Revelation 11:7 – 14 “When the two witnesses have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will wage war with them, and will overpower and kill them. Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city—figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where their Lord was also crucified. For three and a half days all peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will view their bodies and will not permit them to be laid in a tomb. And those who dwell on the earth will gloat over them, and will celebrate and send each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented them. But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered the two witnesses, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell upon those who saw them. And the witnesses heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched them.
And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand were killed in the quake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe has passed. Behold, the third woe is coming shortly.”
Yesterday we established that the two witnesses are most likely Moses and Elijah. Both these men worked many miracles during their lifetimes on earth. And at the end of the ages, it appears that Moses and Elijah will return to preach and to witness so that if at all possible, those who have refused to serve the one true living God will repent and be saved. But will people listen?
When Jesus was teaching his disciples, he told a story about a rich man who ignored the beggar at his doorstep until the rich man was in hell and the beggar was in Paradise. At that point, the rich man asked Father Abraham to send the beggar back to warn the rich man’s brothers, so that they would not wind up in hell. Father Abraham told the rich man, “They have Moses and the prophets. If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead,” Luke 16:31
There is no evidence to suggest that anyone repents; in fact, when the beast comes up from the abyss and kills the two witnesses, the people of Jerusalem leave the bodies lying in the street for three and a half days (a total violation of Jewish custom!) and have parties celebrating their deaths! Who is the beast from the abyss? This is the first mention of antichrist, who temporarily defeats the two witnesses. But when God raises the two witnesses from the dead and they ascend to heaven, there is a great earthquake. Those who survive the earthquake give glory to God, presumably also turning away from their sins at the same time. Who dies in the earthquake? The number is given as 7,000 but this might merely be a representation. At any rate, those who are left become believers immediately!
Why is it necessary for the two witnesses to die? Barclay comments, “The great interest of this passage lies in the fact that the unbelievers were won by the sacrificial death of the witnesses and by God’s vindication of them. Here is the story of the Cross and of the Resurrection all over again. Evil must be conquered and men won, not by force but by the acceptance of suffering for the name of Christ.”
Today, many churches are focusing on “feel – good” programs. But how much are these programs accomplishing? Jesus ordered us to make disciples, so that those disciples could also make more disciples. Programs that fail to carry out Jesus’s commands are worthless and may deceive people into thinking that they are believers when they are only church members.
Jesus warned his disciples in Matthew 7:15 – 23 “Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, by their fruit you will recognize them. Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’
PRAYER OF SAINT RICHARD OF CHICHESTER:
Thanks be to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ,
for all the benefits thou hast given me,
for all the pains and insults thou hast borne for me.
O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother,
may I know thee more clearly,
love thee more dearly,
and follow thee more nearly, day by day.
Amen.
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