“a witness forever”(Isa. 30:8, ESV)
In Rev. 11:11 the following symbolic conclusion of the two witnesses is spelled out: “Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.”
The strange period of three and a half days is a prophetic indication of time and not a literal pointer. This is half of the perfection of the number seven, or half of the fullness of time (Gal. 4:4). It is an indication of a temporary state that is not durational nor does it speak of completion or triumph. Thus this measurement of incompleteness speaks of the fact that the two witnesses will not be dead forever – the testimony of truth may seem to perish, but cannot be destroyed forever. Indeed: “The lips of truth shall be established forever …” (Prov. 12:19, ACV), literally “a witness forever” (Isa. 30:8, ESV).
The phrase “and they stood on their feet” is a clear pointer to Ezek. 37:10, where the following is said about the dry bones after the Spirit of God awoke them from the dead: “So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.” [Take note: this is clearly no longer just “a very small remnant” (Isa. 1:9), but “a people come, great and strong, the like of whom has never been” (Joel 2:2), “for His camp is very great” (Joel 2:11)!]
By way of concluding this focus text in Rev. 11 we want to focus on one last aspect, specifically a few accents of verse 12: “And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, ‘Come up here’. And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.” The imperative “Come up here” has been sufficiently discussed, namely that it points to the transition of a physical earthbound carnal perspective to a spiritual position in Christ. Note that it should be specified as THE cloud, not a cloud, as the NKJV above, as many other translations, inaccurately use).
Throughout the entire Bible, when God/Jesus manifested himself as cloud, from the Israelites in the wilderness up until the ascension of Jesus, it was always just a cloud, ONE cloud of glory. But His return is ALWAYS a multiplicity of clouds (Rev. 1:7; Dan. 7:13-14; Matt. 24:20; 1 Thess. 4:17)! Indeed – A great company of clouds!
It has thus become possible for “the glory of the Lord … in the cloud” (Ex. 16:10) to be carried over onto those who have been called (1 Thess. 2:12 & 14) to become “a partaker of the glory that will be revealed” (1 Pet. 5:1), so that they “may also be glorified together” with God (Rom. 8:17). Here you become part of the cloud, Christ, full of grace and truth.
- Selah: Are you part of the cloud?
- Read: 1-3.
- Memorise: 2:7.