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First Word
Much emphasis is placed on
the second coming of Christ and rightfully so; but this study is to look at the
implications of His leaving this world and the impact it has on the Christian’s
life.
The Mountain
- Definition: Ascension;
to be taken up. – The exaltation of Christ into the presence of the Father
in GLORY after His resurrection from the dead
- Location: There are two places
on the
(1) The Russian Orthodox Church has The Bell Tower as one of the
locations and;
(2) The
Chapel of the Ascension which covers a rock which Christ is said to
have ascended from. - It was built by Queen Helena, the mother of the Roman
Emperor Constantine. The Chapel has been
destroyed and rebuilt twice. – No one
knows for sure where the exact place is.
Setting the Stage
- In the Old Testament
the High Priest would enter the “Holy of Holies” once a year and offer “Atoning” sacrifices and prayers
for himself as well as prayers for the sins of the people including sins
that they had committed in ignorance.
- This was a BLOOD
sacrifice once a year with the SMOKE of the fat ASCENDING up to heaven
with the prayers of the people. - This was done EVERY year. – This
offering could not ever take away the sin, but only cover it up
with atonement.
- When Christ ascended;
He did not enter a man made sanctuary, but He entered Heaven itself in the
presence of Almighty God.
- His Crucifixion made
the FINAL Atoning Sacrifice once
and forever – doing away with Sin sacrifices offered over and over
again.
- He has become our
High Priest FOREVER after the order of Melchizedek and is READY at this
very minute for His second coming to bring salvation to those that are
waiting for Him.
Heb 9:7-9 – Only
the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies
7 But only the high
priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without
blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had
committed in ignorance.
8 The Holy Spirit was
showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place
9 This is an illustration
for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered
were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper.
NIV
Heb 6:20 –
He has become our High Priest FOREVER
20 where Jesus, who went
before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever,
in the order of Melchizedek.
NIV
Heb 10:11-14
– Christ made the final sacrifice for our sins
11 Day after day
every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he
offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
12 But when this priest (JESUS) had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he
sat down at the right hand of God.
13 Since that time he
waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, 14 because by one sacrifice
he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. NIV
Heb 9:24 -28 – He did away with sin with His own sacrifice
24 For Christ did not
enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered
heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence.
25 Nor did he enter heaven
to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy
Place every year with blood that is not his own.
26 Then Christ would have
had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has
appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice
of himself.
27 Just as man is destined
to die once, and after that to face judgment,
28 so Christ was
sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a
second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting
for him. NIV
Prophecies
- In the Psalms; David
writes about two events; one being the ascension into heaven and
one on earth as He returns.
This is a procession of the Angles singing for “The Gates” in
heaven to be opened for The King
of Glory and a voice comes back, “who is this King of Glory?”
- This procession also
includes those in “Abrahams Bosom” that the Lord set free and took with Him
to Heaven.
- The second procession
is when He returns to earth with the Angels and the Saints - US.
- I wish every one could
here the anthem “Lift up your heads
O you gates” with a full orchestra and choir; singing the question
“Who is this King of Glory?” then responding with the answer” The Lord
mighty in
Ps 24:7-10 – Heaven get ready
– The King of Glory is coming
7 Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up,
you ancient doors that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD
strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up,
you ancient doors that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is he, this King of glory? The LORD
Almighty-- he is the King of glory. NIV
Ps 68:18 – The procession
with those from Abrahams Bosom
18 When you ascended on high, you led captives
in your train; you received gifts from men, even from the rebellious--that
you, O LORD God, might dwell there. NIV
Jesus speaks
- Jesus prophesied
about his own ascension - He tells His Disciples that He is going to the
One who sent Him. - Jesus tells them this before it all happened, so that
when it did happen they would all believe and not doubt and they would be
comforted.
- Speaking of His death
on the Cross, Jesus said He would be lifted up to draw men to
Him. This lifting up was only “a shadow” of Him being lifted up at His ascension
to the Father.
- Jesus came to
minister and to give His life as a ransom for many, and that had now been
accomplished – He said He must ascend so that the comforter; the Holy
Spirit can descend on them with Spiritual Gifts.
- The Holy Spirit has
now become “Center Stage”.
John 6:62 – Jesus prophesizes
about his own ascension.
62 What if you see the Son of Man ascend to
where he was before!
John 7:33 -34 – I go to the one who sent me
33 Jesus said, "I am with you for only a
short time, and then I go to the one who sent me.
34 You will look for me, but you will not find me;
and where I am, you cannot come." NIV
John 14:28 -29 - I have told you now before it happens
28 "You heard me say, `I am going away and I
am coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to
the Father, for the Father is greater than I.
29 I have told you now before it happens, so
that when it does happen you will believe. NIV
John 12:32-33 – When I am
lifted Up – Men will be drawn
32 “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will
draw all men to myself."
33 He said this to show the kind of death he was
going to die. NIV
John 16:7-8 – I will send
the Holy Spirit
7 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good
that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to
you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
8 When he comes, he will convict the world of
guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: NIV
- In Jewish theology,
the “Blessed Souls” await in a compartment of Hell that is
called
- When
Luke 23:43 – Jesus went to
paradise; Abrahams Bosom
43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth,
today you will be with me in paradise." NIV
Eph 4:8-10 –
He descended first to hell to lead out the captives
8 This is why it says:
"When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave
gifts to men."
9 (What does "he
ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions?
10 He who descended is the
very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole
universe.) NIV
Instructions
- During a forty day
period after the resurrection, there were ten recorded appearances
of Jesus before He ascended to the Father. - He showed Himself to many and gave convincing
proofs that he was alive and explained all things about the “Kingdom of
God” to His Apostles starting with Moses through all the Prophets.
- Before and after the
Ascension, from the right hand of God, He gave instructions and
teachings directly to the apostle’s through the in dwelling of The Holy Spirit.
- Human knowledge must
be understood to be
believed; but Divine knowledge must be believed to be understood. (Pascal) The Bible must be “Divinely” understood
- Minds must be opened.
Acts 1:2-3 – Gave
instructions through the Holy Spirit
2 until the day he was
taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the
apostles he had chosen.
3 After his suffering, he
showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive.
He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God
NIV
Luke 24:26-27
– Explained the prophets said: Christ must suffer
26 Did not the Christ
have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?"
27 And beginning with
Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the
Scriptures concerning himself. NIV
1 Cor 2:14 – The Things of God are spiritually discerned
14 The man without the
Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they
are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are
spiritually discerned.
NIV
The Ascension
- Traditionally it is
believed that the Ascension occurred on the
- Jesus told them not
to “hold on to him” here on earth that He must return to His Father. – He
did not transfer from one position to another, but from one
condition to another; matter transformed into “Shekinah Glory” energy.
- He lifted up his
hands and blessed his Disciples and while He was blessing them
he was taken up into Heaven and a Shekinah
Glory cloud hid Him from their sight. He will return the same way blessing
the Church; but judging the world.
- As He ascended to
Heaven He took the Saints in
- The Gifts are given as
the Spirit determines for the building up of the body of
Christ; no gift is given to develop YOU personally, it is given so you can
function within the body.
- Each person has at
least one Gift
and the grace to use it - To not exercise your Gift is a loss to the body
of Christ; the whole body suffers from the loss. SELAH
- The Life of Christ did not
save anyone…. It was His Death,
resurrection and ascension that brought “The Redemption” that saves man.
John 20:17 – I am,
returning to my Father
17 Jesus said "Do not hold on to me, for I
have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, `I
am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” NIV
Acts 1:6-9 – He was taken
up; a cloud hid Him from their sight
6 So when they met together, they asked him,
"Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel
7 He said to them: "It is not for you to know
the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.
9 After he said this, he was taken up before
their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. NIV
Luke 24:50-51
– As He was blessing them He was taken up
50 When he had led them
out to the vicinity of Bethany
51 While he was blessing
them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. NIV
Eph 4:7-8 – When He
ascended He gave Spiritual Gifts to men.
7 But to each one of us grace has been given
as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it says: "When he ascended on
high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men."
NIV
Acts 2:4 – It is the
Spirit that enables them
4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit
and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. NIV
The Significance
- The Old Covenant was removed in order
to establish The New Covenant. - Both Covenants were given by God.
– The sacrificial system in the OT began with Abel; but ended in the NT
with Jesus Christ.
- The Significance of
the ascension
was the hyper-exaltation
of Christ to the HIGHEST PLACE; to the right hand of God signifying that
His atoning work is COMPLETE
and FINAL.
- When he set the
captives free in “Abraham’s Bosom”, it signaled His Victory over death and the grave.
- His Glory, position of Fellowship and Honor with God that He had
before the world began was restored and He resumed His work. - He received
a Name above
- His perfect manhood
lets Him identify with man; to sympathize and intercede for
him and is his advocate before the Father. – God made Him head over
everything of the Church.
- The ascension did not
make a Physical remoteness, but a Spiritual nearness.
- He waits for the time
His enemies are subdued and become His footstool; then He will
return again and establish the “
Eph 4:8 – Victory over the
grave
8 This is why it says: "When he ascended on
high, he led captives in his train. NIV
Ps 110:1 – His enemies will
become His footstool
1 The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at my right
hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." NIV
John 17:5 – Restored His
previous Glory
5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence
with the glory I had with you before the world began. NIV
Phil 2:9 – Received a name
above every name
9 Therefore God exalted him to the
highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, NIV
Heb 4:14 – He became our
High Priest in Heaven
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest
who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to
the faith we profess. NIV
Heb 6:19-20 – The Order of
Melchizedek
19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul,
firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,
20 where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on
our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of
Melchizedek.
NIV
Heb 2:18 – Christ understands the temptations of man
18 Because he himself suffered when he
was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. NIV
1 John 2:1 – He is now our
advocate with the Father
1 My dear children, I write this to you so that
you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the
Father in our defense-Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. NIV
Heb 7:25 – Christ intercedes for man
25 Therefore he is able to save completely those
who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
NIV
Eph 1:22 – Became Head over everything for the Church
22 And God placed all things under his feet and
appointed him to be head over everything for the church, NIV
Acts 2:33 – Poured out the
PROMISED Holy Spirit
33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has
received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out
what you now see and hear. NIV
Gravity Suspended – Rabbit
Trail
NOTE: The Ascension of Jesus Christ is a miracle and is in a category all by itself
and it will happen again at the second coming of Christ with The Rapture of the Saints.
The Bible implies instances of “specific Law of Gravity suspension”. In the OT Enoch was taken up to
heaven; Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind; An Ax head
floated on water; - In the NT Paul was taken up to heaven; Peter walked
on water - NYOBS 01.15
The Fourth Dimension
1 Thess 4:15-17 – The Rapture – Gravity suspended
15 the Lord's own word, we
tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord,
will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 After that, we who are still alive and are
left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet
the Lord in the air. NIV
Gen 5:24 – Enoch was
taken up – Gravity suspended
24 Enoch walked with God;
then he was no more, because God took him away. NIV
2 Kings 2:11 – Elijah
was taken up – Gravity suspended
11 As they were walking
along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire
appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a
whirlwind. NIV
2 Kings 6:5-6 –Ax head floats on water – Gravity suspended
5 But as one was felling a
beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master!
For it was borrowed.
6 ….where did it fall? And
he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and
the iron did swim. KJV
2 Cor 12:2 – Paul was taken up – Gravity suspended
2 I know a man in Christ
who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was
in the body or out of the body I do not know-God knows .NIV
Matt 14:29 – Peter
walked on water - Gravity suspended
29 And he said, Come. And
when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go
to Jesus. KJV
In God’s presence
- After Jesus was
raised from the dead and ascended into the heavens by his own blood
into the Most Holy Place, God
set him as co-regent at his right hand in the Heavenly realm
and gave him authority to rule with power and dominion and raised Him
above every title that can be given now or even “thought of” in the
future.
- God placed all things
in the universe under his feet and appointed Him “Head over the
Church”, and we as believers make up the Church coming under His Authority
and Grace.
- All powers,
authorities and Angles are in submission to Him. – He is our High Priest
forever after the order of Melchizedek. - NYOBS
01.05 Melchizedek
- Then Christ poured
out the Holy Spirit on the believers to write His laws on their hearts and
now intercedes at the right hand of the Father for us and remembers our
sins no more.
- He has prepared a different
place for each believer that no one else can occupy. We will be where He is. - If you
can just grasp the concept that He is Omnipresence or He is everywhere
at once, then you can grasp the thought that you might just have your own planet where
you get to rule and reign with Him somewhere in the House of His universe.
- Think about it – We are in His
house right now and a better one is coming. SELAH
- He will reign in
Heaven till His SECOND COMING then He will return to earth as the reigning
Messiah.
Heb 9:12 – Christ entered the Most Holy Place
12 He did not enter by
means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place
once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption NIV
Eph 1:18-22
– Set at right hand – gave every title & authority
18 I pray also that the
eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope
to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the
saints,
19 and his incomparably
great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty
strength,
20 which he exerted in
Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right
hand in the heavenly realms,
21 far above all rule
and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be
given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
22 And God placed all
things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the
church, NIV
Ps 110:4 –
Our Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek
4 The LORD has sworn and
will not change his mind: "You are a priest forever, in the order
of Melchizedek." NIV
1 Peter 3:22 – Angles placed under submission to Him
22 Jesus Christ who has
gone into heaven and is at God's right hand-with angels, authorities and
powers in submission to him. NIV
Acts 2:32 -33 – The Holy Spirit was poured out on the believers
32 God raised this Jesus to
life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.
33 Exalted to the right
hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit
and has poured out what you now see and hear. NIV
Heb 10:15-17
– The Holy Spirit will put His laws in their hearts
15 The Holy Spirit also
testifies to us about this. First he says:
16 "This is the
covenant I will make with them, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their
hearts, and I will write them on their minds."
17 He adds: "Their
sins and lawless acts I will remember no more."
Rom 8:34 – Christ is now interceding for us.
34 Who is he that
condemns? Christ Jesus, who died-more than that, who was raised to life-is at
the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. NIV
John 14:2-3
– He is preparing a place for us
2 In my Father's house are
many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to
prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare
a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you
also may be where I am. NIV
2 Tim
2:11-12 – We will reign with Christ
11 A trustworthy saying:
If we died with him, we will also live with him;
12 if we endure, we
will also reign with him. NIV
Good News for the Gentiles
- It was after Jesus
had ascended to the Father that Jesus arrested Paul on the
road to
Acts 9:1-6 –
The Ascension opened the door for the Gentiles
1 Meanwhile, Saul was
still breathing out murderous threat against the Lord's disciples. He went
to the high priest
2 and asked him for
letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who
belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to
Jerusalem.
3 As he neared Damascus
4 He fell to the ground
and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
5 "Who are you,
Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,"
he replied.
6 "Now get up and go
into the city, and you will be told what you must do." NIV
Trinity – Rabbit Trail
- The Stage is the World where life is played out before
all creation to observe.
In
the Old Testament, God is center stage with Jesus and the
Holy Spirit in the wings
In
the New Testament, Jesus is center stage with God and the
Holy Spirit in the wings.
Today, in Modern Times, The
Holy Spirit is center stage with God and Jesus in the wings.
The Trinity is present at all times. - NYOBS 07.03 Eschatology
The
Return
- Christ will come back to earth in
bodily form to receive the believing saints in the same way that he
ascended. NYOBS 01.23 The Rapture – NYOBS 07.02
Eschatology
- There will be a loud Trumpet CALL and
He will come on the clouds with
power and great glory gathering the Elect from the North, East, South and
West.
- The “Clouds” are interesting, as in the OT the “Shekinah Glory” of the Lord was in
the form of a cloud resting above the tabernacle and because of
- He will rule as the “reigning Messiah”
with an iron scepter.
Acts 1:10-11
– Jesus will come back the same way he left
10 They were looking
intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in
white stood beside them.
11 "Men of
Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky?
This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in
the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
Matt
24:30-31 – He will come on the clouds – Loud trumpet call
30 "At that time the
sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth
will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the
sky, with power and great glory.
31 And he will send his
angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the
four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. NIV
Num 16:42 – The SHEKINAH GLORY appears in a cloud
42 But when the assembly
gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron and turned toward the Tent of Meeting,
suddenly the cloud covered it and the GLORY of the LORD appeared.
NIV
Rev 12:5 – Jesus will rule
the nations with an iron scepter
5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who
will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched
up to God and to his throne. NIV
SUMMARY
- Jesus’ Ascension
restored Him to His former Glory and power and He now sits at the right
hand of God the Father interceding for us as our High Priest forever.
- He has defeated the
curse of death and has won victory over the grave setting the captives in
- He
- He has given
Spiritual Gifts to the body of Believers to use till He returns; which is
SOON.
In the multitude of counselors,
there is wisdom.
Prov 11:14
I am grateful for those that went before me providing concepts, ideas, historical information, and scripture verses. Because of them I can stand on their shoulders and see further than I otherwise ever could have.
Annotated Reference Bible - Dake
Bible Almanac; The – Packer-Tenny White
Bible Dictionary – Harper & Row
Expositors Bible Commentary; The – Frank E. Gaebelein
Illustrated Bible Dictionary – Nelson’s
Illustrated Bible Dictionary; The - Tyndale
Matthew Henry’s Commentary – Zondervan
Nave’s Topical Bible - Zondervan
New International Bible – NIV
New International Dictionary of the Bible; The – Douglas & Tenney
Old Testament Survey – Eerdmans
Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible - Zondervan
Thru The Bible
– J. Vernon
Victor Journey through the Bible; The – V. Gilbert Beers
Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible; The - Tenney
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