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REVELATION - Behold, I am Coming Soon
Studies in the Book of Revelation
BOOK 4 - THY KINGDOM COME (REVELATION 10:1 - 12:17) – The two witnesses of the last days and the expulsion of Satan from heaven
PART 4.2 - THE TWO WITNESSES OF THE LAMB AT THE END OF TIME (REVELATION 11:3-14)

1. 1260 Days of Preaching Repentance (Revelation 11:3-6)


The Prophecy of Christ's Two Witnesses: In order to testify to the reality of God, the corruption of man, and the coming judgments of wrath, the risen Lord gives to the two witnesses of Christ wisdom and authority. In the age of an unholy syncretism of all religions and a dumbfounded mixing of cultures, they will testify that, apart from Yahweh, the Lord, there is no God, and that the gods of all other religions are either nobodies or demons. The two witnesses are ambassadors of the Lamb of God, and, therefore, bear testimony to Him. They give witness to His Deity and humanity, to His atoning death on the cross and accompanying resurrection from the dead, to His spiritual lordship and His glorious coming again. The two witnesses live and act in the power of the Holy Spirit. They testify, therefore, to the fruits and gifts that He bestows, of spiritual discernment and eternal life. In the midst of the multi-cultural swamp of the freedom-drunk democracies, they will set up the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount as valid guidelines, and as the sum of their prophecy, testify to the holy and almighty God as being their Father!

The two witnesses know who God is, and know who they are. Like Isaiah, who cried out in dismay as he realized the great holiness of God, who recognized the unholiness of his own lips and the lips of his people, these witnesses, too, will bring to light all of their sin and the sin of their people. They will expose and castigate all of their malice, lies and impurity before the thrice holy God. They will call everyone to repentance and remove the mask of deception from pious hypocrites. They will invite people to receive the still valid atonement of sin from the Lamb of God, and be sanctified by the Spirit of His love.

The two witnesses, however, will not just talk of the mild and meek love of Christ, but energetically, in the full deportment of the Old Testament prophets, urge repentance, decision, a change of course and a forsaking of every wrong. They will paint before the eyes of their people the inevitable coming judgment of God in the event they do not gladly, totally and immediately turn to the Lamb of God. The witnesses of Jesus Christ know the future, and are horrified over the coming judgment that the Lord had revealed to them. They radically plead with their fellow citizens to immediately repent and turn around, as long as there is still time! Out of love will they punish the ones who oppose them. Whoever would kill them either deceitfully or openly, must himself die. The testimony of the two witnesses to the reality of the coming, inevitable events and their call to return to the triune God must continue unhindered for 1260 days. In the press, on TV, in the internet, locally, as well as worldwide, the greatest sensation of the present day must be heard by all men – whether to their salvation, or to their condemnation.

A Comparison With a Vision of Zechariah: John learns in his vision of the two witnesses, that they are “the two olive trees – at the right of the lampstand and at its left” (Zechariah 4:11). This statement reminds us of the fifth vision of the prophet Zechariah (Zechariah 4:1-14). He saw a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the lampstand seven burning lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps, which together gave much light. Zechariah recognized to the right and to the left of the large lampstands two olive trees. Gold pipes lead from the olive trees to the lampstand amidst them, bringing an uninterrupted supply of precious oil, enabling it to burn day and night. The angel, with whom the prophet spoke, explained to him that the lampstand was the prince Zerubbabel, who was to be supplied by the two anointed ones (the two olive trees) with wisdom, power and spirit. He further revealed to him the word which should be a motto for evangelization, renewal and building up of the church of God: “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit”, says the Lord of hosts (Zechariah 4:6).

This principle will also shape the prophecy of the two witnesses and the accompanying repentance movement in Israel: The kingdom of God will not come to mankind through money, political influence, relationships or might, but alone through the Holy Spirit, who brings about the will and fulfillment in every individual. Without the Spirit of the Lamb there is no repentance, and therefore no love, no faith, and no hope!

The prophet John, like Zechariah, recognized in his vision not just one, but two lampstands, that at the same time represent two olive trees. It is clear here that in the end time each of the two witnesses will resemble both prince Zerubbabel, as well as Joshua, the high priest. The witnesses of Jesus will not be a reincarnation of these two men of the Old Covenant, who led the political and spiritual revitalization of their people returning from the Babylonian captivity. They will, however, similar to them, bring about reformation and sanctification for their secularized people returning out of the mix of nations.

The two servants of Christ will not speak and act independently, but stand before their Lord and obey His commands. He will guide them with His eye. The true God of the earth is not the “god of this world”, whom Paul describes as having blinded the minds of the perishing masses (2 Corinthians 4:4). No, He not only is the Father of Jesus Christ, but is the Lord of heaven (Genesis 24:3) as well as the Lord of our demon- tormented world (Isaiah 54:5; Zechariah 4:14). He makes His demands not only of Israel, but also of all nations, languages and governments. He wills that through His two witnesses all people come to the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6; 1 Timothy 2:4-6). In this regard the two witnesses resemble the olive trees of the end time, from which comes a continuous flow of holy oil. Nothing, however, is to resemble the oil containers, which, though filled with a clever mix arising from a theological education, nevertheless quickly became empty and used up (Johann Albrecht Bengel).

Allusions to Elijah and Moses: The Revelation of Jesus Christ does not only speak to Gentile Christians, but, in a special way, also to Jewish Christians. They are intimately acquainted with the events of the Bible since childhood. The word that speaks of the consuming fire coming from the mouth of the two prophets is understood as an allusion to the prophet Elijah. Twice he spoke to soldiers who were sent to take him captive. In both instances fire fell from heaven and consumed them (2 Kings 1:9-15). As young men following Jesus, even the patriarch John, and his brother, James, wanted to have fire come down from heaven and consume the Samaritans, because they rejected Jesus, their Savior. But their Lord rebuked them and said: “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of” (Luke 9:54-55). In the end time, however, it appears that the Lord will commission His two witnesses after the manner of the Old Testament prophets that the hard-hearted among His chosen people will understand: God Himself stands behind these two witnesses. With our hypocritical piety we are personally fighting against the Almighty, who Himself is a consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:24; 9:3; Hebrews 12:29) and speaks to us directly out of the fire (Deuteronomy 4:12,15,33,36; 5:4,22,26; 9:10; 10:4). The past world wars, with their fire bombardments, hail of steel, scorched cities and atomic mushroom clouds have proven the horror of these words anew. Few, however, repented following these fearful signs.

The authority of the two witnesses to have the rain held back for three-and-a-half-years will cause the rage of the pious rabbis, the godless masses and their governments to come to a boil against them. In this event, too, the example of Elijah will be repeated (1 Kings 17:1; 18:1-46), so that all members of God's people might be gripped by a deep-seated repentance, so that with stammering lips they cry out: Jesus is God! Jesus is God (1 Kings 18:39).

Whoever travels in the Middle East knows what water shortage can mean. Water means life. Where water flows, it is green. How distressing the pathetic pictures brought before our eyes showing the hunger catastrophes in Ethiopia, Somalia, the Sahara Zone and the steppes of Asia following years of drought. The Lord pulls the ground out from under the people in the Middle East and in all the world through the words of the two witnesses. They are to understand that they cannot live in opposition to the Almighty Creator, and not transgress His laws as they wish. He created them, and only He can sustain them. The Lord uses fire and hunger to cause those unready to repent to bend. He does not want to destroy them. The one who is wise lives according to His will, and follows the paths of His love. All antagonism in life directed against God and Christ is self-destroying.

In addition to fire and drought, the covenant people in Revelation have brought before their eyes, as a warning, the plagues that came upon Egypt through Moses and Aaron (Exodus 7:15-25). Like the succession of plagues on the Nile that were required to force the release of the enslaved children of Jacob (Exodus 8:21-28; 9:13,27-28,35; 10:7-11,24-27; 12:30-33), so the plagues of Jesus Christ that come over the hardened people from the hand of the two ambassadors; they are needed, to protect and liberate Christ's persecuted church and bring them to the unhindered service of God. Jesus and His followers are hated today more and more in Israel. The Resurrected Christ sends two of His servants, who stand in complete agreement with His will. They will be able to call forth the worst plagues over Israel, whenever they want, and as often as they consider necessary. Not even Moses had this right! Therein is seen the great authority of these two witnesses and the urgency of their mission.

The witnesses, however, are not to decimate or annihilate the chosen people. Rather, they are to restrict and damage the living space available to them, in order to compel people in despair to abandon their passionate love of technology, modern weapons, as well as all attempts at self-rescue. They are to return to God, their Savior.

The Lord struggles with the secularized members of His lost people, just as He does with the fanatical Pharisees among them. Once again, therefore, He allows His great acts, as well as His judgment, known to them from history, to be repeated. This time, however, not for their protection, but directed against them, that they might repent as long as there is still time, and receive Jesus as their Messiah. The risen Lord will save His people from their sin – cost what it will (Matthew 1:21; Luke 2:21; Acts 4:12; Psalm 130:8; etc.).

Who are the Two Witnesses to Jesus? Many commentators speculate over who these two witnesses could be. Some say Moses (as giver of the law) and Elijah (as representative of prophecy). Others believe they resemble John the Baptist, who in the spirit of Elijah cried out in the wilderness, and Peter, who as leader of the church, also drew the sword (John 18:10). Some prefer to spiritualize the two witnesses and speak of “law” and “gospel”. Still others say they are representatives of church history among the nations, and out of the fellowship of Israel. Even the rather unreal notion can be found, that all witnessing Christians from among the nations make up the one witness, and all lovers of Jesus from Israel from the time of the apostles to the Jewish Christians of today make up the other witness. But no one knows the correct answer.

No Christian should allow himself to be led astray by Satan in thinking he has all the answers. The Lord Himself will personally select and prepare these two servants. They will learn to deny self, take up their cross, and follow Jesus even to the bitter end.

PRAYER: Just Lord, You will shake Your disobedient people, the people of the old covenant, with the wonders of Your judgments, which will fall down on their heads; and Your two witnesses will shut up the sky so that rain will not fall down on earth for three years and a half. Those who are thirsty will curse them and become hopeless in their distress, but they will neither repent, nor return, nor accept You though You have saved them on the cross of Jesus. Help us not to become hardened like them, but pray to You to soften the hearts of all.

QUESTION:

  1. How will the Lord strike the people of the old covenant shortly before the last trumpet?

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