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THE COMFORT TO BE DERIVED FROM CHRIST’S ASCENSION
A HOPE of future happiness affords strong consolation under present trials. The children of God, if destitute of this, would be “of all men most miserable;” but this renders them incomparably more happy, even under the most afflictive dispensations, than the greatest fulness of earthly things could make them. Our Lord opened these springs of comfort to his disconsolate Disciples. Being about to leave them, he not only told them whither, and for what purpose, he was going, but that he would assuredly return to recompense all which they might endure for his sake—“In my Father’s house,” &c.
We shall consider,
I. Our Lord’s description of heaven—
We are taught to conceive of heaven as a place of unspeakable felicity. The description given of it by St. John is intended to elevate our thoughts, and enlarge our conceptions to the uttermost [Note: Rev_21:19; Rev_21:21.]; but a spiritual mind, which is dead to earthly things, may perhaps see no less beauty in our Lord’s description.
Our Lord thus describes it; “My Father’s house with many mansions”—
[Here seems to be an allusion to the temple at Jerusalem: God dwelt there in a more especial manner [Note: 1Ki_8:10-11.]; around it were chambers for the priests and Levites. Thus in heaven God dwells, and displays his glory [Note: Isa_57:15.]; there also are mansions where his redeemed people “see him as he is.”]
This description may be depended upon—
[The Disciples had left all in expectation of a future recommence: our Lord had taught them to look for it, not on earth, but in heaven. Had no such recompence awaited them, he “would have told them so.” Thus he pledges, as it were, his love and faithfulness for the truth of what he had told them.]
Our Lord further acquaints them with the reason of his ascending thither:
II. The end of his ascension thither—
All which our Lord did on earth was for the good of his people. He consulted their good also in his ascension to heaven: he went “to prepare a place for them,” which he does,
1. By purging heaven itself with his own blood—
[Heaven would have been defiled, as it were, by the admission of sinners into it; he therefore entered into heaven to sanctify it by his blood. This was typified by the atonement made for the altar and the tabernacle [Note: Lev_16:15-20.]. The type is thus explained and applied [Note: Heb_9:21-24. Here is a parallel drawn not only between the Holy of holies and heaven, but also between the purifying of the Holy of holies by the high-priest, and the purifying of heaven itself by Christ with his own blood: and both are declared to have been necessary; the one as a type, and the other as the anti-type.]—]
2. By taking possession of it as their Head and Representative—
[He is the head, and his people are his members [Note: Eph_4:15-16.]. His ascension to heaven is a pledge and earnest of theirs [Note: 1Co_15:20.]. In this view he is expressly called “our forerunner [Note: Heb_6:20.].”]
3. By maintaining their title to it—
[They would continually forfeit their title to it by their sins: but he maintains their peace with God by his intercession. Hence his power to bring them finally to that place is represented as depending on his living in heaven to intercede for them [Note: Heb_7:25.].]
By these means every obstacle to his people’s happiness is removed.
III. The prospects which his ascension affords us—
His ascension is the foundation of all our hope: as it proves his mission, so also it assures us,
1. That he shall “come again”—
[The high-priest, after offering incense within the vail, was to come out and bless the people. This was a type of our Lord’s return from heaven when he shall have finished his work of intercession there [Note: Heb_9:28.].]
2. That he shall take his people to dwell with him—
[He had promised this as a condition of their engaging in his service [Note: Joh_12:26.]. He declared it to be his fixed determination just before his departure [Note: Joh_17:24.]. It may even be inferred from his ascension; seeing that his ascension would have been utterly in vain without it [Note: 1Co_15:14.].]
What a bright and blessed prospect is this! What an effectual antidote against their approaching troubles!
Infer—
1. How wonderful are the condescension and grace of Christ!
[We cannot conceive any thing more tender than the whole of this address. Such is still his conduct towards all his people — — — Let us admire and adore this compassionate high-priest.]
2. How highly privileged are they that believe in Christ!
[How different was our Lord’s address to unbelievers [Note: Joh_8:21.]; but to believers he says, “Where I am, ye shall be also.” Let this inestimable privilege have its due effect upon us; let it stimulate our desires after heaven; let it reconcile us to the thoughts of death; let it engage us more earnestly to serve God [Note: 1Th_1:9-10.].]