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In this lesson we will look at the prophecies in the Old Testament concerning Christ’s ascension. After His resurrection Christ appeared to His disciples over a period of forty days. Thereafter, in the presence of His disciples He ascended into heaven from Mount Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, being taken up by a cloud (Acts 1:3, 9-12). After His ascension Christ sat down at the right hand of God, the Majesty, on the throne of the authority of God to exercise dominion over the universe for God. Moreover, He was crowned with glory and honor to carry out God’s eternal economy in His heavenly ministry and office. As the High Priest, Christ intercedes for His believers and takes care of their case. He also poured out the Spirit upon His sons and daughters that they may become the corporate and enlarged Christ (2:1-4, 16-18).
Psalm 110:1 is a prophecy concerning the resurrected Christ being seated at the right hand of God in ascension: “Jehovah declares to my Lord, / Sit at My right hand / Until I make Your enemies / Your footstool.” This verse is quoted numerous times in the New Testament (Matt. 22:44; Mark 12:36; Luke 20:42-43; Acts 2:34-35; Heb. 1:13), indicating that the writers of the New Testament testified unanimously that Christ’s ascension fulfilled the prophecy in Psalm 110:1. The right hand of God is the highest place in the universe. After His ascension Christ sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high (Heb. 1:3). Acts 2:34 also speaks of the Lord Jesus sitting at God’s right hand, which is the position of glory, honor, and power (Exo. 15:6; 1 Kings 2:19; Mark 14:62). Sitting at the right hand of God implies Christ’s kingship. In His ascension He was made the Lord, the Christ, the Leader of the entire universe, and the Savior (Acts 2:36; 5:31; 10:36).
Christ’s ascension is not merely a matter of His being in a place but of His being in a person, the Father. In His ascension Christ entered into the Father’s being and sat down there. Christ’s ascension and His sitting on the right hand of God also stress the fact that Christ has accomplished everything for God and us, leaving nothing for us to do. His sitting at the right hand of God signifies that His work has been accomplished and that He is resting there, waiting for only one thing—for God to set His enemies as His footstool so that He may have complete rest.
Psalm 8:4-8 prophesied concerning Christ being a man, a little inferior to the angels, but in ascension being crowned with glory and honor and set over the works of God’s hands. The fulfillment of this prophecy is confirmed in Hebrews 2:6-9. The first man, Adam, who was created by God in Genesis 1, failed to accomplish God’s purpose for man. Psalm 8 then alludes in the way of prophecy to another man who will replace the first man to fulfill God’s purpose. Hebrews 2 says that this other man, the second man, who is Jesus, has come and has accomplished so much for the fulfilling of God’s desire in man. This is revealed in Genesis 1:26 and 28 and is alluded to in Psalm 8:4-8. The first man, Adam, failed, but the second man, Christ, succeeded by replacing the first man.
Hebrews 2:9 says, “We see Jesus, who was made a little inferior to the angels because of the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor.” Glory is the splendor related to Jesus’ person; honor is the preciousness related to Jesus’ worth, value, and dignity, which is related to His position (2 Pet. 1:17; cf. 1 Pet. 2:17; Rom. 13:7). In 1 Peter 2:7 the Greek word for preciousness is the same as for honor in Hebrews 2:9. After Christ was crowned with glory and honor in His ascension, God gave Him the dominion over all things in His exaltation: “You have made Him a little inferior to the angels; You have crowned Him with glory and honor and have set Him over the works of Your hands” (v. 7). This is similar to what God did with Adam. Adam lost the authority that God had given him, but according to the prophecy in Psalm 8, Christ recovered what Adam lost. The same dominion has now been given to Christ as the second man. He has been crowned with glory and honor and entrusted with the divine dominion, which was lost by the first man, to rule over the entire universe created by God’s hands.
Isaiah 52:13 prophesied concerning Christ being exalted, lifted up, and made very high: “My Servant will act wisely and will prosper; / He will be exalted and lifted up and very high.” Ephesians 1:20-21 refers to the fulfillment of this prophecy: “Which He caused to operate in Christ in raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavenlies, far above all rule and authority and power and lordship and every name that is named not only in this age but also in that which is to come.” God’s right hand, where Christ was seated by the surpassingly great power of God, is the most honorable place, the place with supreme authority. The great power that God caused to operate in Christ seated Him at God’s right hand in the heavenlies, far above all. Rule refers to the highest office, authority to every kind of official power (Matt. 8:9), power to the mere might of authority, lordship to the preeminence that power establishes, and every name that is named refers not only to titles of honor but also to every name. Therefore, Christ in His ascension is far above not only the angelic, heavenly authorities, whether good or evil, but also the human, earthly ones. The ascended Christ was seated by the great power of God far above all rule, authority, power, and lordship in the universe. He is also far above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
Psalm 8:6b says, “You have put all things under His feet.” This prophecy speaks of God’s intention to subject all things under the feet of the ascended Christ (Eph. 1:22). God has caused all things to be subjected under Christ’s feet. On the one hand, the ascended Christ is far above all; on the other hand, all things have been subjected under His feet. The former is Christ’s transcendency; the latter is the subjection of all things to Him. The power that God caused to operate in Christ has put all things under the feet of the ascended Christ and has given the ascended Christ to be Head over all things to the church (v. 22b). Whatever Christ the Head has attained and obtained has now been transmitted to His Body, the church (v. 23a).
Psalm 68:18 prophesied, “You have ascended on high; You have led captive those taken captive; / You have received gifts among men, / Even the rebellious ones also, / That Jehovah God may dwell among them.” Isaiah 53:12a prophesied, “I [Jehovah] will divide to Him [the ascended Christ] a portion with the Great, / And He will divide the spoil with the Strong.” The fulfilment of these two prophecies is confirmed in Ephesians 4:8: “Therefore the Scripture says, ‘Having ascended to the height, He led captive those taken captive and gave gifts to men.’”
Psalm 68:1 is a quotation of Numbers 10:35: “When the Ark set out, Moses said, Rise up, O Jehovah, and let Your enemies be scattered; / And let those who hate You flee before You.” The background of Psalm 68 is God’s move in the tabernacle with the Ark as its center. Wherever the Ark, a type of Christ, went, victory was won. Eventually, the Ark ascended triumphantly to the top of Mount Zion, indicating that Christ would win the victory and ascend triumphantly to the heavens.
According to Isaiah 53:12a, God divides to the ascended Christ a portion with the Great, and Christ divides the spoil with the Strong. This means that in Christ’s ascension, there was a demonstration of Christ’s victory by the sharing of the captives, the spoil, taken in Christ’s victory with God the Father, who is “the Great” and “the Strong.” Christ is a Warrior. On the cross and in His resurrection Christ fought the battle, gained the victory, and took spoil from Satan. This is prophesied in Psalm 68:18: “You have ascended on high; You have led captive those taken captive.” This is also referred to in Ephesians 4:8: “Having ascended to the height, He led captive those taken captive.” This clearly indicates that in His ascension Christ led captive the saved sinners who had been taken captive by Satan before they were saved through Christ’s death and resurrection. In His ascension Christ led them captive; that is, He rescued them from Satan’s captivity and took them to Himself. Therefore, His ascension implies that His enemies have been defeated. Before Christ ascended, He vanquished every foe. In His ascension He led a train of vanquished foes, as captives from a war, to the heavens in His triumphal procession for a celebration of His victory.
Christ brought these captives to the heavens and presented them to the Father as gifts. Upon receiving the gifts, God the Father gave these captives back to Christ the Son as gifts. After Christ received the captives from the Father as gifts, He transformed the captives in His resurrected life and made them gifts (v. 8b). Then He gave them as gifts to the church, His Body. Hence, Psalm 68:18 prophesied that the ascended Christ would receive gifts, but Ephesians 4:8 says that in fulfilment the ascended Christ gave gifts. On the one hand, when Christ ascended to the height, He received gifts from God. On the other hand, the ascended Christ gave gifts to the church. These gifts are the persons listed in Ephesians 4:11—the apostles, prophets, evangelists, and shepherds and teachers. In His ascension Christ made His captured sinners gifts by means of His resurrected life and gave them to the church for the perfecting of the saints unto the building up of His Body. What an ascended Christ!
Joel 2:28-29 prophesied concerning Jehovah pouring out His Spirit upon all His sons and daughters. This prophecy was fulfilled in its initial step on the day of the Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4, 16-21). Acts 2:33 says, “Having been exalted to the right hand of God and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, He has poured out this which you both see and hear.” This refers to how the ascended Christ became the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit poured out on the day of Pentecost is the Spirit of God compounded with Christ’s humanity, death, resurrection, and ascension as the realization of Christ and the ultimate consummation of the Triune God. The Triune God poured Himself upon those who called on the name of the Lord. This outpouring produced the church. By this outpouring of the consummated Spirit, all the disciples and saved ones on the day of Pentecost became members of the corporate Christ. By such an outpouring the individual Christ has become the corporate Christ, the enlarged, increased Christ, which is the church as the manifestation of God in the flesh (1 Tim. 3:15-16). Prior to this outpouring, there were only the Jews and the Gentiles; through the outpouring of the Spirit, the church as a third entity has been produced (1 Cor. 10:32).
The prophecy in Joel 2:28-29 was fulfilled as a foretaste on the day of the Pentecost, and it will be fulfilled as a full taste at Christ’s second coming. At that time God will fulfill His promise of the salvation to Israel, His chosen people, by pouring out His Spirit as the late rain (v. 23) to save and regenerate many returned Israelites.
Psalm 110:4 says, “Jehovah has sworn, / And He will not change: / You are a Priest forever / According to the order of Melchizedek.” This is a prophecy concerning Christ in His heavenly ministry as the Priest ordained by God with an oath according to the order of Melchizedek. The fulfilment of this prophecy is referred to in Hebrews 5:6-10.
Hebrews 5:6, a quotation of Psalm 110, says, “You are a Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” This refers to the ascension and enthronement of Christ (vv. 1-4). The order of Melchizedek is higher than the order of Aaron. The order of Aaron was for the priesthood that was only in humanity, whereas the order of Melchizedek is for the priesthood that is in both humanity and divinity. Aaron was made the high priest in honor only for his lifetime, because death prevented him from continuing his service. But as the Son of God, Christ is a Priest forever in glory according to the order of Melchizedek, because with Him there is no preventing of death (Heb. 7:23-24). As such a High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, He can minister to us whatever we need and save us to the uttermost (v. 25). Since we have “a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God,” we should “therefore come forward with boldness to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace for timely help” (4:14-16).
Isaiah 22:22 says, “I will set the key of the house of David upon his shoulder— / When he opens, no one will shut; / When he shuts, no one will open.” The fulfilment of this prophecy is confirmed in Revelation 3:7, because the Lord calls Himself “the Holy One, the true One, the One who has the key of David, the One who opens and no one will shut, and shuts and no one opens.” David fought for God, established the kingdom, and prepared everything for the building of the holy temple. Christ the King-Savior is the real David (Matt. 12:3). The resurrected Christ in His ascension is seated at the right hand of the Majesty on high (22:44; Mark 12:36; Luke 20:42-43; Acts 2:34-35; Heb. 1:13), as the Leader of the universe (Acts 2:36; 5:31; 10:36), having the authority to rule sovereignly over all things. Therefore, the key of David is the key of the kingdom, God’s key for ruling the universe. Christ holds the key of David; He has authority to open and shut in order to establish God’s kingdom, God’s dominion, and to build up God’s dwelling, God’s temple.
According to Revelation 3 the ascended Christ has the key of David in order to give the church in Philadelphia, a type of the recovered church, an opened door so that people can enter the recovered church to be transformed into pillars in the temple of God and to be built up as God’s city, the New Jerusalem (vv. 7-8, 12).
After His resurrection, in the presence of His disciples Christ ascended into heaven, being taken up by a cloud, to continue the carrying out of God’s eternal economy in His heavenly ministry and office. Psalm 110:1 is a prophecy concerning how the resurrected Christ at the time of His ascension was seated at the right hand of God, receiving the position of glory, honor, and power. In His ascension Christ was made the Lord, the Christ, the Leader of the entire universe, and the Savior. In His ascension Christ entered into the Father’s being and sat down there. He has accomplished everything for God and us and is resting there, waiting for God to set His enemies as His footstool.
Psalm 8:4-8 prophesied concerning Christ being a man, a little inferior to the angels, but in ascension being crowned with glory and honor and set over the works of God’s hands. The first man, Adam, failed to accomplish God’s purpose for man, but another man, Jesus, has come and has accomplished so much for the fulfilment of God’s desire in man.
Isaiah 52:13 prophesied concerning Christ being exalted, lifted up, made very high, and being seated at God’s right hand in the heavenlies, far above all rule and authority and power and lordship and every name that is named not only in this age but also in that which is to come. God also subjected all things under His feet (Psa. 8:6b), implying that the Body of Christ together with Christ the Head is far above all and conquers all things. Christ ascended to the height, led captive those taken captive, and gave gifts to men. By means of His resurrected life, He made the redeemed saints gifts and gave them to His Body for the perfecting of the saints unto the building up of His Body (68:18).
Joel 2:28-29 prophesied concerning Jehovah pouring out His Spirit upon His sons and daughters. This Spirit is the Spirit of God compounded with Christ’s humanity, death, resurrection, and ascension as the realization of Christ and the ultimate consummation of the Triune God. The Triune God poured Himself out for the producing of the church.
Psalm 110:4 is a prophecy concerning Christ in His heavenly ministry as a Priest forever according to the order of Melchisedek. The priesthood of the house of Aaron could not continue, because it was prevented by death from continuing. But Christ as our High Priest forever can minister whatever we need and save us to the uttermost.
Isaiah 22:22 is a prophecy concerning Christ as the One who holds the key of David, who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens. The ascended Christ has the key of David in order to give an opened door to the recovered church so that people can enter the recovered church to be transformed into pillars in the temple of God and to be built up as God’s city, the New Jerusalem.
