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Posted by Found in Him (Member # 7596) on :

The Accompaniments of His Return.

by John Ritchie- year 1917

The ascension of the Lord Jesus from the midst of His own disciples, while in the act of blessing them on the slope of Olivet, was an event unknown and unshared by the world. He had led His loved ones out from the religious but guilty city, and gathered them around Himself. Thus separated from the world, and alone with Himself, He lifted up His hands — His pierced hands — and blessed them.

Who can estimate the joy of that hallowed moment? With nothing between; the Blesser and the blessed ones face to face: all grouped around Him, with the world far away. There they stood, under the uplifted hands of their Risen Lord! And while He was thus in the act of blessing them, He was quietly lifted up from their midst, and carried upward, until a cloud received Him out of their sight (Luke 24:51).

Their eyes saw Him no more, but their faith knew and beheld Him, beyond that glory-cloud, within the heavens, blessing them still. As they stood there with uplifted eyes, looking steadfastly into the heavens (see Acts 1:10), whither their Lord had gone, two messengers, clothed in white raiment, appeared at their side, with the cheering words, "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 1:11).

These words inform us of the manner of our Lord's return. How did He go away? From the midst of His loved ones, in the act of blessing them. Such will be the manner of His coming again. "The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven" (1 Thessalonians 4:16). "I will come again and receive you unto Myself" (John 14:3).

He will not send, He will come Himself. Never did an earthly bridegroom go forth to claim his bride, with a love like His! With yearning, loving, longing heart, He will go forth from the glory and the peace of His Father's house, to gather from earth's wastes, the saints for whom He lived and died. O wondrous moment! Fit recompense for the sorrows of Gethsemane, and the deeper woes of Golgotha. Who can tell the sufferings of that Cross; the travail of His soul; the anguish of His broken heart? But the day of His recompense will come. He who knew the sorrow will also know the joy. As we sing—

"Lord Jesus Thou, and none beside, its bitterness could know;
No other tell Thy joy's full tide, which from that cup shall flow."

"The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout:" a shout of triumph and of victory.