What significance does the "breath of life from God" hold for believers today? The Scene in Revelation 11:11 • “But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell upon those who saw them.” • The two witnesses, slain for their testimony, lie publicly dead. Then, without human aid, God’s own breath reverses death, validating their message and displaying His unmatched authority. Tracing the “Breath of Life” Through Scripture • Genesis 2:7 – The very first pulse of human life: “the LORD God… breathed the breath of life into his nostrils.” • Job 33:4 – “The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” • Ezekiel 37:5–10 – Dry bones reassembled and animated: “I will cause breath to enter you, and you will come to life.” • John 20:22 – Jesus “breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” • Acts 17:25 – God “gives everyone life and breath.” • 2 Timothy 3:16 – Scripture itself is “God-breathed,” carrying His life-giving power. • Revelation 11:11 – The same breath that began creation now raises the dead witnesses, foreshadowing a universal resurrection. What the Breath Teaches About God • Author of physical life — no creature lives apart from His breath. • Giver of spiritual life — regeneration is as direct and miraculous as Adam’s first gasp. • Victor over death — His breath cancels decay and announces resurrection. • Empowerer of witness — the two witnesses stand because God breathes; so every believer’s boldness originates with Him. • Communicator of truth — the God-breathed Word supplies His life continually. Immediate Encouragement for Believers • Assurance of future resurrection: Romans 8:11 – the Spirit who raised Jesus “will also give life to your mortal bodies.” • Confidence amid hostility: if God can re-inflate corpses in an enraged world, He can sustain your testimony today. • Security of salvation: Ephesians 1:13–14 affirms the Spirit as “the deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.” His breath seals what He starts. • Perspective on mortality: 2 Corinthians 4:14 – “He who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us.” Death is temporary storage, not final closure. Daily Applications • Start each day acknowledging the Gift-Giver: “Lord, every breath I draw is Yours.” • Feed on the God-breathed Word; it oxygenates faith (2 Timothy 3:16–17). • Rely on Spirit-given power for witness (Acts 1:8). • Breathe grace into relationships: speak words that carry life, not decay (Ephesians 4:29). • Face suffering with resurrection hope; the worst the world can do is only “three and a half days” compared to eternity. Living in the Expectation of Final Resurrection • 1 Thessalonians 4:16 – “The Lord Himself will descend… and the dead in Christ will rise first.” • Revelation 20:6 – “Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection.” • Until that trumpet sounds, every inhale reminds us: the same breath that animated Adam, revived Ezekiel’s valley, empowered the disciples, and raised the two witnesses is already within us, guaranteeing we, too, will stand on our feet forever. |
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