When the Savior ascended from Mount Olivet, his disciples saw him: the two shining ones said, "Ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into heaven? (it must have been open to their view, or they could not have looked into heaven) this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall come again in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Acts i: 11. Then of course, it will be from the same place.
Let us not be deceived about this, he has not come yet.
Again, St. Luke says of Stephen, the martyr, (while he was surrounded by a blood-thirsty mob, gnashing on him with their teeth, because of the burning truths which he uttered,) "Being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, (at a certain point) and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God: and said, behold, I see the heavens opened, and the son of man standing on the right hand of God." Was Stephen mistaken? I think not—it was his dying testimony.
But here is a more singular case still, two miracles on two individuals of different nations to establish and fulfil Daniel's prophecy of the seventieth week upon his people (the Jews). The time had now come and something out of the ordinary way was to mark this epoch of time. Now look yonder in Cesarea, there is a Gentile in a vision, he sees an angel which directs him to send into Judea for a certain Jew named Peter. Where is he? At a place called Joppa. (the sea port of Jerusalem,) lying in a trance, on the top of a house, and made to feel "very hungry," (that he might more readily and willingly follow the teachings of the voice and spirit of God to proclaim salvation to the Gentiles, for he was one of the stubborn ones, that held to the present truth; and perhaps could not be prevailed upon to yield in any other way.) Just so with his stubborn brethren, who called him to an account for going in to the Gentiles, but after he had rehearsed the whole matter to them, "then they believed and glorified God, for granting repentance to the Gentiles." But what was the miracle? Peter says he "saw heaven opened and a certain vessel descending unto him as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth. This was done thrice (or three times) and the vessel was received up again into Heaven," and the voice of the Lord came to him twice, "saying what God has cleansed call not thou common." Acts x. and xi. ch. Here ends the confirming of the Covenant with many for one week. Danl. ix: 27, Heb. ii: 3.
The Apostle Paul in relating his vision says that he was "caught up to the third Heavens into Paradise." 2 Cor. xii: 2, 4. St. John, the "beloved disciple," in his solitary confinement on the Isle of Patmos, not only has the same view of the opening Heavens, and hears the same voice, but was called up there in the spirit, and immediately he was there, describing the glories of Heaven. Please read his description of the glorious picture before and around the throne, (from whence the Prophets and Apostles already quoted, have looked through God's all magnifying Telescope, and was burdened with the cry, "This is none other but the House of God and this is the gate of Heaven!" "And lo, the Heavens were opened"!! "I see Heaven open"!!! At the same time and place God speaks with them). V: 6—here he sees the Lamb. Also vii: 15; viii: 3, 5, and xii: 5. Jesus the Son was caught up there, xx: 11, and xxi: 5. Same thing in the iv: 8 v. he has Isaiah's view of the Seraphims and uses nearly the same language in describing them, and says with Isaiah they rest neither day nor night, saying, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come, 8 v., and in the fifth chapter he says "And I beheld and heard the voices of many angels round about the throne, saying with a loud voice, worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power," &c. &c. Ezekiel's Cherubims and John's Angels are undoubtedly the same. John's four beasts, Isaiah's Seraphims, and Ezekiel's four wheels are typical of the four grand divisions of the Camp of Israel, around the Tabernacle in the wilderness, all marshalled and arrayed by God's direction with their four different standards, (answering to the four faces or sides to Ezekiel's wheel, and the faces of John's four beasts). Juda with the Lion in the front on the East, (Num. ch. ii.) all ready to move at a moment's warning. Even where the "cloudy pillar by day or of fire by night;" which rested on the Tabernacle, should direct. The Levites, the ministers of God, all moving in perfect harmony, with the Ark containing the Commandments of God; close after which, in the midst of the camp, in solid columns follows the taken down tabernacle. All moving after and watching the direction of this "fiery pillar by night," and the moment it ceased to move the camp halted. The Tabernacle was raised, and the Commandments of God, (the keeping of which will secure an entrance into the Anti-type, the real Heavenly Tabernacle, that is to be "with men," Rev. xxi: 3; xxii: 14.) restored to their proper place beneath, and under the guardian care of the Cherubims between which his people were directed to pray unto him. Exo. xxv: 22.
John also has described in the above mentioned texts, much of the furniture particularized in the old Tabernacle, which Paul says are "patterns of the true." Heb. ix: 23, 24. Conclusive evidence that he was in the "true (or real) Tabernacle which God pitched, and not man." Heb. viii: 2. The same City, which Abraham "looked for, whose builder and maker is God." The Psalmist also agrees with Paul; and says, "The Lord has prepared his throne in the Heavens." Paul says, that Jesus is there. See Heb. viii: 1, 2; and ix: 24. Jesus says, "he that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne." Rev. iii: 21. Now, is it not evident that God has but one sanctuary, and that his throne is there; and one place for that sanctuary, and that place in the third heavens? Why then, should there be more than one way to approach it, or for it to come from, namely, by "the Cherubims and flaming sword, stationed there, to guard the way?"
The editor of the Day Star asks, "why we stand gazing up into heaven; can you (meaning, I suppose, any one) tell where this same Jesus is coming from?" 2d. "Can you prove God the Father to be in one place, in any greater degree and power, than he is in any and every, and every other place?"
If we have not already offered sufficient evidence, in answer to these two most important questions to the true believer in Christ, we will try a little further; for if we cannot understand, nor in any way comprehend, the teachings of the divine word, in respect to the second coming and kingdom of Jesus Christ, the location of the heavenly Sanctuary, the new Jerusalem, God's dwelling place, other than is figuratively discerned, then, I say, we that truly believe in God, "are of all men the most miserable;" and the sooner we hoist the Shaker's flag, and bring too under the lee of their camp, the better; for I should despair of ever getting my anchor down "within the vale." In the first place then, we say, Jesus has not yet come the second time, in the manner he promised us. For when speaking of his coming, he says emphatically, "Then shall THEY SEE the Son of man coming in the clouds of Heaven," &c. Now, according to this description, I'll venture the assertion, that there is not a particle of proof in the universe, that one solitary individual has seen him. Hence, I for one, am gazing up into heaven looking, and unwaveringly believing, that this, his precious promise, will soon be realized. But you say, he has come in his saints. Well, I say there is no more proof of this, than there was that he was in his apostle's, eighteen hundred years ago—for they certainly wrought many wonderful miracles, and preached with as much power; and the mighty weapons they used, was the death, resurrection and second coming of Christ. Now did the Apostle's ever teach such a doctrine, that Jesus had come in them the second time? and further, I cannot believe that he will be seen any sooner in Ohio, than in New-England or New-York. Again, we answer to the first and second questions, combined—Rev. iv: 2. Here is a throne, with one seated upon it. Is there any proof to be found that this throne was on the Isle of Patmos, Rome, or any other city, or place in this globe? Will it not be conceded by all Bible students, that the Lord God Almighty, the Father, is seated upon it? Does not the Seraphims which are continually crying, Holy, Holy, Holy, in the eighth verse, say so? Who was found worthy to come and take the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon this throne? Did he take it out of his own hand? No, it does not read so. Who, then? John says, it "was the Lamb." Others said, it "was the Lion of the tribe of Juda." We say, "the Son of the Father." Here, then, where the door was opened into heaven, John saw the Father and the Son together, at one time and in one place, transacting business; at the sight of which, ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands and thousands of angels cried aloud, "worthy is the Lamb," &c.; and every creature under heaven acknowledged it! Verse 11, 13. I am aware that it will be said this is symbolical language. Allow me to quote an extract from a celebrated writer. "Even the symbolic parts of a vision have a mixed character. When real persons, the highest in their kind are mentioned by their proper titles, there is no room for symbols; the objects represent themselves, God and Christ and the good angels; Satan and evil spirits, and redeemed saints on earth or in heaven, are never emblems. Forsake this maxim, and symbolic prophecy becomes a chaos, in which nothing is fixed, and where fancy runs riot in its own excesses."
But you say, God is a spirit. (There is no doubt but what his spirit pervades all space, and every thing in it that has life.) But to the testimony. "Ye have neither heard his voice nor seen his shape." John v: 37. Did Jesus contradict the Patriarchs and Prophets? No, no! He here told his persecutors what they had not seen nor heard; he did not say he had no voice or shape. Who did? 1st. Moses. "And I will cover thee with my hand while I pass by; and I will take away mine hand and thou shalt see my back parts, but my face shall not be seen." Exod. xxxiii: 22, 23. 2d. The "eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. The face of the Lord are against them that do evil: the Lord heareth." Psalms xxxiv: 15, 17. Again, the "Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool." Does not this prove a shape, features, and voice, ascribed to God, the same as to man. "And God said let us make man in our own image, after our likeness; so God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him: male and female created he them." Gen. i: 26, 27. Paul says of Jesus, "Who is the image of God, (this can't be spiritually so) the first born of every creature; who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God." Eph. ii: 5, 6. Now to the Hebrews—"Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his son, who being the brightness of his glory, and the EXPRESS IMAGE of his person." Now turn to the history of Rome for a moment—read how Lentulus describes the Savior to the Roman Senate. Here he describes his stature, countenance, his eyes, beautiful flowing hair, his wisdom, &c., and finally closes with the following: "A man for his singular beauty far exceeding all the sons of men." Paul says, he is the "express image" of God. (I understand him to say that he looks just like him.) Oh, says one, this man is a Unitarian! So then was Paul, or I have not quoted him right.
And Daniel, the prophet, teaches the same doctrine. "I saw in the night visions: and behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, (described in the ninth verse) and they brought him near before him; and there was given him dominion and glory, and a kingdom, never to be destroyed." Dan. vii: 13, 14. Now we all admit this personage was Jesus Christ; for no being on earth or in heaven, has ever had the promise of an everlasting kingdom but him. And does not the Ancient of days give it to him? Would it not be absurd to say that he gave it to himself? How then can it be said (or proved) as it is by some, that the Son is the Ancient of days;—this passage, and the one in fifth Revelations, distinctly prove God and his Son to be two persons in heaven. Jesus says, "I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me." John viii: 42. "I come forth from the Father, and am come into the world; again, I leave the world and go to the Father." (Does he remain in the same place?) "We are confident I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and present with the Lord." Paul.