The Daily Word of Righteousness

Ye Shall Receive Power, #11

And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven [not toward the spirit Paradise but toward the sky] as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven [that is, into the sky]. (Acts 1:9-11)

Compare:

But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on. (Revelation 11:11,12)

As we understand it, the resurrection and ascension of the "two witnesses" (Revelation 11:11,12) is the first resurrection from the dead, and the ascension of the saints (witnesses) of all ages to meet Jesus at His return in the clouds of the heaven. We shall rise to meet the Lord "in the air," not in the spirit Paradise. This is an event in the physical realm for which our spiritual training is preparing us.

The world is in darkness today. But God has promised an end-time revival that will be greater in authority, power, and glory than any revival of the past. Truly, Christ has kept the good wine until now.

In the present hour we are ministering to one another, building the "Lampstand," the Body of Christ. One day soon the double portion of oil will be added to the Lampstand. We shall go forth during a period of great confusion and disturbance in the world to preach the soon coming of the Lord Jesus.

These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks [lampstands] standing before the God of the earth. (Revelation 11:4)

Why the God of the earth ? Why not the God of Heaven?

It is because the purpose of this revival is to announce to the peoples of the earth that the Kingdom of God is coming to the earth.

The earth is the Lord's. For hundreds of years the Christian churches have announced that the purpose of redemption is to bring the saved to live in Heaven for eternity. This is neither scriptural nor reasonable.

Why would God create us on the earth if our eternal home is Heaven?

Heaven is for the angels. The earth is for mankind. God created both Heaven and the earth and He knows the end from the beginning.

Some of the angels left Heaven, their original place of responsibility, and invaded the earth. God has ordained they will be judged by people—the people whom they have caused anguish and terror. Such is the justice of God Almighty.

Today mankind is being seduced by the cunning, lusts, violence, and rebellion of fallen angels. Even the Lord's people find it very difficult to control themselves in such a demonic environment. They trust that the Lord will remove them from the earth so they can find peace in the spirit realm, in Paradise.

To be continued.