Today, 40 days after the Feast of the First Fruits, we celebrate Christ's Ascension Day or Father's Day, because on this day our Savior and Redeemer ascended to our heavenly, sole and eternal Father.
But what is so special about Yeshua's ascension?
We speak much of Yeshua's crucifixion and resurrection, but rarely of his ascension, when it offers us an opportunity to connect with our heavenly Father.
„Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.“ (Hebrews 10:19-22).
Jesus rose from the dead on the day of the firstfruits, meaning he rose on the day the priests offered the first wave offering of barley grain. The 49-day official count of the Omer began on this day. She led the people, as she did at the time of the Exodus, to the Feast of Pentecost (Shavuot/Feast of Weeks) which began on the evening of the 50th day and ended seven days later. This time Shavuot falls between the May 26th and June 2nd, 2023). The day of the first fruits (resurrection day) fell on April 8th or 9th, 2023 this year. If we add 40 days, then Ascension Day is on May 17th or 18th, 2023. (The biblical or Jewish day always begins at sunset - according to Genesis 1)
On the 40th day of Omer, Yeshua ascended into heaven
Yeshua's ascension gave us a unique status! His death and resurrection culminated in his ascension into heaven, or consummation, which began with death as a Passover lamb on the tree trunk (cross) and resurrection from the dead.
Why is the ascension of Jesus a blessing and of such great importance to each individual?
Through the ascension of Jesus and his role as the new high priest and king of kings, we became God's chosen race.
„But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.“ (1. Petrus 2:9-10)
In Acts 1:1-3; 9-11 we read what Jesus did and taught after his resurrection from the dead, from the beginning until his return to God. But before Jesus was assumed into heaven, he spoke to the men he had called to be his apostles (authorized, chosen ambassadors). Guided by the Holy Spirit, he gave them instructions for the future. He showed himself to them even after his passion and death and gave them numerous proofs that he had indeed risen. For forty days they saw him again and again and he talked to them about the kingdom of God. … Having said this, before their eyes he was taken up into heaven. A cloud covered him and they saw him no more. And as they gazed steadily at heaven as he went, behold, two men dressed in white stood by them, saying, Men of Galilee, why stand you here looking at heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come again in the same way as you saw him ascend into heaven!”
What does the number 40 indicate?
We know that Yeshua ascended to heaven on the 40th day. The number also points to Moses, who went up Mount Sinai three times to meet with God there for forty days each time. But the number forty also indicates full maturity, testing and education or preparation. 3 x 40 = 120 indicates the age of Moses (Deuteronomy 34:7). Moses had to die and was buried by God. Jesus, the promised Messiah, is greater than Moses and was allowed to rise from the dead after three days and ascend directly to the Father after forty days.
Rabbis and scientists tell us that when life is conceived it takes over 40 days from conception to development and we know that a full-term pregnancy is the equivalent of 40 weeks. So the number 40 has to do with the formation of new life and with the completion of birth i.e. bringing, awakening and breakthrough.
Another example of the importance of the number forty is the 40 years that the children of Israel spent in the wilderness. God prepared them emotionally and spiritually for the promised land of Canaan for 40 years.
Well, Yeshua prepared his disciples in the same way; not 40 years, but specifically in the 40 days after his resurrection. He prepared her to conceive the Ruach haKodesh, i.e. the Holy Spirit, at Pentecost. As we shall see, this is also of particular and great importance to us at this time. Yeshua ascended to the Father. Here, according to his promise, he establishes his kingdom and their kingdoms for his successors. This lasted for 1993 years. In seven years (2030) 50 x 40 years will have passed. Yeshua is very connected to his followers at that time in birth education. He first preformed the kingdom within them (in their temple = their bodies) and then for 40 days preparing them for the greater promise and Divine commission He had for them. These 40 days were a special and intense time for the apostles and the other chosen ambassadors.
Today, in our time, Yeshua's chosen disciples also know that he also accompanies them in their birth formation: First he formed the kingdom in them, i.e. in their sanctified bodies. They became his temple. For many years (for many almost forty years) he prepared them for the great promise and their divine commission. They went through suffering and pain because they had to learn to become more and more like him, Yeshua, and to submit to him completely. They were sometimes laughed at and scorned, suffered from various diseases and were repeatedly attacked by the enemy. They lived in lonely places and "caves" similar to David who had to hide from King Saul for years. But now the time is almost over, because the countdown has begun.
10 days countdown to Pentecost
Today the 10-day countdown has started: Now it is precisely for the elect of Yeshua, just like his followers then, to fast, pray, endure and wait ten days for the outpouring of power and the fire of the Holy Spirit . Just as the disciples then prayed and waited in the upper room in Jerusalem, so NOW those chosen by God must also wait in their upper rooms and places of separation to wait for the renewed outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Joel 3). This means that they now dwell with God in prayer and faith in order to penetrate and to experience their personal Pentecost or Shavuot at this time and to be caught by the fire of God and with the Spirit of God. Changes, promotions and new advancement opportunities will be handed out. They will probably experience their personal thorn bush, like Moses in the desert, or a repetition of the Pentecost festival of that time and in this way will be equipped anew and strong.
Thornbush experience
Moses' life was divided into three 40-year periods: first he studied for 40 years in the house of the pharaoh, then he became a shepherd and finally, after his experience with the burning thorn bush, he was allowed to lead and teach the people of Israel out of Egypt. The encounter at the thorn bush gave Moses his new mission and task.
After his birth, Jesus had to flee to Egypt with his parents. At twelve we read about his experiences in the temple of Jerusalem. Then he learned the carpentry trade. With him you can speak of 3 x 10 years of training and when Jesus was baptized at the age of 30, he probably also had a special thornbusch experience. Not only was he baptized with water, but he was empowered with the Holy Spirit. After that he went into the desert for 40 days and successfully fought against the temptations of Satan. Fully equipped, he then began his 44 months and 4 days of service. Have the chosen 144,000 gone through similar periods of training? We can look forward to it.
The Coronation of King Yeshua
After his resurrection, Yeshua, who is much larger than Moses, ascended to heaven on the 40th day to take his leadership position at the Father's right hand. He received all cosmic power and authority to rule over everything. He becomes the high priest of God's people. This includes all followers of Jesus. Yeshua will also be our king. He is the king of kings. He is crowned and at his coronation he is given his special place as the king of Israel and the world. He is given full authority and sovereignty alongside YHWH, the Almighty. The Lamb of God becomes the Lion of Judah.
On Ascension Day we can see another importance of the number 40. King David reigned over Israel for 40 years. David defeated Goliath and Yeshua defeated Satan. With his ascension into heaven, a new era begins and Yeshua first asks the Father to fill and fill his followers with the Ruah haKodesh, the Holy Spirit. We read that 120 men and women who patiently endured 10 days prayed and waited for this event. We too can wait this Pentecost for the great fire of God and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Joel 2: 28-32)
Ascension is one of the most important Messianic prophecies in the entire Bible. It refers to the visions of Daniel 7. Yeshua will hand over the eternal and indestructible kingdom. He also asks the Holy Spirit for his faithful followers and chosen ones and ten days after his ascension they will be filled with the spirit and fire of God.
144 000
But now at the end of time we can hope that the chosen 144,000 will finally and in a special way be filled with God's spirit and fire. They expect great revivals, miracles and healings. The book of Acts will be repeated in a special way, and the eagles and doves (God's elect) will rise up all over the world.
We have all received a new status through the ascension and coronation of Yeshua: we are all sons and daughters of the king and our king exonerates us from all guilt and places us under the princes and nobles. As acquitted nobles, however, we must also act wisely and responsibly according to his will. As royal priests we work hand in hand with our Lord and King Yeshua and with the help of the Holy Spirit we serve our almighty and eternal Father Yahweh. The 144,000 have received a special status through their training by the Lord in recent years and are now waiting for the presentation of God's torch of fire so that they can fulfill their task for Yeshua and for YHWH, the only God. YHWH alone is God. To him be praise, glory and honour. HalleluYAH.
Yeshua began a new life for us. He lived real life for us. He leads us along the only true path to eternal life, a life in fellowship with our Father in Heaven. He died for our sins, rose from the dead and after 40 instructive days ascended to heaven. He prepares the way for us and set up our new living areas. Now he will come to take his kingdom on earth. In order to do justice to this task in the end times, we need the additional and extraordinary, promised power of God and we pray and wait with the 144,000 chosen ones for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, as it is given to us e.g. the prophet Joel had already prophesied.
The outpouring of the Spirit of God upon the people (Joel 2)
28“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. 29 Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit. 30 “And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 32 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.