And now the great Forty Days (Acts i. 3) were rapidly drawing to a close[641]. Warned it may be by the Saviour Himself, or attracted by the near approach of the festival of Pentecost[642], the Apostles and their companions left Galilee and returned to Jerusalem. There once more amidst the scene of His late sufferings they saw their risen Lord, and for the last time received from His own Divine lips instruction in the things concerning the kingdom of God, and learned to trace in the prophetic Scriptures, in the Law, and in the Psalms, intimations of the sufferings and resurrection of the Messiah (Lk. xxiv. 44–48). There too they received His last command to remain in Jerusalem (Acts i. 4) till the promise of the Eternal Father should receive its accomplishment, and they should be _baptized with the Holy Ghost_, and _endued with power from on high_ (Acts i. 5; Lk. xxiv. 49). At last one day He bade them accompany Him along the road towards Bethany and the Mount of Olives (Lk. xxiv. 50), associated with so many memories of the risen Lazarus, of the Triumphal Entry, and the last sad days in His earthly life. Convinced that something mysterious was about to happen, and with their carnal hopes still set on the idea that He was about to commence His long-looked for reign, they began to enquire, _Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel_ (Acts i. 6)? But their enquiries were solemnly silenced. It was not for them to know _the times or the seasons, which the Father had put in His own power_. A time was at hand when, on the descent of the Holy Spirit, they should receive power, and become witnesses to their Lord in _Jerusalem, and all Judæa, in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth_ (Acts i. 8). Thus conversing they followed Him even to the borders of the district of Bethany, to one of the secluded hills which overhang the village of Bethany on the Eastern slope of Olivet[643]. There they received His last solemn and abiding blessing (Lk. xxiv. 50), and while His hands, bearing the marks of the wounds which man had inflicted, were yet uplifted in benediction (Lk. xxiv. 51), He _began to be parted from them, and there came a cloud_ (Acts i. 9), in which slowly and gradually He rose from Olivet, till at length He was lost to sight, and ascended up to that highest heaven, where He was in the glory of the Father before the world was. Long time stood the Eleven looking wistfully upwards, and watching Him as He receded more and more from view (Acts i. 10). At length two angelic beings clad in white apparel addressed them, saying, _Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who hath been taken from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven_ (Acts i. 11).