Acts 1:10-11 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;… These words cannot refer to Pentecost, nor to Christ's spiritual communion with His people, because other references point to the Second Advent as in the future, and far more glorious than any manifestations in the past. I. CHRIST WILL COME AGAIN. In the Early Church the expectation of soon seeing Christ was strong. But when this was disappointed the thought fell into the background. Yet error as to time does not affect the fact. The world waited many ages for the First Advent, but "in the fulness of time God sent forth His Son." Why, then, should the Church despair if she must wait ages for the second? II. CHRIST WILL COME IN GLORY. He ascended in triumph; He will return in triumph. In the prophets we have visions of glory and humiliation associated with the Messiah, and the Rabbis expected two Messiahs, one suffering and the other conquering. We now see that one man can be both in successive periods. Christ fulfils prophecy by degrees. Had the whole of Christ's career fallen in the days of Tiberius the Jews might properly have rejected Him. We look for the final fulfilment of prophecy to the future glory of Christ. III. CHRIST WILL COME TO REIGN. His glory will not be an empty pageant. They who look for a visible throne and a secular government fall into the error of the Jews. How He will appear we know not, but we know that His kingdom will be always spiritual, and when it comes "all men shall know the Lord from the least to the greatest." This hope should stimulate the Church's diligence. As she carries out her mission His full reign draws nearer. (Wf. Adeney, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; |
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