THE ASCENDED LORD

Psalm 68 is “The Victory Psalm”. This magnificent psalm traces God’s march to victory, linking past victories connected with Israel to the future and final victory of God. The Messianic passage is, “Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men”, v. 18. Paul applies the verse to the ascension of Christ, Eph. 4. 8. The apostle sees the victory of Deborah and Barak over the Canaanites, Jud. 5. 12, 13, as illustrating the ascension of the victorious Head of the church, giving gifts for the benefit of His people. Paul interprets three statements as follows: “When he ascended up on high”—the ascension of the victorious Christ; “he led captivity captive”—the annulling of the opposition; “and gave gifts unto men”, the allocation of gifts to the church.

“The Victory Psalm” points on to the idea of the victorious Captain, having effected deliverance, 2 Cor. 2. 14; Heb. 2. 15, proceeding with the distribution of the spoils of victory. So with our glorified Head in heaven, God’s method of producing unity is to give gifts with a view to the perfection of His people, Eph. 4. 12. The gifts, both the men and the spiritual endowments, Rom. 12; 1 Cor 12 and Eph. 4, are given to produce growth in the saints (as well as to present the gospel to sinners), the ultimate objective being the glory of Christ, Eph. 4. 13. Because of the exalted Man in heaven, the Holy Spirit has been sent, John 7. 39, so that the message of salvation might be presented to men, Rom. 10. 9, and the saints encouraged in the ways of the Lord, 1 Thess. 4. 8; 2 Tim. 1, 14.

The ascension of Christ took place near Bethany on the mount of Olives, Luke 24. 50. From there a cloud received Him into heaven, Acts 1. 9, 11. He was “received up”, Mark 16. 19; “carried up”, Luke 24. 51; “taken up”, Acts 1. 9; “went up”, 1. 10; and He “ascended up”, Eph: 4. 10. As the Hebrew Epistle makes clear, He is in heaven, Heb. 9, 24; and we await His return, Phil. 3. 20. As the foregoing scriptures are considered, we see His ascension was actual, literal and visible. His return to this earth will be likewise, when He accomplishes the ultimate victory foretold in Psalm 68.

“Blessed be God”, Psa. 68. 35.