A TRIBULATION PARTY |
|
There are many unprecedented things that will happen during the seven years of the Tribulation. As you read of all that will happen it is almost mind boggling. The return of Jesus Christ to take His children out of the world will set off events unlike anything this world has ever known. One of the most fascinating things that will occur is what we are considering in this study. It is the account of two witnesses or prophets that will gain the attention of the whole world. These two prophets will be so hated, that when they die, the world will have a party.
Before we look at these two witnesses, let me refresh your memory as to where we are in the Book of Revelation. We are still in the interlude that exists between the sounding of the 6th and 7th trumpet. It is an interlude that began in 10:1 and concludes with the events we will consider in this study.
During this interlude we have seen that the patience and longsuffering of God has been exhausted and that there will be no further delays in God’s judgment on the earth. As we saw in our last study, the Jewish Temple has been rebuilt and a period of peace has been orchestrated by the antichrist in the Middle East.
This interlude continues and concludes with our introduction to the two witnesses. Let’s began by first noticing:
1. THE DEEDS OF THE TWO WITNESSES
These two witnesses are fascinating characters. They are sent from God and have a particular role in the first 3 ˝ years of the tribulation. As John describes these two witnesses, he speaks of their deeds or ministry.
We see their deeds in:
A) The Purpose of Their Ministry
We read in verse 3, “And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.” The word “witness” is actually the word from which we get our English word “martyr.” A martyr originally referred to someone who was a witness, a person who gave testimony to something that was true. However, because so many Christians in the early church gave their life because of their witness, the word became associated with those who were killed for their faith. As used in description of the two witnesses, it simply indicates they were witnesses of God’s truth.
The purpose of their ministry is seen in the words “they shall prophesy.” The word “prophesy” means “to speak forth.” The idea is that of proclaiming or preaching. These two witnesses will preach and proclaim to the world that the events that are occurring on the earth are the judgments of God.
John saw them “clothed in sackcloth.” This was the garment of a prophet. It was a rough, heavy, coarse cloth worn in ancient times as a symbol of mourning. Oftentimes in the Bible we see people putting on sackcloth in a time of grief and mourning. The clothing of these two witnesses indicates that their message was a message of judgment and that their mission was to proclaim and explain God’s judgment upon the earth. Their message was indeed a message of doom and gloom.
The number “two” is the number of witness and testimony. We read in Deuteronomy 19:15, “One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.” Jesus said in Matthew 18:16, “But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.”
On different occasions God sent out His servants and messengers in teams of two. There was Moses and Aaron, Joshua and Caleb, and Paul and Silas, to name a few. When the Lord Jesus sent out His twelve disciples, He sent them out paired in teams of two. The same was true of the seventy He sent out. The purpose of at least two was to confirm the message they preached.
The length of the ministry of the two witnesses is stated in verse 3, “and they shall prophesy two hundred and threescore days.” This period of time, 1,260 days is 3 ˝ years, and refers to the first 3 ˝ years of the tribulation period. During this time, these two witnesses will declare the message that God’s judgment is coming upon the earth.
A further description of these two witnesses is given in verse 4, “These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.” These two witnesses are called the two olive trees and the two candlesticks. The olive trees speak of their unction. The lampstands were fueled by oil that came from the olive tree. Oil in the Bible is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. These were two men that had been anointed of God to preach God’s Word to their generation. The lampstands speak of the function. Lamps are for the purpose of giving light. These two witnesses were to be lights in a very dark world.
These two witnesses remind us that God has always had His witnesses. In every age God has had His witnesses. Jesus said to His disciples in Acts 1:8, “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 Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” As Christians, we are God’s witnesses. Just as these two witnesses will be commissioned by God to be His witnesses, every Christian is to be a witness for Christ. Like them, we are to be an anointed witnesses who are a light in a dark world. We must always function with unction.
Furthermore, we see:
B) The Protection of Their Ministry
We read in verse 5, “And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.” These two witnesses are divinely protected and preserved, as we shall later see. They will be protected and preserved until God has accomplished His purpose in their lives and ministry.
No doubt, many will seek to harm and hurt these two witnesses. Their message and ministry will not be one that people will admire and appreciate. Because of their message they will be hated. John stated that if any attempted to cause them harm, fire will proceed out of their mouth and devour them. Now that’s some fiery preaching! It is most likely this is a literal fire that will incinerate those who try to harm them.
To lay a hand against either of these God appointed and anointed servants will bring instant death. The divine decree is that if any attempt to harm them, “he must in this manner be killed.” You could say that it will be a case of those who tried and fried. As with the 144,000 we saw earlier, these two witnesses are divinely protected to carry out their ministry of witness on the earth.
Also notice:
C) The Power of Their Ministry
These two witnesses will exercise and demonstrate a very powerful ministry. We read in verse 6, “These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.” These two witnesses will have great power. They will have the power to perform miracles of various kinds.
It is in their power to shut heaven and prevent it from raining for 3 ˝ years. They will also have power over the waters and even turn the water to blood. They even have the power to smite the earth with various plagues. The word “plagues” speaks of various kinds of calamities. They have a power that can be exercised “as often as they will.” Whatever they want, whenever they desire, they have the ability and power to perform amazing miracles.
There are a lot of preachers and evangelists in our day and time that claim to be able to perform miracles. To be very honest, in my opinion, they are nothing but quacks and con-artists. When I hear some of them making their claims I reminded of Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. He was driving down the road listening to a preacher on the radio. The preacher was talking about getting a miracle and asked people to put their hand on the radio as a point of contact. Dr. Jones thought to himself, “Put your hand in the radio and you will get more out of it.”
In the case of the two witnesses, they will not be fakes. They will have the power to perform amazing feats. They will demonstrate a powerful ministry.
Before I move on, let me say just a word about the identification of these two witnesses. The Bible does not tell us who they are, but many believe they are Elijah and Moses. For one thing, there are the miracles they perform. Withholding rain and turning water into blood were miracles performed by Elijah and Moses. Furthermore, it was Moses and Elijah that appeared with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, which was a preview of the second coming of Christ in His glory. I, like many, tend to think that these two witnesses will be a reappearance of Elijah and Moses. Regardless of who they are, they will have a most unique ministry during the 3 ˝ years they prophesy.
Secondly, we not only see the deeds of these two witnesses, but also:
2. THE DEATH'S OF THE TWO WITNESSES
For 3 ˝ years their ministry is divinely protected. However, there will come the time when their mission and ministry will be accomplished. Once their ministry is accomplished the divine protection will be removed and they will be killed. We read in verse 7, “And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.” Notice carefully that it is only “when they shall have finished their testimony” that they can be killed. It is only when their work is done that anyone can lay a hand on them.
As we look at their death we see:
A) The Cause of Their Death
In verse 7 we are introduced for the first time in Revelation to “the beast.” The beast is mentioned 36 times in Revelation. The beast is the antichrist that plays a significant role in the Tribulation Period. The antichrist is introduced with emphasis on where he comes from. We read that he “ascendeth out of the bottomless pit.” This indicates that the antichrist will be energized and empowered by Satan. He will be Satan’s superman to carry out his diabolical plans on the earth. We will learn more about the beast in Revelation 13 where he is described as a world-ruler who claims to be the Christ, thus the name antichrist. He will demand that people worship and follow him.
The beast will be responsible for the death of the two witnesses. After he has them killed, he ignominiously leaves their bodies in the street for the whole world to see. We read in verse 8, “And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.” The place where their bodies are left is a street in the city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem is called Sodom because of its vice. It is called Egypt because of its vanity. It is called the place where the Lord was crucified because of its violence. This verse not only gives us a preview of the death of the two witnesses, but also of the future conditions of Jerusalem. From all indications, the antichrist, his rule and influence will turn the holy city into a hellish city.
We read in verse 9, “And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be into a grave.” To add insult to injury, their bodies will not be permitted to be put into a grave. Their bodies will be left to rot and decay on the street. The whole world will be able to see the bodies of the two witnesses lying in the street. No doubt the Bible is describing how by the means of television the whole world will be able to see the bodies of these two witnesses lying in the street. I can imagine that CNN, Fox, MSNBC will be talking about all through the day and flashing images of their bodies on the screen.
We not only see the cause of their death, but also:
B) The Celebration of Their Death
The deaths of these two witnesses will set off a world-wide celebration around the world. This celebration is described in verse 10, “And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.” The world will be so happy that the two witnesses are dead it will have a party. In fact, they will be so happy they will “send gifts one to another.” It will be like Christmas to the world. Instead of giving gifts because of the birth of Christ, they will give gifts because of the death of two Christians.
The cause of the world’s happiness is due to the deep hatred it had for the two witnesses. They rejoice, make merry, and exchange gifts “because these two prophets torment them that dwelt on the earth.” Remember, all Christians have been taken out of the world. It will be a world absent of God and without a desire for God. These two witnesses will be a thorn in the side of a world without values and principles. Their message has been held in contempt and scorn, and now that they are dead, the world turns their death into a holiday.
There is dancing in the streets. There are high fives and cheers heard around the world. The world is finally rid of those two old preachers and they celebrate their deaths. I find it interesting that this is the only scene of joy on earth in the whole book of Revelation. There are several joyful scenes in heaven, but only this one scene of joy upon the earth. What a commentary on the days of the Tribulation Period that what makes people happy is silencing of the preaching of God’s Word.
Lastly, notice with me:
3. THE DELIVERANCE OF THE TWO WITNESSES
The celebration doesn’t last long for things will suddenly take a surprising turn. You talk about taking the wind out of the world’s sails. What happens will leave the world numb and dumbfounded. The Lord will deliver the two witnesses in a most extraordinary way.
First, notice:
A) The Resurrection of the Two Witnesses
For three days their bloated, blue bodies will lie in the street. But then all of a sudden, they will begin to move. Pardon my imagination, but I can hear one cough and see the other open his eyes. I can hear Elijah say, “Mose, its about time to get up.”
We read of this marvelous scene in verse 11, “And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.” God will breathe new life into the two witnesses and resurrect them from the dead. To the amazement of the whole world, they will stand to their feet. I can hear Wolf Blitzer saying, “Wait, wait a minute. Something strange is happening.” The whole scene will strike fear into the heart of the whole world as they watch the events that transpire on TV. No doubt the thought will run through their mind, “These fellows were real.” It will begin to dawn on them that what they had been saying for the last 3 ˝ years is true. This growing realization will grip their hearts with terror.
I remember watching the events of 9-11 on TV. When I first heard that a second plane had hit the Twin Towers, I knew that something unusual was happening. I rushed home to watch the news. When the report came that a third place had hit the Pentagon, like most everyone else, a feeling of uneasiness and worry came over me. I said to my wife, “This is bad.” As the realization came upon us all, it struck fear in every heart. If you were like me, you were sitting there thinking, what is going to happen next.
As the world watches these events there will come the realization that these two witnesses were not a couple of nut cases. There will come the realization that these men were the real deal and their message of judgment was likewise real. No doubt the hearts of men world-wide will be filled with fear.
The resurrection of the two witnesses will be followed by another scene that will astound the world. There will not only be the resurrection of the two witnesses, but also:
B) The Rapture of the Two Witnesses
We read in verse 12, “And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.” In a repeat of what is seen in Revelation 4, once again a voice from heaven is heard saying, “Come up hither.”
The world has seen them standing on their feet and now they see them leaving the ground. They will see them rise up toward heaven and out of sight. They are not only raised from the dead, but also raptured from the earth. Again, pardon my imagination, but I can see Moses sticking his tongue out at the whole crowd as he vanishes out of sight.
As soon as they are raptured, a chain of events occur that will remove any doubt in the world’s mind that God is God and the world is under His judgment. We read in verse 13, “And the same hour there was a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.”
Once again the earth is shaken by a earthquake. This earthquake will possible be in the area of Jerusalem and the casualties reach seven thousand. Those that are left are stricken with fear. The remnant or the rest of people, the Bible says “gave glory to God.” Since in all probability these events occur in Jerusalem, this remnant is most likely Jews who repent and turn to God, adding to the number of people who are saved during the Tribulation Period.
With these events this interlude ends. Verse 14 states, “The second woe is past; and behold, the third woe cometh quickly.” The seventh trumpet (third “woe” cp. 9:12) is now about to sound and bring with it seven bowls of wrath that will be poured out upon the earth.
Revelation describes two scenes of celebration. There is a heavenly scene where the saints are rejoicing. There is the earthly scene where sinners are celebrating. The celebration of the saints will last for all eternity. The celebration of the sinners will only last for 3 ˝ days. In which will you be celebrating? |