ASCENDED
LORD
Seventh
of seven in Passion for Redemption
Parallel Bible Series
Psalm
68:18, Luke 24:50-51
Psalm
68:18: “When you ascended on high, you
led captives in your train; you received gifts from men, even from the
rebellious—that You, O Lord God, might dwell there.”
Luke
24:50-51: “When He had led them out to
the vicinity of Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them, He left them and
was taken up to heaven.”
Psalm 68:18 celebrates the hope of those
awaiting our turn to ascend to God. (Believers
are captives in His train). Jesus
continues to receive faith and good works gifts from men. He wants all people to be saved. What a glorious day when we ascend to be with Jesus!
Only John records Jesus’ words, “It is finished.” spoken from the cross (John 19:30). Then Jesus gave up his spirit, His work complete. What did Jesus mean by this statement?
Jesus meant when He cried out “It is
finished” was that every prophesy concerning Himself was fulfilled. For John 19:28 says, “Later, knowing that all
was now completed so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty.’” Even
that was foretold in Psalm 69:21.
I’m reminded that Jesus’ life was truly
an open book.
What if we had to do everything some
book predicted about our lives? Especially
because some things we would have to make happen so that the book would be
true. Jesus had to convince John the Baptist to do
his part. John said when Jesus came to
be baptized, “I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” (Matthew 3:14).
Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill
all righteousness.” Then John agreed
to baptize the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” John wrote this so that we’d know that John
the Baptist also was fulfilling prophesy too…from Isaiah 40:3, then John 1:29.
Jesus’ baptism marked the beginning
of His Messianic ministry.
Jesus explains in Matthew 5:17, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the
Prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.” And fulfill them Jesus did, before ascending
to heaven.
Take
Home Nugget
Most people resist obeying
orders. That rebellious spirit isn’t
hard to spot in ourselves. Jesus was
totally obedient to the Father’s command to fulfill everything the Bible’s Old
Testament foretold about Him. See the
lesson linked below for more prophecy Jesus deliberately accomplished, before He
ascended to the Father.
When I don’t want to,
Strengthen me to do.
Teach me to obey,
Even when I don’t get my way!
J.D.
Griffith
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