Christ's Ascension And Return

After His Resurrection on the Sabbath Day (not the pagan Roman "sun day" - see The Day Of Christ's Resurrection and Sun Worship; also What Is A Halo?), Jesus Christ appeared to His people for forty days, as testified by Luke in his second writing to Theophilus (Luke and Acts were written by Luke, addressed to Theophilus - see Luke's Lessons To Theophilus).

"^1:1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, ^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: ^1:3 To whom also he showed 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: ^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 [see The Holy Father], which, saith he, ye have heard of me. ^1:5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence [i.e. at Pentecost - see The True Christian Holy Days: Lesson 3]" (Acts 1:1-5 KJV)

"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"

Christ's ascension into heaven (see Heavens Below, Heavens Above) was witnessed by those to whom He gave their final instructions - until His return.

"^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?

^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. ^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.

^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 [see the Fact Finder question below].

^1:10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; ^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." (Acts 1:6-11 KJV)

Christ is now in heaven (see What Is Jesus Christ Doing Right Now?; also The Ancient of Days and A Vision of God's Throne) where He will remain until His return when He "shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." The first resurrection will occur on that day (see When Will You Be Judged?).

"^4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. ^4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. ^4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: ^4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, To Meet The Lord In The Air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." (1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 KJV)

"^14:4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem [see Sodom and Egypt] on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. ^14:5 And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.

^14:6 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: ^14:7 But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light [see Zionism].

^14:8 And it shall be in that day, that Living Waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. ^14:9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth [see The Coming World Dictator]: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one." (1 Thessalonians 14:4-9 KJV)

Fact Finder: What purpose did "clouds" have in the ascension of Christ? Did Christ arrive in heaven on a "cloud"? What function will clouds have in His return?
See Behold, He Cometh With Clouds