Rev. #36~11:8-12 DEATH OF THE TWO WITNESSES-pt.1 1-2-10
Today we’re in chapter 11: and we’ll begin reading in verse 7, let me say first of all that we believe these two witnesses to be Elijah and Moses because of the miraculous actions that are recorded of them in the O.T. are much the same that we’re reading about here in Chapter 11:- and let me say that the Devil is not allowed the kill Gods anointed Preachers as long as their being used of God as is the case here in this account.
Ø Let us read verse 7 as we get hooked back up to our thought line.
7And 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.
Notice, they “finished their testimony”
“To finish in the sense of accomplish, complete.” their work as accomplished, done, but with continuing results.
Ø Jesus said in John 19:30—it is finished—His work was also finished.
The results are souls saved and glory to God. They were invincible until their work was done, and then, according to God’s own timing and perfect plan, He allows their termination.
7-b the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
I have pointed out in the last couple of broadcast that we believe the “beast” the antichrist will be Judas Iscariot as he is will be the Devil incarnate and released from the bottomless pit to continue to be used of God in accomplishing Gods end time plan.
I’m not going to spend a whole lot of time with that again as we’ve already talked about it quit extensively, just remember Judas hang himself and he went to his own place according to Acts. 1:26, and we believe “his own place” to be the bottomless pit, where he is held until God was to use him once again.
Jesus called Judas “the son of perdition” in John 17:12 and Paul called the Antichrist “the son of perdition” in 2nd thess. 2:3 . The only two men called “the son of perdition” in the Bible.
Jesus said in
John 6: 70-71Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? 71 He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon:
Judas never called Jesus Lord, he always called Him Master.
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8And 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.
Well we know that the Lord Jesus was crucified just out side the gate of Jerusalem, so “the great city” is Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is spiritually called “Sodom and Egypt,” by the Spirit of God through the pin of John here.
In Scripture, ‘Egypt’ stands for the world, and ‘Sodom’ for the flesh. The point is, “the great city” is dominated by the world system, by the flesh, and by Satan.
The city has spiritually become totally reprobate, along with the rest of the world.
We notice that “their dead bodies” are left to lie in the street where they fell as a symbol and proof of the beast’s power that has at last been able to kill these invincible witnesses.
This reflects the total degradation of man under the lawless system of the beast, who is the man of lawlessness according to 2nd thess. 2:4
Keep in mind that this takes place at the end of the 1st 3 ½ years of the 7 year tribulation, this great world leader will at last receive world wide attention as going forth conquering, he is soon going to announce himself to be God.
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9And 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.
I want us to notice, that we read “their dead bodies” twice in this one verse.
Our bodies are only the houses that we live in, Moses and Elijah was not dead, they’d only left their body for the time being, the same is true of all saved people when we leave our body.
Paul tells us in --
2 Corinthians 5:6-7 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
8We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
So it was only their dead bodies lying there in the street, not them.
There seems to be some people there that perhaps wanted to bury these two witnesses bodies because we read, “and shall not suffer**{allow} their dead bodies to be put in graves.”
I take this to mean that their bodies were not allowed to be buried.
Ø Another thing I want to point out is that “people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies”
We see from these words that people from all over the world are going to see the bodies of the Two Witnesses lying dead in the street of Jerusalem for 3 ½ days.
This could not have been possible only a few years back, but now because of Satellites that are there in space orbiting around the earth, people all over the world will be seeing this event live on Television. –I can just imagine what some these talk show host are going to say.
Ø I hope you don’t think that this is some type of coincidence that we have such as this today, God knows exactly when to allow such things as this to be invented.
There’s been countless things invented in just our short life time, electricity, air planes, telephones, to name only a few, not to mention all the medicine we have today.
Ø We read in Daniel 12:4—to do with the last days we read--
--many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
God knows what He’s doing.
Romans 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
Isaiah 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Little peanut headed man will soon realize that we’re nothing but as grasshoppers in the sight of the ALL MIGHTY GOD.
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10And 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 earth dwellers will have merry feasts and send gifts one to another, certain that their fear of God’s wrath and power is no longer justified.
Let me point out again that this certainly has to be during the 1st half of the Tribulation because there’ll not be any merry making going on once God starts pouring out the 7 vials of His wrath that’s to come during the last half.
The Word of God makes it clear that it is often possible to silence a witness to the truth by putting them to death, but it does not destroy the truth that has been announced.
These two witnesses were not hated just because they represented God, but also because of the torment brought about by their plagues.
The expression “they that dwell upon the earth” seems to refer to those who are not only dwelling on the earth in their physical bodies, but also whose hope is limited to the present earthly life.
All their mind seems to dwell on is earthly, worldly things. We think of Al Gore and the “tree huggers” as their some times called. Sounds like a rock group don’t it?
Earth dweller.” Here in the Revelation is a term for unbelievers that were left behind after the rapture of the True Church, for these are totally at home on the earth and without any hope of heaven; they have no concerns or desires of heaven.
They will have parties and declare a big holiday because of the Two Witnesses death.
Ø This is the only mention of rejoicing on earth in the Tribulation.
But their rejoicing will quickly be turned into sorrow, pain, and fear.
The message of the prophets that could have brought great joy and peace brought the opposite because they had hardened their hearts against God.
This ought to reminds us that if people continues to reject the Word of God (that gives a peace that passes all understanding and a joy that the world can’t give), that same Word, through the hardening of the heart, will bring torture to the soul.
We need to realize that neglecting the WORD of God brings sever consequences, and is most dangerous, this is also true for Christians as well.
Ø How many times have we heard on the news that the world is heating up, they even have represenitives from the world over to meet and disgust climate change, Al Gore has become a Billionaire because of such talk. –The “earth dwellers” that’s all they dwell on.
It would be nice if they’d inform poor old God about it wouldn’t it dear heart?
Gen. 8:22 –God said- While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
These two witnesses were not hated solely because they represented God, but all the more so because of their effectiveness at tormenting those who were affected by their plagues.
Job 20:4-9
Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth, 5That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment? 6Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds;
7Yet he shall perish forever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he? 8He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night. 9The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.
Ø All we can say to the “earth dwellers” is that they’d better enjoy it while they can because it’s not going to last, they mock the things of God today, but the day of God vengeance is on its way.
Jude 14-15--- Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
15To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him
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11And 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.
Their partying and merry making has come to an end at this point; there will never be another smile on the faces of the earth dwells again, never.
Notice; “great fear fell upon them which saw them”
They don’t just become uneasy, but “great fear” has fell on them like a wet blanket !
Try and think how we might feel if we were at a funeral and suddenly the dead person stood up, I’m sure there’ll be many heart attacks under way.
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12And 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.
We notice that they are raised from the dead and raptured away.
This reminds us of the rapture of the church, but there are some great differences.
The rapture of the church will take place in a moment in the twinkling of an eye. And will not be gradual enough for people to observe.
But here, this is much like the ascension of Christ on the Mount of Olives, when the disciples beheld Him ascending into heaven, and like the two witnesses, a cloud received Him.
This is a special act of God directed to those who reject His grace and designed as a final warning of the supreme power of God over man whether in life or in death.
This act of resurrection and catching up into heaven is distinct from any other mentioned in the Bible in that it occurs after the rapture of the True Church, and before the resurrection of the tribulation saints and Old Testament saints in chapter 20.
And another thing I want to point out is, that Moses and Elijah didn’t have a discussion as to what they thought about it or what they ought to do, we read;
-- And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud--
If your saved dear heart when we hear the command to “come up hither” we’re on our way, that will be the glad hour that we’ll take a plain air ride, not an air plain ride but a plain air ride, these rocket ships the astronauts travel in that travel thousands of miles an hour can not even come close to the speed that we’ll experience.
I’ve been on a few air planes when I was in the Marines, and I’ve looked out the window and be looking down on the clouds, but the trip we’re going to take one day will be faster than the speed of thought, we’ve got a lot to look forward to brothers and sisters, lets just keep looking for that blessed Hope and the glorious appearing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
