Ye Shall Be Witnesses unto Me

When Jesus rose from the dead on that Resurrection morning, He did not immediately rise to the sky. The next forty days were very important: Jesus was a witness of His resurrection.

Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9) and to Peter (Simon). He then appeared to two on the road to Emmaus, and then to the disciples. (see: Luke 24:13-35)

"To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:" - Acts 1:3

It is said the number forty represents transition or change; the concept of renewal; a new beginning; a lifting of a spiritual state. We can see the number forty used in this way throughout the Old Testament as well as the New Testament. One example is the flooding of the earth in the days of Noah lasted for forty days and nights, the number forty relating to purification and rebirth. Peter compared the flood to our water baptism in Jesus name, which is purification and rebirth. (1Peter 3:20-21)

Paul spoke of the forty days that Jesus witnessed of His resurrection.

"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: and that he was seen of Cephas [Peter], then of the twelve: after that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time." - 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 KJV

Because we follow Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, we also must follow His witnessing of His resurrection.

We witness of our death to sin in our life by our repentance, we witness of our burial with Jesus in our water baptism in Jesus name when He cleansed us by His blood of all our sins. And, we witness of our new life in Jesus, His resurrecting power in our life by the infilling of His Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:38, Acts 2:4)

We can see that after we receive the Holy Ghost, we begin a lifelong transition of perfecting from the old life we lived to our new life in Jesus. Our new birth, of water and of the Spirit, brings a “new beginning.” This time period after we have been born again and when we see Jesus is a “lifting of a spiritual state.”

Just as Jesus had a forty-day interim between His resurrection and ascending to heaven, we too have this forty-day interim symbolically between our receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost (our resurrection) and when we meet Jesus in heaven (our ascension to heaven – the rapture) (1Thessalonians 4:15-16).

Just as Jesus was a witness of the power of His resurrection to those close to Him as well as great multitudes (1Corinthians 15:3-8), we too are witnesses to family and friends and many others of the power of the Holy Ghost in our life, that gives us resurrection from our old life to a new life in Jesus (1Corinthians 6:9-11).

Jesus said after we receive the Holy Ghost we shall be witnesses unto Him!

"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." - Acts 1:8 KJV