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The Ascension and Exaltation 19/05/2021
Derrick Harrison 19/05/2021
The Ascension and Exaltation of Jesus Christ
The Ascension & Exaltation of Jesus Christ Mk.16:19; Luke 24:31; Acts 1:1-11.
Outline 1. Introduction 2. Scriptures which describe the ascension & exaltation of Jesus Christ a) b) c) d) e) f)
Jesus Christ spoke about His ascension, (John’s Gospel) The Gospel of Mark The Gospel of Luke & Acts The apostle Paul and the ascended/exalted Christ The writer to the Hebrews and the ascended/exalted Christ The Revelation of Jesus Christ’s ascension/exaltation
New Life Radio – Talk No 32
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1. Introduction The ascension refers to Jesus’ leaving earth and returning to the Father in heaven and the word “ascension” describes this momentous event from the human viewpoint whereas exaltation describes the event from Father’s perspective. It is difficult to make a distinction between the ascension and the exaltation of Jesus, but for the sake of clarity we will make a simple divide between the Gospels and the Letters. The dividing point can be made between Acts ch.1 when Luke relates the final words of Jesus before His ascension and then describes His actual ascension. In Acts ch.2 in Peter’s sermon he speaks about Jesus’ exaltation – the emphasis from this point on is Jesus’ exaltation and the direct outcome of that in terms of His ministry. Jesus' ascension/exaltation occurred 40 days after His resurrection and took place just outside of Jerusalem near Bethany at the summit of Mount Olivet. Neither Matthew or John describe Jesus’ ascension and Mark describes it in one verse (Mk.16:19). Jesus will return in the same way and to the same place on earth as when He ascended to heaven (Acts 1:11). The ascension concludes the period of 40 days when Jesus visited His disciples to assure them of His physical resurrection (see my talk on the resurrection appearances of Jesus). The resurrection appearances of Jesus as they are recorded in John’s Gospel focus on key individuals, including Mary Magdalene, Thomas, John, and Peter. The best summary of these crucial 40 days is given by the apostle Paul, “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the New Life Radio – Talk No 32
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twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time” (1Cor.15:3-8). 2. Scriptures which describe the ascension & exaltation of Jesus Christ, a) Jesus Christ spoke about His ascension, (John’s Gospel), When He met Mary Magdalene in the tomb He spoke about His ascension to Father and included her in that amazing moment of His ascending, “Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God” (Jn.20:17). b) The Gospel of Mark, "After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and He sat at the right hand of God" (Mark 16:19). c) The Gospel of Luke & Acts, Both Luke’s Gospel and his Acts of the Apostles contain important information about Jesus’ ascension and exaltation. Jesus spoke to His disciples a final blessing (Lk.24:51) and immediately, “He was taken up” – does this describe Father’s action in lifting Him up from earth into heaven? Luke uses the same expression, - “He was taken up.” The phrase reminds me of an expression which is used in carpentry and building, when the joiner “offers up” the tenon tongue New Life Radio – Talk No 32
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to its exact counterpart, the mortise hole into which it fits perfectly. This re-uniting was at last, the answer to Jesus’ prayer, “And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was” Jn.17:5). Jesus Christ had completed the work of salvation and now He is returning to Father, offering up Himself as the beloved Son who has done all things well, received up into Father’s embrace. Notice, that the disciples express no sense of disappointment, sadness, uncertainty, or fear following Jesus’ departure, we read that His disciples worshipped, rejoiced, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy! "When He had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them, He left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy" (Luke 24:50-52). Luke is our primary source of information about the ascension of Jesus Christ, he links his 2-volume account of Jesus and the early church by strategically putting Jesus’ final words to His disciples into Acts ch.1, rather than concluding his Gospel with Jesus’ final words. Obviously, Luke wanted to keep our attention through to the culmination of God’s purpose at Pentecost, Luke began his narrative of Jesus’ life with His birth, then His anointing followed by His years of ministry, then the cross, the resurrection, through to the moment of His ascension and then Luke takes us on to Jesus’ exaltation at Father’s right hand and His outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The momentum caused by Jesus’ powerful resurrection compels us forwards to His exaltation at Father’s right-hand.
New Life Radio – Talk No 32
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"I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day He was taken up to heaven.... 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" (Acts 1:1-3). Here is Luke’s summary statement about those crucial 40 days which followed the resurrection, (Luke was a journalist, he was a travelling companion of the apostle Paul and he wrote about a third of the New Testament). Luke explains in the preface of his Gospel (Lk.1:1-4) the principles which governed his writing). He says that the primary reason for this interim period of time was for the purpose of proving to His disciples that He was indeed risen, and He provided convincing proof of this, - He ate fried fish, He showed to them His freshly healed wounds, He also proved His resurrection from the OT Scripture. Luke concludes His Gospel by fixing our attention on the ascension of Jesus, viewing the event from the eyes of the disciples, “And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen” (Lk.24:50-53). As it was with the resurrection, so now, following the ascension, two angels are present to speak to the disciples, redirecting their eyes from heaven and speaking to them the promise of Jesus’ return, exactly the same way He had gone from them to heaven so He will return to earth. We do not know if any of the disciples remembered the words of Jesus in the upper room regarding the necessity of His departure in order that the Holy Spirit might come (Jn.16:7). Now, moments before His New Life Radio – Talk No 32
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departure He speaks again of the coming of the Holy Spirit as a baptism of power enabling them to witness to the ends of the earth! Having spoken these amazing prophetic words, He begins to ascend … "After He said this, He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. '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'" (Acts 1:9-11). In considering the events of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and ascension I have kept strictly to the Gospels as the channel through which God communicates these great happenings in Jesus’ life. They are the primary source of our understanding; we must always begin here before we consider anything about the theological significance of these key events in Jesus’ life. Jesus’ departure from earth, meant His personal and permanent absence from His disciples. One thing Jesus did just before He left them was described by John in his Gospel, “So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be to you; just as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained” (Jn.20:21-22). We must not divert our attention from our main objective, but this important event when Jesus breathed into His disciples the Holy Spirit requires a brief explanation. Jesus leaned forwards and breathed (the New Life Radio – Talk No 32
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breath of God) into their nostrils (as it was with Adam’s creation), imparting to them an interim supply of the Holy Spirit to enable them to intercede for the next 10 days until the Holy Spirit was poured out upon them in irresistible power. This a prophetic enactment which is explained by the fact that this significant action of Jesus is wedged between 2 important promises – the first one is a commissioning promise that He will send them forth, just like Father sent Him and the second promise is about the exercise of authority to forgive or to retain sin, which is about preaching the gospel of forgiveness and the consequences of rejecting the gospel of forgiveness. Thus, the inbreathing of the Holy Spirit is clearly for mission and going forth to preach the gospel. We must follow the order of Scripture when seeking to identify the present ministry of the exalted Christ and therefore we turn from the Gospels to the Acts. These two books are coupled together by Luke, thus providing a seamless transition from the narrative of Christ’s life to that of the early church, but the more important coupling is the one Peter makes in his Pentecost sermon. Peter speaks of Jesus’ entombment/burial, His resurrection, His subsequent appearances (during the 40 days) and finally His enthronement. The immediate outcome of His enthronement is Father’s throne-gift of the Holy Spirit, enabling Him to function as the mediator of the new covenant, by imparting the fulness of the Holy Spirit to His waiting disciples. Jesus describes this procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son, “But the Comforter (Parakletos), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (Jn.14:26). New Life Radio – Talk No 32
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“But when the Comforter (Parakletos) comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me” (Jn.15:26).1 Here in this sentence, Jesus clearly identified two activities of the Holy Spirit in the disciples. Firstly, the Spirit will recall to the minds of the disciples the words Jesus spoke throughout His ministry, enabling them to accurately record His words which was the authority behind the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ teaching. Secondly, the Holy Spirit will constantly bear testimony to Jesus who is His focus of the Spirit’s attention. This can be interpreted in a devotional context or a missional context. Certainly, as far as Jesus is concerned the Holy Spirit testifies about Jesus through the disciples, this is a missional focus, “you shall be witnesses to ME” and He is also the power who initiates, expands, and accomplishes mission, - the missionary programme of the church, “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 Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). John the Baptist, beholding Jesus when the Holy Spirit came upon Him at His baptism in the Jordon river, spoke the following prophetic words, “He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit” (Jn.1:33).
1
Note the triune formula in both of these verses.
New Life Radio – Talk No 32
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This prophetic word anticipates Jesus’ ministering the baptism in the Spirit from His position at Father’s right-hand. Jesus affirms this word of prophecy at the very last moment before He ascends, “for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:5). The first work of the Holy Spirit (anticipated by Jesus when He breathed into His disciples the Holy Spirit, just before He ascended) is creative as it was at the very beginning when God breathed into man’s nostrils, “the breath of life” and man became a “living person.” The new, re-created heart is the first work of the Holy Spirit and the foundational work in the life of the disciple. This is part of a total experience which is described as “being filled” with the Holy Spirit. I am not interested in how it comes about in your life, - it might be in one, two or three stages, just so long as you are truly His child by spiritual birth, living by faith and walking in obedience to Him and enjoying continual fellowship with God. Once we are in the fulness of His life then we can begin to define our experience according to Scripture. However, we have to learn how to live experientially the Spirit filled life of trust and obedience. The baptism in the Holy Spirit brings us into union with Christ and the fulness of His resurrection life, opening up for us a dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ and a ministry of service to Him. View the complete narrative of Jesus which Peter presents in Acts ch.2, The person (2:22) and the ministry (2:22), of Jesus Christ: His death (2:23, 36), His burial (2:26-27, 31), His resurrection (2:24, 32). His resurrection appearances (2:24, 30, 31, 32), His ascension (v34), His EXALTATION (2:30, 33, 34, 36), and finally He receives the Holy Spirit (v33). Peter gives a totally comprehensive and uninterrupted account New Life Radio – Talk No 32
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of Jesus’ narrative. We also must follow in this same route in presenting the gospel. The final building block was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (2:17ff, 33), mediated through the Person of Jesus Christ from Father. His being “highly” exalted reminds us of Isaiah’s ascending three-fold exaltation of God’s Suffering Servant, “Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high” (Isa.52:13). The NASV translates, “He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted.” Truly, Jesus has been exalted to the highest place of honour in heaven, inspiring continued worship, and adoration. Many Christians fail to appreciate the importance of Christ’s ascension/exaltation which re-orders the constitution of heaven, Jesus takes His humanity back with Him to heaven! Jesus Christ is given the highest place of honour, placed there by Father so that we also can participate in the eternal praise of Jesus Christ throughout eternity. What does Jesus’ exaltation mean for the rest of the New Testament? Jesus’ exaltation is His enthronement and opens up an entirely new chapter in the life and ministry of Jesus. To address the subject of Christ’s ministry which comes about as a result of His exaltation is far too big to explore fully in this talk. For Luke, the primary and foremost ministry of the exalted of Christ is His continuous mediation of the Holy Spirit, - baptizing men and women in the Holy Spirit and constantly supplying the Holy Spirit in fulness into their lives. d) The apostle Paul and the ascended/exalted Christ Paul describes to the Christians in Rome the same sequence of events which we observed in Peter’s sermon in Acts (see the above New Life Radio – Talk No 32
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paragraphs), but Paul takes it further by describing our life in God as a consequence of these events, “It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us” (Rom.8:34). Note the familiar sequence of events, but also notice how Paul takes it further by referring to Christ’s present ministry of intercession and then, further down in the chapter he refers to Christ’s all conquering love in His children. The verses which follow (vv35-39), describe the dynamism of God’s all conquering, unquenchable and exhilarating love of Christ which triumphs in the life of the Christian. In Ephesians, Paul goes straight from the resurrection to the exaltation, “and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places” (Eph.1:19-20). I think this is significant in that it shows that Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances were simply to minister to the disciples in their confusion at seeing Him risen. This was purely an interim period for their benefit, but in the greater plan of God, Jesus’ resurrection in power took Him straight from the tomb to the throne! Perhaps it was from heaven He came to make His appearances to His disciples. To see Jesus ascending physically from off the ground was indeed assuring to the disciples, so that in their minds they could still see Him as the Christ who lived among them (despite His absence) – now New Life Radio – Talk No 32
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seated on the throne of God, He will still be the Jesus who they had known and lived with. There was no break in their relationship despite the fact that He was no longer present with them physically. Significantly, Jesus had promised that resulting from the coming of the Holy Spirit, “He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.” (Jn.16:14). The self-emptying of the Holy Spirit is in order that he might continually fix our gaze on Jesus. John the Baptist, beholding Jesus when the Holy Spirit came upon Him, spoke the following prophetic words, “… He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit” (Jn.1:33). This prophetic word anticipates Jesus’ ministering the baptism in the Spirit from His position at Father’s right-hand. Jesus affirms this word of prophecy at the very last moment before He ascends, “for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:5). I have emphasised the importance of viewing the historical events of Jesus’ life, before we explore the spiritual significance of these events. I also believe that it is important to view all biblical teaching in the context of the triune God and His character. Let me give you an example of theology grounded in the Person of Jesus Christ, – the eternal Son of Father was incarnated in Mary’s womb and thus, as a consequence of His conception, He will be forever divine and human. In the following example, notice how Christ’s character quality of New Life Radio – Talk No 32
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humility is employed by Paul as the key to understanding His humiliation which was followed immediately by His exaltation, “Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil.2:5-11). We have just read the most incredible words that the apostle Paul ever wrote about the Person of Jesus Christ. Taking the paradigm of humility, Paul has used this character quality of God’s nature as the key whereby Christ understood and interpreted His calling from God and as a result, we see the Person of Christ in a revealingly new light. Rooted firmly in the truth of the conception (begetting) of the eternal Son uniting with the human nature of Jesus we see Him translating humility into total self-emptying to fulfil His calling, which found its full expression/completion in the cross. Following on from Jesus’ humiliation at the cross, Paul immediately speaks of Jesus’ exaltation, based on His humbling in the cross. There is not space here to give an exposition of this key Christological passage, simply to point out that there are two clear contrasts regarding Jesus, - His life from His conception to His death on the cross and then (resulting from His utter self-emptying at the cross), His glorious exaltation, New Life Radio – Talk No 32
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“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name” (v9). The exaltation of Jesus Christ has already taken place, we worship a transfigured and glorified Christ who reigns, who sustains His people, who is worshipped by angels and men/women, a Christ who will return in triumph and glory for His Bride, the church. The ascension marks Christ’s exit from earth and His exaltation marks His entry into heaven and His location/ministry in eternity – so it is incredibly important! It is similar to when we say good-bye to a loved one who departs this life, we have no idea at that moment the significance of their departure and it was just the same for the disciples, they could not conceive what it would mean to them nor what His arrival in heaven would mean for Him. What they were sure about was the continuing reality of the living Christ, this was the result of those days of His repeated visits among them. In 1Cor. Ch.15, Paul describes Jesus’ enthronement, following His death and resurrection. His present ministry is based upon His work of salvation on the cross. This chapter is Paul’s strongest affirmation of the resurrection of Jesus. Earlier, I quoted the first verses of this chapter as the best summary of Jesus’ resurrection appearances. Paul begins by linking the death of Jesus with sin, “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures” (v3), followed directly by a reference to His burial and resurrection, “And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (v4) and then follows His post-resurrection appearances (vv5-8). Then Paul describes the final accomplishment of Christ’s enthronement,
New Life Radio – Talk No 32
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“Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power” (v24). The present reign of Christ is described, “For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all” (15:25-28). Christ reigns from the throne and the result of His reign and the ultimate climax of this chapter is the second coming of Christ (1Cor.15:24-28). One is reminded of the visions of Daniel ch.7. e) The writer to the Hebrews and the ascended/exalted Christ, “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone” (Heb.2:9). The book must be viewed from the perspective of the exalted Christ, although Hebrews is not about warfare and worship but about the position of Christ in His present ministry to the church with a focus on His administration of salvation (as the Apostle) and His pastoral ministry (as the High Priest) to the church (3:1). Due to the Hebrew writer’s typology associated with the Levitical priesthood, he describes Jesus’ exaltation as comparable to the High Priest entering through the vail into the Holy of Holies, New Life Radio – Talk No 32
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“where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever …” (Heb.6:20). He is High Priest and Offering at the same time. As High Priest He offers Himself to Father as the sacrifice for sin. The sacrifice He offers is Himself. His presence on the throne speaks of His full atonement for our sin and as our High Priest He ministers to us all the benefits of His full salvation. Surprisingly, we discover a focus on “the promise,” – “after He had patiently endured, He received the promise” (v15). We have been told already what the promise is, “the heavenly gift … the Holy Spirit” (v4). We learned from Peter that the promised Holy Spirit was the seal of His exaltation. Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant, which began when He poured out the Holy Spirit through His own person (8:6). Jesus’ administers salvation from the throne, “Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption” (Heb.9:12 and v12). Let me remind you that in the thinking of the writer to the Hebrews, entering into the most holy place is Jesus’ entering into heaven and represents His exaltation. Jesus’ blood speaks forgiveness, cleansing and reconciliation with God. Father is satisfied with the sacrifice of His Son and the worth of Jesus’ blood (v14). The following verse emphasises the completion of Christ’s work of salvation, which is affirmed by Father’s exaltation, “But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God” (10:12). The deliberate but simple act of Jesus’ sitting down speaks volumes, - He is telling us that salvation at last is finally
New Life Radio – Talk No 32
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accomplished and all the fruits are ours in Christ. We have access to heaven, we too can enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh” (10:1920). At this point the writer applies the fact of Christ’s exaltation to us, God’s children, - Christ’s exaltation gives us access to His grace and life by us spiritually entering into the holiest place where Christ sits enthroned. A point that Paul made in 1Cor.ch.15 is that Christ’s exaltation anticipates our own exaltation because when Christ returns, we will be caught up in the clouds to be with Him forever, so for all eternity we will share in His exaltation. At present we share His exaltation in the Spirit but then we will share in His exaltation in person – we will be there in our changed bodies and our transfigured faces and so will be with Him forever. The pastoral ministry of Christ, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (4:15). Therefore, He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (7:25) f) The Revelation of Jesus Christ’s ascension/exaltation, The book views Christ as enthroned, taking the same viewpoint as Hebrews, that Christ is exalted, transfigured, and enthroned. John of the Revelation described him as “one like the Son of man” and the New Life Radio – Talk No 32
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head the churches (ch.1-3). The church today has not taken seriously the exalted rule of Christ in the church and His present ministry as it is shown to us in relationship to the seven churches of the Revelation. It is clear that His physical absence from the churches on the earth does not mean His disengagement from its activities nor its spiritual condition, as the enthroned Lamb in Revelation is seen exercising His headship in the churches. Jesus Christ engages prophetically and authoritatively with each congregation, actually with each single person in each congregation. Hebrews emphasised His pastoral ministry, whereby He ministers to us all the benefits of salvation and nourishes and enables us by His continuous intercessions, but the Revelation shows His prophetic diagnostic gift (word of knowedge/wisdom) and His prophetic authority to address the needs of the churches by demanding repentance and He calls for change or speedy judgment. Only God can speak like this. His enthronement by Father includes the authority to rule, to govern and to conquer through spiritual warfare and battle. This warfare in the heavens mirrors the struggles of the churches on the earth which face continual rejection and persecution (12:11). When the Lamb returns in glory and splendour it is to be united with His Bride, but it is also to judge the world at the white throne judgement. He will be present on earth during the time of His millennium reign when Christ will rule in person among the children of men and women. Today He reigns in His kingdom on behalf of His church, yesterday when He was on earth, He exercised His rulership among the poor, the broken and the sick, meeting their needs by the exercise of the immeasurable power of the Holy Spirit’s anointing. The powerful exercise of His rule did not cease when He ascended to heaven but continued to be exercised by the anointing of the Holy Spirit in the New Life Radio – Talk No 32
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ministry of the apostles. “Signs and wonders” continued unabated due to the constant mediation of the Holy Spirit through the person of Christ. Christ’s exaltation means that we worship our exalted and transfigured Lord who John the apostle sees in vision, “And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain” (Rev.5:6). Throughout the entire book (4:2; to 22:1), Jesus Christ is enthroned and therefore the book is taken up with continual 24/7 worship, (5:8-14; 11:15-17; 12:10-11; 15:1-8). Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying: Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
New Life Radio – Talk No 32
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And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.” Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!” And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!” Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twentyfour elders fell down and worshiped [f]Him who lives forever and ever” (5:8-14). “We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was [b]and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned” (Rev.11:15-17). “Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and New Life Radio – Talk No 32
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19/05/2021
The Ascension and Exaltation of Jesus Christ
by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (12:10-11). “Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete. And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: “Great and marvellous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints! 4 Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, For Your judgments have been manifested.” After these things I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. And out of the temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues, clothed in pure bright linen, and having their chests girded with golden bands. Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever. The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed” (15:1-8). New Life Radio – Talk No 32
22 Derrick Harrison
19/05/2021
The Ascension and Exaltation of Jesus Christ
Christ was enthroned in order to reign, which is possible through the exercise of His attributes. He is the only wise God, omniscient in knowledge and discernment, which, linked with His inscrutable righteousness qualifies Him to reign and to judge from God’s “great white throne” (Rev.20:11), but these were not the attributes that come to the fore in the Revelation where He is seen as a warrior king like David, the man after God’s heart. David’s heart was to reign and to conquer and this is what God loved about him. It was not wisdom which caused him to run forwards fearlessly to face Goliath! We must always keep to the fore front of our thinking the first ministry of the exalted Christ (“Christ” means, “the anointed One”) who continuously mediates the Holy Spirit, thus filling His beloved children. The phrase “filled with the Holy Spirit” literally means, “be being filled” – continuous present tense (Eph.5:18). The baptism in the Holy Spirit opens up for us a life “in the Spirit” (Rev.1:10), and continuing fellowship (koinonia) with the triune God. We discover so many outcomes which follow our baptism in the Holy Spirit and Christ’s continual supply of the Holy Spirit. The exalted Christ who initially mediated new birth and sanctification is the Christ who constantly supplies the Holy Spirit to us through His ministry as the mediator of the New Covenant. “We are to be continually filled with all the fulness of God, and to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God” (Eph.3:19; 4:13). “We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned” (Rev.11:17).
New Life Radio – Talk No 32
23 Derrick Harrison
19/05/2021
The Ascension and Exaltation of Jesus Christ
“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!” (Isa.6:1-3).
New Life Radio – Talk No 32
24 Derrick Harrison
19/05/2021