Three and a half days had passed before Jesus finally appeared to His apostles, because He had witnessed to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, explaining to them how the Law and the Prophets had been fulfilled by Him. Jesus had risen from the grave in 3 days, but it was 3 and 1/2 days before He appeared behind the closed doors where His apostles were hiding
And after three days and a half the Spirit of Life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet, and great fear fell upon them which saw them...Rev. 11:11. Is there another scripture that explains this phenomenon?
So Jesus said to them, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit...if you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained...John 20:21-23.
When Jesus breathed on them, the Spirit of Life from God entered them and stood them on their feet - they were emboldened with new power and authority. Their room of gloom was transformed into joy unspeakable and full of glory! Their next stop would be the upper room and the baptism of the Holy Spirit in order to be fully equipped for their mission...Acts 2:1-13.
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...Rev. 11:12. This was the voice of God saying, "Come up here." In the Greek this means - come to this spot. When the apostles responded to the voice, a cloud covered them while their enemies watched. The word heaven in this text implies elevation - not the celestial city - which means they walked up a hill or mountain.
Earlier in their ministry, Jesus took Peter, James, and John to the Mount of Transfiguration...Luke 9-34-35. They were engulfed with cloudiness and heard the voice of God, not unlike what was happening now. At the beginning of the church age, all of the apostles were covered with a cloudy mist, and followed the Voice up a hill to receive instructions from the Voice. This supernatural occurrence was a witness to the enemies of the apostles, who observed this mystifying event.
They're back! The apostles were now back in the streets of Jerusalem - but not as the Two Witnesses - they are dead. Out of their ashes, the Church of Jesus Christ was Born! Great fear fell upon the people in the town square, when they once again saw and heard the apostles preaching the word of God boldly, with passion and urgency. Here come the Sons of Thunder...oh no!
In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell...in the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of Heaven...Rev. ll:13. Earthquake symbolizes social upheaval - and that's exactly what happened.
During this extravagant outpouring of God's mercy, people all over the territory became convicted of their sins, crying out to be saved from the judgment. Multitudes brought their sick into the streets, hoping to come near the anointing of God demonstrated by the apostles of Jesus Christ. Simply the shadow of Peter healed the sick in those days of this divine visitation of God, after the apostles came out of hiding. There was much rejoicing and praising God for His mercy and favor.
And a tenth of the city fell. The number ten symbolizes the Law of Moses. Those who continued to serve the Law would continue to experience the judgment that is enshrined in it - if you sin you die...Rom. 6:23. The Law was given so that man would have knowledge of his sin - it didn't save man from his sins. Serving the Law brings death.
Seven thousand people were killed. The number seven means complete or perfection - God's sacred number. Since earthquake is not literal, neither were seven thousand people literally killed. Killed means destroy. What was destroyed? Death under the old covenant was forever destroyed - killed - by the new covenant.
The large figure - seven thousand - was used to describe the totality of the effectiveness of the Messiah - Jesus Christ - to forever abolish the consciousness of sin - setting men free from the fear of death - proven by the phenomenal signs and wonders demonstrated by the apostles of Jesus Christ. Social upheaval was ignited when the apostles cast out demons, raised the dead, healed the sick, the blind could see, and the deaf heard - many signs and wonders were experienced in Jerusalem - people were in awe, as well as trembling in fear because of these phenomena.
With the completion of the mission of the Two Witnesses - salvation had come!
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question...
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