408 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. Iv.
was about a mile from Jerusalem. It was on the east side of the city, whither our Lord Jesus did often retreat for prayer and rest. It was a hill so high, that from the top of it a man might look into all the streets of Jerusalem, and into the temple. This was the last of his bodily presence on the earth, and the last that shall be “ until the times of the restitution of all things.” Fabulous superstition hath feigned that on a stone he left here the impression of his feet. This was the mountain unto which “the glory of the LorD went up,” when it left the temple and city of Jerusalem, Ezek. xi. 28. And so did He now who was “ the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person.” With him the glory of God utterly departed from the temple and city, or the worship and people. Here he was taken up; and his disciples were dreviGovrec, earnestly, carefully, with love, diligence, and delight, looking on whilst these things were doing. Those who had not long before seen him hang- ing on the cross between two thieves, bleeding and dying, now saw him gloriously and triumphantly taken up into heaven. From their eyes a cloud received him. Elijah was taken up, before, alive into heaven, 2 Kings ii. 11; but it was with fire and in a whirlwind, with dread and terror, insomuch that the young prophets much ques- tioned what was become of him. But here, when his disciples were fully instructed, and were now no longer to live by sense, but by faith, whilst they earnestly and steadily looked on him as he ascended, a cloud draws the curtain, placidly interposing between him and their sight, who were not able as yet to look on what was doing within that veil. ;
(2dly.) This was the time and day of heaven's triwmph. Ever since the apostasy of angels and men by sin, there had been an enmity and war between heaven and earth, pleaded by the interest of heaven in the earth here below. God had sent forth his cham- pion, the Captain of salvation, typed out of old by Joshua, and David, and all those worthies which were employed to vanquish the enemies of the church in their especial stations. He had now fin- ished his work, having fully conquered the first apostate, the great enemy of God, and spoiled him of his power. And he was now entering into that glory which he had left for a season to engage in the difficult and perilous service of subduing all the adversaries of God. And now was all heaven prepared for his triumphant reception. As when a great conqueror of old returned from a far country, where he had subdued the enemies of his people and brought home the leaders of. them captives, all the citizens went forth with applauses and shouts of joy to meet him,—to which custom our apostle alludeth in this matter, Col. ii. 15 ; so was it with the glorious inhabitants of heaven upon the return of this victorious Captain of salvation. So the prophet describeth the fall of the oppressing tyrant of Assyria,
VER. 14.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 409
Isa. xiv. 9, “ Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming; it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.” He was theirs, they had looked for him, and he was to have a principal share in their condition. How much more was heaven stirred up, when the “everlasting gates were opened, and this King of glory entered in!” The psalmist expresseth it, Ps. xlvii. 5, 6, “ God is gone up with a shout, the Lorp with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises.” It is the glorious ascension of the Lord Christ into his kingdom and throne which is described in that psalm; and this all are exhorted to rejoice in.
(3dly.) His attendants in this his passage through the heavens are also described unto us, Ps. Ixviii. 17, 18: “The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the LoRD is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place. Thou hast ascended on high.” And this place our apostle applies to the ascension of Christ, Eph. iv. 8. As when he descended of old upon the earth at the giving of the law on mount Sinai, he was attended with the heavenly host, who ministerially wrought all those glorious and dreadful effects which were wrought on the mount, Exod. xix.; so now in his ascen- sion he was attended with the angels of God, who were as the cha- riots in his triumph, that carried and bore up the human nature, and waited on him, ready to do his will and to manifest his glory. They had received command from God to “ worship him,” Heb. i. 6, and now they appeared eminently in the discharge of their duty. They compassed him about with joyful acclamations, doing their obeisance unto him as to their head and king. With them, then, and by their ministry, he “passed through the heavens;’—a sight too glori- ous for mortal eyes to behold.