Reflective Bible Study

Following Jesus’ resurrection, one might think that no more prophecies would exist for Jesus to fulfill. Well, while that might be a thought someone could have, and while there were prophecies that we could have covered that we didn’t, over the next several episodes, I’ve saved some of the most powerful prophecies that Jesus’ ministry fulfilled.

However, to get to that point in moving forward through Jesus’ ministry, let’s turn our attention back onto one of the psalms in the Old Testament, and look closely at what it describes about the upcoming Messiah.

Our Old Testament passage is found in the book of Psalms, number 24, and we will read it using the New American Standard Bible translation. Starting in verse 1, David, the author of this psalm, writes:

¹ The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains,
The world, and those who dwell in it.
² For He has founded it upon the seas
And established it upon the rivers.
³ Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
And who may stand in His holy place?
⁴ He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood
And has not sworn deceitfully.
⁵ He shall receive a blessing from the Lord
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
⁶ This is the generation of those who seek Him,
Who seek Your face—even Jacob. Selah.

⁷ Lift up your heads, O gates,
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
That the King of glory may come in!
⁸ Who is the King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
The Lord mighty in battle.
⁹ Lift up your heads, O gates,
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
That the King of glory may come in!
¹⁰ Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
He is the King of glory. Selah.

In this psalm, I see two distinctly different parts. In the first half of this psalm, we find a description of God’s righteous people living within God’s creation. While this could represent humanity in a fallen, sinful world, I suspect that David may be painting a picture of God’s people, who He has redeemed out of sin, living in a world after sin.

In the second half of this psalm, we see God enter His city triumphantly, like He has just returned from battle victorious. Similar to how the first half could be understood in different ways, I could understand the logic someone could use to frame this psalm describing Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem on the donkey during the week leading up to His crucifixion. However, while Jesus did ride into Jerusalem on a donkey, I am doubtful that this entrance is what is described in this psalm, if for no other reason that Jesus’ trip into Jerusalem on a donkey was not because He had triumphed from anything.

Instead, I wouldn’t be surprised if at least one valid way of understanding this psalm is describing Jesus’ return into the heavenly Jerusalem following His return to Heaven. After the resurrection and His ascension, when Jesus entered the heavenly Jerusalem, there would not be any question in anyone’s mind about whether He was returning victorious. When Jesus returned to Heaven, He returned victorious, having defeated Satan, sin, and death.

Looking at the New Testament, specifically in the gospels, we find a brief picture of Jesus’ ascension in Luke’s gospel. In Luke, chapter 24, starting in verse 50, Luke writes:

⁵⁰ And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. ⁵¹ While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. ⁵² And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, ⁵³ and were continually in the temple praising God.

In an amazing way, Luke describes how the disciples return to the earthly Jerusalem following Jesus’ ascension and as Jesus was returning to the heavenly Jerusalem. While the disciples did not receive any fanfare or glory when walking through the gates of the earthly Jerusalem, I suspect that the reception Jesus received in heaven would have been a little different. I would be surprised if there was not some level of celebration for Jesus who was returning victorious.

In Mark’s gospel, as part of the longer conclusion to this gospel, we see another brief description of Jesus ascending to Heaven. In Mark, chapter 16, starting in verse 19, we read:

¹⁹ So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. ²⁰ And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed.

While Jesus’ resurrection marks a great foreshadowing of the resurrection of God’s people at the end of time, and as a powerful assurance that we don’t have any reason to fear death, Jesus’ ascension and acceptance into Heaven also contains a powerful foreshadowed theme worth remembering.

This truth teaches and challenges us with the promise that since Jesus returned to heaven, we can know and trust that Jesus is able to take us there to be with Him. While this idea is not a direct focus in our year of prophecy, Matthew’s gospel contains a strange, unique detail that when Jesus died and was resurrected, many righteous people from the past returned to life. For reference, this can be found in Matthew, chapter 27, verses 52 and 53. I suspect that when Jesus ascended to heaven, these people who were also raised from the dead ascended to heaven with Him.

However, while the conclusion to Mark’s gospel is challenging to some people, and while some people are quick to discount it as not being part of the oldest group of manuscripts, another detail in this conclusion is present, and it is worth paying attention to.

In Mark’s conclusion, we read the idea that when Jesus was “was received up into heaven”, He “sat down at the right hand of God.” While there are problematic details included in Mark’s longer conclusion, which we’ve covered in previous episodes, Jesus being seated at God’s right hand is incredibly significant. However, I’m going to save this piece of our discussion for our next episode.

Before wrapping up this episode, let’s together remember that Jesus’ ascension into heaven is a promise we can claim when this world seems to be crazy. Let’s remember Jesus’ promise to return. Remember that Jesus’ goal is not to give us a comfortable life in a sinful world. Instead, it is to prepare a place for us to live forever in a sinless, perfectly recreated New Heaven and New Earth. When we ally with Jesus, we are assured of a world that is much better than the one we live in, and a world that will ultimately last forever.

As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

As I always open by challenging you, intentionally seek God first in your life. Look to Jesus for hope, assurance, and peace regarding everything happening in the world today, and remember that when we have allied our lives with His, He is preparing a place for us in a world where there won’t be any of the pain, disease, craziness, death, and sin that defines our current world. When we have allied our lives with Jesus, He invites us into God’s kingdom that lasts forever.

Also, as I always challenge you in one way or another, continue to pray and study the Bible for yourself to grow personally closer to God each and every day. God wants a relationship with you, and the relationship God wants with you will not have anyone other than Jesus in the middle of it. Jesus came to bridge the gap between heaven and earth, and because of this, don’t let anyone get in between you and Jesus.

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or abandon where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!

Picking up right where we left off in our last episode, this episode’s passage continues with Jesus sharing with the disciples about what will happen at the end times. To give a brief recap and to set the stage, the disciples come to Jesus asking Him what sign they should look for to signal His soon return, and Jesus begins sharing a lengthy reply with them about what to watch for.

Setting the stage in our last episode’s passage, Jesus has warned against people coming claiming to be Him, He has warned about wars and rumors of wars being signs leading up to the end, and He has challenged His followers with the truth that they will be pulled in front of leaders to answer for their beliefs and convictions.

Jesus has also warned the disciples to flee to the mountains when they see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies. This leads into our passage for this episode, which is found in Luke’s gospel, chapter 21. For our episode together, we will read from the New International Version. Picking back up where Jesus left off in our last episode, we continue reading starting in verse 25 with Jesus telling His followers:

²⁵ “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. ²⁶ People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. ²⁷ At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. ²⁸ When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

Let’s pause briefly here because I want to draw our attention onto what Jesus has just finished saying.

At the point when Jesus returns, the sun, moon, and stars will be giving signs, and the ocean will be raging and crashing more than what might be considered normal even during a storm. So many things will be happening that verse 26 tells us “People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world”. It is at this point that Jesus will return and when this happens, Jesus tells His followers to “stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near”.

This is an amazing promise, because tucked within the message Jesus shares is the powerful promise that Jesus does not leave His people abandoned on the earth. Even if it appears as though God is silent and things in this world are getting bad, before all hope is lost, Jesus will return. Remember from our last episode the challenge to endure to the end.

When we see the entire heavens and earth shaken, we can know that Jesus’ return is just around the corner.

However, Jesus isn’t finished sharing. Continuing in verse 29, Luke tells us that:

²⁹ He [referring to Jesus] told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. ³⁰ When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. ³¹ Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.

³² “Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. ³³ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

³⁴ “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. ³⁵ For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶ Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

While it might be tempting to focus on the immediate nature of Jesus’ promise about this generation not passing away in light of so much time having passed since the time He spoke these words and now, I see the message that comes right after that one being even more important.

When challenging the disciples to pay attention to the signs, Jesus gives them this additional challenge and warning in verses 34 and 35: “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth.”

In Jesus’ big message to His disciples, He warns against carousing, which is another way of saying drinking alcohol, partying, and getting drunk, and Jesus warns against being drunk and also about worrying about the anxieties of life. While drinking alcohol is in itself not a sin, nowhere in the entire Bible do I see it being presented as something that is a wise thing to do. More often than not, drinking is seen as a step leading into a variety of sins, or as a trap people fall into while trying to escape the stress of this life.

Drinking as framed in this passage leads towards not paying attention to the world around us or the signs God sends into the world reminding us that His return is drawing near. Drinking numbs our senses and our judgment and numb senses and numb judgment allow for the last day to catch people off guard.

It’s worth noting that those who focused on partying, drinking, and worrying about life won’t be ignorant to Jesus’ return. Instead, they will be ignorant of the signs prompting them to return to God before it is too late. Jesus’ return will be so earth-shattering that everyone on the face of the earth will clearly be alert to what is happening – even if they don’t know exactly what is happening. When these final signs come, it will likely be too late to return to God. While I don’t know this for certain, it is a strong suspicion.

While we might not know when it is too late to come to God, I suspect that if you are listening, reading, or paying attention to this message I am sharing, it is not yet too late. Because of this I challenge you to return to God or to renew your commitment to serving God. Choose to pay attention to what is happening in the world around us, but also push past interpreting what is happening through only human eyes.

When looking at what is happening in the world, choose to see the chaos leading towards Jesus’ great return when the world will come to an end. Jesus’ return marks the end of this age and the beginning of the age to come, and as we looked at a few episode’s ago, the age to come is marked by the resurrection and the absence of marriage.

Jesus’ return is something I hope to be alive for. However, regardless of whether I am alive when He returns or whether I am resurrected when He arrives, I have my hope placed firmly on Jesus and His sacrifice. I also hope and pray that you are redeemed along with me when Jesus returns to take us home!

As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

As I always begin by challenging you to do, continue to seek God first in your life. Choose to place your faith, hope, trust, and belief in Jesus and what He accomplished for each of us through His sacrifice on the cross. Through what Jesus did for us on the cross, we can know and trust that He has a future in mind for us when He returns. Jesus would not have died if God’s people weren’t worth saving.

Also, continue to pray and study the Bible for yourself to learn and grow closer to God. Discover what it means to be a disciple of Jesus and how to best live your life with God from this point forward. Through prayer and study, fall in love with a God who loves you more than you could even imagine!

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or walk away from where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!