For three years Jesus had walked upon this earth in human form as the Son of Man where He accomplished all that the Father had planned. The Gospels reveal the details of His birth, His baptism, His temptation in the wilderness, His teachings, His miracles, His interactions with His disciples and close friends—Mary, Martha and Lazarus and so much more. Volumes more could have been written but we are given glimpses of His deity as fully God and fully man—Emanuel—God with us. Last week we looked at the Transfiguration witnessed by Peter, James and John. Up until the Transfiguration He had exhibited the normal perfect life of a man; from the Transfiguration onwards He fixed His face like flint to go to Jerusalem—to Gethsemane, the Cross, and the Resurrection. John 18:4 says that Jesus, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward…and in Luke 9:51 (AMP) Now, when the time was almost come for Jesus to be received up [to heaven], He steadfastly and determinedly set His face to go to Jerusalem. He was obedient to the Father even to death on the Cross. His Cross is the door by which every member of the human race can enter into the life of God; by His Resurrection He has the right to give eternal life to any man, woman or child and by His Ascension Our Lord enters heaven and keeps the door open for humanity.
For the past few weeks, we have walked with Jesus during the forty days after His resurrection. Acts 1: 3 is the only place in scripture that gives the length of Christ’s post-resurrection ministry on the earth. Last Thursday, May 26th was the 40th day on our calendar and was the day we celebrate the Ascension of our Lord. Forty in scripture relates to a time of testing or preparation. The children of Israel were in the wilderness 40 years before Joshua and Caleb would lead them into the Promised Land. Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness for 40 days to be tempted by the devil before beginning His public ministry. I believe that it was during these forty days spent with His disciples and other followers that was somewhat of a test as well as a preparation for them before His Ascension back to the Father. Luke 24: 44—48 says: “And He said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning Me. Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things.” Oswald Chambers points out a profound insight: “The Ascension is the consummation of the Transfiguration. Our Lord does now go back into His primal glory; but He does not go back simply as Son of God; He goes back to God as Son of Man as well as Son of God. There is now freedom of access for anyone straight to the very throne of God by the Ascension of the Son of Man. As Son of Man Jesus Christ has all power at the throne of God. He is King of kings and Lords of lords from the day of His Ascension unto now.”
Jesus in Luke 24:49 says: “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” The promise of the Holy Spirit was given to them according to Acts 1:8: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” He gave them specific instructions as to what they must do: wait 10 days (50 days after His resurrection—Pentecost); receive the power of the Holy Spirit; go and tell others beginning in Jerusalem and moving out into all the world. This command is far-reaching over these 2000 years into all the world!
We learn from Acts 1: 9-12 that at the Mount of Olives Jesus was taken up into a cloud and while they looked up toward heaven two men stood by them in white apparel and said, “This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.” (11) According to the prophet Zechariah, Jesus will return not only in the same way, but to the same place: “On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.” (Zech. 14:4) The very location where Jesus was betrayed and rejected will be the place where Jesus returns in triumph over all His enemies. Now He is exalted at God’s right hand crowned with glory and honor and making intercession for the saints—all those who trust Him as Savior and Lord. Christ manifested Himself to John in the Book of Revelation sixty or more years after His Ascension. We read John’s reaction in Revelation 1: 17-18 “And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last; I am He that liveth, and was dead, and, behold, I am alive for evermore.” Let us prepare daily for His appearing and for the celebration of Pentecost June 5th.