It's Under The Blood

Couple of details of resurrection morning that John details for us in ch.20. First, look at v.11-12. When Mary Magdalene looks inside the tomb, what does she see? She saw two angels looking over where the body of Jesus had lain. Think with me back to the Old Testament tabernacle. Moses was instructed to make the Ark with two cherubim (angels) facing each other overlooking the mercy seat, where the blood would be sprinkled on the Day of Atonement. (Ex.25:16-22). Here, we have two angels facing each other over looking the blood stained place where Jesus had lain. A picture of what was about to take place in heaven.
Now look at John 20:17. Jesus said, "[Mary] do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father and to My God and your God.'" When? Right now. Wait a minute. Jesus didn't ascend back to heaven until 40 days later (see Acts 1:3 and 1:9-11). What's going on here? May I suggest to you that at that very moment Jesus was 'ascending to [His] Father' right then (present tense in the Greek), in order to sprinkle the mercy seat in Heaven, with His own blood, in that tabernacle not made with hands (go read Heb.9:11-15). Thank God for the blood! Thank God for that fountain we talked about yesterday. Now when Satan brings accusation against us, Jesus just points to the Mercy Seat in heaven and says, "It's under the blood." Praise God!