Jesus with two disciples in Emmaus
If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, ye may be also.
John 14:3.
Jesus Christ was not welcomed by His people, when He came down to earth. At the end of His public ministry Israel’s leaders succeeded in stirring up the majority of the people against Him and delivering Him to the Romans, who occupied Palestine at that time, to crucify Him. Even if it seemed as if they could do what they liked with Jesus, for He did not defend Himself, Christ’s death was part of God’s plan. Christ, the sinless, innocent One, was to become the “Lamb of God”, so that sinners, not merely among His contemporaries but ourselves included, might be spared God’s judgment.
The Bible testifies that Jesus rose again on the third day and after forty days, during which time He appeared before His disciples alive, returned to heaven. He had foretold these things to His disciples before His death and said that he would prepare a place for them and come again to take them where he is now.
From there He sent the Holy Spirit to earth, who ever since has indwelt all who believe in Him as their Saviour and reminds them of their Lord’s promise to return. In the mean time – some 2,000 years ago – not only Jews but everyone can be redeemed and receive God’s grace. But only those who take advantage of God’s offer of grace are fit and destined for heaven.
Image: By Lothar Spurzem – Own work, CC BY-SA 2.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=112349404