The Two Witnesses

Good Morning. I am glad that we can be here together this morning.

Have you ever witnessed something that left you in utter disbelief.

That moment where you just say, “What did I just see?”

When we were living in Kansas City. Shortly after Isaac was born we were living in a small two bedroom house. While we were sleeping something strange happened. Angie woke up suddenly because she dreamt that there was a car in our yard.

Now I am a heavy sleeper and when she tried to wake me up needless to say she had a little trouble. She kept telling me there was a car in the yard. It was one of those moments as you look out the window and see a car sitting in your back yard you wonder how in the world did this happen.

In fact to help show you how crazy it was I decided to find a picture of our house at the time.

Insert House Photo

The guy driving the car either passed out or fell asleep at the intersection of that was right by our house. He then drifted off the road and managed to miss a car that would have been parked in the gravel there by our neighbors house and our cars which were parked in the driveway and went right through the fence that accessed our back yard. A moment that you realize a couple feet in a different direction and he is smashing into our cars or into the house and our life is turned completely upside down.

No one hurt but a moment you never for get.

When we witness something amazing we never know what might happen. It was a good reminder of 2 witnesses from Revelation that leave is saying what did I just see and hear.

Revelation 11:1–14 NIV

1 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4 They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.” 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6 They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want. 7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. 8 Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. 10 The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth. 11 But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on. 13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. 14 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.

When we read about the two witnesses we can’t escape the nagging question that many people have asked before us.

Who are they?

Who are the two witnesses. Are they just two random people or are they actually something more than that. There are a lot of theories out there.

Some think that they are Enoch and Elijah, others say Moses and Elijah, could be Peter and Paul, john the baptist and Jesus, and many others.

This is not to say they won’t be actual people but the truth is their identity isn’t given and we can speculate and draw conclusions but like many things in Revelation when we get distracted by issues that are secondary to the main way on interpreting the passage we can lose sight of the message that is being shared.

These witnesses may be real but they are also a symbol and a reminder that we need to put our interpretive energy in the parallels we can see and what they say to us.

Revelation 11:3–6 NIV

3 And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4 They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.” 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6 They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.

Publicly Witnessed

The Witnesses came dressed in sack cloth which signals the need for repentance and mourning. They prophetically testify to God’s truth. They share the word and they have power and authority.

This symbol is a powerful one because it is a reminder of the fact that we are called as the church to witness the same way.

We are called to publicly and boldly proclaim the same witness as the church.

The Witnesses are fulfilling the job that we are called to do.

This is particularly challenging for us today because we often experience in the church the call for our witness to be through our actions. We live out our faith. I can’t count the amount of times that I have heard that message and even preached that message. It was a couple years ago that I realized it was an incomplete message.

Our actions without a doubt speak to our faith but if our words don’t come with our actions we fail to complete the witness.

Another parallel that we can see comes right after the first

Revelation 11:7 NIV

7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them.

Suffering

The Witnesses are going to face the wrath of the beast and they will be attacked overpowered and killed.

This is an amazing thing because just a few verses earlier we talked about the fact that the fire could come from their mouth and devour their enemies.

WE can’t escape the fact that as Christians if we are preaching and sharing the word we are going to face challenges and persecution in this world.

This is difficult for us in America because we don’t honestly see it that much. Even the little we face is mild compared to other parts of the world. Though I caution that we are moving into times that it appears to be increasing.

What then are we to do as a Church when we don’t face the same level of persecution that others do in other parts of the world.

WE stand with our brothers and sisters.

WE pray for our brothers and sisters.

WE support them.

WE champion them before God.

We praise God that they are suffering on behalf of God.

WE testify to their faith and share it with the world so that their witness carries on.

The Last Parallel that follows comes next.

Revelation 11:11–12 NIV

11 But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.

The Ressurection

In their witness the cost was great. They paid it with their lives. They faced death.

Not only did they face death but they were publicly and extensively humiliated and defiled.

Their bodies were mocked and lied in the public square.

The earth will gloat over their death.

All this because they were witnessing to the truth of God’s word.

Yet, the hope comes.

The hope comes in that they were restored. Their body was filled with the breath of life from God and they stood up and everyone who saw them was terrified.

Can you imagine being one of the people who were there when they bodies were resurrected?

Think about that for a moment. The reason people would have been around the bodies is because like those before them the last several days they were there to mock and ridicule.

Then out of no where they stand up.

I think sometimes terrified doesn’t fully capture the feelings you might be feeling.

Yet, they rose. And People saw the glory of God. And people realized what had come to pass.

This whole story sounds familiar though doesn’t it.

Have you ever thought about it.

He came and shared the good news of the Father. The promise of a new covenant. Not all wanted to hear the good news and were open to recieveing it and they ploted to destroy him and crucify him. They hung him on a cross and he died. He rose again 3 days later and was restored and showed himself to many disciples and people glorified God in what they had seen.

The Story of Jesus

The Story of Jesus and the witness walk step in step pointing us back to Christ.

Jesus and his message is a reminder that we are to be in step with the life that he lives. We are called like Him and the witnesses to share the good news of the message of God.

We are called to share this publicly and vocally just like both Jesus and the witnesses.

We are called to be prophetic in its message because it speaks truth and shares the knowledge of God with the world today.

WE are called to let our witness to be non-coercive but inviting. Welcoming to all and impactful. It is a life changing message

We are called to remember that our witness comes with a Cost. We must be prepared to lay it all on the line. IF we don’t have the opportunity we need to share and be active in supporting our brothers and sisters who are facing hardship.

Bear Fruit

The task at times feels impossible. How are we going to bear fruit and see people come to know God in our day and age. IT seems like it is worse than ever before that we have to share the message in hard times. Yet, we have to ask the question are we really ready to bear the fruit. To pay the cost for his sake. To help others to come to him. Do we want to see the world changed around us. Do we want to be the witnesses that he has called us to be. Are we willing to follow the same witness as those before us and those who will come after us?

Are we ready to wtiness.

Because he laid it all on the line for us.

Communion