The Descension

By Jerry D. Ousley

            A few years ago, something happened to me that, well, I’m not proud of and a bit embarrassed by.  There was going to be an eclipse.  It was a nice, sun-shiny day and it was going to be in full view.  I had been out on some errands and it was getting close to time for the eclipse.  I really wanted to see it.  I had purchased the special glasses to wear and as I gazed into the sky, I could see that it was getting started, so I rushed home, grabbed my lawn chair, found what I thought was a good place to get the full view and sat down, eyes locked on the sun.  It was an awesome sight and I did enjoy the experience.

            However, as I watched, I had to look higher and higher which required that I lean back a bit.  Suddenly I felt a slight tug from the ground.  Was the sky moving or what?  It was then that I realized that I was slowly falling backward.  I had leaned back a little too much and now the chair decided that it wanted to go horizontal – with me in it!  I tried to brace and stop the action of gravity, but I was alas too late and I found myself horizontal with the chair.  I quickly looked left and right to make sure no one had witnessed my fate, then looked up as if to say, “I meant to do that!”  Hey, the view was better from down here anyway.  I had made my descent.

            The Bible talks about the descent of Jesus, only it calls it “His second coming” instead of descent.  It is first mentioned in Acts 1:9-11 and says, “Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.  And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven?  This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.’”  Here was the scenario:  Jesus had called them to meet Him in Galilee.  As He spoke to them about waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit, giving them last instructions, suddenly He began to rise on a cloud and He was taken up into heaven.  This event is often called “The Ascension.”

            They all stood there in awe looking up, watching Him disappear in the clouds above.  Who wouldn’t?  Who wouldn’t stand there with their mouths wide open in amazement as He just floated away?

            But then, just as suddenly as Christ ascended, there were two men standing with them dressed in white who hadn’t been there before.  These men asked them why they were standing there looking up.  They further said that Jesus would return in like manner – only this time descending on the clouds.  What a promise!  What a glorious event to look forward to.  And it is going to happen.  I know it has been centuries – nearly two millennium!  But our Lord never goes back on His word. 

            Now I don’t know exactly when this is going to happen but if you read the Bible and look at all the signs that seem to be taking place on earth right now, I get the feeling that it isn’t going to be much longer.  The day is coming when He will descend from the sky just as those two men said.  In fact, we can read of the coming event in Revelation 10.  It says, “I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud.  And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.  He had a little book open in his hand.  And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, and cried with a loud voice, as when lion roars.” (Revelation 10:1-3a).  Okay, the second part of verse 3 and verse 4 speak of seven thunders.  John was told to seal up what these thunders uttered.  That is another lesson for another day, so let’s skip on to verse 5:  “The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer, but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.”  (Revelation 10:5-7).

            So, there it is – the descension.  In a short article we don’t have the time to teach the entire book of Revelation so I’m going to put it in a nutshell.  The book (or scroll) had originally been sealed with seven seals.  It was written on, inside and out, which was the practice of recording deeds in those days.  What was written inside and sealed up was also summarized on the outside so you knew what it was about.  It was none other than the deed to planet earth.  The angel that descended is our Lord, Jesus Christ and He has the opened book in His hands. He will set one foot on the sea and the other on the land and claim that it is finished – the process for redeeming all of creation from the curse given in the Book of Genesis had been completed and He has returned to claim what is legally His.  That’s what the descension is all about.  He paid the price on the cross.  He met all the conditions of the contract.  And now, after allowing time for people to get ready for His return, He comes back to lay claim to it all.

            I don’t know about you, but that excites me.  I want to be ready for that day, whether I see it while I live, or witness it from heaven.  I know, I know, it has been predicted for so long how can it be believable?  Many doubt and will be taken totally by surprise.  It has been a long time coming.  But rest assured, it is coming.  It will be just as real as the day we are experiencing right now.  Are you ready?  Have you made preparation?  If not, make sure you do it today.  Believe on Him.  Accept His sacrifice.  Take a look up every once in a while, because one day, you will see Him coming, descending in the clouds with that open book.

Jerry D. Ousley is the author of ?Soul Challenge?, ?Soul Journey?, ?Ordeal?, ?The Spirit Bread Daily Devotional and his first novel ?The Shoe Tree.?  Visit our website at spiritbread.com to download these and more completely free of charge.