Acts 1:11; What Does this Passage Mean to You?

[Elizabeth619]

Beginning at verse 7...
7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? 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.

I am getting at something here, but please tell me what this passage means to you, and our attitudes towards His coming.

 

[4enlightment]

Beginning at verse 7...
7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? 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.

I am getting at something here, but please tell me what this passage means to you, and our attitudes towards His coming.

11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Matthew 17:5
While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

Matthew 24:30
“Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.

 

[Elizabeth619]

11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Matthew 17:5
While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

Matthew 24:30
“Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.

Great passages, but what do they mean to you?

 

[posthuman]

i hope you're not going to say star gazing isn't biblical

i believe He will literally return coming out of the sky, through the clouds, 'peeling it back like a scroll' - so in that, astronomy is a noble pursuit.

But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
(Micah 7:7)

but why merely stand and stare at the sky? there is a message to be spread - "ye shall be witnesses unto me"

 

[Anonimous]

I believe that what this is saying, first of all, is that Jesus will return...as promised. Do we...or anyone else...know when. Nope. Only God knows the time. I also believe that Jesus will return just as the scripture says..."in the clouds". And when He does return every eye will see Him. Saved and unsaved alike. I do not believe in a pre-trib rapture. But, just because I don't believe or support that theory doesn't mean anything to God. We are not going to change His plans to meet our expectations and time schedules. God will do what God will do...and when.

I think what the angels were saying is..."Hey, don't you guys have something better to do with your time? Get moving already!"

We should use this time to do what God has told us to do. We should look for His coming with excitement, yes. But, not to the point where our whole day is spent looking for His coming. We know He will and He won't be rushed.

 

[posthuman]

I think what the angels were saying is..."Hey, don't you guys have something better to do with your time? Get moving already!"

i find some humour there too --

they were all staring at the sky, and suddenly the angels appeared next to them saying "whatcha looking at guys?"

i think the apostles probably jumped a bit and the angels chuckled

 

[john832]

Jesus Christ is visibly returning to the earth just as He left it.

Mat 24:30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Rev 1:7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

And a host of other scriptures show that Christ is returning to the earth visibly and there will be no doubt when He returns.

 

[Elizabeth619]

Thanks for responding guys! The two quotes I posted are exactly what I was hoping would be pointed out.
So, my question is WHY are there so many threads about the "rapture coming soon" and the "signs are here"? No, I'm not a rapture believer(and I am not turning this into a rapture debate thread, so please refrain from it), but there are many who think the complete end is coming soon(as in no rapture, but only judgement). They are End of Timers too.
Looks to me these messengers of God were getting on to the apostles for looking into the sky, so why are we? IF you spend more time looking for signs then when are you spreading the gospel?
The gospel isn't the book of Revelation so why do some of us spend more time on the end times theories than on the gospels?
Just something I have recently began to ponder.

but why merely stand and stare at the sky? there is a message to be spread - "ye shall be witnesses unto me"

I think what the angels were saying is..."Hey, don't you guys have something better to do with your time? Get moving already!"

 

[4enlightment]

Great passages, but what do they mean to you?

Jesus is coming back the same way that He had appeared while He was with the two men, which were Moses and Elijah on the hill.



Luke 9:30
Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus.

John 5:45
“But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set.

Matthew 17:10
The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”
Matthew 11:14
And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.

Genesis 19:1
The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground.

Luke 9:33
As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

Matthew 10:15
Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

 

[The_highwayman]

This is also a warning to the apathetic and no hope , so let me wait for a "rapture" church today, that we are to occupy until he comes back and not be apathetic because of the world, and see no hope, that all we do is keep our heads up and searching the eastern sky for a "rapture" and never occupy until he returns.

I know many self professed Christians that will miss the coming, because they have been so busy waiting and doing nothing...

 

[nathan3]

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It reminds me of all Christ teachings on end time events.

Acts 1:4 "And being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, "which" , saith He, "ye have heard of Me."

Christ was there in person, talking with them. Then He told each of them to wait in Jerusalem.
He told them to wait for that time, when the Holy Spirit would join them.
Luke is the writer in Acts, so he would know this already ; because He wrote about it in Luke 24:49, of Christ teachings on the subject of end times .

Luke 24:49 "And, behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high."

End times; Christ is going to return ( Acts 1:6 ) in the same manner he went up from the mount of Olives ( Revelation 1:7-8; Revelation 11 : 15 ;Matthew 24:30 , Acts 1: 9 -11 )

Paul mentioned this also , how the apostles were well aware of Christ teachings about that time ( I Thessalonians 5:1-6 )
How in verse 4, they are not in darkness as to be caught off guard to those events. They have the Holy Spirit to guide those chosen of God, to carry out His will ( John 14:26 ). Other times before, Christ taught them end time events ( Matthew 13:36 - 43 etc ) But they had all the more time to recap and solidify those teachings those forty days after His resurrection; to talk of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God ( Acts 1:3 ).

In the end times the Holy Spirit will speak through all those doing God's will :
Peter said that example given ten days after on Pentecost , is of what Joel the prophet said will take place in the end just before Christ return: Which Christ said was the hour of temptation ( Revelation 3:10;Matthew 10:19-20 , etc ) being a witness through those people to the world ( Acts 1:8 ).


The only thing that worries me about all this,, is how people try to work in rapture into Christ return. When that is a man made doctrine . Because they don't follow the subject in many scriptures, instead inserting their own, that they learned from "people" , twisting God's words. But its Not God's words.

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[KJV1611]

It's a huge verse for understanding how Jesus left. He left the way he comes... book of Jude. He left with ten thousands of his saints.

 

[nathan3]

It's a huge verse for understanding how Jesus left. He left the way he comes... book of Jude. He left with ten thousands of his saints.

Jude 1:14

King James Version (KJV)

14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,


He is coming, with those clouds of Christian saints ( Revelation 1:7 )


Just like we today, gather in great cloud of Christian witnesses , to be a witness to the world about Christ.

Hebrews 12:
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,


Acts 1:11

King James Version (KJV)

11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? 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.

 

[38miles]

i find some humour there too --

they were all staring at the sky, and suddenly the angels appeared next to them saying "whatcha looking at guys?"

i think the apostles probably jumped a bit and the angels chuckled

Love it. And I also think it illustrates God's continued sovereignty in directing us, especially in our continued foolishness. Three verses earlier Jesus prophesies Pentecost and gives them the commission to the ends of the earth--no small feat there. Had God not providentially intervened as they're all jaw-dropping, they may have very well just stood for hours completely unaware of what Jesus had said. It could have even turned into a crowd as others walked up like, "What are they looking at?" And then in a short while there are a few hundred people just staring up into the heavens. And then, they'd build some type of shrine or monument in that exact place to mark where it happened which would then become some false idol that people would run to like all the other things like pieces of the cross, etc. God obviously fore knew what he did and wanted to avoid something like that once seen deplorable movie "Dude Where's My Car?" Certainly God created humor!

 

[peacefulbeliever]

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: . . . .

But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. . . . but ye, brethren, are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief. . . .Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. . . .but let us who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. for God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance . . . . Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: . . . .

Our hope in the resurrection - our hope of new life -

 

[peacefulbeliever]

It's a huge verse for understanding how Jesus left. He left the way he comes... book of Jude. He left with ten thousands of his saints.

I believe it says "Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,"

 

[The_highwayman]

It's a huge verse for understanding how Jesus left. He left the way he comes... book of Jude. He left with ten thousands of his saints.

dude, read your bible!

 

[posthuman]

dude, read your bible!

you're right. i don't see a verse saying "and also 10,000 of His saints were taken up with Him" in Acts anywhere.. or Luke.. seems like a notable event, yes?

now Enoch and Elijah..

that makes 2..
9,998 to go

but our hope remains the same. He will return in this way, and for sure this didn't already occur in 70 A.D. for "every eye shall see Him" (Revelation 1:7).

 

[The_highwayman]

you're right. i don't see a verse saying "and also 10,000 of His saints were taken up with Him" in Acts anywhere.. or Luke.. seems like a notable event, yes?

now Enoch and Elijah..

that makes 2..
9,998 to go

but our hope remains the same. He will return in this way, and for sure this didn't already occur in 70 A.D. for "every eye shall see Him" (Revelation 1:7).

KJV1611 misquoted Jude 14 and to gain proper context check out Jude 14 and 15, Jude was referring to the day of the Lord.

 

[KJV1611]

you're right. i don't see a verse saying "and also 10,000 of His saints were taken up with Him" in Acts anywhere.. or Luke.. seems like a notable event, yes?

now Enoch and Elijah..

that makes 2..
9,998 to go

but our hope remains the same. He will return in this way, and for sure this didn't already occur in 70 A.D. for "every eye shall see Him" (Revelation 1:7).

Jude said he comes with ten thousands of his saints, Acts said he left like he's coming again. He's coming back with ten thousands of his saints... he left with ten thousand of his saints.

It purposely wasn't mentioned anywhere else because that's confidential information... it's only meant for those who believe every word of the bible. It's all about faith!

Pro 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.