Revelation 11:3-14
The Two Witnesses -
part 2
Read text
Introduction
√ The Two Witnesses
Last week we continued to look at some of the details of events during the Great Tribulation.
We introduced the Two Witnesses (part 1) - looking at their awesome ministry as they proclaim the Gospel and declare judgement on the whole world.
This week we finish our study of the Two Witnesses as we look at some of the popular theories as to their identity and their bold witness.
Ap. Model for ministry
The Two Witnesses provide Christians with an excellent model for ministry. We find that they are bold in their witness for Christ despite…
Opposition of the enemy
Humiliation by the enemy
…because they are confident that their faith in Jesus is secure and that He will vindicate their trust in Him.
Who are those guys! (vs. 3-6)
Rev 11:3 "And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth."
Rev 11:4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth.
Rev 11:5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner.
Rev 11:6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
√ Who are those guys!
As I mentioned last week we're given all sorts of details regarding what these Two Witnesses do, but we're never given their exact identity.
Lot of speculation, ranging from the possible to the most bizarre.
Seems like all the fringe and cultic teaching about these two somehow find symbolism that proves that "they" are the two witnesses!
Some possibilities…
1) The most popular among the big name Bible teachers today is that these two are Moses & Elijah.
Pros:
Similar ministries – fire from heaven, turning water to blood, withholding rain, etc.
Promise to send
Elijah before the Lord
Mal 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.
Appear with Jesus at
Mt. of Transfiguration
Mat 17:1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, brought them up on a high mountain by themselves,
Mat 17:2 and was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
Mat 17:3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.
Cons:
Moses died - to bring him back would seem to violate Heb. 9:27...
Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,
They aren't named - why would John (who saw them at the Transfiguration) leave out such important information?
Jesus said that John
the Baptist fulfilled Mal. 4:5
Mat 11:11 "Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Mat 11:12 "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.
Mat 11:13 "For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
Mat 11:14 "And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come.
2) Others see the two witnesses as Enoch and Elijah.
Pros:
Same as above with the added merit that Enoch never died.
Therefore both have missed their appointment with death per Heb. 9:27.
Cons:
Huge part of the Body of Christ will never taste death because they'll be Raptured per I Cor. 15:51; therefore, the Heb. 9:27 argument falls apart.
Enoch was a righteous man - but is never associated with miracle working.
Weak attempt to replace Moses in first theory.
3) Others see them as two groups - the Church and Israel.
Pros:
God has been using these two groups throughout the history of man to be His Witnesses to the World.
• Israel until their rejection of Messiah.
• The Church since Pentecost.
Those who hold this position believe that the Two Witnesses are the 144,000 sealed of Israel working with the Gentile Church.
Cons:
Precludes a pre-tribulation rapture.
Historically Israel and the Church have been witnesses at different times - not during the same time. Would therefore seem to contradict the way in which God has worked in times past (dispensations).
Our text speaks specifically of "two prophets" - why force the wording to be symbolic of two groups when John has been so clear about whether it's symbolic or literal up to this point?
Couldn't kill off all 144,000 and Church and leave their bodies laying about Jerusalem - we're talking tens of thousands of people.
4) So, who are they?
Hum, everyone has an idea - and they all have some merit. The one I like best is....
..that these most likely are two representatives (or leaders) of the 144,000 sealed by God to minister to the world after the Church has been Raptured.
Pros:
They are doing what the 144,000 are called and sealed to do & where they are called to do it.
They're un-named - like the 144,000.
Cons:
Not specifically told that they are from the 144,000.
We're told the 144,000 will be witnesses, but not whether they will have power to do signs and wonders.
Ap. Be charitable!
While all this is fun - and good for us to use our Bible brains remember that they are un-named, so we can't be too dogmatic about the whole thing.
Bottom line -taking all the facts provided in scripture it is evident that these two witnesses have a combination of the greatest powers ever given prophets on earth!
More than...
Elijah
Moses
The apostles
...so that no one will be able to deny that they are prophets of the most high God!
Opposition to their ministry (vs. 7-10)
Rev 11:7 Now when they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.
Rev 11:8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
Rev 11:9 Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three and a half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves.
Rev 11:10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
√ Opposition to their ministry
We’re told that the two witnesses are finally defeated by the "beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit" who kills them.
Three different “beasts” are mentioned in the Revelation, so the question is…
“Which beast are we talking about here?”
Beast…
therion (wild beast - heavy emphasis on the wild)
Three beasts mentioned in the Revelation...
Beast from the pit (abuso) Rev. 11:7 = Satan
Beast from sea (Rev. 13:1) = Antichrist
Beast from earth (Rev. 13:11) = false prophet
An unholy Trinity - more detail in future studies. For now, understand that the Two Witnesses will be killed by the Devil, most likely through the agency of Man (The AC?).
Let’s look at some of the additional truths that are revealed here.
√ Killed
We're not told how they are killed only that their bodies are left on public display in the city of Jerusalem so that the entire world can view their corpses.
Could not be fulfilled until the last century with the advent of TV! Another indication that we’re living in the very end of time.
Ex. “Street cams” on the internet
Then those who dwell on the earth have a kind of a Dead Witness celebration (Dead Heads?) sending one another gifts and having a world wide party!
Completely without precedence - that the inhabitants from every nation in the world have a planet-wide celebration over the death of two people!
FTD flower arrangements?
Ex. Perhaps the closest parallel would have been the death of Hitler and the end of WWII.
Why so significant?
Because up to the point that they are killed all the powers of Man and demons have proven completely ineffective against them.
Their lives and ministry were a daily reminder to Satan, the Antichrist and the inhabitants of the world that neither Man nor devil is in control of the Earth's future.
So this victory of the beast over the Two Witnesses seems to indicate that Satan finally won his age-old struggle against God!
Thus the celebration - Mankind can look at the bodies of the two witnesses and rejoice believing that they were right all along...
That they are not subject to God or His rules.
That they can live by their own moral code without consequence.
That they are finally free of God's judgement and wrath!
So, the world denies them burial because their bodies are seen as a symbol of victory for the Beast (Antichrist) and all those who oppose God.
Vindication of their ministry (vs. 11-13)
Rev 11:11 Now 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 on those who saw them.
Rev 11:12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.
Rev 11:13 In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand men were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.
√ Vindication of their ministry
The party's over for those who dwell on the earth as suddenly the Two Witnesses stand up alive in full view of their enemies and are called to heaven!
So much for Satan's symbol of victory! J
Can you picture that?
Ex. President Regan’s funeral.
What looked like a complete defeat turned to an overwhelming victory for God and His servants. Nothing the Two Witnesses could have done would have proven the power of God more impressively than to rise from the dead - in full view of the world.
It is possible to silence a witness of the truth by death; but the Truth proclaimed is not destroyed.
In the case of the Two Witnesses that is made manifest in a dramatic way. Satan and the world had hoped that by killing these prophets of God that they would silence the truth they spoke.
Instead, they come back to life in full view of those who have chosen to love the lie and not God.
What we have displayed is only a foreshadowing of the Resurrection of all God's servants who will stand with Jesus when He judges the wicked and condemns them to hell.
Ap. Stand for Truth in these Last Days - be a light - be a thorn - but never stop speaking the truth!
√ Note the effect upon those who oppose God in vs. 13…
For the first time in the Revelation we find that they...
Fear God
Gave glory to God
...after all that the people of the earth had experienced they would still not humble themselves before God.
But now, when they thought they'd finally won the battle with God - they find that He is greater than they could ever have imagined.
√ Rapture?
Some see the Rapture in this section - but a better parallel is the Lord's Ascension from the Mt. of Olives....
Rapture
No indication it will be observable to the world
Not gradual - "in a twinkling" (I Cor. 15:52)
Involves all of the saints – living & dead
Ascension
In full view of disciples
Received into a cloud
Gradual - not in a twinkling
Ap. As we leave these two mighty prophets of God I think that the great lesson for us this morning is that we must remember that to be a witness will always carry a cost.
The World doesn't want Christians around because their light reveals the truth of the wickedness those in the world love so dearly.
More trouble coming (vs. 14)
Rev 11:14 The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
√ The section closes with the sobering truth that the final stroke of God's wrath is about to hit and it's coming fast.
We'll look at that next week.
Close
√ Be a witness
Actually, each of us is already a witness. The question is…
“what kind of a witness are we?”
…a good one, or a bad one?
God has called us, equipped us, and told us to be His witnesses in the time that He has granted us to live.