He Went to Prepare.

CHAPTER 11  (The Great Controversy)

The Ascension of Christ

All heaven was waiting the hour of triumph when Jesus should ascend to his Father.  Angels came to receive the King of glory, and to escort him triumphantly to heaven.  After Jesus had blessed his disciples, he was parted from them, and taken up.  And as he led the way upward, the multitude of captives who were raised at his resurrection followed.  A multitude of the heavenly host was in attendance; while in heaven an innumerable number of angels awaited his coming.  As they ascended up to the holy city, the angels who escorted Jesus cried out, Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in.  With rapture the angels in the city, who awaited his coming, cried out, who is this King of glory?  The escorting angels with triumph answered, The Lord strong and mighty!  The Lord mighty in battle!  Lift up your heads, O ye gates! even lift them up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in.  Again the heavenly host cried out, Who is this King of glory?  The escorting angels in melodious strains answered, The Lord of hosts!  He is the King of Glory!  And the heavenly train passed into the city.  Then all the heavenly host surrounded the Son of God, their majestic commander, and with the deepest adoration bowed, casting their glittering crowns at his feet.  And then they touched their golden harps, and in sweet, melodious strains, filled all heaven with their rich music and songs to the Lamb who was slain, yet lives again in majesty and glory.

Next I was shown the disciples as they sorrowfully gazed towards heaven to catch the last glimpse of their ascending Lord.  Two angels clothed in white apparel stood by them, and said unto them, 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.  The disciples, with the mother of Jesus, witnessed the ascension of the Son of God, and they spent that night in talking over his wonderful acts, and the strange and glorious things which had transpired within a short time. Satan counselled with his angels, and with bitter hatred against God’s government, told them that while he retained his power and authority upon earth, their efforts must be tenfold stronger against the followers of Jesus.  They had prevailed nothing against Jesus; but his followers they must overthrow if possible, and carry on his work through every generation, to ensnare those who should believe in Jesus, his resurrection and ascension.  Satan related to his angels that Jesus had given his disciples power to cast them out, rebuke them, and heal those whom he should afflict.  Then Satan’s angels went forth like roaring lions, seeking to destroy the followers of Jesus.

See Psalms 24:7-10, Acts1:1-11; 1Peter 5:8

Psa 24:7  Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 

Psa 24:8  Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. 

Psa 24:9  Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 

Psa 24:10  Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.

Act 1:1  The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 

Act 1:2  Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 

Act 1:3  To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 

Act 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. 

Act 1:5  For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 

Act 1:6  When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 

Act 1:7  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. 

Act 1:8  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. 

Act 1:9  And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 

Act 1:10  And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 

Act 1:11  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. 

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour

Joh 14:1  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 

Joh 14:2  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 

Joh 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 

Joh 14:4  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 

Joh 14:5  Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 

Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 

Joh 14:8  Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 

Joh 14:9  Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? 

Joh 14:10  Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 

Joh 14:11  Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. 

Joh 14:12  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 

Joh 14:13  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 

Joh 14:14  If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. 

Joh 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments. 

Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 

Joh 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 

Joh 14:18  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 

Joh 14:19  Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 

Joh 14:20  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. 

Joh 14:21  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 

Joh 14:22  Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 

Joh 14:23  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 

Joh 14:24  He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. 

Joh 14:25  These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 

Joh 14:26  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 

Joh 14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 

Joh 14:28  Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. 

Joh 14:29  And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. 

Joh 14:30  Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. 

Joh 14:31  But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.