Chapter
87
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To My Father, and Your Father
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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.
The
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