In Like Manner

IN LIKE MANER

One of the most common passages used to teach a future physical return of Jesus to the earth is Acts 1:11. This is also highly debated as well.

And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, 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.

Acts 1:9-11

The phrase that usually receives all the attention is “shall so come in like manner.”

The assumption is often made that this must mean Jesus would one day physically descend through the atmosphere, visibly land upon the earth, and that every detail of His ascension must be reversed.

But is that actually what the passage says? Notice first what happened when Jesus ascended. A cloud received him out of their sight. The cloud is not an insignificant detail. We must pay attention that throughout Scripture, clouds are repeatedly associated with the presence, glory, authority, and judgment of God.

For example:

The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it.

Isaiah 19:1

God said He was coming into Egypt riding upon a cloud. Did God physically ride a cloud down into Egypt?

Not hardly!

This was prophetic language describing a divine judgment. That same prophetic imagery appears throughout the Old Testament.

Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:

Psalm 104:3

Again, follow the footprint of the symbolism. Clouds represented divine presence and divine movement.

Now listen to what Jesus told His own disciples.

And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the land mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Matthew 24:30

Jesus did not invent this language. This was not something new.

He was drawing directly from the prophets just like the apostles. Most of the New Testament writings are full of references taken from the Old Testament.

So, He placed that coming within the generation standing before Him.

Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

Matthew 24:34

That timing statement cannot simply be disconnected from the cloud coming language that came only a few verses earlier.

Jesus also told the high priest something very similar.

Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Matthew 26:64

Jesus was speaking directly to people living in that generation.

The language comes directly from Daniel.

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, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

Daniel 7:13-14

Notice something extremely important.

In Daniel 7, the Son of Man is not coming from heaven down to earth. He is coming to the Ancient of Days.

The Ancient of Days in Daniel 7 is a title for the Father, pictured as the eternal Judge and sovereign King. Daniel sees the Son of Man coming to the Ancient of Days, where He is given dominion, glory, and a kingdom. So the scene is not Jesus descending to earth, but Jesus being presented before the Father and receiving royal authority.

This is enthronement language. Christ receives dominion, glory, authority, and a kingdom. That gives us important background for Acts 1.Jesus ascended into heaven and a cloud received Him. The disciples watched Him until He disappeared from their sight.

The angels then said He would come in like manner.

“In like manner” does not necessarily mean every physical detail must be duplicated in reverse. It speaks of the manner or character of His coming.

He departed in connection with the cloud of divine glory and He would come back in the clouds of divine glory.

He ascended into royal authority and He would manifest that authority in judgment. And this is exactly how Jesus Himself had already described His coming.

And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

Luke 21:27

And notice the timing.

So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

Luke 21:31-32

Again, Jesus did not place this thousands of years beyond His audience.

He told them what they would see. He also told them what was coming and He told them that all of it belonged to their generation. Many times this is, but shouldn’t be ignored.

This becomes even clearer when we remember the setting of Acts.

When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

Acts 1:6

The conversation concerned kingdom, authority, and Christ’s ascension to the Father.

Acts 2 later explains what the ascension meant.

This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Acts 2:32-36

Christ’s ascension was His enthronement and He sat at the Father’s right hand.

And from that position of authority, His enemies would be placed beneath His feet.

The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

Psalm 110:1

Who were those enemies in the immediate first century setting? They were the ones who rejected Christ, crucified Him, resisted His reign, and persecuted His apostles and followers. Jesus Himself had pronounced judgment upon that wicked unbelieving generation, especially the leadership centered in Jerusalem that opposed Him and those He sent.

That is exactly the picture we see unfolding during the first century fourth year transition from the Old Covenant world to the New Covenant kingdom.

So when Acts says:

He shall come “in like manner.” So we should allow Scripture to define the “manner.”

Clouds, Glory, Authority, Kingdom, Judgment and Vindication.

That language had already been established throughout the prophets and had already been used by Jesus Himself to describe what would happen within that generation. His audience knew exactly what He was talking about.

Acts 1:11 should not be isolated from Matthew 24, Luke 21, Daniel 7, Psalm 110, and the prophetic cloud coming language of the Old Testament.

When all of those passages are allowed to speak together, “in like manner” does not require us to leap into the years of the distant future. It fits naturally within the same first century expectation Jesus repeatedly gave His disciples.

He ascended in glory. He was enthroned at the right hand of the Father.

And He came in the clouds of judgment and kingdom authority, just as the prophets had described and just as He told that generation He would.

❤️🙏