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The Ascension of Christ
All heaven was waiting the hour of triumph when Jesus should
ascend to His Father. Angels came to receive the King of glory
and to escort Him triumphantly to heaven. After Jesus had blessed
His disciples, He was parted from them and taken up. And as He
led the way upward, the multitude of captives who were raised at
His resurrection followed. A multitude of the heavenly host were
in attendance, while in heaven an innumerable company of angels
awaited His coming. As they ascended to the Holy City, the angels
who escorted Jesus cried out, “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be
ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.”
The angels in the city cried out with rapture, “Who is this King of
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glory?” The escorting angels answered in triumph, “The Lord strong
and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O ye
gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory
shall come in!” Again the waiting angels asked, “Who is this King
of glory?” and the escorting angels answered in melodious strains,
“The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory.” And the heavenly train
passed into the city of God. Then all the heavenly host surrounded
their majestic Commander, and with the deepest adoration bowed
before Him and cast their glittering crowns at His feet. And then
they touched their golden harps, and in sweet, melodious strains
filled all heaven with rich music and songs to the Lamb who was
slain, yet lives again in majesty and glory.
As the disciples gazed sorrowfully toward heaven to catch the
last glimpse of their ascending Lord, two angels clothed in white
apparel stood by them and said to them, “Ye men of Galilee, why
stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up
from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen
Him go into heaven.” The disciples and the mother of Jesus, who
with them had witnessed the ascension of the Son of God, spent the
following night in talking over His wonderful acts and the strange
and glorious events which had taken place within a short time.
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