For us over the past 100+ years, we have been able to fly artificially, and to know what it means to look down upon the earth from high above.

The early Christians may have wondered about it, yet we will all go up, with no artificial means like a ship.

We will all go up like he went up, and we will not be afraid, and we won’t need a spacesuit or an oxygen mask.

So maybe we glimpse down at all those shocked faces watching us and the resurrected bodies of the others being taken up by the very one that we said loves us and we love him, that very one that we have been telling them about – they will know, as we go up, that Jesus loves us, that he keeps his promises, and that he does not leave us nor forsake us. Perhaps, much like the watching of Stephen calling on the Lord when he was stoned by those men, had a profound effect upon the young man Saul – perhaps this will have a very similar effect upon the 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel, I don’t know, but maybe.

            Then we all meet the Lord in the air, he returning from the place he prepared for us, with the souls and spirits of the dead in Christ, meeting with the resurrected bodies of those same believers, and with us who will be changed. If getting together for a camp meeting can be exciting, imagine what that reunion will be like – in fact, it will be so wonderful, that it will be something that the bridegroom and the bride will then share together, like the ecstasy of the honeymoon of a young married couple – but infinitely more wonderful – at least that is what I believe, especially after comparing the new testament passages about the blessed hope with the Song of Solomon.

            Then to know that no matter where he goes after that, back to heaven for those seven years, or even when he returns at Revelation 19, we will always be with the Lord – he won’t leave the bride at home in heaven for a thousand years, while establishes the thousand year kingdom on earth – no, it says, so shall we ever be with the Lord.

            Also, by the way, how often do we comfort one another with these words? Not very often I’m afraid.