Proverbs 30:1-6
We just went over the Feast of Weeks in detail in the Old Testament. We know the Feast of Weeks is numbered 50 days from the Firstfruits that occurs during the Passover week or the days of unleavened bread.
We know Jesus is the firstfruits. His resurrection from the dead occurred on that firstfruits day. Or, let’s say the firstfruits occurred on the day he arose from the dead because everything revolves around him and not the other way around.
When Jesus arose from the dead on the feast of firstfruits, he would ascend into heaven just 40 days later. So the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven happened 40 days after the firstfruits. The Feast of Weeks or Pentecost happened 50 days after the firstfruits.
Jesus Ascended Into Heaven and the Feast of Weeks
So, I wanted to go over the details of Jesus ascending into heaven since it occurs before the Feast of Weeks or before Pentecost in Acts Chapter 2.
And I want to go over false doctrine that many pastors, including Baptist pastors, like to teach about the ascension of Jesus Christ. We’re going to go through this in detail before we move to the details of Pentecost.
Now, we’re going to start in the Gospel of Luke. Luke is one of the four Gospels that details the life of Jesus Christ here on this earth at his first coming. Luke has 24 chapters. In the last chapter, at the end of the chapter, we see Jesus ascending into heaven. Let’s take a close look.
Luke 24: Jesus Ascends to Heaven Above
Luke 24:50-53
And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. 51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: 53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.
And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. This is where Jesus ascends into heaven. If you search the Scriptures, search throughout the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, you will not find another time that Jesus ascended into the heavens.
For example, the Bible doesn’t say that Jesus ascended into heaven on the day he arose from the dead. The Bible doesn’t say that he ascended into heaven and sprinkled blood on the mercy seat on the day he arose from the dead.
If you believe that, you need to go back and think where you obtained that information. Where did that come from? That is not from the Bible. We went over the Day of Atonement in detail. We went over the sprinkling of blood in detail. We went over the Mercy Seat in detail.
We search the Scriptures here daily to see whether those things are so. When you hear something in a church or on social media or anywhere, don’t just take it as truth. Use the Bible as the source of truth.
I want to show you something in Proverbs Chapter 30 that we just read at the beginning of this Bible Study. Watch what this says as this is all related. It’s a warning.
Who Has Ascended Into Heaven?
Proverbs 30:4-6
Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell? 5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. 6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
Look at the first part. “Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended?”
Let me ask you. Do you know anyone who hath ascended up into heaven? Now, before you answer that, the Bible teaches there are three heavens. There’s the first heaven where the birds fly. This is the sky that we see above us with the clouds.
Then there’s a second heaven where the sun, moon, and stars are located. This is outer space as we refer to it. And then there’s a third heaven where God dwells. This third heaven is called paradise. We can see the first heaven clearly.
This is where the birds fly. We know there’s outer space. We’ve seen real pictures from NASA. So many people will say that NASA is a conspiracy. That no one has been to outer space. That the Space Station isn’t real. The satellites aren’t real. Everyone who works for NASA is a liar. And so on. False accusers. Liars themselves.
There are real people just like you and I that work for NASA. There are real people called astronauts that go into outer space. There are real people called astronauts that train hard to get to outer space. All of this isn’t a hoax and a lie. If you blindly say that NASA is a hoax and a lie, you falsely accuse thousands and thousands of people of lying. You are the false accuser.
So be careful out there on who you are falsely accusing. There are people out there working for NASA every day seeing things with their own eyes, and you call them all liars. There are engineers out there, just like me, who work on actual real things at NASA every single day.
The Three Heavens
People have been into outer space. Space is the second heaven. We know there’s a second heaven because God put the sun, moon, and stars there in the Book of Genesis.
Have people ascended into the first heaven and second heaven physically in their own bodies? Yes. There’s proof all around.
Notice Proverbs Chapter 30 again. This speaks of someone physically ascending into heaven. Who hath ascended into heaven? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in a garment? Who hath established the ends of the earth? This speaks of the ends of the earth, the land. Who did those things?
Did I decide where Hawaii would start and end? Did I decide where the coasts of Florida would end? I’m talking about the actual ends of that earth. Who did that?
What is his name? What is his son’s name? Obviously this is speaking of God the Father and his son Jesus Christ. Then we see right after this in the next verse, and this is no mistake, “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.”
Hey, reality tells us that people have ascended into the first and second heaven physically in their own bodies.
So, we know the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven speaks of the third heaven. Who hath physically ascended, in their own body, to the third heaven?
When people die, we know their soul is carried into heaven. So, we know this isn’t speaking of a soul ascending into heaven. And a soul doesn’t ascend into heaven by its own power. Who hath ascended up into heaven?
Jesus Ascends to the Third Heaven
People have ascended to the first and second heaven. If you have been in an airplane, you have ascended into the first heaven. People have ascended into the second heaven. Rocket ships have taken people there. There are pictures, video, people communicating while it’s happening, live streams. But that’s not enough for some people. They would rather call everyone else a liar.
John 3:13
And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
Which heaven is this speaking of here in John Chapter 3? “And no man hath ascended up to heaven.” That can’t be speaking of the first heaven which is the sky. And it can’t be speaking of the second heaven which is outer space directly outside the earth and its atmosphere.
So, this MUST mean the third heaven OBVIOUSLY. This speaks of the place, the third heaven, where God dwells.
2 Corinthians 12:2-4
I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
“Such an one caught up to the third heaven. How that he was caught up into paradise.” And we don’t know if the man was in his body or out of his body. But here’s one thing we do know. He didn’t ascend into the third heaven on his own power. He only got there through the power of God.
So, we know no man has ascended into the third heaven on his own power in his physical body except for the Lord Jesus Christ.
“No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.” The Son of man is Jesus Christ. He is from heaven above. He is not from the earth. He came down from heaven. He ascended into heaven. He was in heaven while he was on earth. He’s God Almighty. He’s not the Father. He’s the Son. He is God Almighty.
Ephesians 4:9-10
(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Jesus Descended and Then Ascended
We know Jesus is God. But we also know that Jesus is God in the flesh. He always existed as God. He always existed as the Son of God. He came in the flesh. He is a man just like you and I are man. We are mankind. He came, in every way, just like us. He has a body, a spirit, and a soul.
When his body died as he hung there on the cross for six hours, he gave up the ghost or the spirit or the life within his body. The spirit or life left his body. His body died. They buried his body in a tomb. And his soul went to hell with the sins of the whole world. The Bible says his soul was not left in hell.
That verse right there says, again, “Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.”
He first descended into the lower parts of the earth. Now, you could say this isn’t speaking of his soul going to hell. I personally, at this time, believe this is speaking of his soul descending to hell because hell is currently located in the center of the earth.
I believe he died and his soul descended into hell for three days and three nights. And then he arose from the dead. I believe his death is both physical and spiritual. I believe his burial is both physical and spiritual. I believe his resurrection is both physical and spiritual. I don’t believe there’s any other way.
His body died a physical death. His soul died a spiritual death. His body was buried physically. His soul was buried in the center of the earth, in hell, spiritually. His body arose from the dead physically. And his soul arose from the dead, from hell, spiritually.
Forty Days on Earth After the Resurrection
And then after all of this, Jesus stayed on earth for forty days and forty nights. Right at the beginning of the Book of Acts, in Acts Chapter 1, we see Jesus ascending into heaven.
Acts 1:1-3
The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
Jesus was seen of the apostles forty days. Remember he arose on the feast of firstfruits during the Passover week. And then 40 days later he ascended into heaven. But keep in mind that fifty days after firstfruits is the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost in Acts Chapter 2. Look at the very next verse in Acts Chapter 1.
Acts 1:4-5
And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
Pentecost Occurs Ten Days After the Ascension
He told them they would be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. We know, 100% for sure, that this happened 10 days later. He stayed on earth for 40 days after his resurrection and we know Pentecost, the Greek word for fifty, happened just 10 days after he ascended into heaven.
Now, Jesus can ascend to the third heaven. The Bible said, in Ephesians Chapter 4, that he ascended far above all heavens meaning there’s more than one heaven. We know there’s the first heaven, the second heaven, and the third heaven. The sky, outer space where the sun, moon, and stars are located, and then then third heaven which is far above all the others.
We don’t know how to get to the third heaven physically. How would you do it? I’m not even going to try. I can’t get there in this body. I don’t know how.
Acts 1:6-8
When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Jesus Taken Up in a Cloud
Verse 8 speaks of the power of the Holy Spirit that they will receive at Pentecost or the Feast of Weeks that is occurring just 10 days after Jesus ascends into heaven.
Acts 1:9-11
And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
So Jesus first descended into the lower parts of the earth. His soul, the soul of a man just like you and I have a soul, descended into hell. And then he arose from the dead and is now ascending into the third heaven to sit at the right hand of God.
Jesus will come back one day just as he ascended into heaven. A cloud received Jesus out of their sight. One day Jesus is coming back and he will come with the clouds of heaven.
Mark 16:19
So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
No Other Ascensions Before Day 40
So we know that the Lord Jesus Christ died, was buried, arose from the dead, showed himself for forty days to hundreds of witnesses that saw him die on the cross, and then we know he ascended into the third heaven where God dwells. He sat on the right hand of God.
We know that he didn’t ascend into heaven sometime before that. The Bible never says that. So we have to be careful what we receive. We need to receive the word of God and not the word of man.
For example, I also think this Scripture isn’t there by accident. Watch what this says.
Ephesians 4:9-12
(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Many people, even saved pastors, are out there twisting the Scriptures for their own gain. The truth leads to actual gain. Lies do not. After the Bible tells us Jesus descended first and then ascended, watch what you see there in verse 11. This is all connected.
He gave some apostles. Is that an office within the church today? No, it is not. There’s the bishop or pastor and deacon or deacons. He gave some apostles. Some prophets. Not an office in the church. Some evangelists. Not an office within the church. Some pastors. That is an office within the church: bishop or pastor. And teachers. Not an office within the church.
A Warning About Twisting Scripture
But some people create new offices within the church such as an ordained evangelist so that they can gain. For example, there are pastors of many churches, the only pastor for many different churches, ordaining people to the office of evangelist, which doesn’t exist in the Bible, so they can make more money from having many different churches paying their so-called pastor.
They love to use that Scripture. These same people will say no man has ascended into outer space, the second heaven, while calling tens of thousands of people liars. You should always be careful who you are calling a liar.
Some will say Jesus didn’t descend into hell.
But the Bible clearly says his soul was not left in hell. They say they believe the King James Version of the Bible is perfect, but they attempt to say hell doesn’t mean hell. “Hell means the grave,” they say.
Matthew 12:40
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
A grave isn’t the heart of the earth. Heart is the center of the earth. It’s way down there. The heart of the earth. But, one can argue against that.
Conclusion of the Ascension Account
So, we know for sure that Jesus died, was buried, arose from the dead, and then ascended once into heaven. He wasn’t in the old body that died. He was in the old body changed into a glorious and incorruptible body.
That’s the point of him being the firstfruits. He’s the first to arise from the dead. He’s God so he was able to ascend into the third heaven. He knows where it’s at. He can go there. We don’t know where it’s at. We don’t have a new body. We can’t ascend into heaven. Jesus didn’t ascend into heaven in his flesh and blood body that he was in before he died.
Jesus ascended into heaven in his new and glorified body. And he did that forty days after he arose from the dead. There were no other times Jesus ascended into heaven from the time he arose from the dead to this forty day mark.
Let’s pray.
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