Joel 2:28-29 prophesied concerning Jehovah pouring out His Spirit upon all His sons and daughters. This prophecy was fulfilled in its initial step on the day of the Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4, 16-21). Acts 2:33 says, “Having been exalted to the right hand of God and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, He has poured out this which you both see and hear.” This refers to how the ascended Christ became the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit poured out on the day of Pentecost is the Spirit of God compounded with Christ’s humanity, death, resurrection, and ascension as the realization of Christ and the ultimate consummation of the Triune God. The Triune God poured Himself upon those who called on the name of the Lord. This outpouring produced the church. By this outpouring of the consummated Spirit, all the disciples and saved ones on the day of Pentecost became members of the corporate Christ. By such an outpouring the individual Christ has become the corporate Christ, the enlarged, increased Christ, which is the church as the manifestation of God in the flesh (1 Tim. 3:15-16). Prior to this outpouring, there were only the Jews and the Gentiles; through the outpouring of the Spirit, the church as a third entity has been produced (1 Cor. 10:32).
The prophecy in Joel 2:28-29 was fulfilled as a foretaste on the day of the Pentecost, and it will be fulfilled as a full taste at Christ’s second coming. At that time God will fulfill His promise of the salvation to Israel, His chosen people, by pouring out His Spirit as the late rain (v. 23) to save and regenerate many returned Israelites.
Psalm 110:4 says, “Jehovah has sworn, / And He will not change: / You are a Priest forever / According to the order of Melchizedek.” This is a prophecy concerning Christ in His heavenly ministry as the Priest ordained by God with an oath according to the order of Melchizedek. The fulfilment of this prophecy is referred to in Hebrews 5:6-10.
Hebrews 5:6, a quotation of Psalm 110, says, “You are a Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” This refers to the ascension and enthronement of Christ (vv. 1-4). The order of Melchizedek is higher than the order of Aaron. The order of Aaron was for the priesthood that was only in humanity, whereas the order of Melchizedek is for the priesthood that is in both humanity and divinity. Aaron was made the high priest in honor only for his lifetime, because death prevented him from continuing his service. But as the Son of God, Christ is a Priest forever in glory according to the order of Melchizedek, because with Him there is no preventing of death (Heb. 7:23-24). As such a High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, He can minister to us whatever we need and save us to the uttermost (v. 25). Since we have “a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God,” we should “therefore come forward with boldness to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace for timely help” (4:14-16).
Isaiah 22:22 says, “I will set the key of the house of David upon his shoulder— / When he opens, no one will shut; / When he shuts, no one will open.” The fulfilment of this prophecy is confirmed in Revelation 3:7, because the Lord calls Himself “the Holy One, the true One, the One who has the key of David, the One who opens and no one will shut, and shuts and no one opens.” David fought for God, established the kingdom, and prepared everything for the building of the holy temple. Christ the King-Savior is the real David (Matt. 12:3). The resurrected Christ in His ascension is seated at the right hand of the Majesty on high (22:44; Mark 12:36; Luke 20:42-43; Acts 2:34-35; Heb. 1:13), as the Leader of the universe (Acts 2:36; 5:31; 10:36), having the authority to rule sovereignly over all things. Therefore, the key of David is the key of the kingdom, God’s key for ruling the universe. Christ holds the key of David; He has authority to open and shut in order to establish God’s kingdom, God’s dominion, and to build up God’s dwelling, God’s temple.
According to Revelation 3 the ascended Christ has the key of David in order to give the church in Philadelphia, a type of the recovered church, an opened door so that people can enter the recovered church to be transformed into pillars in the temple of God and to be built up as God’s city, the New Jerusalem (vv. 7-8, 12).
After His resurrection, in the presence of His disciples Christ ascended into heaven, being taken up by a cloud, to continue the carrying out of God’s eternal economy in His heavenly ministry and office. Psalm 110:1 is a prophecy concerning how the resurrected Christ at the time of His ascension was seated at the right hand of God, receiving the position of glory, honor, and power. In His ascension Christ was made the Lord, the Christ, the Leader of the entire universe, and the Savior. In His ascension Christ entered into the Father’s being and sat down there. He has accomplished everything for God and us and is resting there, waiting for God to set His enemies as His footstool.
Psalm 8:4-8 prophesied concerning Christ being a man, a little inferior to the angels, but in ascension being crowned with glory and honor and set over the works of God’s hands. The first man, Adam, failed to accomplish God’s purpose for man, but another man, Jesus, has come and has accomplished so much for the fulfilment of God’s desire in man.
Isaiah 52:13 prophesied concerning Christ being exalted, lifted up, made very high, and being seated at God’s right hand in the heavenlies, far above all rule and authority and power and lordship and every name that is named not only in this age but also in that which is to come. God also subjected all things under His feet (Psa. 8:6b), implying that the Body of Christ together with Christ the Head is far above all and conquers all things. Christ ascended to the height, led captive those taken captive, and gave gifts to men. By means of His resurrected life, He made the redeemed saints gifts and gave them to His Body for the perfecting of the saints unto the building up of His Body (68:18).
Joel 2:28-29 prophesied concerning Jehovah pouring out His Spirit upon His sons and daughters. This Spirit is the Spirit of God compounded with Christ’s humanity, death, resurrection, and ascension as the realization of Christ and the ultimate consummation of the Triune God. The Triune God poured Himself out for the producing of the church.
Psalm 110:4 is a prophecy concerning Christ in His heavenly ministry as a Priest forever according to the order of Melchisedek. The priesthood of the house of Aaron could not continue, because it was prevented by death from continuing. But Christ as our High Priest forever can minister whatever we need and save us to the uttermost.
Isaiah 22:22 is a prophecy concerning Christ as the One who holds the key of David, who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens. The ascended Christ has the key of David in order to give an opened door to the recovered church so that people can enter the recovered church to be transformed into pillars in the temple of God and to be built up as God’s city, the New Jerusalem.