spiritual battle, Angels With Message of Hope (Acts 1)

Had the Israelites accepted Jesus as their Messiah and King that first time He had come to earth, they would have immediately gone into the kingdom of heaven (the Millennium).  But God knew they would reject Jesus.  And God knew that this had to take place in order for Jesus to accomplish His work on the cross, which would benefit all people, of all time.

Of course, the disciples were still curious about the Millennial kingdom!  This was part of the Abrahamic covenant that God promised to fulfill for the Israelites.  They did not want to see Jesus leave!  They wanted their paradise on earth!!  And they wanted to know WHEN it was going to happen!!!

Jesus explained to them that it was not for them to know!

What they were supposed to know was that after He left them, they would be baptized by the Holy Spirit, Who would then indwell and empower them - so they could spread the gospel message throughout the world...

(Acts 1:1-8)  The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen. 3 To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. 4 Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

6 So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; 8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

After Jesus returned to heaven, two angels appeared to them and offered a message of hope that Jesus would one day return...

(Acts 1:9-11)  And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. 11 They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

From this we see:
- angels appeared as men in white clothing (Acts 1:10)
- angels offered a message of hope that Jesus will return (Acts 1:11)

Personal experience:  if you've ever had visitors you simply adore - stay at your house for a lovely long visit, and then as you watch them leave - you will understand that depressing, empty feeling that lingers for a couple of hours or days.

I can only barely imagine what the disciples were feeling as they watched Jesus leave!

Today's takeaway:  God always understands what we are feeling in every moment and what we need in every circumstance!  This is why He gives us the Holy Spirit as soon as we become believers.  God is in us and with us - always!...

(Ephesians 3:15-19)  For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

(Isaiah 41:10)  ‘Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

(1 Corinthians 3:16)  Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

(Hebrews 13:5-6)  Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” 6 so that we confidently say,

“The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”