Acts 1:1-11
In the first book, Theophilus,
What "first book"? Answer: Luke's gospel.
I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught
until the day he was taken up,
after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit
to the apostles whom he had chosen.
"Through" the Holy Spirit is interesting wording. I checked. The translation is correct. The underlying Greek word dia implies that the Holy Spirit's action was somehow key to the process -- by informing Christ; or by informing the Apostles.
He presented himself alive to them
by many proofs after he had suffered,
appearing to them during forty days
and speaking about the kingdom of God.
"Forty" is the number type, or number symbol, meaning "testing" or "preparation." It would have been the Apostles who were being "prepared."
While meeting with them,
he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem,
but to wait for “the promise of the Father
about which you have heard me speak;
for John baptized with water,
but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
On Pentecost, right?
When they had gathered together they asked him,
“Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons
that the Father has established by his own authority.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,
throughout Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth.”
When he had said this, as they were looking on,
he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.
While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going,
suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them.
They said, “Men of Galilee,
why are you standing there looking at the sky?
This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”
"Cloud" = "justice" in Bible typology. Perhaps He was taken up by a cloud to fit the angels' prediction respecting how He will return -- "as you saw Him going." I.e., He will return with clouds, at the second coming, to impose "justice" on the Earth.
The angels appear as "men" (no wings) because the Man Type = "God," "representative of God" and "empowered by God." This would be a case of the second use, "representative of God."
When Jesus returns, it occurs to me that for all people to see Him coming at the same time He's going to have to overcome the curvature of the Earth, I suppose by making sure that the view of His coming goes around the Earth, or by return o that we see Him coming in our minds. I belive that it will be an overpowering, shocking thing.
I also believe that it will happen soon.
Psalm
Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9
R. (6) God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
All you peoples, clap your hands,
shout to God with cries of gladness,
For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,
is the great king over all the earth.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy;
the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.
Sing praise to God, sing praise;
sing praise to our king, sing praise.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
For king of all the earth is God;
sing hymns of praise.
God reigns over the nations,
God sits upon his holy throne.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
or:R. Alleluia.
Is God "king of all the Earth" now? Or, does chaos reign, and are prayers not answered?
I think that God reigns today. Chaos reigns only to the extent that God permits us to walk away from Him and so reject Him, except to the extent that others repair the damage that we o hen we are evil in that way.
Payers are answered -- always, every single time -- but maybe not in the way we intend.
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