Series: Cloud of Witnesses; Interaction Between Heaven and Earth
Sun am 18 November 2018 – Kobus Swart
Heb. 12:1; Heb. 11:39-40; Zech. 3:1-4; Eph. 2:10; Acts 1:9-11; Mal. 4:5-6; Luke 1:17; Matt. 11:14; Matt. 17:12; (John 10:41-KJV); Eph. 4:11-13; Matt. 16:27 to Matt. 17:1; (Rev. 1:10-16); 1 Cor. 2:9; (Ezek. 10; Dan. 12; Mark 16; John 20)
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurancethe race that is set before us (Heb. 12:1). Where a verse starts with “therefore”, you realize it was linked to what was said before. Chapter divisions were not there in the beginning. And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect(Heb. 11:39-40). Therefore …
Don Atkin says, “We have a great cloud of
Do not forget that the accuser is still busy (Zech. 3:1-4). He accuses us day and night. That is all he can do because he has been put under judgement by the Cross and resurrection of Jesus. Look forward to the next phase and next dimension. We have been released from our sin (Rev 1:5).
There are references to ‘men in white’ or ‘men in white linen’ that have appeared to people on earth (Gen. 18; Ezek. 10; Dan. 12; Mark 16; John 20). Abraham had a relationship with men in white throughout his life. Then with the ascension of Jesus, we read: And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them(Acts 1:9-10). You know by now that it is not talking about a rain cloud, it was a spiritual cloud from another dimension. There is an interaction between the heaven and the earth. In the life of Jesus and in His ministry we saw that heaven and earth had no breach, they were connected. He was in heaven on earth. However, after His resurrection, He was taken up into a cloud, and while the disciples were looking intently two men in white clothing appeared and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). The Message Bible says, Why do you just stand here looking up at an empty sky? This very Jesus who was taken up from among you to heaven will come as certainly—and mysteriously—as he left.
Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse (Mal. 4:5-6). There is enough evidence in the Bible that John the Baptist was the fulfilment of this prophecy (Luke 1:17; Matt. 11:14; Matt. 17:12) even though he did not perform any miracles (John 10:41). We must see that what Elijah carried, was an anointing and grace.
The commission of John the Baptist was to prepare a people for the coming of the Lord Jesus. If you look at Ephesians 4 there is a grace that is needed in the Church now to prepare and bring a people to the full stature of Christ! The Elijah anointing is both apostolic and prophetic. The five-fold ministry was never called to build ministry platforms or networks. And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ (Eph. 4:11-13). How much longer is this grace needed to bring the Body of Christ to full stature?
This family that is in the cloud of witnesses is one with the family (Body of Christ) on earth. The Elijah ministry of the end time is going to unite the hearts of the fathers in the cloud, with the hearts of the sons still on earth (Mal. 4:5-6). The veil has to be removed so we can become what we are supposed to become, seated with Him in heavenly places, born from above, and yet on earth, with access to the heavenly realms. Elijah is going to come to unite the hearts of the fathers to the hearts of the children, and the hearts of the children to the hearts of the fathers. The ministry of Elijah in the last days is to remove the gap between the visible and the invisible family of God.
For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds. “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom. Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him (Matt. 16:27-28 and Matt. 17:1-3). Locked into these few verses is more insight into what it means and its relevance for the season we are in. Jesus was transfigured and Moses and Elijah appeared; they were in the next dimension. There is a heart-cry in this generation for intimacy; a heart-cry to go beyond religion and religious activities and experience the reality of the realms created by God. We must refuse the constraints of man; there is more to God than what we have grown up to believe. There are new levels and dimensions opening up in Christ. Embrace this with all of your heart.
There is seemingly still a veil between us and the next dimension. This is the key to get rid of the veil. The apostle John said, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice” (Rev. 1:10). He turned to see the voice and saw the seven golden lampstands representing the seven churches – seven the number of completeness and fullness. We will only hear that voice when we are in the spirit. There is a realm beckoning. Let us hear the voice of the Lord coming to us in this season. Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Cor. 2:9). We do not see because we are too earthly bound. Lord ignite a fresh, new love in our hearts for You. Lord help us to spend more time in quietness before Your face. Lord help us to find a place of rest, immune from stresses and concerns and anxieties of this world. Forgive us that we have succumbed to the stresses and pressures of this life. We are called to release that voice and that voice is a frequency that has not been heard before.