Ancient Words – Miracle of Resurrection: Ascension to the Highest Place
The last and greatest appearance of Jesus happened 10 days before Pentecost. Peter and his fishing crew left Galilee after the 153 fish were caught and after Peter’s one-on-one encounter with the risen Lord. They traveled the 40-mile trip back south to Jerusalem, the journey taking almost a week.
Before leaving Galilee, Jesus had given the 11 apostles what is now called the “Great Commission” (Matt. 28:16-20). Mark also records a similar commission (Mark 16:15-18) by Jesus, but probably given during this same appearance around Galilee. The writer of Acts, Luke the doctor, gives a more precise account of Jesus’ last days on earth and his ascension into heaven as written in Acts 1:1-11 and Luke 24:50-53.
Jesus teaches his now faithful friends about the baptism of the Holy Spirit and answers their final question on a high hill near Bethany (just outside Jerusalem). “For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit…. It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
After saying this, Jesus rose up into the skies and into the clouds before their very eyes. Mark records he was taken up into heaven to sit at the right hand of God. We know of two other men who were taken up to heaven but in their natural bodies. Enoch lived 365 years, walked with God and was taken by God for he was no more (Gen. 5:22-29).
Elijah in 2 Kings 2:8-14, is approached by a chariot of fire pulled by horses of fire and departs on his journey to heaven in a whirlwind. Elijah’s mantle falls to the ground upon his sudden exit and left for Elisha to pick up and continue the divine appointed mission.
I see the two men, Enoch and Elijah, representing now what the two angels say about the ascension of Jesus, immortal as he was. “Men of Galilee, 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.”
I see Jesus ascending much like Enoch, he is there, rising and then He is gone. I see Jesus coming back much like Elijah, with armies of angels and horses and fire and a brilliant display of power (2 Thessalonians 1:5-10, Rev. 19:11-18). Like Elijah, Jesus has dropped his “mantle” for his followers to pick up. The “mantle” of the Holy Spirit has been left to continue the divine appointed mission. For all who will be clothed with this divine mantel and accept the divine appointed mission, there awaits an ascension to the heavens, just like Jesus, and an eternal life free from the bondage of this world’s increasing troubles.
The miracle of resurrection is indeed a mystery! In a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, we will all be changed….(1 Cor. 15:50-58). We will be caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air…and so we will be with the Lord forever (1 John 3:2).
“Dear friends, now we are children of God and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” Therefore encourage each other with these words!
(Scott Johnson is pastor at East Faulkner Church of Christ and author of the BRG Bible).
Sparks From The Gospel Anvil
Hebrews 11:23-26
If you take Moses out of the scriptures, the history of Israel and the story of redemption are left incomplete. Few men cast a greater shadow across the scripture than Moses. For instance, Dr. John Phillips gives us the following facts. Moses is listed 261 times in Exodus, 80 times in Leviticus, 216 times in Numbers, 35 times in Deuteronomy, 51 times in Joshua, 47 times in the other historical books, He is also referred to in the Book of Psalms and the prophets, 37 times in the gospels, 19 times in Acts, 22 times in the epistles, He is also mentioned in Revelation. Altogether he is mentioned 784 times in the Bible; 705 in the Old Testament and 79 times in the New Testament.
But once again, the old adage, “Behind every great man is a great woman,” proves to be true. Jochebed, his mother, gets much of the credit for who he was and what he accomplished. Think about it she had him in spite of Pharoah’s decree! When the Israelites began to multiply, Pharaoh and the Egyptians felt threatened. In the effort to keep them weak and under control, he set taskmasters over and used them as slaves! The more they afflicted them, the more the Israelites grew. Then Pharaoh issued a decree that every male child born to a Hebrew woman was to be killed.
Obviously, to even have a child under such circumstances, not only put the child at risk, but the parents as well. Once again God in His providence overruled and the Hebrew midwives refused to obey Pharaoh’s decree and saved the male children. And as the result, God rewarded the midwives with shelter in the homes of the Hebrews. When questioned by Pharaoh, they simply told them that the Hebrew women delivered their children too quickly. In utter frustration, Pharaoh decreed that every male child was to be drown in the River Nile.
Thank God for the courage of Jochebed and her husband, Amram, to have a child in spite of Pharaoh’s death decree. She also hid him from Pharaoh’s detection. The time came when Moses could no longer be hidden in their homes and other measures had to be taken to insure his safety. The passage, Hebrews 11:23, shares with us that his parents hid him in faith – believing that God would intervene and protect the child.
An ark was made of bulrushes and waterproofed with slime and pitch, then Moses was placed in the ark and it was laid among the flags along the shore of the Nile. How on earth did Moses parents come up with the idea of an ark to save Moses life? Surely they had heard how God saved Noah and his family through an ark – and perhaps God would see fit to save Moses the same way!
And keep in mind, that when God saved Moses, He also saved the Hebrew race because Moses was destined to be their deliverer! Lastly, she held him for Pharaoh’s daughter. Moses is safe in the ark, but for how long? The Bible says that Pharaoh’s daughter came to the river to wash and found him in the ark and it states that she had “compassion on him.”
Moses sister had placed herself close to Pharaoh’s daughter and asked if she could fetch a woman of the Hebrews to nurse and care for the child. How do you like that? Pharaoh had decreed that all male children should die and now he is going to pay child support until Moses is ready to move in with him! And guess who gets to care and nurse for Moses, his own mother, Jochebed! I would like to finish this article by saying, “What a Woman!” Think about it when was the last time you said THANK YOU to your mother?
(Lieutenant Charles Smith is commanding officer of the Salvation Army of El Dorado).