May 20 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Luke 24:49–53

Devotional

How did the Lord Jesus ascend into heaven? He lifted up His hands and He blessed them. While He blessed them, He left them and was taken up to heaven. “And he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.” The disciples must have looked up with amazement to the Lord Jesus as He ascended. Luke records that the disciples worshiped Him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy.

Jesus blessed the disciples with a prophetic blessing. His word is the truth. The blessing of this great Prophet is the proclamation of salvation to sinners. He still performs this work now while He is in heaven. He proclaims His salvation through His servants who preach His Word.

His blessing is also a priestly blessing. Now that He is in heaven, He secures the salvation of His church and no one can touch it. This Mediator, with His pierced hands, lives forever in order to pray for His people. The scars on His hands remind Him that He cannot forsake His people. He cannot forget them although He is in heaven and His people are on the earth.

His blessing is also a royal blessing because He is the ascended King. He reigns and He protects. He rules His people righteously and all things have to lead to the honor of His Name. This King reigns in such a manner that His people will be made ready for the life to come in heaven. And He protects them with this royal blessing. We need this protection every day. If the ascended Christ were not a King who reigned and ruled His church, the church would have long ago been destroyed. But the church is made firm and secure under this royal blessing.

The blessing hands of the Mediator prove that He cannot deny His people. He has spoken, “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am.” Christ cannot let go of His people. He cannot rest until they are with Him. These blessing hands proclaim that the Lord will never forget His people. He will never lose them out of His hands. He is the Head and they are the members. One day His church will be together with Him in heavenly places. That is because He longs for them. The blessing of Jesus was a promise to lead His people to glory. He will not rest until they all reach heaven and are forever in His presence. That is the fruit of His blessing.

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.