Ascension Day

Thursday, May 18, 2023 marks the 1,993rd anniversary of the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven. Unlike Christmas and Easter, this celebration of the culmination of our Lord’s earthly ministry does not receive much attention culturally. In some nations, Ascension Day was a public holiday, but in our post-Christian era, we have adopted new “holy” days.

So, what happened on that amazing day almost 2,000 years ago? Jesus and his disciples were gathered on the Mount of Olives just across the valley from Jerusalem, and in the sight of His disciples, Jesus was taken up into heaven. From the description that we are given in Acts, Jesus entered the Shekinah cloud, the supernatural cloud that was sometimes manifested to show God’s presence.