The End Times as God Reveals Them Pt. 32 The 2 Witnesses are Murdered and Resurrected!

Remember that John was given a reed that was like a rod so that he could perform certain measurements. It is helpful to know that many times when we see a rod mentioned in scripture, it means that God is going to resume His dealings with the nation Israel (Jeremiah 31:38-39; Zechariah 2). A rod is also used for chastening and judgment of God's people or His enemies (Psalm 2:9) and it is used to comfort the people of God (Psalm 23:4). 

Thus, in Revelation 11 we see that God will judge both His people and His enemies and that He will make good on all His promises to His people. The future of each believer is secure in Christ and bright with hope.

The Two Witnesses Finish Their Work and are Martyred.

Revelation 11:7-8  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. 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 witnesses will perfectly execute the task of prophesying and testifying for God to a world full of rebellious sinners and governed by the Anti-Christ. The word "finished" is the same word Jesus cried from the cross when He said "It is Finished!" Jesus uttered the words when He had paid for our sins and perfectly fulfilled the holy law of God. The word "testimony" means that the two witnesses were warning the people of the future judgment that God was going to send. 

The beast is then going to come out of the bottomless pit that we previously learned about. This is the Anti-Christ and he is compared to a ferocious beast because his actions will be depraved and devilish in nature. The Anti-Christ is going to overcome the two witnesses and murder them.

God allowed the Anti-Christ to overcome His faithful witnesses because their death will communicate a final rejection by the world for Jesus Christ as Judge, King and God. God is going to be glorified in their deaths as we shall see.

Notice that the world will hate God so much that they allow the bodies of the two witnesses to be desecrated by leaving their bodies in the streets of Jerusalem. The holy city is compared with Sodom which was famous for sexual perversion and being destroyed by fiery judgment. It is also compared with the land of Egypt which is a picture of being a slave to sin and trapped in the idolatry of the world culture. That is how bad Jerusalem will be when the Gentiles trod it under their feet for 3 1/2 years.

Wicked people will celebrate when the witnesses are dead.

Revelation 11:9-10  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 put in graves. 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 people living at that time will show great disrespect and irreverence by refusing to bury the two witnesses bodies. The world will break out in joy and make merry and have sensual celebrations because the witnesses are dead. The fire, water turning to blood and plagues caused by the spokesmen for God will have ended.

Notice that the text says that all kindreds, tongues and nations shall see the dead bodies. Technology will probably change from what we know it today, but if this event happened right now, the media would be live streaming videos of the dead bodies, so that everyone around the world could see them. In addition, cell phone videos would spread like wildfire all over social media. 

A shocking resurrection of the Two Witnesses.

Revelation 11:11-12  And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. 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. 

Three and a half days will pass by and then a dramatic event will happen. The Spirit of God will put resurrection life into the two witnesses. They will rise from the dead and stand upon their feet. The fact that they live again fills all who saw them with great fear. The onlookers will be overwhelmed and seized by an irrational, sudden onset of sheer terror.

A mighty voice from heaven is going to shout out "Come up hither" just as John heard in Revelation 4. All the people on earth are going to see the two witnesses ascend up to heaven in a cloud. There will be no natural explanation for this event and it will surely bring to mind the resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 1:9-11). 

God sends a powerful earthquake.

Revelation 11:13-14  And the same hour was there 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. 14) The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.

The next judgment that will strike is a great earthquake that will destroy one tenth of Jerusalem. 7,000 men will be killed in the earthquake and it will be so strong that the remnant of believers who responded to the preaching of the 144,000, will be frightened. Yet, for all their fear, they will give glory to God because they know that He is on His throne and in control.

This concludes all of the judgments connected with the second "woe" and an ominous warning is given as the 3rd "woe" is about to happen. This will not be the blowing of the 7th trumpet of judgment. Rather, it will be the time when Satan is cast down to the earth.

Thoughts to Ponder...

The Two Witnesses finish the work that God gave them to do. That is a good reminder for each believer today, to continue serving God throughout this life. May we all be dedicated to finishing our work and completing it to the best of our abilities for the glory of God. 

We also saw that the enemy of God hates all who seek to honor God with their lives. He really hates those who share the Word of God with people. Believers should not be surprised by this. Jesus told us that the world will hate us just as it hated Him (John 15:18-21). It will be even worse during the reign of the Anti-Christ. Rather, we must pray for God to strengthen our inner man so that we can be a shining light for His glory. 

I would also point out that while the Two Witnesses were alive they faithfully  preached and prophesied.  They did this because God was warning all remaining people in the world about the impending judgment. He gave them an opportunity to repent but as we saw before, they will not repent.

What about you? Will you repent of your sins and turn to Jesus Christ and believe on Him for salvation? The Spirit of God will not always come calling on you. He will not always strive with your heart (Genesis 6:3). You must respond to the gospel of Christ and be born again, or else you will be left behind to go through horrible judgment and suffer eternal damnation.

Bob

Hebrews 3:7-11  Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, 8) Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9) When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. 10) Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. 11) So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)