Why did Jesus ascend to heaven?

Question:

Why did Jesus ascend to heaven? How did this happen and where is it written in the Bible?

In the Bible the ascending of Jesus to heaven is described in the first chapter of Acts:

To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.” Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. (Acts 1:3-12)

That’s what Jesus said about His reason of ascending to heaven:

1. Jesus Christ returned to God the Father

Our Savior is the Son of God; He came from God and went back to God. He came to earth for a short period of time so that he can bring the news of salvation and so that he can die on the cross at Calvary for the sins of the entire mankind and for every single person. That way each of us has the opportunity to be saved through believing in our Lord Jesus Christ. Through His ascending Jesus returned back to His Father, just as it says in the Bible:

Therefore Jesus said, “For a little while longer I am with you, then I go to Him who sent Me. (John 7:33)

2. Jesus Christ ascended to heaven so that he can prepare a place for us.

In the book of John the Lord Jesus Christ tells the disciples:

Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14:1-3)

Can you imagine how is that place, the place that our Lord Jesus Christ has been preparing for us Christians for so many years now?

Now we are waiting for his glorious return.

3. Jesus Christ ascended to His Father so that He can send the Holy Spirit on earth.

Also in the Gospel of John we find written these words by our Savior:

But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. (John 16:7-14)

Ten days after the ascending of our Savior Jesus Christ, at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came to earth. From that time, everyone who believes in Jesus receives the Holy Spirit who is the Comforter and guides us in the truth. Only the people born again have the Holy Spirit and only they are true Christians. Who doesn’t have the Holy Spirit doesn’t belong to God. Let no one deceive themselves believing that if they were baptized as a child, or they wear a cross on the neck, or receives and gives mention, or do any other things that may seem holy to them will help them inherit the Kingdom of God. Jesus Christ said very clearly that if someone is not born again they cannot see or enter the Kingdom of God. God help each reader of this article be born again so that they can have eternal life in the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of His Son Jesus Christ.

Translated by Lilia Crilov