Wellum’s Couples

This week we see the impact of Christ’s glorious triumph and ascension resulting in gifts and spoils of victory. Though written in the original Handel’s Messiah, the contemporary performances will often leave out songs of Christ’s ascension. In the advents of the king, we began our study looking at Psalm 68:18, “You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in your train and receiving gifts among men…” This is accompanied by verse 11, “The Lord announced the word, and great was the company of those who proclaimed it” (NIV). These verses stand as a foreshadowing of the accomplished work of Christ’s victory. We see a parallel of Paul’s writing in Romans 10:7-13 of the gospel proclamation. Take a quick jog over to Hebrews 1:5-13. Here we see that the glorious news of Christ’s victory as a result of Christ’s incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection. Christ first descended before he ascended. 

Though Christ has won the victory and the gospel goes forth to the nations, the nations do not necessarily receive the gospel as good news. The nations will not have the Lord as their anointed. There will be opposition to the gospel at every corner (Psalm 2:9-11). What does Christ’s victory mean for his people? Ephesians 2:10 means a new man and people are being formed, the church. Jew and Gentile alike are being grafted into the same tree. In Ephesians 3, Paul specifically names the Gentiles as Paul’s gospel mission. The Gentiles receive the Messiah as their own. Jew and Gentile are on equal footing. Paul writes in Ephesians 3:20, “according to the power that is at work within us…” (the same power that seated Christ at right hand of the Father) then “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” Ephesians 4:4 reads, “There is one body and one Spirit…” and verse 5-6 “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all in all.” The people of God, Jew and Gentile, are one in Christ by the power of God. 

When we come to Ephesians 4:8, Paul quotes Psalm 68:8 but writes, “he gave gifts to men.” Psalm 68:18, however, states “he receives gifts from men.” Which is it? Is Paul misquoting scripture? Psalm 68 in context paints a miniature narrative of God’s redemptive acts in the history of Israel. Verse 6-7 speaks of the exodus and wilderness wanderings of Israel. God leads and shepherds his people. In verse 8, the earth quakes at Sinai. In verses 12-13 the “kings of the armies” flee before God and the spoils are divided. God establishes his people at Zion and Sinai is now in the midst of sanctuary (v. 17). Jerusalem is God’s dwelling place. By the time we come to verse 18, we ask, “who are the captives?” Numbers 8 and 18 present us with answers. The Levites were gifts to the Lord and the Lord gave the Levites as priests to his people. Our God and our king gather the spoils of victory and gives them as gifts to his people. 

How do we connect the dots? What does this mean for us? Christ’s ascension means victory has been won and the enemy has been defeated. As he ascends, “he gives gifts to men.” Specifically, “he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Eph 4:12). We acknowledge that Christ has taken us captive with his gospel; our defeat now means our victory in Christ. We once were enemies far off, but now have received the right to be called children of God. Do you think of your calling as a gift Christ has won through his death, resurrection, and ascension? This week stand in awe of Christ and the “power at work within us.” Be humbled as Paul was when he took the title “bond-servant.” Know that we stand not as God’s gift to ministry, but as gifts from God to serve God’s people for the building up of the body of Christ unto His glory, until his return.

~RH