The disciples, when He was gone out of their sight, still
Ascension 9 earth, that "in Him all the families of the earth might be blessed".
(e) How His ascension is described. (i) He was parted from them. The dearest friends must part. Those that love us, and pray for us, and instruct us, must be parted from us. The bodily presence of Christ himself was not to be expected always in this world. (ii) He was carried up into heaven, not by force but by His own act and deed. As He rose from the grave, so He ascended into heaven by His own power, yet attended by angels. There was no need of a chariot of fire or horses of fire. He knew the way and, being the Lord from heaven, could go back himself.
3. THE CHALLENGE OF THE ASCENSION TO THE DISCIPLES
The disciples, when He was gone out of their sight, still continued looking steadfastly to heaven (Acts 7. 10). Why?
(a) Perhaps they hoped that Christ would presently come back to them again to restore the kingdom to Israel. They were loath to believe that they should now part with Him for good, even though He had assured them that it was expedient for them that He should go. Or they may even have thought that at any moment a tragic accident might occur to their beloved Lord.
(b) Perhaps they expected to see some change in the wisible heavens. It may be that the sun would be ashamed or the moon confounded at being outshone by His lustre. Or, rather, that they should show some sign of joy and triumph. Then again, the disciples may have promised themselves some sight of the glory of the invisible heavens upon their opening to receive the Lord of Glory. Christ had told them that "'hereafter they should see heaven opened''.
But two angels appeared unto them and delivered to them a seasonable message from God. There was a world of angels ready to receive our Redeemer on making His public entry into the Jerusalem above. We may suppose that these two were loath to be absent then. It shows Christ's concern for the Church on earth that He sent two of those who came to meet Him back to His disciples.
Their message was two-fold: (a) To check the disciples' curiosity. '"Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?'' He calls them men of Galilee, to put them in mind of the rock out of which they were hewn.