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We Can't Know It All: Thoughts From the Ascension of Jesus

The ascension of Jesus is such an amazing part of the gospel message. He completes His earthly work and ascends back to Heaven. However, before the ascension the Bible says He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:4-5).  Now when the apostles hear the promise of the baptism with the Holy Spirit, they ask in verse 6, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" 

     

The apostles knew that the Old Testament promise of the outpouring of God's Spirit was a promise for the last days when God would establish his kingdom on the earth and restore his people. For example, in Ezekiel 39 God says, "I will restore the fortunes of Jacob, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel . . . I will not hide my face any more from them, when I pour out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, says the Lord God" (vv. 25, 29). So when Jesus says that the long awaited outpouring of the Spirit—the baptism with the Holy Spirit—is just a few days away, they would naturally ask for a clarification: "Do you mean the end is that close? The final kingdom is about to be established in just a matter of weeks or months?" 

     

Since it is not a foolish question, Jesus does not rebuke them. He does not correct their theology of restoration (which we will see more of in Acts 3:21). He corrects their assumption that they can deduce the timing of it. He says in Acts 1:7, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority." In other words, don't assume that the long-awaited outpouring of the Spirit will immediately bring in the kingdom and restore the fortunes of Israel. God has appointed the times and the seasons for all things, and they are kept in the secret of his own wisdom (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). Such things are not for us to know. They would not be good for us to know—anymore than knowing the time of our own death would be good for us. In fact, it might be a terrible idea to know all things.

     

This has always fascinated me. Probably because I like to know all the answers. I want to do the right thing. I would have been just as inquisitive. The Bible teaches that God is omniscient, possessing all knowledge, while humans are finite beings with limited understanding. Therefore, attempting to grasp everything would be a futile and prideful endeavor, essentially trying to usurp a characteristic exclusive to God. A core tenet of Christianity is faith – trusting in God's perfect wisdom and benevolent plan, even when circumstances are unclear or answers are unknown. This reliance on divine providence alleviates the burden of needing to comprehend every detail, allowing for peace and contentment in the face of life's mysteries. Instead of striving for exhaustive knowledge, Christians are called to seek God's will, grow in character, and love others. Trust Him!


Notice four things here in Acts 1. I want you to see them in Luke 24 as well, so that we can sense how utterly crucial they are for Luke as he tells this story. First, there is the goal of beginning at Jerusalem and reaching the end of the earth with the witness of Jesus. Second, there is the witness itself, the testimony to the truth of Christ. Third, there is the Holy Spirit that comes upon the disciples. And fourth, there is the power—power to be witnesses.


Take a good look into Luke 24:47–49. You realize, don't you, that volume one and volume two overlap by 40 days? So Luke tells us about the last words and the Ascension of Jesus twice—at the end of the gospel and at the beginning of Acts. You can see this now as you compare Luke 24:47–49 to Acts 1:8. Picking up the words of Jesus in verse 47 he is telling the apostles that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high.


Now let's point out the four things we saw in Acts 1:8. First, we see the goal to begin at Jerusalem and reach the end of the earth in verse 47: "forgiveness of sins is to be to be preached in his name to all the nations [i.e., to the end of the earth] beginning from Jerusalem." Second, the apostles are called witnesses in verse 48: "You are witnesses of these things." Third, the Holy Spirit is promised in the words "the promise of my Father" in verse 49—these are the words in Acts 1:4 that refer to the coming baptism with the Holy Spirit. Finally, there is explicit reference in verse 49 to the power needed for this mission: "stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high."


Both Luke 24 and Acts 1 the very next thing that happened was the Ascension of Jesus: He was taken up from them and a cloud received him out of their sight. Acts tells us that two men in white robes—in other words, two angels in the form of men—said (in verse 11), “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven” (Luke 21:27). The last words that Jesus said in Luke 24 and in Acts 1 are clearly meant to be words to guide His disciples in the time between His Ascension and His return. Maybe we can glean something out of these words for us today. We need to be witnesses and ready for the Day of Judgment.


Being ready for the second coming of Jesus is a vital aspect of Christian faith, emphasized throughout scripture. While no one knows the exact "day or hour" (Matthew 24:36), Jesus Himself urges, "Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect" (Matthew 24:44). This readiness isn't about fear, but about a vigilant and active faith. It involves living righteously, as encouraged in I John 2:28: "And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears we may have confidence and not shrink from Him in shame at His coming." Furthermore, followers are called to "be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers" (I Peter 4:7), demonstrating a consistent spiritual walk. Ultimately, readiness means continually seeking to honor God with our lives, faithfully carrying out His work, and eagerly awaiting His glorious return.


We're still here. If you can read these words, there is still time! Let's get ready for the second coming of Jesus. Are you ready?


You are loved.

Ray Reynolds, PhD


 
 
 

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