Page 22 - March 2025 - Truth & Tidings

orty days had passed since their place from the Mount of Olives in the vi-
sorrow was expelled by His appear- cinity of Bethany, just outside Jerusalem
Fance to them on resurrection day. In (see Luk 24:50 NIV; Act 1:12). This loca-
addition to “many infallible proofs” that tion would have future significance. The
He was indeed alive, Christ’s followers disciples were told after Christ ascended,
received teaching about the kingdom of “This same Jesus, which is taken up
God. But the Lord was on a timetable. Pen- from you into heaven, shall so come in
tecost was approaching. The time for Him like manner as ye have seen him go into
to be “taken up” into heaven had arrived. heaven” (Act 1:11). That coming will oc-
His teaching about the kingdom was cur when the Lord sets up His Messianic
certainly on the disciples’ minds on the kingdom on earth. “And his feet shall
day of His ascension. They asked Him, stand in that day upon the mount of Olives,
“Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again which is before Jerusalem” (Zec 14:4).
the kingdom to Israel?” (Act 1:6). Maybe
1
they reasoned that the time had finally The Validity of His Ascension
come. Christ, the prophesied Son of Man, Although Luke is the only Gospel
was about to “sit on his glorious throne” writer to record the ascension narrative
(Mat 19:28) and establish the Messianic in any detail, he is not the only writer to
Kingdom on earth. They were right about mention it. Mark’s longer ending reports
the throne, but wrong about its location. the ascension (16:19). Peter refers to it in
The fulfillment of Psalm 110:1 was mere his sermon on the Day of Pentecost (Act
moments away, when the Father would 2:34-36) as well as in his first epistle (1Pe
address His Son upon His arrival into 3:22). John includes a reference to it in
heaven, “Sit thou at my right hand.” his Gospel, when the Lord appeared to
2
The Vicinity of His Ascension Mary Magdalene (20:17). Additionally,
both Paul (e.g., Eph 1:20-23; 4:8-10; 1Ti
Luke tells us that the ascension took 3:16) and the writer to the Hebrews (e.g.,
9:24; 10:12) acknowledge the reality and
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the KJV significance of the ascension. Of course,
unless otherwise noted. all eleven disciples were also eyewitnesses
2 Ten days later, Peter stated in his sermon that
Psalm 110:1 had now found its fulfillment in the to the Lord’s ascension and could be con-
ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ (Act 2:34-36). sulted in the days which followed. Just as

86 TRUTH kTidings March 2025