Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight... Hebrews 12:1

clouds ≠ literal clouds

“I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! Luke 12:49

fire ≠ literal fire

....who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11

How did Christ enter "heaven"? By perfecting himself. Heaven is not a material place in the sky, or above the atmosphere, or in outer space. It is the spiritual realm where the Father resides, where there is spiritual perfection. How did Christ perfect himself (enter into heaven)?

in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. Hebrews 2:10

Jesus was "taken up into heaven" because he perfected himself. When the disciples saw him ascend, they were observing, through their spiritual eyes, Jesus rise to the highest spiritual realms. It was a vision, not a literal material phenomenon.

(When Christ was victorious, he achieved the capacity to manifest in the material world as easily as he could manifest in the spiritual world. This is the meaning of the curtain in the temple between the holy place (the body) and the holy of holies (the spirit) being torn. Jesus rose above and became transcendent over the barrier between spirit and flesh.)

This is why the Angel asks, and admonishes the men of Galilee. Translation: "Don't you yet understand that Christ rose into heaven in the spiritual realms? ANd that his return will not be from the sky, but rather, through manifesting in human form just like he used to perfect himself?"

I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. John 16:12

The people of Jesus time, 2000 years ago, could NOT grasp the truth on the level Jesus was, so Jesus was forced to teach them through parables and symbols. Likewise, the scriptures written 2000 years ago use symbology, metaphor. Until science developed to the level it has in the 20th century, people could not grasp anything but a LITERAL interpretation of the symbols of the scripture.

(Example: Because people did NOT understand the nature and structure of the material world, they thought that Heaven was somewhere in the sky, and hell somewhere under ground.)

Still today, many simply maintain that level of understanding, thinking in literal terms. But the evidence is there, if one looks. People kind of get it, but it takes a spiritual power to break through the illogicality of thinking: sky = literal sky, clouds = literal clouds, and all the symbols describing Christ's return are literal, instead of symbolic descriptions which was the only form the people of the last 2000 years could grasp. Hence, we should pray and ask God to show us: What do we need to understand?

"Why are you gazing up into heaven"?

The conclusion is the same: to bend our hearts towards Jesus and yearn for his return, but we should also free ourselves of ignorance and realize that in the fullness of time, God reveals his secrets .... if our hearts are open.

Think about it. How could Christ return like a thief in the night? A thief in the night enters your house, does his work, and then departs, and you ONLY realize it AFTER he has come and gone.

Starting with the 20th Century, mass media means that when Christ manifests in the world in a way people do not expect, they would very easily see him (every eye shall see him) but also could very easily not recognize him - if they were looking for the wrong thing.

It's worth praying and thinking about.

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight... Hebrews 12:1

clouds ≠ literal clouds

“I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! Luke 12:49

fire ≠ literal fire

....who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11

How did Christ enter "heaven"? By perfecting himself. Heaven is not a material place in the sky, or above the atmosphere, or in outer space. It is the spiritual realm where the Father resides, where there is spiritual perfection. How did Christ perfect himself (enter into heaven)?

in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. Hebrews 2:10

Jesus was "taken up into heaven" because he perfected himself. When the disciples saw him ascend, they were observing, through their spiritual eyes, Jesus rise to the highest spiritual realms. It was a vision, not a literal material phenomenon.

(When Christ was victorious, he achieved the capacity to manifest in the material world as easily as he could manifest in the spiritual world. This is the meaning of the curtain in the temple between the holy place (the body) and the holy of holies (the spirit) being torn. Jesus rose above and became transcendent over the barrier between spirit and flesh.)

This is why the Angel asks, and admonishes the men of Galilee. Translation: "Don't you yet understand that Christ rose into heaven in the spiritual realms? ANd that his return will not be from the sky, but rather, through manifesting in human form just like he used to perfect himself?"

I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. John 16:12

The people of Jesus time, 2000 years ago, could NOT grasp the truth on the level Jesus was, so Jesus was forced to teach them through parables and symbols. Likewise, the scriptures written 2000 years ago use symbology, metaphor. Until science developed to the level it has in the 20th century, people could not grasp anything but a LITERAL interpretation of the symbols of the scripture.

Still today, many simply maintain that level of understanding, thinking in literal terms. But the evidence is there, if one looks. The return of Christ will not take place in the manner so many think it will.

"Why are you gazing up into heaven"?

The conclusion is the same: to bend our hearts towards Jesus and yearn for his return, but we should also free ourselves of ignorance and realize that in the fullness of time, God reveals his secrets .... if our hearts are open.

Think about it. How could Christ return like a thief in the night? A thief in the night enters your house, does his work, and then departs, and you ONLY realize it AFTER he has come and gone.

Starting with the 20th Century, mass media means that when Christ manifests in the world in a way people do not expect, they would very easily see him (every eye shall see him) but also could very easily not recognize him - if they were looking for the wrong thing.

It's worth praying and thinking about.