3 He Returned to Heaven!
Today we want to begin to explore what Jesus Christ achieved by dying
and rising again.
The reason for His death was to make a way for unholy
people, like us, to establish our connection with a holy God, who cannot
tolerate sin in His presence. In His death, He shed His blood to deal
with our sins, because only blood cleans up sin.
Ephesians chapter 4 says this about Jesus Christ:
8. The psalmist tells about this, for he says that when Christ returned
triumphantly to heaven after his resurrection and victory over Satan,
he gave generous gifts to men.
9. Notice that it says he returned to heaven. This means that he had
first come down from the heights of heaven, far down to the lowest
parts of the earth.
10. The same one who came down is the one who went back up, that he might
fill all things everywhere with himself, from the very lowest to the
very highest.
LB |
Here the Apostle Paul tells us that Jesus came from the highest place
in heaven to earth. After dying, Jesus first went down into the lowest
parts of the earth and when He came out of there He returned triumphantly
to heaven after his resurrection and victory over Satan.
At the time in which the Apostle Paul lived, the Romans were conquering
the whole world around them and whenever they made a new conquest, they
would come back to Rome and have a Victory Procession through the city.
In this procession the conquering General would lead his triumphant soldiers
through the streets where crowds would cheer them and celebrate. At the
very end of the procession all the conquered kings and dignitaries would
be led in chains with great humiliation through the streets for the crowds
to jeer and throw stuff at.
This is an earthly picture of Jesus' triumphant re-entry into heaven! Who
were the conquered kings and dignitaries at the end of Jesus'
Victory Procession?
That's the topic of our next study! See you then!
Prayer:
Father in heaven, thank You for Your love for human beings, that You
would include us in the destiny You have in mind for Your universe.
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for making it possible for me to be involved
in these eternal plans, Amen. |