ASCENSION
The Ascension of Jesus Christ is frequently misunderstood and ignored. Too often the Church celebrates the day Jesus came to earth more than the day He physically left the earth. It is treated like its main function is to explain why Jesus is not around anymore.
However, not only is it a necessary part of God’s plan, but it is part of the disciples proof of Jesus’ messianic identity. In the early days of the Church, they proclaimed it equally with the Crucifixion and the Resurrection (Acts 2:33-36; 3:18-21; 5:30-31).
His ascension signified the completion of His time on earth, but also was the event that allowed the Holy Spirit to come forth (John 16:7) and indwell believers at the Feast of Pentecost, ten days later (Acts 2:1-4). Christ was preparing His disciples for His departure by promising them real hope:
And 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 - KJV).
So, the Ascension is not like a magician vanishing in a puff of smoke but is the triumphant act that crowns both the royal and priestly ministries of the Messiah. As David’s heir, He ascends to reign; as the great high priest He completes the work of the atoning sacrifice.
DAVID’S HEIR
The Ascension is a fulfillment of the prophetic vision in Daniel 7:13-14, where the Son of Man, in the clouds of heaven, comes to the Ancient of Days and is given dominion of an everlasting kingdom. The prophecy shows Messiah’s rule beginning with a heavenly reign, not an earthly one. If Jesus had stayed on earth to claim His kingship, He could not have been the Messiah, for this prophecy shows the true Son of Man ascending into the presence of God to be given His reign. Now that Jesus is on His throne, seated at the right hand of the Father, the signs of the messianic age are being fulfilled before our eyes. The Ascension was the beginning of His heavenly reign that will end with a complete victory.
THE GREAT HIGH PRIEST
Romans 3:25 tells us that Jesus’ death on the cross was a sacrifice of atonement whereby our sins are fully and finally forgiven, and this view has held up for hundreds of years in Christianity. However, the Jewish believers would say that the Cross was an incomplete ritual of sacrifice. They knew that the sinner needed another step for atonement – after the sacrifice is slain, a high priest would take the sacrificial blood into the presence of God. The clear parallel is the annual Day of Atonement, when the sacrifice for the people’s sin was killed at the altar and the high priest would take the blood of that sacrifice into the Holy of Holies, into the presence of God, and present the blood of the sacrifice. He would come back out with the assurance of salvation for the people. The implication is that the Ascension was the necessary next step after the Cross. I do not want to imply that there is any insufficiency of Jesus’ saving work on the Cross, only that the completed sacrifice was intended to be followed up by the next step, which was taking the blood of the sacrifice into the presence of God, into the true Holy of Holies.
The ritual of the Day of Atonement wasn’t just going up into the temple and God’s presence, but also coming back again. Then this present time of Jesus’s absence is the period of His priestly ministry, as He continues to intercede for us in the presence of God the Father. And then at some point in time, He will leave His Father’s presence to return to His people.
For Jesus to be the prophesied messianic king who comes to defeat humanity’s enemies and returns to claim His throne as described in Daniël 7, He must ascend. To be the great high priest, He must compete the ritual by bringing His sacrifice into the presence of God. So the Ascension is not an event to be ignored. It is the climax of the Messiah’s passion and the setup of His final great return.
All Scripture quotes are from the KJV.
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Rob Harley, an accomplished accountant with over four decades of experience, is a devoted follower of Jesus Christ, who has dedicated his life to studying and sharing the message of salvation. With degrees in Accounting and Christian Education & Administration, he has led impactful Bible studies for diverse age groups for over 25 years, while nurturing a strong faith-based family in Central Florida.
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