Forty days after His resurrection, Jesus ascends to heaven. After humbling Himself by becoming obedient unto death, He now is raised as King.
Philippians 2 verse 9.
Shortly before ascending to heaven He speaks to His disciples:
"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me".
Matthew 28 verse 18.
The fact that God the Father takes Jesus up into heaven confirms the Father's acceptance of the sacrifice of His Son and confirms that the righteousness of Jesus establishes the reconciliation with God.
Hebrews 10 verse 12.
He defeated Satan, sin and death. His ascension is the glorious entry of the Victor who ascends His throne in heaven; at His Father’s right hand.
Hebrews 1 verse 3.
As the second and last Adam Jesus bridges the gap between God and man that was caused by the sin of the first Adam. Genesis 3,
1 Corinthians 15 verse 45 and 49.
The earthly high-priest entered
the holy of holies in the temple annually with the blood of the sacrificial animal;
Jesus as the High-Priest of the New Covenant once and for all enters the heavenly sanctuary with His own blood to obtain eternal redemption for us.
Hebrews 6 verse 20.
Hebrews 7 and
Hebrews 9 verse 24.
He went to His Father’s house in heaven to prepare a place for us.
John 14 verse 2.
Christ the Mediator of the New Covenant represents those who believe in Him before God the Father, and prays for them.
1 John 2 verse 1.
The believers receive the Holy Spirit as collateral and advance on the heavenly inheritance.
2 Corinthians 1 verse 22. Ephesians 1 verse 14.
On earth they remain in God’s presence through the Spirit.
From His wonderful throne at the Father’s right hand, Christ reigns as the ‘Ruler of the kings of the earth'.
Revelation 1 verse 5. Colossians 2 verse 10.
God rules over all things through Christ.
In the time before His second coming - see Acts 1 verse 11 and Acts 3 verse 21 - Jesus has the Gospel proclaimed among all nations.
Matthew 28 verse 19.
Through His Word and Spirit He enables people believe in Him and recognize His Kingship. Ephesians 2 verse 8.
The believers are called to live as citizens of the heavenly Kingdom.
Colossians 3.
Whoever believes in Him is ‘in Christ’, that is: ‘in Him’ and are already placed in the heavenly realms.
Ephesians 2 verse 6.
Romans 8 verse 29.
John 3 verse 36:
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.
Also see Revelations 19 verse 11 to 21.
Foreshadowing of the ascension
In the Old Testament the ascension of Jesus Christ has been prophesied and His Kingship has been proclaimed: Psalm 2, Psalm 15, Psalm 21 verse 7, Psalm 24, Psalm 45, Psalm 47, Psalm 68 verse 19, Psalm 110, Jeremiah 30 verse 21.
Foreshadowing of the ascension is manifest in the life of Enoch, Elijah, and Joseph.
Just as the smoke of the old-testament sacrifices rose to God, Jesus rises to God the Father with His ultimate sacrifice.
The Son of Man ascended to heaven, and He will also return to the earth, but then He will come in full glory and great majesty, as King and Judge.
Matthew 25 verse 31.
The second coming of Christ has also been prophesied: Zechariah 14 verse 4.