Ascension Day Matters?

Message: He Has Risen, Again!

I’d like to tell you a story about Psalm 47 and the man who wrote it.

It all started after Moses had just led Israel out of Egypt into the wilderness. That great time of purification and discipleship when God taught the people who he was and how to worship. Moses was given the task of organizing the nation and to one of the 12 tribes fell the task of caring for the Tent of Meeting, later the temple. And of the three clans of Levites the task of serving at the Tent fell on the clan of Kohath. And this is when things got complicated.

Kohath had 5 sons. The oldest, Amram decided to marry his aunt – I know – and the second oldest Izhar also got married. They both had kids.

Amram’s kids were Moses, Aaron and Miriam while the other Izhar’s oldest was a man named Korah. Cousins, they both had roles in the Tent of Meeting, but as you may know Moses got the primary leadership, Aaron the priesthood and Miriam was in charge or women’s ministry. And Korah? Well, his family was responsible for care for “the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the articles of the sanctuary used in ministering, the curtain, and everything related to their use. (Nu 3.31-32).  Certainly important work, but as we shall see he didn’t like it much. The fact that his Eleazar, Aaron’s son, was his boss didn’t help either.

Korah had an attitude. He didn’t see his calling as important enough. His cousins got the best jobs and life made was unfair. It was as if a veil covered his eyes and he couldn’t see the good thing he’d been given. And in fact that’s exactly what was going on.

One day cousin Moses came down from a meeting with the Almighty and his face shone so brightly with Glory that Moses put a covering on his face. Something to dim the brilliance so that people could look at him. The people needed a veil to protect them from God; the brilliance Moses reflected couldn’t be looked at. The Apostle Paul even comments on this in 2 Corinthians 3.

We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. ¹⁴ But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. ¹⁵ Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. ¹⁶ But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

So, as I said, Korah appreciated none of this. So much so that by Numbers 15 he’s made up his mind about a few things. He no longer accepts Moses leadership; he no longer respects Aaron’s role as priest, which means he believes God made a mistake appointing Aaron in the first place. He thinks God is too ridged and doesn’t understand that a little sin say gathering firewood on the Sabbath is just as dangerous as making an idol in the shape of a golden calf. Korah doesn’t understand that God is holy. The veil covers his eyes and his heart.

Frustrated, angry, jealous he starts a rebellion; challenging Moses and Aaron’s leadership he defies God himself. The verdict is swift and immediate. God acts to remove sin from the camp. Korah, 250 leading men in the camp, their wives, children, animals and possessions all fall into a sinkhole. Never to breathe again.

Korah dead and gone.

So how do we get a song, a psalm written hundreds of years after his death authored by “The Sons of Korah”?

And what difference does it make?

Here’s how I understand the puzzle.

First, it seems clear that not everyone in his family died that terrible day. Numbers 26.11 makes that clear and 1 Chronicles 6 tells us that David made them Temple attendants, singers, gatekeepers and bakers of the ritual bread. But the most important bit we find out is that when King Jehoshaphat defeats the armies of Moab and Amon, it The Sons of Korah who lead the cheer. They are the ultimate worship team fully devoted to God, secure and joyful in their calling: at peace.

That you must admit is a far cry from their ancestor, isn’t it?

Never be fooled by the reason why family histories appear in the Bible or a sub-title in a psalm. These details matter.

The Bible, especially the Old Testament is more about teaching through stories than any other way. But while the Bible is filled with stories, they are have the same plot. Korah’s story is one such example. He is given a calling and place by God; he rebels against God; and wants to be a Priest on his own terms. This causes personal disaster and the ripples spread to his family, friends and followers.

Doesn’t that sound just like Cain’s story? Like King Saul’s? Like Gehazi the servant of Elisha?

The veil is dark over their eyes; they cannot or will not see the truth. Their lives are filled with pain and wandering.

But something happens to the remnant every time right?

Somehow the veil is lifted and Seth is the new Able, willing to call upon the name of the Lord; Somehow Saul’s remaining son is treated with grace and mercy by David. Somehow the Syrian general sees, believes and is healed of more than leprosy. Somehow the veil is lifted and Korah’s remaining family sees the truth and understands God’s goodness. The veil is taken away and the sons of Korah become God’s most skilled praise team.

The Old Testament is filled with these stories. I frequently wonder just how many were given that experience - the veil taken away, eyes of the heart opened to the reality of God in grace and glory? How many had to wait lingering in the grave for Christ to come?

It seems in this that our forefathers in faith had it harder than we who live since Jesus’ ascension. No doubt we live the same story. No doubt our reality is born in sin, prone to rebellion. The veil is firmly in place. But because Jesus ascended we have the Spirit; we have what so many of our forefathers had to wait for. Because of Jesus anyone can approach the Father and be assured that their prayer is heard. There is no longer a need for a priest; the veil has been removed.

¹⁶ Whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. ¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸ And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Through Jesus’ resurrection and ascension the Spirit will come, has come, the veil has been removed. Now, as never before, those who believe can see things more clearly all the time. Those with unveiled faces see that every baby is conceived by a miracle; every new calf, lamb or foal the same. They see the miracle in planting and harvesting.

The miracle of inserting a pacemaker, or reattaching ligaments in a knee joint.

They know the miracle of making a living and enjoying work.

The miracle of human love and kindness.

The miracle of God’s love for a broken world and God’s yearning for it to be whole.

The joy of being involved in that amazing project.

In that way:

Though there is still much crime and violence there could, should be more. Those with unveiled faces see the miracle of crime being restrained.

Though there is still much sickness and death; they see the miracle of healing and know that death has lost its sting!

Though there is still much brokenness; they experience the miracle of forgiveness, even reconciliation.

They, we, see these things because by Ascending Jesus makes these glimpses and realities of the Kingdom visible. In Christ and by the Spirit believers accept their callings and join the choir as describes in Revelation 4, worshipping and praising our God who loves, who rules and who sustains Creation.

Because of the Ascension, we’ve been invited backstage to see how things really are. Because of the Ascension, believers can live with confident boldness born out of gratitude.

Christ has ascended – King over all Creation. Ruling today, his fingerprints appear all over the earth. Just as we read in Psalm 47.

God has ascended

    the King of all the earth;

sing to him a psalm of praise.