Openbaring 11:12

12 En zij hoorden een grote stem uit den hemel, die tot hen zeide: Komt herwaarts op. En zij voeren op naar den hemel in de wolk; en hun vijanden aanschouwden hen.

Openbaring 11:12 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 11:12

And they heard a great voice from heaven
The Complutensian edition reads, "I heard", i.e. "John"; and so the Syriac and Arabic versions; but the copies in general read "they"; not the enemies, but the witnesses: and this seems not to come from any Christian civil magistrate in the church, but from Christ himself; not but that Christ may make use of, such for the bringing of his people into a more glorious and comfortable state in this world:

saying unto them, come up hither;
as the angel said to John, ( Revelation 4:1 ) , and Christ will say to his people, though on another account, ( Matthew 25:34 ) .

And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud;
which is to be understood not literally, for no man hath ascended to heaven, nor will any, until the thousand years are ended, when the saints will, in a body, ascend thither; but mystically, of a more glorious state of the church; so to ascend to heaven signifies a more exalted state in a prince, or a kingdom, ( Isaiah 14:13 ) ; and here intends a state of comfortable communion of the saints one with another, of great purity and holiness, of large enjoyments of blessings and privileges, and of great security from enemies, and of great glory, and honour, and power, that shall be bestowed upon them; they now dwelling on high, and their place of defence being the munition of rocks. This will be the beginning of the spiritual reign of Christ; and this ascension of the witnesses will be in a cloud, in allusion to our Lord's ascension to heaven, and as expressive of that glory and majesty which will be put upon these risen witnesses, and in which they shall enter into this happy state of things; or it may be, that this may denote that the first appearance of these happy times, and of Christ's spiritual reign in his church, and their more comfortable enjoyment, will be at first but dim and obscure, and yet such as, in comparison of their former state, will be visible to, and be taken notice of, even by their very enemies:

and their enemies beheld them;
going up to heaven, or entering into a purer, and more glorious, and spiritual state; for the mountain of the Lord's house will be established upon the top of the mountains, and Jerusalem shall be made the praise of the whole earth, an eternal excellency, and the joy of many generations; and this shall be seen and known of all, though to their grief and sorrow.

Openbaring 11:12 In-Context

10 En die op de aarde wonen, die zullen verblijd zijn over hen, en zullen vreugde bedrijven, en zullen elkander geschenken zenden; omdat deze twee profeten degenen, die op de aarde wonen, gepijnigd hadden.

11 En na die drie dagen en een halven, is een geest des levens uit God in hen gegaan; en zij stonden op hun voeten; en er is grote vrees gevallen op degenen, die hen aanschouwden.

12 En zij hoorden een grote stem uit den hemel, die tot hen zeide: Komt herwaarts op. En zij voeren op naar den hemel in de wolk; en hun vijanden aanschouwden hen.

13 En in diezelfde ure geschiedde een grote aardbeving, en het tiende deel der stad is gevallen, en er zijn in de aardbeving gedood zeven duizend namen van mensen, en de overigen zijn zeer bevreesd geworden, en hebben den God des hemels heerlijkheid gegeven.

14 Het tweede wee is weggegaan; ziet, het derde wee komt haast.