Ascension (Part 3)

Ephesians 4:10 “He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)” We see here, between Jesus’ death on Calvery and His resurrection in the garden tomb, where he was “put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.” He was physically dead but spiritually alive (This can be somewhat difficult to understand, please pray). During the three days He was in that state “He also descended” and made proclamation to the spirits that were imprisoned (Sheol or Hades). “That he might fill all things”: After the Lord ascended, having fulfilled all prophecies and all His divinely ordained redemptive tasks, He gave gifts unto men (Ephesians 4:11 “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;”) as He was then filling the entire universe with His divine presence, power, sovereignty and blessing (Phil. 2:9-11). This speaks of the victorious Jesus. We know in the 1st chapter of Acts, that states, He ascended into heaven while the apostles gazed at Him. Acts 1:9 tell us, that “And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.”

This same Jesus, is life. This same Jesus, is the One who sent the Comforter. He is also, the one who fills us with the Holy Spirit. To Paul’s point (in Ephesians 4:8-10), is to explain that Jesus’ paying the infinite price of coming to earth and suffering death on our behalf qualified Him to be exalted above all the heavens. That is, to the throne of God, in order that He might rightfully have the authority to give gifts to His saints. By that victory He gained the right to rule His church and to give gifts to His church, that He might fill all things. Does all things mean all prophecies, all assigned tasks, and all universal sovereignty? Surely the answer is yes in regard to each of those aspects. But the context would dictate that His filling all things primarily has to do with His glorious divine presence and power expressed in universal sovereignty. He fills the entire universe with blessing, particularly His church.