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“The Two Witnesses” • 9.27.20 • Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
- We looked last week at chapter 10, which began a parenthetical period between the blowing of the sixth and seventh trumpet.
- I suggested that we view chapter 10 as a period of personal parenthesis for John, who as the revelator, has been exposed to a tremendous amount of trauma.
- In the Lord's mercy, He gave John a moment of rest and reassurance. In chapter 11, we move from the personal to the public parenthesis. John's breather is over.
- He will be tasked with exposing the work that God was doing among the nation of Israel in order to draw them to repentance. Let's pick it up in verse 1.
Text
• Revelation 11:1-4 : "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. 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." : John is transported from one scene to another. Having digested the "little scroll," John is handed a "reed" for measurement.
- This is a long, grass like stem that often grows along riverbanks and would act as ancient tape measure. If it was anything like Ezekiel's experience, the reed was 108 feet in length.
- With it, John was commanded to measure three items that did not exist at his time.
- There is first, the temple or "sanctuary" of God, the altar and those that worshipped there. He is not gathering information about their body mass, but their number.
- We have surmised that the book of Revelation was written in the mid 90's meaning that Herod's Temple had been destroyed nearly 30 years prior.
- Titus Vespasian and the Romans burned that temple to the ground in the year A.D. 70 when the General could no longer keep his soldiers from the bounty of gold melting between the stones.
- It was at that point that they undertook to remove the stones in order to get at the gold!
- The Lord Jesus had predicted that the Temple's stones would be removed one from another and no two would remain in place. (Matthew 24:2, Mark 13:2, Luke 21:6) Fulfilled literally, to the tee!
- The angel cannot be referring to the that Temple. Some have believed that this is Ezekiel's temple, detailed beginning in the 40th chapter of Ezekiel.
- There is a problem with that which we will note in a moment. Suffice it to say, this is a "Third," yet to be built Temple that will stand in Israel during the Great Tribulation period!
- If a belief in pre-millenialism is correct, someday, someone must rebuild the Temple.
- It will be called the Temple of God, but it will be not be a place that God will honor with His presence! His Name will be attached to it, and unlike Ezekiel's Temple, He will not inhabit it.
- It's presence will be a direct rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ, who the Father has already accepted as the once-for-all sacrifice of His sins!
- This temple will stand as a tribute to everything the Lord rejects about human religion. It will be a place that honors dead works and unsolicited sacrifice in place of faith in Jesus Christ!
- The altar will be busy and worshippers will fill it's halls! There will be a revival of Temple activity that will amaze the world! How can these things be?
- Today, we have watched historic peace accords normalize business relations between Israel and many of her Arab neighbors. These are not THE movements, but are certainly pre-cursors.
- I'm inclined to believe that these financial arrangements, coupled with the rapture of the church will bring about the eventual attempted invasion predicted in Ezekiel 38 and 39.
- Russia will join with Iran and other Islamic countries and seek to take control of the area and it's reserves of oil and natural gas, but will be defeated by God Himself.
- According to those chapters, the defeat will be stunning and sound. 7/8ths of the personnel for those armies will be defeated!
- At some point, after the defeat, the AntiChrist will arrange for the rebuilding of the Temple as a part of a new peace accord.
- But this still leads us to problems because of the location of the Temple Mount site, which is largely controlled by the Muslims today!
- The Dome of the Rock is one of Islam's "holiest" sites and will not ever be moved, save an act of God, but there doesn't need to be to build the Temple according to Solomonic measurement.
- Many of the leading temple scholars believe that there is room to rebuild the Temple while co-existing with the Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosques that are on the Temple mount now!
- If the location of the Most Holy Place is NOT on the Wailing wall, but rather oriented closer toward the East gate, then what the Angel describes will actually take place!
- The outer court area outside the temple will be given over the Gentiles! It will have to be a concession that will be made and the Gentiles will have a 42 month window to "trample it."
- While we cannot be dogmatic about when certain judgments befall this planet, we can be sure of this particular division of time.
- For three and a half years, at least in Jerusalem, life will go on in a very similar way to what we see today, ostensibly because of the peace treaty that the AntiChrist will set up.
- Most Jews today believe that this will be the only qualification for their Messiah's authenticity!
- Jesus announced that because they didn't believe Him, they would be ripe for deception!
- While it seems like everything is going right for the people of Israel, there are two stones in their shoes that they will not be able to remove. Verse 3.
• Revelation 11:3,4 : "And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth." : For the first time, we are introduced to God's two witnesses. God speaks of them without introduction. The context demands that they are installed by God at, or near, the Temple.
- The Temple has no power or endorsement from God, but God promises to endow His two witnesses with power! They will have power to prophesy, to speak forth God's Word.
- The fact that they are speaking for God wearing sackloth gives away the substance of their message. Sackcloth was what you wore to express mourning over sin and subsequent repentance.
- The two witnesses will be calling men and women to repent, to turn from their wickedness and turn to their God! They will speak this and will exemplify it by what they wear!
- They will be given power, they will be given a message and they will be given a timeline.
- 1,260 days, which is the equivalent of 42 months, equivalent to 3 and a 1/2 years.
- To the Jewish ear, as well as the well educated prophetic elite, this time frame snaps our attention to Daniel's prophecy regarding the Lord's 70 week timeline related to the nation of Israel.
- Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 9. The context revolves around Daniel realizing that nearly 70 years have passed since God's people were taken into captivity.
- This leads him to a time of great confession of the Nation's sins. At the end of his prayer, the angel Gabriel appears to give him understanding of his visions.
• Daniel 9:24-26 : "Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times. And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. the end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined." : These "weeks"
are to be considered as seven year increments and 69 "weeks" of years have been fulfilled.
- The command to restore and build the temple was given by Cyrus the Great.
- Calculating by a 360 day year, one comes to 483 years, a total of 173,880 days. On that exact day, Jesus entered as Prince and offered Himself peacefully to the people of Israel!
- The Triumpahal Entry, "Palm Sunday" was "their day" and they didn't know it, causing the Messiah to weep! (Luke 19:41,42) At the end of that week, Messiah was "cut off, but not for Himself!
- He was cut off for you and I, making an end of our sins! This leaves us with this final week of sevens, which remember, are determined for Daniel's people.
• Daniel 9:27 : "Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate." : The final week of sevens will begin with the promise of a seven year covenant but will come to an premature end.
- Right at the mid point, 3 and a half years in, there will be an end made to sacrifice and offering at the Great Tribulation Temple. Why?
- Daniel 11:36 tells us that "he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god." Paul tells the Thessalonian believers the same thing in II Thessalonians 2:3,4.
- The AntiChrist will proclaim himself to be God Almighty! He will overplay his hand!
- Here is where many Preterist believers seek to stop me and remind me that Antiochus Epiphanes fulfilled this prophecy well before Christ's time. It is a very popular teaching.
- Around 170 B.C., the Seleucid King Antiochus forbid the Jews to make offering and made the altar ceremonially unclean by sacrificing a pig on it and smearing it's blood on the Temple walls!
- Antiochus added the moniker, "Epiphanes" shortly after as a declaration of his being divine! While this WAS an abomination, according to Christ's words, it was not THE abomination!
- Jesus points to this event as being future to His time! (Matthew 24:15) He doesn't hold to Antiochus Epiphanes being the AntiChrist!
- At the mid-point of the Tribulation, the true AntiChrist will declare himself to be God, an act that is called the "Abomination of Desolation" and will be the signal for God's people to flee!
- Their ears will be educated by these two witnesses! And that leads us to another question: "Who are these witnesses!?" The angel answers without explanation.
- "These are the two olive trees and lampstands standing before the God of the Earth." Ok! Some believe that this refers to an element contained in a prophecy given by Zechariah.
- Zechariah 4 anticipates these two "annointed ones" that "stand beside the Lord of the whole earth!" (Zechariah 4:14)
- The picture there is of an olive tree which has seven pipes flowing into a menorah of sorts. The idea is that there is a direct flow of oil given for the light to remain lit.
- Joshua and Zerubbabel have been given an impossible task from a human standpoint.
- They have been tasked with the rebuilding of the Temple! How else could one have enough strength? God answers this by arguably the most famous quote of Zechariah.
• Zechariah 4:6 : "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts."
- Whoever these two witnesses are, they represent the strength of God's Spirit to be able to withstand a world that hates them! Who are they? There are tons of suggestions!
- The majority opinion is that these two witnesses are none other than Moses and Elijah. We'll see a bit more about why I agree with that in a moment. Verse 5.
• Revelation 11:5,6 : "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. 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." : Please keep in mind WHEN all of this is taking place. This is the world without checks and balances.
- It is increasingly the case that men are hostile toward the Lord's presence TODAY!
- Imagine a world defined by a love for and a practice in unmititigated extremes of violence! Believe me: Men will strongly desire and actively seek to harm these two witnesses!
- When they try, they will discover that they have made a terrible decision! They will have the power to defend themselves immediately.
- Their method of delivery may not necessarily come out of their mouth literally, but by the command of their mouth. That part may be debated, but the affect is specific and literal.
- "Devour" and "killed" are both specific words, which make a figurative interpretation absurd!
- Fire will pour forth at their command and consume them, as wildfire does the earth! They will be slain where they stand! Observe their other activities.
- They have the authority to call for a drought. They have the authority to perform signs, such as turning water to blood or to inflict men with plagues. This leads me to believe the majority opinion.
- With regard to Elijah, we know that his presence is prophecied by the prophet Malachi. He will come before the great and dreadful day of the Lord! (Malachi 4:5) His partner is often debated.
- There are some who believe that Elijah will accompanied by Enoch, who never experienced death. (Genesis 5:24) Some believe it to be John himself! (Revelation 10:11)
- Interestingly, right before Malachi prophecies of Elijah's return, he speaks of remembering the law of Moses! (Malachi 4:4) The two are linked together, even in that passage!
- Of course, one cannot forget their appearance on the mount of Transfiguration, when they spoke to Jesus about His "exodus!" (Luke 9:31)
- When we studied the Transfiguration, we made note of Moses and Elijah's commonality.
- They represent the law and the prophets, but both men handed over their ministries to men whose names were "God Is Salvation!"
- Ultimately, the entirety of the law and prophets is fulfilled in the Messiah, Yeshua! Do you see the picture? Look again at the actions that these men perform. They are strikingly reminiscent.
- Elijah called down fire upon two of Ahaziah's captains, (II Kings 1:9-15) and his prayer kept the rain from falling on an apostate Israel during Ahab's reign. (James 5:17,18)
- Moses struck the Nile river and it turned to blood which was one of many plagues that he supervised during God's war against Egypt's idols. Notice their sole limitation: As often as they desire!
- They will be able to run with the ball from the ground level! They will have tremendous latitude! How do you think this will all go over in a Satanically inspired environment? Verse 7.
• Revelation 11:7-10 : "When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. 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. 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. 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." : The two witnesses will make the most of their time. They will exhaustively complete their testimony. They will say everything that they have to say. Nothing will be curtailed or interrupted.
- God will see to it that the world hears the entirety of their legal testimony. Only then, when they have finished, will the enemy be allowed to destroy them.
- That is the rule that the Lord uses with all of His people! When we have finished our testimony, we'll be called home. Until then, we can't be touched!
- Their enemy is called "the beast that ascends from the bottomless pit." Who is this?
- We'll discover over the next several chapters that this is a designation for the AntiChrist, who is essentially possessed by the Devil himself! He will manage to "bustle" against them.
- Our word "polemic" comes from this word. He'll campaign against them and win in the polls.
- His seeming victory will be complete when he is allowed to kill them, which will be telling. Their dead bodies will be allowed to remain in view for three days in Jerusalem!
- Today, it is customary to retrieve an entire body and bury it the very same day it dies! This underscores the dignity and honor that is placed upon life.
- At this time, the bodies will be left alone! No wonder it is associated with Sodom and Egypt!
- The wicked immorality of Sodom combined with the idolatry of Egypt will make Jerusalem a den of unparalleled wickedness! Ironically, both were destroyed by fire and plague!
- This is the same city where God's people witnessed the death of their own Messiah! This will be where wicked men from all nations will rejoice over His final witnesses!
- This will be a world wide celebration! There will be a call for the bodies to remain unburied and the world will revel over their death for three and a half days! Why?
- In their minds, God's voice will finally be silenced and they can go on with their lives, such as they are! This is what men are aching for today!
- They don't want to hear the authoritative word of God! They are happy to have a man hold a Bible and pretend to speak from it, so long as he never actually let's it speak!
- If he stays motivational and works within the confines of self-help, he's loved! But the world has NO TOLERANCE for God's voice speaking to them from the Word today!
- In this day, men will pervertedly celebrate the death of these witnesses. The men that have chosen to "settle" on this Earth will repeatedly, joyfully celebrate their death.
- They will euphoric, unable to keep from smiling and they will be in the mood for generosity!
- This will be the ultimate Christmas in July celebration, as men give gifts to commemorate this event! Why? Because THEY were repeatedly tormented by these two witnesses!
- Whether it be their words, their actions, their decrees, their presence will be a scourge upon a planet of rebels against the Lord and their death will be seen as a victory against Him!
- Unfortunately for them, their occasion for celebration will be shortlived! Verse 11.
• Revelation 11:11-14 : "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. 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. 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. The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly." : You have to see the scene as it would appear in a movie.
- The cameras haven't left the bodies. The world is watching and after three and a half days, a surprise occurs. Someone thinks they saw a "twitch." Another person thinks they saw a movement.
- And then, the camera catches an open eye! Then, they just stood to their feet! Those that "saw," "theorized" about their resurrection, were seized with uncontrollable fear.
- This is the same word that John used of his own sight as he peered into Christ's tomb.
- He pondered what the Lord's absence could mean. Those that had been enemies of the two witnesses will be doing the same thing! They'll be thinking, "They must have been true!"
- A loud voice from heaven confirmed their fears as the witnesses were received into heaven right in front of their eyes!
- At that very hour, as the men of earth considered their state before God, a huge earthquake rocks the region, taking a tenth of the city and killing seven thousand people in the process.
- Those that were left, the remnant, the residue of humanity, were understandably filled with fear. The word is associated with "trembling" and these gave glory to the God of heaven.
- This could refer two possible outcomes. One leads to life, the other, leads to death. It may be possible that these only acknowledged what was patently obvious.
- What they had seen was undeniably accomplished by God's intervention! They have no excuse and no other viable explanation. These men will know it is His handiwork.
- They will be left with no other intellectual option. They must give the weight of their observation to God! But acknowledgement alone doesn't necessarily lead to life!
- There are others who will acknowledge what is obviously God's work, who will also begin to put their faith in Jesus, being emboldened by what they have seen.
- They will have been touched by resurrection and ascension after a period of 3 and a half days! Boy does that sound familiar!!
- Today, Christians believe because of nearly the exact same facts! Jesus, having died, was buried for three days when He rose from death and ascended to the Father, forty days after the fact!
- Christians are not Christians today because they "feel like it." They are Christians because the facts add up and their lives have been changed by the Holy Spirit of God!
- These men will give God glory when they realize that His witnesses were telling the truth. Now, they could give themselves to God because resurrection and ascension were possible!
- These will flee from the AntiChrist and will run in the Name of Jesus Christ! It will be a flight for their life, at a time when two of three woes are complete.
- I'd suggest that it's a better time to give the God of the Bible glory, by acknowledging our sin and putting our faith in the One who rose for our justification and ascended into Heaven!
Conclusion
- Let's pray!
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