3 “And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. (Revelation 11:3–4)
It may not sink in for some, but the “two witnesses” are on the scene for the entirety of the final three and a half years, or forty-two months, of the tribulation. They are then assassinated by the antichrist, aka, the “beast,” and their bodies trampled in the streets by the masses, only to rise again in three and a half days. That’s a long time to wreak havoc in the “holy city” unabated.
The assumption is that they’re stationed in the temple’s outer court (Revelation 11:2) in Jerusalem (the “holy” or “great city” where Christ was crucified, Revelation 11:8). They are untouchable, meaning, cross them, and they will send forth fire “out of their mouth” to kill you (Revelation 11:5). Moreover, during the days of their prophesying, they will have “power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.” (Revelation 11:6)
They may be an anathema to that degenerate society, but these men are beautiful “olive trees” in God’s eyes, and “lamp stands” to a dark world. In the Bible, as an aside, God often uses two men to do his work, “king-like” and “priest-like” figures. For example, Zerubbabel, a descendent of King David, and Joshua, from the line of priest Eleazar, rebuilt Solomon’s temple, and were called “olive trees” and “lamp stands.” (Zechariah 4:14) In Christ, however, we have two in one.
There is a lot of speculation on who these “witnesses” will be, perhaps the same two men who showed themselves on the “Mount of Transfiguration” with a glorified Jesus, Elijah, who was “taken up,” and Moses, whose death was not witnessed. Who they are, for now, must remain a mystery.
10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. 11 But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them. (Revelation 11:10–11)
It’s interesting to hear of the people’s reaction to the temporary removal of these “irritants” from society. You either accept their message and realize incalculable benefits, life everlasting, or face the music.
We all are the “two witnesses,” so to speak, placed in a dark world with God’s light. This illumination reveals the ugliness of sin, but in most cases, men and women would rather revel in the darkness than come into the light.
And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them. (Revelation 11:12)
There, for all to see, the two witnesses (now reconstituted) will be summoned from above with the words, “come up here,” and they will be received in the “cloud,” as Jesus was (Acts 1:9), and as we will be one day. It is a possibility that, from the manner in which Christ and the witnesses in this account ascended, that when we are raptured, those “left behind” will see us rise up!
13 And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. 14 The second woe is past; behold, the third woe is coming quickly. (Revelation 11:13–14)
To close out this sequence, add another 7,000 victims at the hand of God, but the rest, and excitedly so, “gave glory to the God of heaven,” hopefully in a such a manner that saved their souls.
And thus, we close out the “second woe” with the last of the “seven trumpets blowing sweet rock and roll. Gonna blow right down inside your soul.” (Supper’s Ready, rock band Genesis, 1972)
Leave a Reply