THE TWO WITNESSES pt 3
Rev 11:8-14
Read Passage / Pray
INTRODUCTION
Oil and Light
Read vs. 4
Each witness is represented by one olive tree and one lampstand
So if we combine these?each witness will be like an olive tree filled with the Holy Spirit and giving off the light of God
Supernatural Acts
These two witnesses will be invincible
They will have unlimited supernatural power
If anyone tries to harm them they have the power to devour them with fire
They will also have the ability to stop the rain from falling
To turn the water to blood and smite the earth with many different plagues
Two Witnesses are Killed
In the middle of the Tribulation, whenever they have finished their mission of providing light to a dark and evil world
They will be overpowered and they will be killed
Read vs 8-14
1. No Burial Plot
Vs 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.
John tells us that when the two witnesses are killed, they will leave them lying in the street
No one cares?no burial given?by this time, all of the followers of the Anti-Christ have just as must hate for them as he does
And John refers to the city as the ?great city?
Several cities are called great cities in Bible
This great city, however, is clearly identified as the city, it says in vs 8, ?where also our Lord was crucified?
Now in the days of Isaiah, Jerusalem was a wicked place (Isa 1:1-10)
Things were so bad that Isaiah compared Jerusalem to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah
God destroyed both of those cities with fire and brimstone
John refers to this great city as Sodom and Egypt
The Holy City of Jerusalem will be so degenerate spiritually that she will be called Sodom, which is a symbol of immorality and Egypt, which is a symbol of materialism
When I think of this passage, I see that America could just as easily be referred to as Sodom and Egypt
TRANS: Once the two witnesses are dead, they will be?
2. Seen By the Whole World
Vs 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.
The dead bodies of the witnesses will lie in the streets for 3 and ½ days
The whole world will be able to see they are dead
No one will accept their remains and give them a proper burial
Multitudes of every people, tribe, and nation will see their corpses and refuse to bury them or will not allow them to be buried
ED HINDSON: We are living in the most incredible times the world has ever known. Live reports via satellite beam the latest events from around the globe into our living rooms every day. This technology has allowed us, for the first time in human history to actually watch developments of great significance as they unfold
John Hagee: Prophecy states that the whole world will, at the same time, be able to see the two witnesses in the streets of Jerusalem. My father?s generation could not explain that. How could the whole world see two dead men lying in the streets of Jerusalem at one time? It was a mystery. Then came television, followed by international satellites, the Internet, and wireless communication.
Tim LaHaye: CNN international newscasts are already beamed into more than two hundred countries of the world. In fact, ours is the first generation that can literally see the fulfillment of Rev 11:9 in allowing the entire world to see such an awesome spectacle. This is one more indication that we are closer to the end of the age.
TRANS: For the entire time the witnesses are dead, we see the people engage in a?
3. Christmas-like Celebration
Vs 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.
When Jesus was born, we know that wise men traveled from the East to see Him
When they arrived, they fell down and worshipped Him with great joy and presented Him extravagant gifts
We too, are about to celebrate the birth of our Savior as we exchange gifts as a symbol of that meeting with the wise men
We see a celebration here as well over the death of these two witnesses
They will be proud of their Anti-Christ for overcoming these two witnesses
These two, that have tormented them for the past 3 ½ years will finally be silenced and they will no longer have to feel the guilt and misery of their sin
And the response will be one of celebration?They will praise the victory of their great leader
They will want to worship Him and exchange gifts to each other in His honor
This Celebration could easily be called the ?Anti-Christmas?
TRANS: But PTL, God is still in control, for as they stood up, there was?
4. Great Fear on Those Who Saw Them
Vs. 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.
This incredible scene is beyond human comprehension
The two witnesses will be killed
The TV cameras or Internet cameras will broadcast their dead bodies lying in the street and all will be watching
Then suddenly, the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet
The partying will come to a complete halt?the rug will be pulled out from under their feet as they see the two witnesses stand up
The whole world will watch in terror as the witnesses come back from the dead
J. Vernon McGee: While the world is celebrating in jubilation the death of these two witnesses and while the TV cameras are focused upon them, the witnesses will stand to their feet. All of the networks will regret that they had their cameras pointed to the witnesses because the networks will not really want to give the news as it is
Trans: Then once they rise up to the astonishment of the entire world, God will tell the witnesses to?
5. Come Up Here
12And 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.
This will provide a frightening scene for the peoples of the earth when they see on their favorite TV newscast these two despised and hated witnesses caught up into heaven
Following the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, skeptics tried to explain away his resurrection by blaming the disciples
It was a hoax that they conjured up to make the world ?believe? Jesus rose from the dead
However, the world will not be able to claim a hoax when these two witnesses rise from the dead and ascend into heaven
It will be caught on every TV and be seen by every people of every nation
But?as always?I am sure someone?probably the Anti-Christ himself, will come up with a logical explanation and the world will believe him
David Jeremiah: Meanwhile, back in the executive suite, the Anti-Christ will attempt to explain the resurrection of the prisoners he killed, but will not be able to duplicate this miracle
The same thing happens at the Rapture?people are gone?disappeared?what?s the answer?
Aliens possibly?they do take you UP to their ship, don?t they? Hogwash?but just like people believe that junk today?they will believe it then
Why? Because we want to be able to have a good, logical explanation for everything
That is??..every explanation except the Biblical one
Trans: After seeing this even though, there will be?
6.. Some That Finally Believe
Vs 13-14 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. 14The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
Remember during this time, there are three types of people on the earth
1. Followers of Anti-Christ 2. Tribulation Saints 3. Undecided
The resurrection will cause the undecided to start to ponder in their hearts
This event will probably cause 1 of 2 reactions by the undecided
They will decide, after listening to the Anti-Christ, to completely follow Him or
After the resurrciton of the two witnesses, they will be leaning towards believing in God
Then when the great earthquake kills some seven thousand people?
They will believe their eyes in what they see?and just like the Roman Centurion did at the crucifixion in Matthew 26:54,
So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, ?Truly this was the Son of God!?
They will believe that these two witnesses were truly men of God
And they will give glory to the God of heaven
