I love to behold Jesus, and by faith grasp the reality of heaven! He ascended in the form of humanity to be our Intercessor, and He is our King! Behold Him who was crucified ascended to the heavenly throne, and know that in Him we find access to our Father. Through sincere prayer we are brought into communion with the mind of the Infinite, and have the exceeding privilege of being made partakers of the divine nature through receiving the grace abundantly poured out to us in His word! As I travel today to get ready to set up for Michigan Camp Meeting, I am so happy to keep my focus on Jesus and I pray that He continues to reveal more of His exceeding loveliness of character that transforms us from glory to glory, from character to character! Heaven is a wonderful place to have our minds dwell!!
"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." {The Desire of Ages, page 834, paragraph 2}
"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 Desire of Ages, page 834, paragraph 3}
"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.' Ephesians 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.' Psalm 85:10. The Father's arms encircle His Son, and the word is given, 'Let all the angels of God worship Him.' Hebrews 1:6. {The Desire of Ages, page 834, paragraph 3}
This is such an amazing scene to behold by faith. Christ, when at the tomb from which He had just arisen 40 days prior had given this message:
"But now in His own familiar voice Jesus said to her, 'Mary.' Now she knew that it was not a stranger who was addressing her, and turning she saw before her the living Christ. In her joy she forgot that He had been crucified. Springing toward Him, as if to embrace His feet, she said, 'Rabboni.' But Christ raised His hand, saying, Detain Me not; 'for I am not yet ascended to My Father: but go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God.' And Mary went her way to the disciples with the joyful message." {The Desire of Ages, page 790, paragraph 2}
Now catch this amazing reality of the risk the Godhead took--as Jesus Himself did not yet know His sacrifice was accepted just after He arose on the morning of the resurrection:
"Jesus refused to receive the homage of His people until He had the assurance that His sacrifice was accepted by the Father. He ascended to the heavenly courts, and from God Himself heard the assurance that His atonement for the sins of men had been ample, that through His blood all might gain eternal life. The Father ratified the covenant made with Christ, that He would receive repentant and obedient men, and would love them even as He loves His Son. Christ was to complete His work, and fulfill His pledge to 'make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.' Isa. 13:12. All power in heaven and on earth was given to the Prince of Life, and He returned to His followers in a world of sin, that He might impart to them of His power and glory." {The Desire of Ages, page 790, paragraph 3}
Having this private interview in the Godhead, Jesus would then return to the world to lift the disciples' faith and prepare them for His glorious ascension 40 days later:
"While the Saviour was in God's presence, receiving gifts for His church, the disciples thought upon His empty tomb, and mourned and wept. The day that was a day of rejoicing to all heaven was to the disciples a day of uncertainty, confusion, and perplexity. Their unbelief in the testimony of the women gives evidence of how low their faith had sunk. The news of Christ's resurrection was so different from what they had anticipated that they could not believe it. It was too good to be true, they thought. They had heard so much of the doctrines and the so-called scientific theories of the Sadducees that the impression made on their minds in regard to the resurrection was vague. They scarcely knew what the resurrection from the dead could mean. They were unable to take in the great subject." {The Desire of Ages, page 790, paragraph 4}
The beautiful truth of how these two accounts is reconciled was made beautifully clear to me just this last Tuesday in answer to earnest prayer with a dear brother in the Lord. When Christ ascended with the risen saints, the scene of when he first went to heaven to know that the sacrifice was accepted seemed to be the same event. But it could not be. There was a beautiful reason Jesus first ascended--it was the first time since He had taken humanity that He actually came into the Father's physical presence! What a reunion for the Godhead, as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are once again united after Christ's sojourn. But in the first interview, Christ receives the assurance that His sacrifice is accepted, thus preparing the way for the public experience of bringing a host of risen saints and having all the angels in heaven publicly worship Him. When Jesus first went to heaven, it was for the sake of the Godhead; when Jesus next ascended to heaven, it was for a public worship and coronation service, and this was authenticated by the gift of Pentecost, for Christ's enthronement meant that all power was to be poured upon His church! I just love how God reveals His beauty of character to us!! Praise God for such a Savior!!