Sept 1977 - Q & A

The two men in white apparel who appeared to the two disciples said:

"Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking into heaven? this Jesus, which was received up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye beheld Him going into heaven" (Acts 1:11). Does this coming refer to the Lord's coming to the air or the earth?

In the words which were spoken by the heavenly messengers the truth of primary importance was that Jesus would be coming back again. The disciples had seen Him as they accompanied Him during His earthly ministry. They had seen Him nailed to the tree. They had seen Him after He had been raised from the dead. They had seen Him ascend from their midst. As they gazed heavenwards watching His ascent their hearts would be sad and bewildered. In these circumstances there came to them the message, "This Jesus... shall so come. The disciples had not seen the last of their Lord. They would see Him again. He was coming back again. Thus at the very beginning of this dispensation the revelation of God placed before the followers of Christ the stimulating, sanctifying, strengthening hope of the Lord's return.

In His ministry the Lord Jesus referred to His coming again. Much of His teaching in this matter was in relation to His coming back to the earth as the Son of Man who would execute divine judgment. But to His chosen apostles the Lord made the precious additional disclosure that though He was going to leave them and go back to His Father He would come back again for them. "If I go and prepare a place for you, I come again, and will receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also". We note that He was coming to receive His disciples so that they might be with Him. I believe that it was this promise that was being confirmed by the heavenly messengers at Olivet. This was the message which was to give them immediate comfort and purpose. Later the word of the Lord to Paul revealed what would take place when this promise would be fulfilled. This revelation is recorded in 1 Thess. 4:13-17.

The message at Olivet contained the words, "This Jesus... shall so come in like manner as ye beheld Him going into heaven". It was the same Person who went that w6uld return again. He would return in like manner as they had seen Him going. He went personally and alone. He went in the body in which He had lived and died, and which had come forth from the tomb in the triumphant miracle of the resurrection. He would come back in like manner, personally and alone; "The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven.."(1 Thess. 4:16). He would come bodily.

Some have inferred from the words of Acts 1:11 that "in like manner" means that as Christ left the earth and ascended to the cloud and thence into heaven so in like manner He would come again to the air and then to the earth. That the return of the Lord will have these two stages is clearly taught. He will descend from heaven and His saints will meet Him in the air. Later He will come to the earth. But it should be borne in mind that when the Lord comes back as Son of Man to the earth He will be accompanied by His holy angels and His saints of this dispensation. There will be a marvellous display of divine glory, power and activity. This does not fit into the "in like manner" of Acts 1:11. Moreover, after Christ has in the Rapture received to Himself the saints of this dispensation there will be an interval of at least seven years during which will take place the solemn experience of the Judgment-seat of Christ, the marriage in heaven of the Lamb, the presentation of the saints to God the Father. Again we say that this militates against the view that "in like manner" means that Christ will come to the air and then to the earth. My understanding is that Acts 1:11 refers to the coming of Christ to the air, which is the blessed hope of believers in Christ in the present dispensation.

Readers will be interested in a slightly different view expressed by Mr J. A. Boswell in answer to the same question in Needed Truth, 1896:

"Probably this passage will have a double fulfilment. Those spoken to were Israelites, and when addressed in this chapter the Church was yet in mystery. Further on these disciples were builded into the Church, and became partakers of its hope. They, therefore, will be caught up with other sleeping saints to meet the Lord in the air. To them, therefore, He would come in like manner as they had seen Him go up, silently and quietly, unseen by the world; yet shortly after He returns with those of the elect remnant (Rom. 11:5), and His feet stand on the Mount of Olives. Then will He appear as Son of Man".

unknown | Sept 1977
Question And Answer