I was reading this Ascention account of Jesus on the Mount Of Olives last night and I got to wondering who were those two men that were standing next to Jesus and telling the disciples to quit gazing up at the ascending Christ!!

Those two men wanted to asure or comfort the grieving disciples that in the same manner Christ left up in the clouds along with all those other old testiment saints who were waiting over in the holy city for their time of departure; that Jesus would return in the same exact manner the next time He returned!!!

Now were these men talking about when Jesus returns to the earth at the end of the tribulation period and when His feet touch the mount of olives?!! Yes!!

But also when He comes back for his disciples who will be alive on the earth and will be expecting His return for the dead in Christ and for those who look and long for His appearing!

What more could it mean when these two men said "In Like Manner"? Did they mean--at the same time? Or just in the same way of being lifted up in the air that Jesus would come back down in the air!!!

I wish we could pick their brains on this conversation that went on back in that first century just 10 days before the feast of Pentacost!!

Could these two men have really meant that Jesus will return at the same time as when He ascended into the heavens? Or just in the same manner of being taken up to heaven only?!!

It just makes you wonder if there is more to it then what we read on the surface!!

By the way who were these two men talking to the disciples about the Lord's ascention?! Were they the two witnesses Moses and Elijah?!!
Remember the disciples had an earlier encounter with another two men on the mount of Transfiguration with both Moses and Elijah appearing with the transformed Christ which was a glimpse of the second coming of the Lord!!

Since these two men left the scene after this event it is likely they were none other then Moses and Elijah! They were probably taken up to heaven to be with Jesus until the day when He will come back to get the dead in Christ and the waiting Church at the appointed time at the end of the age!!

Do you know what this means if this truly is Moses and Elijah? It means that they cannot beging their 1,260 day ministry on the earth as described in Revelation 11 until the Rapture takes place!!

Now if the rapture takes place before they begin their ministry then this 1,260 day period cannot commence until the raptured dead in Christ and the living Church is gone from this world!

When will the two witnesses show up on the world scene? When Christ returns to raise the dead in Christ and to purchase His redeemed Bride, the Church!

When will the 144,000 be sealed for their ministry along side these two witnesses? Most likely on a Pentacost feast when the Lord's Spirit will endow them with power for service-and most likely this sealing could be officiated by the two witnesses themselves!!

Wouldn't that be interesting if just ten days before the feast of Pentacost we see the two witnesses return with Christ; and the dead are gathered up in the air and the two witnesses descend to the earth and the bride of Christ is raptured; then 10 days later the feast of Pentacost is held in Jersualem where both the two witnesses begin the sealing ceremony over the 144,000 jewish evangilists!!
But we cannot make this prediction! It is possibly that this could happen- but then again we could see this played out in the fall on the feast of trumpets and the day of atonement!

We cannot know the day or hour! It is just a possibility and not a prediction!! That is why we need to watch and pray and occupy until He comes!!

Considering that Matthew, Mark, Peter, Luke all spoke of the transfiguration when Moses and Elijah were there but none identified these two men, I don't think it was them. I would think it likely (but not absolutely certain) that Peter, John and James would have recognized these two at the Ascension if it were them and said something about it to the others. I know I would have squealed with excitement. In a manly way.

a manly squeal, that made me laugh !
i am glad for your sense of humour tx thom, no wonder your wife puts up with the snoring!

it really is a God-given gift, to make others laugh aloud (in the midst of gloom) !!

I always thought the 'men of Galilee, why are you looking at the sky?' meant to be practical in our faith, cook fish and wash feet, just like our messiah himself did.

i am soooooooooooo excited that we are the generation to witness His soon return. it is almost unbearable for our little human minds to take in ! We are so far from home here on earth, and heaven becomes more distant every day in this fallen, falling world...

Acts 1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11Which 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.

12Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.

My belief is the two men are two angels,possibly the same two angels wearing in white in John 20:11-13.

John 20:11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, 12And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.

They were sent to serve our Lord.

oh may it be so, tender reed.

i came across this,
what do you all think?
i do not have any proof, but still very interesting.
i believe we are close to those times again. (ie just as corrupt and God-less)...
i wish i could smuggle my kids back in time to a safe, God-fearing community (used to be the norm)... now the local anglican church approves of same gender marraige for vicars - help !! they supposed to be leading the sheep....

http://youtu.be/lgQHQ992Wnw

Hey everybody here is a fact that I might add to this thread!! It so happens that this May 20, 2012 which is ascention day is on the 28th day of Iyyar!!

Do you know what happened on that day?? The city of Jerusalem was liberated on June 7, 1967 on the 28th of Iyyar!!!

We have this Jersualem Independence Day to add to the sign list!!
How cool is that!!This would make Jerusalem 45 years old from 1967!!
Someone needs to find out when Jerusalem will reach its jubilee year and at what point during the tribulation period this will take place! That might have some very important scripture in Revelation that relates to this event!!!

Riche you like put the frosting on the cake with your summary or scenario of events which all make very good sense!! I see that as a good possibility!!

It makes sense that Pentacost could go from the grace dispensation back to finishing up the last of the law period under Daniels intermission 70th week!!