So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
“The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind,
‘You are a priest forever.’”
This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.
The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.
Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven.
Comment: We have two passages today. It is Ascension Day. The first passage describes the scene as Jesus departs back to heaven; the second talks about where and why He is where He is at the moment. The passages deal succinctly and briefly with what are very significant events! The first passage must have caused very mixed emotions in the minds of the watchers. Sorrow for they had already known the agony of Jesus’ crucifixion and death only to experience the presence of the Resurrected Messiah and the joy of His coming and going over some weeks. Now He goes away again! Amazement for there was no helicopter above to lift Jesus up! He just went up. out of their sight into the Heavens. High Expectation – Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would come and had given them an enormous job to perform! A promise that would be fulfilled in a few days. They didn’t know when! But He promised and they were surely expectant. Hope which was based on the words of the unexpected, spectacular visitors, who surely had been sent by the departing Jesus. A hope that Jesus would return!
The second passage describes how the Saving Messiah has replaced the Aaronic High Priests. Aaron and his following High Priests were only able to enter the place representing where the Holy, Merciful God sat once a year, and needed to daily sacrifice animals, Jesus entered and resided in the very Presence of His Father – and he bore in His own body the marks of the Perfect Sacrifice, which He had Himself been, and entered as our Great High Priest into the throne room of God! Everything which is written here is so, so important but summed up in the words ‘Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.‘
Prayer: Thank You, Thank You!
As I read it! 