Covenant of Peace: A Return to Holiness

5.1 Ascension

The natural man, Jesus, died on the cross. Subsequently, the disciples witnessed Jesus' return from the grave. Having a spiritual nature, He miraculously appeared among the disciples as described in Luke 24:36.

1 Luke 24:36

36 As they said these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, "Peace be to you."

In Luke 24:37-43, Jesus calmed their fears and revealed that He had been resurrected with a physical body, with which He could partake of food and drink and experience physical touch.

7 Luke 24:37-43

37 But they were terrified and filled with fear, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

38 He said to them, "Why are you troubled? Why do doubts arise in your hearts?

39 See my hands and my feet, that it is truly me. Touch me and see, for a spirit doesn't have flesh and bones, as you see that I have."

40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.

41 While they still didn't believe for joy, and wondered, he said to them, "Do you have anything here to eat?"

42 They gave him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb.

43 He took them, and ate in front of them.

Luke 24:44-48 describes Jesus instructing His disciples and preparing them for ministry.

5 Luke 24:44-48

44 He said to them, "This is what I told you, while I was still with you, that all things which are written in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me must be fulfilled."

45 Then he opened their minds, that they might understand the Scriptures.

46 He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,

47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem."

48 You are witnesses of these things.

Luke was also the author of the book of Acts. In Acts 1:1-3, Luke reiterated that Jesus proved that He was indeed alive and taught about God's Kingdom.

3 Acts 1:1-3

1 The first book I wrote, Theophilus, concerned all that Jesus began both to do and to teach,

2 until the day in which he was received up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.

3 To these he also showed himself alive after he suffered, by many proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking about God's Kingdom.

In Luke 24:9, Jesus commanded the apostles to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father, which he describes as being clothed with power from on high.

1 Luke 24:9

49 "Behold, I send out the promise of my Father on you. But wait in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high."

Luke described the same thing in Acts 1:4-5, referring to it as the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

2 Acts 1:4-5

4 Being assembled together with them, he commanded them, "Don't depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which you heard from me.

5 For John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

All these things provide us with the context for Acts 1:6, which is probably the most crucial question that the disciples asked Jesus, but it might seem out of place. All of Jesus' disciples had come to ask this question, but why?

1 Acts 1:6

6 Lord, are you now restoring the kingdom to Israel?

What they were basically asking was, "So, Jesus, what's next? He was still with them - why was that? We cannot assume that they expected the ascension. Jesus had conquered death. He was the most powerful person on the planet - nothing could stand in His way. When they asked about restoring the kingdom to Israel, it was natural for them to think that "here was their king," who would carry out that expectation. Besides, they were the first disciples of this conquering and unstoppable kingdom. What army could stand against Him? Besides, they were the first disciples of this conquering and unstoppable kingdom.

They obviously weren't thinking about when Jesus would return at some future date - He was right there. According to Luke 24:44, Jesus would have explained to them the Messianic prophesies of the Old Testament that pertained to King David and the New Covenant. They knew Jesus was the Messiah and the Son of David. They had been clearly informed that they had yet to be empowered by the Holy Spirit, but until it occurred, they could not fully fathom what it meant. Because Jesus had already departed on the cross and returned to them, they might have failed to grasp that what Jesus said in John 16:7 referred to His imminent ascension.

1 John 16:7

7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I don't go away, the Counselor won't come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

Maybe they were wondering about the new org chart. Would each of them lead a separate tribe in Israel? They had already replaced Judas' empty seat with Matthias; after all, there had to be some significance to being twelve of them.

When they asked if God was going to restore the kingdom to Israel, they could easily assume that they were Israel. They weren't thinking of some charismatic zealot like Barrabas. Especially after what happened to Judas, they weren't going to sell Jesus or themselves short. They were the ones being trained to take the battle to a new level.

Galatians 6:15-16 describes the New Creation of God's Greater Israel.

2 Galatians 6:15-16

15 For in Christ Jesus neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

16 As many as walk by this rule, peace and mercy be on them, and on God's Israel.

If there was anything that they learned, it was that Jesus kept surprising them throughout his ministry. So, asking what's next was a good question. Jesus was probably waiting for them to ask the question. They were personally selected and trained in Jesus' Greater Glory School of Ministry. It seems they were fully prepared. Wouldn't you want to know what Jesus had in mind?

Jesus' answer to "What's next?" followed in Acts 1:7-8.

2 Acts 1:7-8

7 He said to them, "It isn't for you to know times or seasons which the Father has set within his own authority.

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth."

This is a theologically rich response. First, Jesus was telling them to stop speculating and assuming what Jesus was going to do next. Secondly, Jesus referred to the will of the Father. What did His disciples think about Jesus' relationship with the Father? Their understanding was based on John 14:6-7.

2 John 14:6-7

6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.

7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on, you know him, and have seen him."

They were witnessing Jesus in his role as the begotten Son of God, expressing His own spiritual nature as the exact imprint and nature of the Father. The Father's will was Jesus' will, and Jesus' will was the Father's will. Father and Son can never have a conflicting agenda.

Thirdly, they were soon to be further enlightened when the Greater Glory of the baptism of the Holy Spirit occurred on Pentecost. In conjunction with that empowerment, Jesus emphasized the territory of the Greater Israel. It set them on a new mission - to take the gospel to the ends of the earth and not just to the boundaries of Israel. The Greater Glory of the New Covenant extended God's promises to every people and tongue who place their faith in Jesus Christ.

With that parting statement, the ascension occurred as described in Acts 1:9-11.

4 Acts 1:9-11

9 When he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight.

10 While they were looking steadfastly into the sky as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white clothing,

11 who also said, "You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who was received up from you into the sky, will come back in the same way as you saw him going into the sky."

It certainly answered the "What's next?" question.

After His ascension, Jesus never again appeared to any of His disciples in bodily form. However, John 14:16-20 provides insight into Jesus and the Father coming to His Greater Israel through the Holy Spirit.

5 John 14:16-20

16 I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, that he may be with you forever:

17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world can't receive; for it doesn't see him and doesn't know him. You know him, for he lives with you, and will be in you.

18 I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you.

19 Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more; but you will see me. Because I live, you will live also.

20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.

Acts 1:9 above introduces a cloud that took Jesus out of their sight. It was no ordinary cloud. It was a portal between heaven and earth.

After Jesus' resurrection, He exhibited characteristics of both a physical and a glorified body; however, after he was received up into the cloud, He no longer retained a physical body.

There are two other instances of physical to spiritual transformation in the Bible. Enoch and Elijah were both taken up to heaven and never saw death because they pleased God.

Peter, James, and John understood the concept of the cloud due to their experience on the Mount of Transfiguration, as described in Luke 9:28-36. Notice how Jesus took on the appearance of a glorified body.

9 Luke 9:28-36

28 About eight days after these sayings, he took with him Peter, John, and James, and went up onto the mountain to pray.

29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became white and dazzling.

30 Behold, two men were talking with him, who were Moses and Elijah,

31 who appeared in glory, and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they were fully awake, they saw his glory, and the two men who stood with him.

33 As they were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let's make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah, not knowing what he said.

34 While he said these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered into the cloud.

35 A voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him!"

36 When the voice came, Jesus was found alone. They were silent, and told no one in those days any of the things which they had seen.

Don't listen to Moses or Elijah or anyone else - listen to Jesus!

In 2 Peter 1:16-18, Peter commented on this experience, specifically the coming of Jesus to earth in power, of which Peter and the other apostles were eyewitnesses.

3 2 Peter 1:16-18

16 For we didn't follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

17 For he received from God the Father honor and glory when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

18 We heard this voice come out of heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.

Jesus revealed what a glorified body would look like on the other side of the cloud. He also proved that He had a unique relationship with the Father that surpassed God's relationship with Moses and Elijah. Moses and Elijah were subordinate to Him, even as the disciples should be.

Elijah was held in high esteem. In Matthew 27:46-49, some of the "bystanders" thought Elijah would rescue Jesus from the cross.

4 Matthew 27:46-49

46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lima sabachthani?"" That is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

47 Some of them who stood there, when they heard it, said, "This man is calling Elijah."

48 Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with vinegar, put it on a reed, and gave him a drink.

49 The rest said, "Let him be. Let's see whether Elijah comes to save him.

At one point, there was confusion about Jesus being Elijah reincarnated, but Jesus clarified this issue before He died, revealing the truth to Peter in Luke 9:18-20.

3 Luke 9:18-20

18 As he was praying alone, the disciples were with him, and he asked them, "Who do the multitudes say that I am?"

19 They answered, "'John the Baptizer,' but others say, 'Elijah,' and others, that one of the old prophets has risen again."

20 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered, "The Christ of God."

Revelation 4:1-11 describes what the heavenly realm, which is the domain of the Father's eternal existence, looked like before Jesus ascended.

11 Revelation 4:1-11

1 After these things I looked and saw a door opened in heaven, and the first voice that I heard, like a trumpet speaking with me, was one saying, "Come up here, and I will show you the things which must happen after this."

2 Immediately I was in the Spirit. Behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and one sitting on the throne

3 that looked like a jasper stone and a sardius. There was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald to look at.

4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones. On the thrones were twenty-four elders sitting, dressed in white garments, with crowns of gold on their heads

5 Out of the throne proceed lightnings, sounds, and thunders. There were seven lamps of fire burning before his throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

6 Before the throne was something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal. In the middle of the throne, and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes before and behind.

7 The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like a man, and the fourth was like a flying eagle.

8 The four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within. They have no rest day and night, saying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come!"

9 When the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to him who sits on the throne, to him who lives forever and ever,

10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives forever and ever, and throw their crowns before the throne, saying,

11 "Worthy are you, our Lord and God, the Holy One, to receive the glory, the honor, and the power, for you created all things, and because of your desire they existed, and were created!"

Through John's eyes, we gain a front-row seat in the throne room of God, who is described as having the appearance of precious jewels known as jasper and carnelian. It was a prelude to seeing the ascended Jesus in the form of a sacrificial Lamb in Revelation 5:1-14.

15 Revelation 5:1-14

1 I saw, in the right hand of him who sat on the throne, a book written inside and outside, sealed shut with seven seals.

2 I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the book, and to break its seals?"

3 No one in heaven above, or on the earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book or to look in it.

4 Then I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look in it.

5 One of the elders said to me, "Don't weep. Behold, the Lion who is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome: he who opens the book and its seven seals."

6 I saw in the middle of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the middle of the elders, a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.

7 Then he came, and he took it out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne.

8 Now when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

9 They sang a new song, saying, "You are worthy to take the book and to open its seals: for you were killed, and bought us for God with your blood out of every tribe, language, people, and nation,

10 and made us kings and priests to our God, and we will reign on the earth."

11 I saw, and I heard something like a voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders. The number of them was ten thousands of ten thousands, and thousands of thousands;

12 saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who has been killed to receive the power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing!"

13 I heard every created thing which is in heaven, on the earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them, saying, "To him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion, forever and ever! Amen!"

14 The four living creatures said, "Amen!" Then the elders fell down and worshiped

Prior to the ascension in Revelation 4:5, the seven spirits of God were represented by seven lamps of fire. After the ascension in Revelation 5:6, the seven spirits of God are represented by seven horns and eyes upon the Lamb, which are sent out into all the earth.

These seven spirits were introduced in the messianic prophecy of Isaiah 11:1-5.

5 Isaiah 11:1-5

1 A shoot will come out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots will bear fruit.

2 Yahweh's Spirit will rest on him: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Yahweh.

3 His delight will be in the fear of Yahweh. He will not judge by the sight of his eyes, neither decide by the hearing of his ears;

4 but he will judge the poor with righteousness, and decide with equity for the humble of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the breath of his lips he will kill the wicked.

5 Righteousness will be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his waist.

The first of the seven Spirits, which corresponds to the Holy Spirit, is that which embodies the other six. In Proverbs 8:12-14, we discover how some of these six spirits are personified and have relationships with each other.

3 Proverbs 8:12-14

12 I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling. Find out knowledge and discretion.

13 The fear of Yahweh is to hate evil. I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth.

14 Counsel and sound knowledge are mine. I have understanding and power.

Jesus was worshipped exactly like the one on the throne in holiness and adoration. He looked like he had been slain but lived following His crucifixion. Jesus ascended to the throne room of God the Father as the Lamb of God. Jesus took the book out of the right hand of the Father - He alone was worthy to do so.

Hebrews 1:1-4 describes how Jesus sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high when He ascended.

4 Hebrews 1:1-4

1 God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,

2 has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds

3 >His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, who, when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high,

4 having become as much better than the angels as the more excellent name he has inherited is better than theirs.

Inheritance typically involves the death of one and ascendancy to the position and belongings of all that was left to Him, but the Father did not die. The one who died was the Son, but death could not contain Him. The Word, who was God, was with God and who proceeded from the Father, returned to Him with a glorified body.

In Hebrews 1:8-12, Jesus is elevated from standing before the throne of God to being the one who rules with the scepter. While Jesus inherited the complete authority of God, verse 10 indicates that the Son was instrumental in all aspects of creation.

5 Hebrews 1:8-12

8 But of the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your Kingdom.

9 You have loved righteousness and hated iniquity; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows."

10 And, "You, Lord, in the beginning, laid the foundation of the earth. The heavens are the works of your hands.

11 They will perish, but you continue. They all will grow old like a garment does.

12 You will roll them up like a mantle, and they will be changed; but you are the same. Your years won't fail."

Jesus had no physical children. His role was not to take up God's original commandment to be fruitful and to multiply in human offspring. This confirms that God's purpose remained as it always was - to empower humanity to rule from a position of honor and obedience to God. After the fall, this could only happen with the forgiveness of sins.

When we consider the Lamb before the throne in Revelation 5, there is no indication of Satan's whereabouts. However, Revelation 12:7-10 reveals that there was no longer a place found for Satan in heaven and that he was thrown down. This was because of the salvation, the power, and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ had come after the resurrection and ascension.

4 Revelation 12:7-10

7 There was war in the sky. Michael and his angels made war on the dragon. The dragon and his angels made war.

8 They didn't prevail. No place was found for them any more in heaven.

9 The great dragon was thrown down, the old serpent, he who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

10 I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation, the power, and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ has come; for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night."

Satan is ruthless - he vexes humanity with temptation, after which people experience separation from God, consisting of guilt, condemnation, and shame, all of which comprise spiritual death. There is constant anxiety, an unwillingness to confess sin for fear of judgment, and a lack of spiritual and emotional peace. Having disobeyed God, people rationalize sinning again because they no longer believe that God can forgive and restore them to spiritual wholeness.

After a person has yielded to temptation, Satan becomes a self-appointed prosecuting attorney, accusing sinners of falling short of God's law. The problem is that the law merely provides knowledge of sin, as stated in Romans 3:19-20.

Romans 3:19-20

19 Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God.

20 Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.

This was the kind of elder brother attitude that Satan demonstrated. There was no place for the prodigal son to return home. However, Jesus came with truth and grace. It was a combination of truth about disobedience, but grace for turning from sin. Romans 8:3-4 describes this paradox.

2 Romans 8:3-4

3 For what the law couldn't do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh;

4 that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

This also points us to God's Greater Glory in the New Covenant. The law was like the lesser glory of Moses' face when bringing the Ten Commandments down the mountain, but the greater Glory of God was manifest in those who walk according to the Spirit, as emphasized in Romans 8:1-2.

2 Romans 8:1-2

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don't walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.