Jesus Foretold: Return To Heaven (MP 71)

Jesus came to earth as does any man, From His mother’s womb, a cuddly new-born; He returned after a shortened life-span, Like a space-probe, leaving earth reborn! No space suit or rocket ship was needed For the Creator to rise in glory; Heaven’s praises swelled, as earth receded; Angels told and retold His human story! No soldier’s return from war was received With greater joy, or excelled so with love, Than that of Jesus, who Man’s plight relieved, And redeemed earth to paradise above! The souls elected, who were there before, Thrilled now that faith would bring many more! Scripture Quoted (NIV) [Brackets added] Prophecy Made: Psalm 68:18—“When you [Jesus/God] ascended on high, you led captives in your train; you received gifts from men, even the rebellious—that you, O Lord God, might dwell there.” (Written in the 10th century B.C.) Prophecy Fulfilled: Acts 2:32:36—“ ‘God has raised this Jesus to life [Peter, preaching the first sermon on Pentecost], and we are all witnesses of this fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, The Lord said to my Lord: sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet. Therefore let all Israel be advised of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.’ “ (In 32 A.D.) Commentary On: “Jesus Foretold: Return To Heaven” The chief apostle, Peter, preached the first sermon to Jews in Jerusalem a few days after the resurrected Jesus left the earth, ascending to heaven from the Mount of Olives in full view of a hundred or more disciples (See Acts 1:9-10).. Peter and all the disciples had just received the Holy Spirit promised to them by Jesus, and His coming to them in the upper room on the day of Pentecost had caused a great stir and attracted a huge crowd. Three thousand Jews accepted Jesus in response to this first sermon; all the apostles and disciples began preaching and witnessing to people, spreading the gospel of Jesus. No longer mild followers of Jesus Christ—the coming of the Spirit emboldened them, and they didn’t hesitate in speaking bold truths to the Jews, including the Sanhedrin, the very instigators of the death of Jesus. Jesus was crucified, died, and buried on Friday, 50 days before Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit (that is, 50 days before Peter preached the sermon partially quoted above). Jesus was resurrected early Sunday morning, the third day after His death on Friday. He was alive, in a completely healed, imperishable body; He looked the same as before He died, except for the healed scars of the nails and the spear which pierced Him. He was seen on that Sunday by His 120 disciples in the upper room. He was with them for 40 days before He ascended to heaven. He ascended by rising from the ground, with no aids of any sort; He rose steadily, getting smaller and smaller in their sight, until He disappeared. In several scriptures the Bible describes His arrival in heaven; His welcome by God the Father; His being given all authority over the universe; seated on the throne of God; where He continues until today and into the future. He will return to earth a Second time in power and might; rule the earth for a thousand years; call all who ever lived to resurrection; pass judgment upon each person, sending non-believers to hell and believers to heaven, each to live for everlasting life. That same Jesus will be the Judge for every person. Jesus of Nazareth, the 33-year-old man who was crucified by order of the Sanhedrin, Israel’s highest ruling council, was born as a baby of His mother Mary; the tomb in which His dead body was placed was empty after His resurrection on the third day; hence Jesus is the only man ever resurrected and lives forever; but all men and women will likewise be resurrected and live forever, in one of two places. David wrote, 1000 years before He was born, that He would ascend to heaven (quoted above). God revealed this glimpse of His life ahead of time, as God revealed hundreds of prophecies of the future. They are all in the Bible, making it the most extraordinary book ever written. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, but have everlasting life,” (John 3:16) “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)