Moment of Meditation: Taken Up (1 Timothy 3:16)

He ... was taken up to Heaven.
(1 Timothy 3:16)

Taken Up

In the Bible, three people were taken up into Heaven: Enoch, Elijah and Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit took the first two men so that God's mysterious purposes might be fulfilled.

But when Jesus was taken up, there was no mystery to it. He ascended into Heaven in the sight of His eleven Apostles from the Mount of Olives (Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:1-11). As Jesus went away, He blessed His Apostles and charged them to preach the Gospel to all the nations, baptizing and teaching them everything He had commanded them (Matthew 28:18-20). Not only did Jesus speak about it, but His angels came down to say to the Apostles, "Galileans, why are you standing there looking up at the sky? This Jesus, who was taken from you into Heaven, will come back in the same way that you saw Him go to Heaven" (Acts 1:11).

Jesus was taken into Heaven so that He might return. As He told His Apostles the night He was betrayed, "And after I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to Myself, so that you will be where I am" (John 14:3). Jesus was taken up so that He might take you up on the Last Day. You who have heard the preaching. You who have believed in Him. You who have been called by His name. You will be taken up as well. Amen.