0339. Jesus Christ Received Into Glory

Jesus Christ Received Into Glory

"Whom the Heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began" (Act_3:21).

One is greatly rejoiced as he beholds in Peter’s words, his clear knowledge of vital dispensational truth. About the ascension he said two things:

1. He set forth the fact of the ascension. "Whom the Heavens must receive." It is well to remember that Jesus Christ was rejected of men, but received of the Father; exiled by the earth, but welcomed to the Father’s right hand.

The vision of the ascension is one of the most beautiful that can ever come to the believer’s heart. The One Who, but a few days before, had been crucified outside the camp; is now exalted, honored, glorified and seated on the Father’s throne.

Joseph was one day languishing in an Egyptian prison; soon after he was reigning on an Egyptian throne next in authority to Pharaoh. Jesus Christ was one day crowned with thorns, soon after He was crowned with glory. Consider Him as He ascends into the Heavens! Consider Him, accompanied by myriads of angels! Consider Him as He passed through the open gates of eternity! Consider Him as He sat down at the Father’s right hand, a Priest after the Aaronic type.

2. Peter taught more than the ascension. He said, "Whom the Heavens must receive until." Peter did not know the length of that "until;" he did not know how many weeks or months or years or centuries the "until" might cover. He did know that Jesus Christ would be received into the Heavens until the time of His coming was reached. In that word "until" lies the whole story of the Church age. In that word "until" lies every purpose of God that must be fulfilled between Calvary and Olivet.

While Jesus Christ is in the Heavens the age of man must run its full length. Gentile dominion must reach its limit. While Jesus Christ is in the Heavens the harvest of the earth must become fully ripe. Jesus Christ must sit at the Father’s right hand "until."

It is interesting to notice the use of this word else-where. For instance: Mat_23:39 we read: "Ye shall not see Me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord."

In Rom_11:25 we read, "That blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in."

We read that Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be come in (see Luk_21:24).

In 1Co_11:26 we read, "Ye do shew the Lord’s death till He come."

The "until" in the above passages is the same as the one in our key verse. Jesus Christ is sitting at the right hand of the Father "until." The Book of Hebrews, as well as the 2d Psalm, describes Him as expecting until His enemies be made His footstool.

When the time held in this marvelous little word "until" is completed, the Lord Jesus Christ will leave the Father’s right hand and return to earth again.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR