REVELATION SIMPLIFIED

 

CHAPTER 11.5

Gleanings from the Book of Revelation:

A Weekly Verse-by-Verse Bible Study Series

 

The

REVELATION TO JOHN

(The Apocalypse)

                                                                           

Chapter Eleven

The Great Tribulation

(Parenthesis)

Two Witnesses (Continued)

 

 

(Verse 5)

 

And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

 

During the earth's darkest hour, God raises two exceptional and powerful preachers. Supernaturally protected, their mission is to proclaim God's disastrous judgment on the wicked in the morally and spiritually dark city of Jerusalem during the last forty-two months of Tribulation. In effect, God is offering a final grace period aspiring them to come to repentance.

John 3:17 - For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.

 

And so, God not only empowers the two prophets to perform miracles validating their ministry, but they also will have divine invincible protection, giving them immunity from any physical harm until their mission has been accomplished.

 

If any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies

If anyone will (attempts, purposes, wishes, or desires) hurt them, a literal fire will proceed from their mouth and devour or consume their enemies. So the only power they have as judgmental retribution would be the weapon of fire (similar to flame throwers during the war, only it will proceed from their mouths). Three similar precedents employing such a method are recorded:

1.  When Moses' authority was opposed by Korah and 250 men, God sent fire down to destroy their rebellion:

Numbers 16:35 - And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men.

 

2.  When Nadab and Abihu offered strange unauthorized incense before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai:

Leviticus 10:1-2 - And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.

 

3.  When Elijah witnessed God obliterating two companies of men who opposed him by sending fire down from Heaven:

2 Kings 1:10-12 - Elijah answered the captain, "If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!" Then fire fell from heaven and consumed the captain and his men. At this, the king [Ahab] sent to Elijah another captain with his fifty men…"If I am a man of God," Elijah replied, "may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!" Then the fire of God fell from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.

So, the practice is established and mirrored in the following phrase…

 

And if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed

The two preachers of the Great Tribulation will point the way to escape from impending judgment through Jesus Christ. Therefore, if any unrepentant (primarily directed toward Israel) rejects their message and instigates bodily harm, they must in the same manner receive death, i.e., with fire. Comparatively, unlike ministers of the dispensational Church Age who turn the other cheek, their method is entirely the contrary - They will render evil for evil.

 

 

(Verse 6)

 

These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.

 

This entire verse is descriptive of the powers entrusted to Moses and Elijah. Aside from the ability to kill their enemies with fire, the two witnesses have three additional supernatural powers that defy the laws of nature:

1.  The power to prevent rainfall for forty-two months

Interestingly, Elijah had thwarted rain for the exact length of time – 3 ½ years, thus causing widespread devastation upon the following:

1.  Crops

2.  Animals

3.  Humans

1.   Thirst

2. Starvation

3.  Death

James 5:17 – Elias…prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

 

2.  The power to turn the waters into blood

Similar to the first plague in Egypt against Pharaoh, this ability was previously given to Moses and Aaron:

Exodus 7:20 - And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he (Aaron) lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the [Nile] river were turned to blood.

 

3. The power to smite the earth with various plagues

Moses also caused ten plagues upon Egypt in several ways (read Exodus 8-11).

 

As a result, God's witnesses will supernaturally wreak havoc by subsequent means:

1.  Drought

2.   Disease

3. Pestilence

4.  Plagues

5.  Famine

6.  Floods

7.  Calamities

 

The verse is descriptive of the faculties entrusted to Moses and Elijah. But on that day, apostasy will be at its zenith. And many will be converted as Israel is restored to their true God – The ultimate goal of the Two Witnesses.

 

The Remnant (Abridged)

After the Great Flood, God called out a chosen race through Abram (Abraham) whom He constituted an unconditional everlasting covenant (Genesis 12:1-3; 22; 26:4). Because of this promise, woven throughout the Bible, God is seen always preserving a remnant that belongs to Him after major disasters or judgments. The word remnant and its different variations in the Hebrew and Greek are defined as what is left, remaining or leftover, in other words, spiritual kernels.

 

Old Testament Remnants

During the Old Testament economy, three of several examples are noted:

1.  Noah and his Family

God ended the Age of Conscience with a deluge. Of His remnant, there were eight survivors:

Genesis 7:23 - And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.

 

2. Lot and his Family

After the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, only Lot and his two daughters survived.

Genesis 19:29-30a - And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when He overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt. And Lot went up out of Zoar and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him.

 

3.  The Seven Thousand Faithful

God also preserved a remnant of 7,000 who refused to bow to the false pagan deity after Elijah's fiery encounter with the prophets of Baal.

1 Kings 19:18 - Yet I have left Me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

 

The New Testament Remnant

In the New Testament, the Jews, because of unbelief and rejection of their promised Messiah, were temporarily set aside. According to the election of His grace, God made it possible for Gentiles to be grafted into the vine of Israel. Thus, they became the branches labeled The Church. Romans Chapter 11 discusses this in detail.

 

So, if Israel comes to repentance, they will have the opportunity to be grafted back into the vine. The Jews who accept Jesus as Messiah in the Age of Grace (the Church Age) are called Messianic Jews. Like the Church saints, they too will be raptured or translated up in the air before Tribulation.

Romans 11:23 - And they (Israel) also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in for God can graft them in again.

 

For it is prophesied in Isaiah:

Isaiah 59:20 - And the Redeemer [Jesus Christ] shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.

 

God also mentions in Romans:

Romans 11:25-26a - For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery…that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer [Jesus Christ] and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.

 

Romans 11:27 - For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

 

The Tribulation Remnant

God's main focus during Tribulation is His dealings with Israel. Multitudes have not come yet to the place where they acknowledge Jesus Christ as their Messiah. And, the unrepentant Gentiles are also included.

2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that ALL should come to repentance. (Emphasis mine)

 

The 144,000 were sealed and set apart as a remnant (cf. Revelation 7:3-8). Substantially, their responsibility will not diverge from the Old Testament protocol.

Isaiah 42:6 - I, Yahweh, have called You for a righteous purpose, and I will hold You by Your hand. I will keep You and appoint You to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations. (HCSB)

Israel's duty was always to be a guiding light to the Gentile nations. So during the Great Tribulation, the 144,000 are chosen to preach the Gospel of repentance – A national chance for Israel's salvation. The two witnesses, on the other hand, are to do likewise, having the added authority to hurt them in that attempt to hurt those who have been redeemed.

 

In the following study, the fate of the two witnesses is examined once their testimonial mission is accomplished.

 

 

QUESTIONS:

1.   What is the main purpose of the two witnesses?

2.   The two witnesses have the power to do what?

3.   What happens as a result of their power?

4.   Name two Old Testament prototypes.

5.   Define remnant.

6.   How is a remnant chosen by God?

7.   Why will there be a remnant?

 

 

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