1The first book I wrote, Theophilus, concerned all that Jesus began both to do and to teach, 2until the day in which he was received up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3To these he also showed himself alive after he suffered, by many proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking about God’s Kingdom. 4Being assembled together with them, he commanded them, “Don’t depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which you heard from me. 5For John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
6Therefore, when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, are you now restoring the kingdom to Israel?”
7He said to them, “It isn’t for you to know times or seasons which the Father has set within his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”
9When he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10While they were looking steadfastly into the sky as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white clothing, 11who also said, “You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who was received up from you into the sky, will come back in the same way as you saw him going into the sky.”
12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13When they had come in, they went up into the upper room where they were staying, that is Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. 14All these with one accord continued steadfastly in prayer and supplication, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
15In these days, Peter stood up in the middle of the disciples (and the number of names was about one hundred twenty), and said, 16“Brothers, it was necessary that this Scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was guide to those who took Jesus. 17For he was counted with us, and received his portion in this ministry. 18Now this man obtained a field with the reward for his wickedness; and falling headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines gushed out. 19It became known to everyone who lived in Jerusalem that in their language that field was called ‘Akeldama,’ that is, ‘The field of blood.’ 20For it is written in the book of Psalms,
‘Let his habitation be made desolate.
Let no one dwell in it;’
and,
‘Let another take his office.’
21“Of the men therefore who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22beginning from the baptism of John to the day that he was received up from us, of these one must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”
23They put forward two: Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. 24They prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two you have chosen 25to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell away, that he might go to his own place.” 26They drew lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was counted with the eleven apostles.
The resurrection of the witnesses will occur after they have been dead for three and a half days, causing fear among men. The Ascension of the witnesses will be followed by an earthquake that will destroy a tenth of Jerusalem and seven thousand people.
It appears God’s choice of three and a half days is to make the connection between the years of their prophesying and their deaths. God resurrects them. The reference to God’s “breath of life” may come from Ezekiel 17, the valley of dry bones, where the breath of God entered the reconstructed bodies and brought them to life. There it was a picture of the restoration of Israel to the land. Here, it may serve as a reminder to Israel of its coming “resurrection” at Christ’s return.
The response of people witnessing their resurrections and ascension into heaven is fear. This fear is likely a result of realizing that their champion, the beast, did not, in fact, defeat them after all.
The loud voice is not identified. Their ascension to heaven “in a cloud” indicates a similarity between their ascension and Jesus’ (Acts 1:9). John tells us that the witnesses’ enemies witnessed their ascension and would be included in those who experienced great fear at their resurrections.
An earthquake follows their ascension. The text does not say how soon it will occur after their ascension, but within the same day. The use of “great” indicates its severity and destructive power, which explains why a tenth of Jerusalem will collapse. The deaths of seven thousand also attest to its severity. Survivors glorify God. Where in earlier judgments the “earth dwellers” continue to reject God, the people of Jerusalem, the Israelites who by now are looking for the Messiah to return, respond in faith. In Revelation, glorifying God is a response of faith by those destined for heaven.