- Feb 24, 2011
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This passage comes up so often, and is so, so, misunderstood:
Acts 1:9-11 NKJV
Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
Most take it to mean that because the men of Galilee saw Jesus ascend up into heaven, presumably in a flesh body, that that is what the angels of the Lord meant by "like manner." Yet, what "like manner" does the kingdom of heaven or God have to do with the flesh?
None. Nor can flesh and blood inherit the kingdom. Nor did Jesus commit His flesh to the Father, but rather His spirit only.
The point is..."God is spirit", and that should be the assumed "like manner", not the flesh. For this whole matter pertains to God and to the kingdom, not to the ways and terms of the world.
So, then, being that God is spirit, and this is not about the flesh or the world...what did the men of Galilee see? Well...certainly not the spirit - for Jesus explained that "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” In other words - the men of Galilee (and apparently most since then) did not see the "like manner" of which the angels spoke...but saw and thought just the opposite. So...it makes since that the angels would ask "Why do you stand gazing up into heaven?" - As if to say, "Have you not been paying attention? Have you heard nothing of what Jesus said?" And why would they speak at all, if the men could see without being told?
Well...apparently they did need to be told, and not only them.
So stop gazing up into the sky!
Acts 1:9-11 NKJV
Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
Most take it to mean that because the men of Galilee saw Jesus ascend up into heaven, presumably in a flesh body, that that is what the angels of the Lord meant by "like manner." Yet, what "like manner" does the kingdom of heaven or God have to do with the flesh?
None. Nor can flesh and blood inherit the kingdom. Nor did Jesus commit His flesh to the Father, but rather His spirit only.
The point is..."God is spirit", and that should be the assumed "like manner", not the flesh. For this whole matter pertains to God and to the kingdom, not to the ways and terms of the world.
So, then, being that God is spirit, and this is not about the flesh or the world...what did the men of Galilee see? Well...certainly not the spirit - for Jesus explained that "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” In other words - the men of Galilee (and apparently most since then) did not see the "like manner" of which the angels spoke...but saw and thought just the opposite. So...it makes since that the angels would ask "Why do you stand gazing up into heaven?" - As if to say, "Have you not been paying attention? Have you heard nothing of what Jesus said?" And why would they speak at all, if the men could see without being told?
Well...apparently they did need to be told, and not only them.
So stop gazing up into the sky!
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