this more literally in crisis, there is nothing in the revival of the witnesses, which renders it strictly literal; on the contrary, the terms are, for the most part, symbolical. A spirit of life from God, though it may be applied, is not so strictly characteristic of mere quickening.[1] It was distinct, however, from a mere renewal of prophecy in sackcloth. The testimony now was by their exaltation publicly, not by their faithfulness in trial. I would remark on verse 8, that it is properly not the street of the great city; but rather the highway or great street of the city, but the antecedent to which seems the whole idea. All this time the last great woe was on the eve of being manifested.
The witnesses then were a testimony—given previous to the last dire expression of the power of evil being let loose—an adequate testimony; and that of God’s claim upon the earth, during the time that these dwellers upon earth claimed it as theirs, and therefore were tormented by the testimony. It was during the prevalence, not of the beast out of the bottomless pit, necessarily; for till the war, his
- ↑ Observe, it is neither resurrection nor changing them who are alive, but a special act. Man had killed them, but God quickened and called them up.
