear Lord Jesus Christ, as Thou hast ascended up into heaven to the right hand of God the Father, so come again and take us to be with Thee forever. Graciously keep us in the true faith so that, on that Day, we may greet Thee with joy and not with sorrow. Grant this unto us for the sake of Thy holy life and bitter sufferings and death upon the cross in our stead. Amen.
[Devotion by Randy Moll. Scripture quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]
Editorial on 05/10/2018