But on the mountain-top there stood two men; they were angels, dressed in white. No one can tell how bright angels look, or how sweetly they speak. These angels had come to comfort the friends of the Lord Jesus. They said, "Why do you stand looking up towards heaven? Jesus shall come again in the same way that you have seen him go into heaven."
Has Jesus come again? Not yet; but he will come. Those angels would not have told lies; they know that Jesus will one day come down here again, and that they shall come with him. What a glorious day it will be! Some people will be very much frightened when they see him; they will howl, and shriek, and try to hide themselves in deep holes, but they will not be able to get away. The angels will seize them, and shut them in that dark and burning place where Satan will torment them for ever and ever. But some people will be glad to see Jesus; they will say, "This is our God; we have waited for him." Should you be glad, my dear child, to see Jesus this day? We know not when he will come. Have you prayed to him to-day? Do you love him?
But what became of the friends of Jesus who were standing on Mount Olivet looking up into the sky? They could not stay with the angels, they went back to Jerusalem. Did they go back crying and sobbing, and saying, "We have lost our dearest friend?" Oh, no; they went back quite glad, for they had not lost Jesus; they knew where he was gone; they knew he would pray to his Father, and that he would send down the Holy Spirit very soon. So they waited at Jerusalem as Jesus had told them, and in ten days Jesus did send down the Holy Spirit upon his dear friends.
There is a sweet name given to the Holy Spirit; it is this, the Comforter. Why is he called the Comforter? Because he comforts people when they are in trouble. When we are unhappy we like to be comforted. If a little child falls down and hurts itself, it runs crying to its mother; it wants to be comforted. And oh, how tenderly a mother comforts her little darling! She takes it on her knee and kisses it, and says, "Tell mother what is the matter. Has it hurt its dear little hand?" and then she kisses the hand, and the child soon leaves off crying, and leans its head upon its mother's bosom.
But no mother can comfort as the Holy Spirit can. He tells people that God loves them, and has forgiven their sins, and will take them to heaven. My child, ask God for his Holy Spirit, and he will hear you.
You may find the history of Jesus going up to heaven in Luke xxiv. 50 to end; Acts i. 1–12.
There is a glorious world of light,
Above the starry sky,
Where saints departed, clothed in light,
Adore the Lord most high.
We're marching through Immanuel's ground,
And soon shall hear the trumpet sound.
We hope to meet at Jesus' feet,
And never, never part again!
What! never part again?
No, never part again.
What! never part again?
No, never part again.
We hope to meet at Jesus' feet,
And never, never part again.
(Hill's Collection.)
Macintosh, Printer, Great New-street, London.