Victor's Parade

Pastor's sermon today spurred an interesting thought in my mind. The background are verses discussing Christ's return to heaven at Ascension. One of the verses Pastor used was from Psalm 24:7 "Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in." There is a "challenge and response" methodology in Psalm 24. One demanding the doors be opened, and the challenge being "Who is it?" The response between the two is a victor's style request of a king returning from battle victorious. It reminded me of the parades Rome would put on when a general returned from a successful campaign. The general would parade through Rome's streets, trailing behind him the spoils of war. Usually captives, treasure, and exotic beasts would be behind him, showing a sample of the spoils for the emperor. It occurred to me that Christ, upon returning to Heaven's Gate, was doing the same thing. He was returning as the victor. He paraded through the gate to show the victory and the spoils. The spoils were Himself as the resurrected Christ- the first resurrection of any man.

I found it to be interesting the duality carried even to Heaven with the Ascension, as it has to if Christ is truly raised man and God in one. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, but one is always learning and finding new things in the Word.