The time had come for Christ to ascend to His Father's throne. As a divine conqueror He was about to return with the trophies of victory to the heavenly courts. Before His death He had declared to His Father, "I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do." John 17:4. After His resurrection He tarried on earth for a season, that His disciples might become familiar with Him in His risen and glorified body. Now He was ready for the leave-taking. He had authenticated the fact that He was a living Saviour. His disciples need no longer associate Him with the tomb. They could think of Him as glorified before the heavenly universe.
As the place of His ascension,
Jesus chose the spot so often hallowed by His presence while He
dwelt among men. Not Mount Zion, the place of David's city, not
Mount Moriah, the temple site, was to be thus honored. There Christ
had been mocked and rejected. There the waves of mercy, still
returning in a stronger tide of love, had been beaten back by
hearts as hard as rock. Thence Jesus, weary and heart-burdened,
had gone forth to find rest in the Mount of Olives. The holy Shekinah,
in departing from the first temple, had stood upon the eastern
mountain, as if loath to forsake the chosen city; so Christ stood
upon Olivet, with yearning heart overlooking Jerusalem. The groves
and glens of the mountain had been consecrated by His prayers
and tears. Its steeps had echoed the triumphant shouts of the
multitude that proclaimed Him king. On its sloping descent He
had found a home with Lazarus at Bethany. In the garden of Gethsemane
at its foot He had prayed and agonized alone. From this mountain
He was to ascend to heaven. Upon its summit His feet will rest
when He shall come again. Not as a man of sorrows, but as a glorious
and triumphant king He will stand upon Olivet, while Hebrew hallelujahs
mingle with Gentile hosannas, and the voices of the redeemed as
a mighty host shall swell the acclamation, "Crown Him Lord
of all!
Now with the eleven disciples
Jesus made His way toward the mountain. As they passed through
the gate of Jerusalem, many wondering eyes looked upon the little
company, led by One whom a few weeks before the rulers had condemned
and crucified. The disciples knew not that this was to be their
last interview with their Master. Jesus spent the time in conversation
with them, repeating His former instruction. As they approached
Gethsemane, He paused, that they might call to mind the lessons
He had given them on the night of His great agony. Again He looked
upon the vine by which He had then represented the union of His
church with Himself and His Father; again He repeated the truths
He had then unfolded. All around Him were reminders of His unrequited
love. Even the disciples who were so dear to His heart, had, in
the hour of His humiliation, reproached and forsaken Him.
Christ had sojourned in the world for thirty-three years; He had endured its scorn, insult, and mockery; He had been rejected and crucified. Now, when about to ascend to His throne of glory,--as He reviews the ingratitude of the people He came to save,--will He not withdraw from them His sympathy and love? Will not His affections be centered upon that realm where He is appreciated, and where sinless angels wait to do His bidding? No; His promise to those loved ones whom He leaves on earth is, "I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Matt. 28:20.
Upon reaching the Mount
of Olives, Jesus led the way across the summit, to the vicinity
of Bethany. Here He paused, and the disciples gathered about Him.
Beams of light seemed to radiate from His countenance as He looked
lovingly upon them. He upbraided them not for their faults and
failures; words of the deepest tenderness were the last that fell
upon their ears from the lips of their Lord. With hands outstretched
in blessing, and as if in assurance of His protecting care, He
slowly ascended from among them, drawn heavenward by a power stronger
than any earthly attraction. As He passed upward, the awe-stricken
disciples looked with straining eyes for the last glimpse of their
ascending Lord. A cloud of glory hid Him from their sight; and
the words came back to them as the cloudy chariot of angels received
Him, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."
At the same time there floated down to them the sweetest and most
joyous music from the angel choir.
While the disciples were still gazing upward, voices addressed them which sounded like richest music. They turned, and saw two angels in the form of men, who spoke
to them, saying, "Ye
men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? 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."
These angels were of the company that had been waiting in a shining cloud to escort Jesus to His heavenly home. The most exalted of the angel throng, they were the two who had come to the tomb at Christ's resurrection, and they had been with Him throughout His life on earth. With eager desire all heaven had waited for the end of His tarrying in a world marred by the curse of sin. The time had now come for the heavenly universe to receive their King. Did not the two angels long to join the throng that welcomed Jesus? But in sympathy and love for those whom He had left, they waited to give them comfort. "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" Heb. 1:14.
Christ had ascended to heaven in the form of humanity. The disciples had beheld the cloud receive Him. The same Jesus who had walked and talked and prayed with them; who had broken bread with them; who had been with them in their boats on the lake; and who had that very day toiled with them up the ascent of Olivet,--the same Jesus had now gone to share His Father's throne. And the angels had assured them that the very One whom they had seen go up into heaven, would come again even as He had ascended. He will come "with clouds; and every eye shall see Him." "The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise." "The Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory." Rev. 1:7; 1 Thess. 4:16; Matt. 25:31. Thus will be fulfilled the Lord's own promise to His disciples: "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." John 14:3. Well might the disciples rejoice in the hope of their Lord's return.
When the disciples went
back to Jerusalem, the people looked upon them with amazement.
After the trial and crucifixion of Christ, it had been thought
that they would appear downcast and ashamed. Their enemies expected
to see upon their faces an expression of sorrow and defeat. Instead
of this there was only gladness and triumph. Their faces were
aglow with a happiness not born of earth. They did not mourn over
disappointed hopes, but were full of praise and thanksgiving to
God. With rejoicing they told the wonderful story of Christ's
resurrection and His ascension to heaven, and their testimony
was received by many.
The disciples no longer had any distrust of the future. They knew that Jesus was in heaven, and that His sympathies were with them still. They knew that they had a friend at the throne of God, and they were eager to present their requests to the Father in the name of Jesus. In solemn awe they bowed in prayer, repeating the assurance, "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." John 16:23, 24. They extended the hand of faith higher and higher, with the mighty argument, "It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." Rom. 8:34. And Pentecost brought them fullness of joy in the presence of the Comforter, even as Christ had promised.
All heaven was waiting to welcome the Saviour to the celestial courts. As He ascended, He led the way, and the multitude of captives set free at His resurrection followed. The heavenly host, with shouts and acclamations of praise and celestial song, attended the joyous train.
As they drew near to the city of God, the challenge is given by the escorting angels,--
"Lift up your heads,
O ye gates;
And be ye lift up, ye everlasting
doors;
And the King of glory shall
come in."
Joyfully the waiting sentinels
respond,--
"Who is this King of
glory?"
This they say, not because
they know not who He is, but because they would hear the answer
of exalted praise,--
"The Lord strong and
mighty,
The Lord mighty in battle!
Lift up your heads, O ye gates;
Even lift them up, ye everlasting
doors;
And the King of glory shall
come in."
Again is heard the challenge,
"Who is this King of glory?" for the angels never weary
of hearing His name exalted. The escorting angels make reply,--
"The Lord of hosts;
He is the King of glory."
Ps. 24:7-10.
Then the portals of the city
of God are opened wide, and the angelic throng sweep through the
gates amid a burst of rapturous music.
There is the throne, and around it the rainbow of promise. There are cherubim and seraphim. The commanders of the angel hosts, the sons of God, the representatives of the unfallen worlds, are assembled. The heavenly council before which Lucifer had accused God and His Son, the representatives of those sinless realms over which Satan had thought to establish his dominion,--all are there to welcome the Redeemer. They are eager to celebrate His triumph and to glorify their King.
But He waves them back. Not yet; He cannot now receive the coronet of glory and the royal robe. He enters into the presence of His Father. He points to His wounded head, the pierced side, the marred feet; He lifts His hands, bearing the print of nails. He points to the tokens of His triumph; He presents to God the wave sheaf, those raised with Him as representatives of that great multitude who shall come forth from the grave at His second coming. He approaches the Father, with whom there is joy over one sinner that repents; who rejoices over one with singing. Before the foundations of the earth were laid, the Father and the Son had united in a covenant to redeem man if he should be overcome by Satan. They had clasped Their hands in a solemn pledge that Christ should become the surety for the human race. This pledge Christ has fulfilled. When upon the cross He cried out, "It is finished," He addressed the Father. The compact had been fully carried out. Now He declares: Father, it is finished. I have done Thy will, O My God. I have completed the work of redemption. If Thy justice is satisfied, "I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am." John 19:30; 17:24.
The voice of God is heard proclaiming that justice is satisfied. Satan is vanquished. Christ's toiling, struggling ones on earth are "accepted in the Beloved." Eph. 1:6. Before the heavenly angels and the representatives of unfallen worlds, they are declared justified. Where He is, there His church shall be. "Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other." Ps. 85:10. The Father's arms encircle His Son, and the word is given, "Let all the angels of God worship Him." Heb. 1:6.
With joy unutterable, rulers and principalities and powers acknowledge the supremacy of the Prince of life. The angel host prostrate themselves before Him, while the glad shout fills all the courts of heaven, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing." Rev. 5:12.
Songs of triumph mingle with the music from angel harps, till heaven seems to overflow with joy and praise. Love has conquered. The lost is found. Heaven rings with voices in lofty strains proclaiming, "Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever." Rev. 5:13.
From that scene of heavenly joy, there comes back to us on earth the echo of Christ's own wonderful words, "I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God." John 20:17. The family of heaven and the family of earth are one. For us our Lord ascended, and for us He lives. "Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them." Heb. 7:25.
