After the resurrection of Christ from the dead the ascension was the next significant event on the road of salvation which He paved for us.

How it occurred

The risen Christ dwelled for a further forty days in these earthly surroundings. During that time He appeared several times to his disciples, teaching them regarding the kingdom of God. Thereafter He was with them on Mount Olive, having directed them to go there where He would depart from them (Acts 1:12). After having issued his final instructions, He raised his hands and blessed them. Then a cloud took Him away before their eyes and he ascended into heaven (Luke 24:50, 51; Acts 1:8, 9). That is in accordance with what He had told them, viz that He was going to his Father (John 14:28; 16:5, 6). The Lord wanted them to be also witnesses to that.

As happened at the birth of Jesus Christ, there were also angels present during his ascension. That depicted the magnitude and significance of it to the disciples (Acts 1:10, 11).

Taking up his position at the right hand of God

With the ascension Jesus Christ assumed his position of power and majesty at the right hand of the Father (Eph 1:20; Acts 7:56). The author of Hebrews says that He “sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb 1:3). In 1 Peter 3:22 we read that after his resurrection Christ “has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him” (cf also Rom 14:9; Phil 2:9–11).

The ascension can also be described as the ascent to the throne by the risen Christ. It is the completion of his exaltation and glorification.

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit

Before his ascension Christ told his disciples not to leave Jerusalem, but to tarry there until they were endowed with power from on high, according to his promise to them (Acts 1:4–8; Luke 24:49). This announcement, together with Christ’s triumphant ascension, brought great joy to the disciples. It caused them to praise and thank God continuously in the temple (Luke 24:53). That strengthened their faith and prepared their hearts to receive the Holy Spirit in the Pentecostal sense.

Ten days after his ascension the Holy Spirit was in fact poured out. This event, witnessed by thousands, was a confirmation that Christ was indeed elevated to the right hand of God. In his testimony regarding the Pentecostal events, Peter first of all referred to the crucifixion and death of the Lord Jesus, declaring: “This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear” (Acts 2:32, 33).

It is from his position of power and dominion that He gave the Holy Spirit to the church. The working of the Spirit of God in the church thus serves as consistent testimony that Christ lives and is Lord over everything. Ever since He lives in the believers through the Spirit (John 14:16–20) and is the heavenly Head of his church (Col 1:18; 1 Cor 12:12, 27; Eph 1:22, 23).

Christ’s ministry in heaven

With his ascension Christ completed his expiatory task when He, as our sole High Priest, entered the heavenly sanctum with the offering of his own blood. There He effected the complete and final expiation for our sins before God (Heb 9:24–26). Peter and the other apostles also gave testimony of this when they declared in Acts 5:31: “Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.”

In his heavenly position He intercedes as our advocate with the Father, enabling us to approach the throne of God with boldness (1 John 2:1; Heb 4:14–16; 9:24). In this capacity He also acts as Mediator between us and God, according to the new covenant (Heb 8:6; 9:15; 1 Tim 2:5). In the meantime He prepares a place for us so that He may have us with Him forever (John 14:2, 3).

Our exalted status in Christ

Because we are united with Christ in faith, we are also in the Spirit with Him in heaven, although we are physically still on earth (Eph 2:5–6). This also means that our real citizenship is in heaven and that we look forward to its full realization (Phil 3:20). Accordingly, being resurrected together with Christ by rebirth, our minds are focused on things on high not on the mundane and corruptible things of the earth (Col 3:1, 2).

An allusion to his second coming

At his ascension, as witnessed by the disciples, the angels assured them that the same Jesus who was taken up to heaven, would come back to earth in like manner (Acts 1:10, 11). This is a clear allusion to his second coming.

In Ephesians 4:9, 10 Paul says that the ascension presupposes a previous descension, adding: “He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.” In order to make everything complete and to bring it to fulfillment, all such things must be subjected to Christ (1 Cor 15:24, 25).

The coming of Christ to this earth, his incarnation, identification with man, suffering and death on the cross, his resurrection and ascension, is God’s act to reconcile man to Himself. Conciliation, therefore, is what God did through Jesus Christ to pave the way to forgiveness of sin and unification with Him for fallen man. Thus man may inherit salvation through believing in what Christ became and did for him.

--Moller, F. P. The wonderful Christ and the meaning of humanness.