And so, on the 40th day, He ascended visibly. He foretold this in John 6:62, when some of the disciples stumbled over His statements about eating His flesh and drinking His blood. He answered, “Does this offend you? What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend [to] where He was before?”—meaning, back to heaven.
The mention of the cloud in verse 9 is noteworthy. It is the same Greek word used to describe the divine cloud that overshadowed them at the Transfiguration and from which they heard a voice from heaven. It is also used for the cloud that led the Israelites. Also, every description of Christ’s return mentions that He will come on the clouds of heaven.
Clouds come in various shapes and sizes, but I have a hard time believing this was a puffy little white cloud that received Him and carried Him out of sight. This was a cloud befitting of power and strength and honor and glory and blessing. This was a cloud for a King.
The two angels testified that His return will be in the same manner, and this is important for us to keep in mind because, again, all the references to Christ’s return speak of His return being very visible. It won’t be done in secret. He even warns in the Olivet Prophecy that there will be attempts to deceive people into believing that He had secretly returned. So, we are warned ahead of time that His return, just like His ascension, won’t be secret.
They spent ten days with one accord thinking and praying about all that had been done within the time that Jesus Christ had been in front of them. Both what He said and did, along with their responses to those things.
Brethren, as I said, all metaphors break down, but the work of Jesus Christ never does, and the missing piece for the constancy of looking to Christ as the Author and Finisher of our faith is baptism of the Spirit, with the Father and Son dwelling within those Christ has determined to serve His Body! It ensures those gifted members of His Body will serve with eyes focused on Him, constantly and consistently.
Forty days had passed and the resurrected Christ had been right there before them proclaiming the Kingdom of God and all that He fulfilled in the law and the prophets! But they still did not get it. Their hearts may have burned when He was in front of them, but they still were not fully grasping things.
They merely saw Him as the leader of a physical revolution that fell far short of what the Father and Son actually had in mind—the real change God wanted was to turn the whole world upside down (Acts 17:6).
