The Two Witnesses (2)
Notes
Transcript
SHOFAR - SISTER DOLLY
1 Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. 2 But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months. 3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. 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. 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.
7 When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. 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. 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.
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.
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. 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.
13 In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
The Book of Revelation foretells future events,
Wild, unreal, not befitting what we see now — the world we live in now is already so different from the world we know from two years ago.. pandemic
It only takes one global event or a cataclysmic event - who here remembers when there was no stringent security checkpoints at airports --- masks?
Things are accelerating
Evil is intensifying
Hatred for Jesus and His people is reaching new heights — there will be a climax of Christian persecution
Scoffers.
Urgency. We can be plunged into a totally different world tomorrow.
This prophecy of the two witnesses of God falls in between the sounding of the sixth and the seventh trumpets.
We will study a difficult part of Holy scripture, a lot of speculation on whether the events involving the two witnesses are actual events or just symbolic.
The events in thee Book of Revelation are not written in chronological order.
Lessons from The Two Witnesses:
Identity of the Two Witnesses:
God was not specific on the exact identity of these two witnesses, but here are some ideas that students of the Bible have:
Different ideas on the identity of the two witnesses:
a. A group of people - The church ministering during the Dark Ages of church history.
b. The Two Witnesses are not people. They are the Old and New Testaments:
c. Elijah and Enoch
d. Elijah and Moses
e. Zerubbabel and Joshua the High Priest. (Zechariah 4)
4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth.
11 Then I answered and said to him, “What are these two olive trees—at the right of the lampstand and at its left?” 12 And I further answered and said to him, “What are these two olive branches that drip into the receptacles of the two gold pipes from which the golden oil drains?”
13 Then he answered me and said, “Do you not know what these are?”
And I said, “No, my lord.”
14 So he said, “These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth.”
The identity is not as important for us to know
2. Their ministry will be to Israel.
The temple, John was told to measure the temple of God.
Some interpret this temple as a symbol of the church. Paul called the church the temple. There is a problem with that view.
This is the period of the Tribulation (mention of 42 months or 3 1/2 years), by this time the church is already raptured
Verse two there is mention of the court outside the temple which will be given to the Gentiles. A separation. There will be a divine protection for a remnant in Israel.
The view of many scholars is that the temple here is a literal rebuilt temple.
Critics say that there is no way that a Jewish temple will ever be built but at one time there were other critics who said that the Jews would never have a homeland but in 1948 a Jewish state was established in Israel.
Secondly,
Jesus said that there would be a Tribulation Temple (Matthew 24:15)
Paul said that there would be a Tribulation Temple (II Thessalonians 2:4)
Daniel said that there would be a Tribulation Temple (Daniel 9:27)
One reason… God is a Promise-keeping God.
29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
without repentance…
Daniel’s 70th week, will be a resumption of God’s work with Israel.. He did not turn His back on them.. did not abandon them..
His timeline is found in
25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
“The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
This leads us to the third point on the Two Witnesses:
3. Their prophetic ministry will be a powerful call for repentance.
3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
Sackcloth = Repentance
Their ministry is for One Thousand Two Hundred and sixty days = again three and a half years.
Bible Scholars and eschatologists put the time of their ministry in the first half of the seven-year tribulation.
God’s protection will be upon them:
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.
They will have supernatural powers:
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.
4. The Fallen world of that time will reject them and their message.
At the end of the first three and a half years, the beast the Antichrist will wreak havoc..
7 When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.
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.
The spiritual state of Israel - Sodom and Egypt (sin and idolatry), where also our Lord was crucified
The world’s rejection of the two witnesses mirrors the rejection of Israel of the Lord Jesus Christ when they crucified Him.
To further see how depraved the hearts of the people in the world is:
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.
an insult to a Jew - not be given a proper burial.
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.
This is like a Satanic Christmas. Instead of Repenting.
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.
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.
Livestream to the world.
13 In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe has passed; behold, the third woe is soon to come.
Takeaways from Scripture on the Two Witnesses:
1. Prepare for a great falling away.
We pray for a revival, a great harvest of souls but scripture does not guarantee that for the church before the tribulation period.
What scripture actually tells us is that there will be a Great Falling away from the faith.
3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,
We already see lawlessness becoming more rampant
2. We are to be witnesses for the Lord NOW!
The time is short.
The Biblical mindset.
There is an urgency.