Ascension of Jesus in Revelation

The sermon presents the ascension of Jesus Christ as a historical event with a profound theological revelation of His ongoing sovereignty, victory, and intercession in heaven. Through visions in the Book of Revelation, Jesus is portrayed as the exalted Lamb, the faithful witness, and the King of kings, seated at God’s throne, triumphing over evil through His sacrificial death and resurrection. These images—of the ascended Christ among the lampstands, the slain yet victorious Lamb, and the rider on the white horse—affirm that Christ’s ascension secures the church’s protection, establishes His eternal reign, and guarantees His ultimate return to judge the world with justice. These truths are comforting and empowering, assuring believers that despite persecution and suffering, Christ reigns supreme, and His followers are already united with Him in heavenly places. We are called to worship, faith, and perseverance, rooted in the confidence that Christ’s death-resurrection and ascension is the foundation of Christian hope and identity.

Bible Insights with  Wayne Conrad
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Psalms 119:105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

Transcript

Welcome to Bible Insights with Wayne Conrad. 

God's word is a lamp to our feet and a light on our path. Today's topic, the ascension of Jesus in the revelation or the apocalypse. Now the apocalypse is a word that means in the Greek, the uncovering. And that word is brought over into the Greek and from the Greek into the Latin, meaning the unveiling, the uncovering, something being made known, not something hidden. Now, many people, when they hear the word apocalypse today, they only think about some cataclysmic event involving warfare and the destruction of the world. And though there is coming a day when the world as we know it shall cease and a new earth will be made, and that can be rightly called with this newer meaning of the apocalypse, but that's not the biblical meaning as being used with reference to the book we call the book of Revelation.

In the book of Revelation, the ascension of Jesus Christ is depicted through a dramatic, symbolic lens in the Acts and Luke. The literal account of the ascension of Jesus Christ focuses on his flesh being lifted up. The immortal human body of the Lord Jesus Christ is lifted up into the heavens. But in the book of Revelation, it doesn't give a description of the actual ascension, but it gives us the pictures of the ascended Christ. And that's what I want to focus on. And at the beginning of it, there is the symbolic presentation of the ascension. I direct your attention to the book of Revelation chapter 12. Here's what John sees. A great sign appeared in heaven.

A woman clothed in the sun with the moon under her feet and a crown of 12 stars on her head. She was pregnant, crying out of the pain and agony of giving birth. Who is this woman? Well, the fact that she has 12 stars on her head is indicative that the woman represents Israel, the Hebrew people of God, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And they were known in the New Testament times The Judeans, the Jews. Then another sign appeared in heaven.

A huge red dragon with seven heads, ten horns, and seven royal crowns on his head. His tail swept a third of the stars from the sky, tossing them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, ready to devour her child as soon as she gave birth. Now here we have a picture of the devil, Satan, that old deceiver. And it's going back to the pre-fall time when Satan rose up in rebellion, and he took a third of the angelic beings with him in rebellion against the Most High God. He's thrown out. Now, during all the time of Israel before Christ, the dragon seeks at times to destroy the people. That is most brought to us in the book of Esther, in which the Jews tried to be exterminated by this ruler in what we now call Iran, but then was called Persia.

At any rate, the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth. Now, Israel gives birth through a human woman. Her name is Mary. She is chosen by God to be the mother of the Messiah, and she's impregnated by the Holy Spirit himself, who brings the word, the word of God, down from heaven, who's always been in heaven with the Father, and plants the word as a seed in Mary's womb. So, the nine months is over and it's time to give birth. And the dragon, he lurks, waiting for the opportunity to destroy this child who will be the savior of mankind. She gave birth to a son.

We call him Jesus. He was a male child who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. So, he's the prophesied king, the one who is the greater son of David. But now in like a flash, we're taken in from the manger scene to the ascension. And her child was caught up to God and to his throne.

And the woman fled into the wilderness where God had prepared a place for her to be nourished 1,260 days. And that's a picture of the early church, which is the new covenant people of God. Early days, almost exclusively Jewish in content, but then it rapidly spread out from the Jewish to the Gentile nations. And so, this new people of God, with his continuity, with roots in the past, but now it's new being, a new covenant, and the church exists. And it fled for protection of the wilderness. This is depicting the persecution of the people of God that started then, has continued through the ages, through the years.

So, there's a picture of Jesus. being ascended into heaven. The woman gave birth to the child, a male child, a son, who ruled all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was called up to God and to his throne. Well, the book of Revelation pictures or reveals Jesus in his resurrected state.

And that's what I want us to see. So, we look back to Revelation. First chapter. These are the words. This is the revelation of Jesus Christ, the uncovering. the unveiling of who he is and what he's doing. This is the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon come to pass. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant, John, who testified to everything he saw. This is the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

So, John then begins his letter. John to the seven churches in the province of Asia, Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, that's God. And from the seven spirits before his throne, that's the Holy Spirit. And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

And then there's the testimony. Behold, he's coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of him, so shall it be. Amen. And now, the word, the voice, John hears. I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is and was and is to come, the Almighty. So, John then identifies himself.

I'm your brother and partner in the tribulation and kingdom and the perseverance that are in Jesus. I was on the Isle of Patmos because of the word of God and my testimony about Jesus. And on the Lord's day, I was in the spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches. to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea, literal cities in Asia Minor, today known as Turkey, where there were assemblies of Christians. Then John says, I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me.

And having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands. And among the lampstands was one like the son of man, dressed in a long robe with a golden sash around his chest. And then he describes this image of Christ. It's very symbolic, but this is what he saw.

The hair of his head was white like wool, as white as snow. His eyes were like a blazing fire. His feet were like polished bronze, refined in a furnace. And his voice was like the roar of many waters. He held at his right hand seven stars and a sharp double-edged sword came from his mouth. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.

And when I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. But he placed his right hand on me and said, do not be afraid. I am the first and the last, the living one. I was dead. And behold, now I'm alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and of Hades. Therefore, write down the things you've seen, the things that are, the things that will happen after this. This is the mystery of the seven stars you saw at my right hand, and of the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars of the angels of the seven churches, that is, the messengers. And the seven lampstands are the seven churches. So, John sees Jesus. He's walking in the midst of the lampstands. He's walking in the midst of his churches.

Though he is in heaven, he is by the presence of the Holy Spirit also with his people on earth. We should know that. The very beginning, God cares about his people. In chapter four, after he gets through writing the letters, he says, after this, I looked and I saw a door standing open in heaven.

So, John is seeing visions. It's a visions in which he is transported almost in his body. We can't really describe it, but it's something he's seeing, he's hearing, he's experiencing. It is as real to him as me sitting right here at this table, making this recording.

After this, I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven and the voice I had previously heard speak to me like a trumpet was saying, come up here. And I'll show you what must happen after these things. So, he's inviting John in the very throne room of heaven. At once, he says, I was in the spirit, and I saw a throne standing in heaven with someone seated on it.

The ones seated there looked like Jasper and Carnelian and a rainbow that gleamed like an emerald encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were 24 other thrones, and on these thrones sat 24 elders dressed in white with golden crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning and rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne burned seven torches of fire. These are the seven spirits of God. And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, as clear as crystal.

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures covered with eyes and front and back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second like a cat, the third had the face like a man, and the fourth like an eagle in flight. And each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around and within.

Day and night they never stopped saying, holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come. And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the 24 elders fell down before the one seated on the throne, and they worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne saying, worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will, they exist and came to be. I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one seated on the throne. It had writing on both sides and was sealed with seven seals.

And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll. But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or look inside it. And I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or look inside it. And one of the elders said to me, do not weep.

Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has triumphed to open the scroll and its seven seals. Then I saw a lamb who appeared to have been slain, standing in the center of the throne. encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the seven spirits of God set out into all the earth. And he came and took the scroll from the right hand of the one seated on the throne. These are symbolic images. When he had taken the scroll, he's called the lamb, right? who appeared to have been slain. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb.

Each one had a heart, and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints, and they sang a new song. worthier are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain. And by your blood you purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign upon the earth."

Then I look. And I heard the voices of many angels and the living creatures and the elders encircling the throne, and their number was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, and in a loud voice they were saying, worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea and all that is in them saying, he to him who sits on the throne and to the lamb, be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever. And the four living creatures said, amen.

The elders fell down and worshiped. That's Jesus, the ascended Lord on the throne. of heaven with God the Father. He is busy in his work of redemption, applying what he did on the cross to mankind. But now, that's not the end of the matter. The Lord Jesus Christ is also seen in Revelation. So we've seen him in Revelation 1, 12 through 18. We've seen him in Revelation 5, 5 through 6. And in Revelation 14, 1, we see him again.

The lamb is on Mount Zion. He is standing with the 144,000 who have his name and his father's name written on their foreheads. Then I looked, and I saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000 who had His name and His Father's name written on their foreheads. They sang a new song before the throne. before the living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. That again is a people of God, the redeemed people of God. But then we have another glimpse of Jesus in the book of Revelation. He is the Lamb, and we hear in Revelation chapter 19, verse 11, through 16, the rider on the white horse. Before that, though, we hear the roar of a great multitude, like the rushing of many waters and like mighty rumbling of thunder, crying out, Hallelujah! For the Lord, our God, the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him the glory.

For the marriage of the Lamb has come and his bride has made herself ready. She was given clothing of fine linen, bright and pure. for the fine linen she wears is the righteous sacks of the saints. The angel said to me, right, blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. He said to me, these are the true words of God. Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse, and its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness he judges and wages war. His eyes like blazing fire, many royal crowns on his head.

His name written on him that only he himself knows. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood. His name is the word of God. The armies of heaven dressed in fine linen, white and pure, follow him on white horses. And from his mouth proceeds a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. and he will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress to the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.

He is a name written on his robe and on his thigh. King of kings and Lord of lords. This is a picture of Jesus as a divine warrior named faithful and true. He's dressed in a white robe, dripped in blood, his own blood. His name is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

So, we've seen Jesus in the book of Revelation, and it speaks to us of several great truths. One is the ultimate sovereignty of Jesus. By placing Jesus at the throne immediately after the snatching up in chapter 12, the text asserts that despite earthly persecution, Jesus is already in the position of supreme authority. He is king today on the throne.

There's victory through his sacrifice. The image of the lamb who was slain in chapter five reminds believers that victory is not won through worldly might, but through the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony concerning him. The book of Revelation is written for the early church to encourage them in the midst of the persecution they're experiencing as the church in the wilderness. And the vision of the ascended Christ provided assurance that their king had escaped the dragon's reach and was actively interceding for them, and he would put down this enemy. He would crush him under his feet. And the iron scepter. mentions his ruling the nations with an iron scepter, signifies Christ's reign is firm. He will eventually return to execute justice on earth.

And we have this mentioned to us even in the Psalms, Psalm 2, it's Psalm 110. But as we come to meditate and think about Christ's ascension into heaven, I think words of hymns can help us grasp this great truth. and melt it to our hearts and minds. Here's a song written many years ago. It's called, See the Conqueror Mounts in Triumph. The first stanza reads as follows. See the conqueror mounts in triumph, see the king in royal state, riding on the clouds his chariot to his heavenly palace gate. Hark, the choirs of angel voices joyful hallelujah sing, and the portals high are lifted to receive their heavenly king. What the psalm writer is doing is he's trying to picture what went on in heaven when Jesus ascended back into heaven.

Who is this king that comes in glory? It's Christ, the incarnate God, the God of armies, the word who took on flesh and conquered his foes by death and resurrection. It continues, who is this that comes in glory with the trump of jubilee? Lord of battles, God of armies, he has gained the victory. He who on the cross once suffered, he who from the grave arose, he has conquered sin and Satan. He by death has spoiled the foes, his foes.

Wow. Christ is our priest. Yes, he is our King. He is the King and Lord. This is in fulfillment of the prophecies concerning the King and the kingdom of God. Verse three, he has raised our human nature through the clouds to God's right hand. There we sit in heavenly places, there with him in glory stand. Jesus reigns, adored by angels. Man with God is on the throne. Mighty Lord, in your ascension, we by faith behold our God. You see, it's the man, Christ Jesus, the incarnate God who is raised to heaven.

We are united with him by faith through the operation of the Holy Spirit. He is the first fruits. We are the great harvest that's to come. We are already, as it were, in heavenly places with him because we are identified with him and we have his presence in our lives. We need to learn to understand how significant it is that Christ ascended and we ascended with him.

Then in the final verse, glorious given to God. Glory be to God the Father, glory be to God the Son, dying, risen, ascending for us, who the heavenly realm has won. Glory to the Holy Spirit, to one God in persons three. Glory both in earth and heaven, glory, endless glory be.

The author of Hebrews writes, therefore brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through his flesh. And since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart and full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience, our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who is promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works by meeting together, encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near. Let's draw near to God through Christ in worship and in service. 

This has been Wayne Conrad with Bible Insights.