Jesus Leaves for Heaven: Acts 1:9-11
Leaving for a new location is always interesting. I traveled by bus from Flagstaff, Ariz., to Phoenix to be inducted into the Army on May 27, 1968.
Once sworn into the Army, becoming Private Thomas D. West, I was put on an airplane for Monterey, Calif., the closest town to Ft. Ord.
I left for the Army by airplane.
We will see Jesus leave for a new location in the clouds. Jesus leaves for Heaven in the clouds. Acts 1:9-11 gives us the history of Jesus leaving for His new location. It’s significant.
Jesus outlines His mission in the book of Acts in Acts 1:8, then leaves for His new location, which is Heaven in Acts 1:9-11; “(9) After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. (10) They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. (11) ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’” (NIV)
FIRST, JESUS WAS TAKEN UP INTO HEAVEN!
Notice how Jesus was taken up. He was taken before their eyes and was hidden from their sight by a cloud.
It’s clear where He was taken. Acts 1:2A, “Until the day he was taken up to heaven.” (NIV) Jesus was taken up to heaven! Heaven was Jesus new location and He traveled there hidden in a cloud.
The word translated “sky” in verse 10 is the word for heaven. The word “sky” in verse 11 is the word for heaven. They were looking up into heaven as that’s where Jesus was being taken.
The same word for “heaven,” these times translated by the word heaven appears two more times in verse 11.
It’s obvious Jesus’ destination was heaven! As my destination on the airplane in May 1968 was Fort Ord for Army training, so Jesus’ destination in the clouds was heaven in AD 33.
Notice Jesus went hidden in the clouds. This isn’t the first time in the Bible clouds hid the operation of the Glory of God. In fact, it’s pronounced and always significant.
Near the end of Exodus chapter 40, Moses had constructed the tent of meeting where God’s glory would dwell.
Notice Leviticus 40:34-35, (34) Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. (35) Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. (NIV)
The glory of the Lord was in the tabernacle and the cloud covered the tabernacle so the glory of the Lord was not seen by the people, in fact, Moses could not enter because the cloud had covered the tabernacle to obscure the glory of the Lord.
While Israel was traveling around in the desert for 40 years, they could not move the tabernacle with the cloud covering it and could only move when the cloud lifted.
The cloud hid the glory of the Lord from them.
In Mark chapter 9 Jesus took Peter, James and John, His closest disciples and went up on a high mountain, where He was transfigured before them.
Jesus clothes became a dazzling white, whiter than anyone on earth could bleach them. I have often asked, “why so white?” White is about purity and the absence of sin and contamination by sin.
Remember Jesus is the only guy who lived without sinning, and He pulled that off for 33 years. His dazzling white clothes represent His purity and righteousness, that’s exclusive to Him as the rest of us do sin.
Then Elijah and Moses showed up and were talking with Jesus. Peter didn’t know what to say, so he suggested he put up shelter for Jesus, Elijah and Moses.
What happened next? A cloud appeared and enveloped them, or surrounded Jesus, Moses and Elijah so as the obscure them from sight.
The God spoke saying, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” (Mark 9:7B NIV)
Suddenly the cloud, Moses and Elijah were gone, and no one was there except Jesus.
What was going on? God showed up and spoke, making His glory known and when that happens a cloud conceals the glory of God.
What’s the point? The Son of God was taken to Heaven to rule at God, the Father’s right hand until the day of the Lord and it was a “glory of God thing,” which is hidden in the cloud demonstrating the glory of God.
Yes, Jesus leaves for Heaven and does so, hidden in the glory of the Lord’s cloud. But that’s just the first half of the story!
SECOND, JESUS WILL COME BACK THE SAME WAY HE LEFT!
Notice Acts 1:11B, “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” (NIV)
Jesus left for heaven in a cloud that demonstrated the glory of God, and when He comes back from heaven, it will be in a cloud that demonstrates and conceals the glory of God.
In the first volume of Luke/acts, Doctor Luke talks about this coming back in a cloud. Luke talks in chapter 21 of Luke about the end times events.
He says there will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. He leaves the impression that some kind of major changes are coming in the universe. In fact, it will be dissolved by fire at some point, but a major adjustment of some kind will come as the day of the Lord approaches.
The nations of the earth will be in anguish and perplexity as the day approaches. Luke is clear people will be terrorized by the changes in the heavenly bodies and then in Luke 21:2728 he records this, “(27) At that time they will see the Son of Man coming with great power and great glory. (28) When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (NIV)
Notice the Lord comes back in a cloud with great power and glory! That’s exactly the way He left for Heaven, with great power and glory, in a cloud that always seems to show up when God does things so He hides some of his great power and glory!
Do you think it’s possible to miss this event? No, it’s clear the entire world will see this glorious event.
Here’s an important question, “should we fear this coming back in the cloud with great glory?”
The last thing you want to do is fear the event of Christ’s return in a cloud! In fact, Luke 21:28B says, “stand up, lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
This coming of Jesus in the clouds that’s in the glory of God, is something to lift your head over, not to hang your head over. Why? Because your redemption is getting close, in fact it’s about to happen.
Never forget you’re redeemed or bought back as God’s possession when you come to Christ and what He paid for you on the cross kicks in and takes effect.
But when Jesus returns in the glory of God in the clouds, your final and complete redemption is about to take effect, that being your going home to be with Jesus in His eternal Kingdom forever.
Lift up your head and rejoice!
I left on an airplane on May 27, 1968, for Army training. Three years, six months, 20 days and 40 minutes later I was discharged from the Army as a buck sergeant.
I got out on December 17, 1971, in Fort Dix, N.J.. I flew to Chicago and got stuck for 24 hours because of a snowstorm. But on December 18, 1971, I got on an airplane and flew back to Phoenix exactly like I left on an airplane. I returned the exact way I left, on an airplane! Jesus will return the exact way He left in the glory of God in the clouds. Believe me, His return is something great to look forward to.
What did I do in the Army between when I left and when I came back? I served my country the best way I could.
What does the Christ-follower do between when Jesus left in the clouds and when He comes back in the clouds?
He uses the power of the Holy Spirit to bear witness to Jesus as Jesus commanded in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (NIV)
The period of time between when Jesus left in God’s glory in the clouds and when He comes back in God’s glory in the clouds is called the Last Days.
As the period of time when I left for the Army and when I came back was the period when I served, so the last days, in which we live are the days we, as Christ-followers serve to bear witness to Jesus so all the world can know the Savior.
Jesus will return in glory, just as He left, and when He does, we win big!
Tom West works in advanced planning with Myers Funeral Service. You can reach him at his cell number for funeral and cremation insurance, 602.758.1168. Feel free to call for help with funeral services, supply preaching and be sure to check out Tom’s Bible teaching on his Youtube channel, Christian Ministry Central.