In Heaven For You

He was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him.   Acts 1:9

As Jesus was taken from the disciples, they looked up and saw a cloud. The same Christ who had come from the Father was now returning to him. Having finished his work, Jesus was received by the Father. This was what filled the disciples with joy. Jesus had not simply disappeared into the sky; he was taken up into the cloud.

The significance of the cloud is clear in the Old Testament. When God’s people were in the desert, he gave them a pillar of fire and a cloud as visible symbols of his presence. When the people saw the cloud, they knew God was with them. And in the New Testament when Christ was transfigured, a cloud came down on the mountain and the disciples fell on their faces, because they knew they were in the immediate presence of almighty God.

Think about the significance of Jesus’ entering heaven. Adam was expelled from the Garden; now a human was in the presence of God. The Lord Jesus Christ not only assumed our humanity on earth, he has also taken our humanity into heaven. No wonder the disciples were filled with joy!

Can you imagine the celebration of Christ’s entrance into heaven? Angels had seen Adam driven out from the presence of God. Now heaven erupted as a human walked right into the presence of God!

When Adam was expelled from God’s presence, all his children were alienated from God. Christ has been welcomed into the Father’s presence, and as a result, all God’s children will be welcomed by the Father. The first Adam led us all out. The last Adam leads us all in.

Just as Jesus has been taken up into heaven, the day will come when all God’s people will be caught up to meet him in the air. Jesus Christ lives in the presence of God, and once you grasp that he is there for you, you’ll be filled with heaven’s joy.

For further reading, see Acts 1