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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 3
“Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power be unto Him that sitteth
upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever!”
He is seated by the side of his Father on his throne. The Saviour
presents the captives he has rescued from the bonds of death, at the
price of his own life. His hands place immortal crowns upon their
brows; for they are the representatives, and samples, of those who
shall be redeemed, by the blood of Christ, from all nations, tongues,
and people, and come forth from the dead, when he shall call the just
from their graves at his second coming. Then shall they see the marks
of Calvary in the glorified body of the Son of God. Their greatest joy
will be found in the presence of Him who sitteth on the throne; and
the enraptured saints will exclaim, My Beloved is mine, and I am his!
He is the chief among ten thousand, and altogether lovely!
The disciples returned to Jerusalem, not mourning, but full of joy.
[254]
When last they looked upon their Lord, his countenance shone with
heavenly brightness, and he smiled lovingly upon them. Those hands
that had so often been stretched forth in the act of blessing the sick and
the afflicted, and in rebuking demons—those hands which had been
bruised by the cruel nails, were mercifully extended, as though in the
disciples they embraced the whole world, and called down a blessing
upon all the followers of Christ. Beams of light seemed to emanate
from those dear hands and to fall upon the watching, waiting ones.
The most precious fact to the disciples in the ascension of Jesus
was that he went from them into Heaven in the tangible form of their
divine Teacher. The very same Jesus, who had walked, and talked, and
prayed with them; who had broken bread with them; who had been
with them in their boats on the lake; who had sought retirement with
them in the groves; and who had that very day toiled with them up
the steep ascent of Olivet,—had ascended to Heaven in the form of
humanity. And the heavenly messengers had assured them that the
very same Jesus whom they had seen go up into Heaven, should come
again in like manner as he had ascended. This assurance has ever been,
and will be till the close of time, the hope and joy of all true lovers of
Christ.
The disciples not only saw the Lord ascend, but they had the
testimony of the angels that he had gone to occupy his Father’s throne
in Heaven. The last remembrance that the disciples were to have of
their Lord was as the sympathizing Friend, the glorified Redeemer.