Revelation 11:3-14
God Has A Witness
This message still falls into the Sixth Trumpet Judgment which began
in Revelation 9:14. Last week we noticed three things were measured:
the temple, the time of the Gentiles, and the ministry of the Two
Witnesses. Today we focus on the ministry of the Two Witnesses.
Since we won’t get through all of these verses today, we will read
them one at a time.
Rev 11:3 And I will give power unto my two
witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two
hundred and threescore days, clothed in
sackcloth.
For the last few weeks, I have been saying that we are getting close
to the midpoint of the Tribulation. The reason is because I feel like
the last judgments we have been seeing will start in the first half
of the Tribulation but continue over to the last half. I believe
Revelation records the middle of the Tribulation in chapters 12-13,
and there is no doubt in my mind that although they are being
introduced in chapter 11, the Two Witnesses will conduct the majority
of their ministry in the last half of the Tribulation.
These two witnesses are probably the third/fourth most recognized
known elements from the Book of Revelation: the first being Jesus and
the second being the four horsemen. They seem to capture the
imaginations of even some who are lost.
Let’s look at why.
I. \\#Rev 11:3\\ These two have a DIVINE PURPOSE.
A. They are called upon to WITNESS.
1. That is the word that is used of them.
a. In the Greek, the word can mean to witness, to record,
to martyr.
b. The idea of the word was to give all to witness, even
one’s life.
2. This is the second group of witnesses God has called.
a. \\#Rev 7:4-8\\ Although the term "witness" was never
used, God called and sealed 144,000 Jews to
serve Him after the sixth seal was opened.
b. We suppose their task will be to witness for Him.
c. I believe those 144,000 will witness to the world
during the first half of the tribulation.
d. We will read of their promotion to heaven in
\\#Rev 14:1-5\\.
3. By the placement in Revelation of these two groups, I
would say that the 144,000 will do most of their work in
the first half of the Tribulation with some carry over
into the last half; and I would say that the Two
Witnesses will start their work near the end of the first
half of the Tribulation and go well into the last half.
4. It is important to God that lost people be warned! Why?
a. First because He does not want them to perish.
2Pe 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.
b. Second, He does not want them to perish without even
knowing.
(1) People can and will rail against God until God
stops them, but there are two things an honest
person living today much acknowledge:
(a) God wants everyone to have a choice.
(b) God wants every person to know what his
choices are.
(2) After that what happens to the person is up to
him.
B. We are not told what the witnesses shall proclaim but I would
imagine the message would be three-fold.
1. They will encourage the lost to trust Christ.
2. They will encourage the saved to stand for Christ.
3. They will rebuke the devil and his forces.
II. \\#Rev 11:3\\ These two have a DIVINE TIME.
A. Their duration will be 1260 days, which is 3 1/2 Jewish years.
1. That is the duration of half of the tribulation.
2. However, I do not think that means these witnesses are
limited to be either in the first or the last half of
the Tribulation.
3. I believe they can straddle both halves.
B. Yet it is interesting that God keeps using the 3 1/2 years
figure, sometimes by counting the days, sometimes by counting
the months, and sometimes by counting the years.
1. I believe God may be repeating that time as a signature.
2. Much like in Revelation 8, where God kept destroying 1/3
of things: 1/3 of the trees, 1/3 of the grass, 1/3 of the
sea is polluted, 1/3 of the ship perish, 1/3 of marine
life dies, 1/3 of the fresh water is polluted.
3. God repeats these numbers to make sure the people know
these are not coincidences but actions of the Almighty.
C. The Two Witnesses are not mentioned again in Revelation so we
don’t know exactly where their deaths drop into the remaining
chapters of Revelation, but they do.
III. \\#Rev 11:4\\ They two have been DIVINELY PROPHESIED.
Rev 11:4 These are the two olive trees, and the
two candlesticks standing before the God of the
earth.
A. This is a reference to \\#Zechariah 4:1-14.\\
1. That is an amazing chapter in an amazing book.
2. There are four primary books in the Old Testament with
detailed end-time prophecies in them: Daniel, Ezekiel,
Isaiah, and Zechariah.
a. While all of them are filled with end-time prophecies,
I often refer to Daniel and Zechariah as the
Revelation of the Old Testament.
b. But of these two, by far the one that has remained the
most mysterious is Zechariah.
c. There are prophesies there that I have no idea what
they mean, and I can’t find anyone who seems to know.
d. Perhaps the reason why maybe because they are Jewish
books written to the Jews to help them deal with
the last half of the Tribulation.
e. In short, I think God might have reserved some
prophecies for His people, and it is too soon for Him
to reveal them.
B. I believe Zechariah was giving us a comprehensive picture of
the Two Witnesses ministry.
1. \\#Zech 4:3\ The two texts are connected by the two
being called olive trees in both books.
2. \\#Zech 4:14\\ The olive trees are called "two anointed
ones that stand before the Lord of the whole earth."
3. All of the elements in Zechariah 4 point to the Jews.
a. Symbols:
(1) The candle stand is really an oil lamp stand.
(a) It has a bowl on the top to hold the oil
and seven lamps which are feed with the
oil.
(b) The Jews call this a menorah.
(c) It is one of the symbols of the nation of
Israel to this very day.
(2) The olive trees grow in Israel and supply them
with oil. Oil is a picture of the Holy Ghost.
(3) The olive branches were strewn in the way when
Jesus came riding into Jerusalem.
b. In this chapter, Zerubbabel (the Jewish governor) was
attempting to rebuild the Jewish temple but faced
great opposition from Jewish enemies.
c. The vision was to tell Zerubbabel that he would be
filled with the Holy Ghost and would build the
temple.
d. All of this Jewish emphasis makes me think the Two
Witnesses who are also being prophesied here will
be Jews ministering to the Jews against great
opposition but they will be filled with the Holy
Ghost and will be victorious.
4. The ministry of the Two Witnesses seems to be a changing
ministry.
a. \\#Zech 4:2-3\\ Their ministry begins with them
standing, like olive trees, on the left and right
sides of Israel.
(1) They are not a part of Israel but standing along
side of her.
(2) Why are they know a part of Israel?
(a) Perhaps because when they begin their
ministry, Israel will not be saved, and
they definitely are.
(b) Yet, the Two stand beside Israel, filled
with the oil of God and supplying to Israel
what she needs at that time.
b. \\#12\\ They are seen as two olive branches through
which two golden pipes pour golden oil out.
(1) I am uncertain as to what Zechariah even saw, let
alone what it meant.
(2) However, it looks like the Two are not standing
beside Israel now but have somehow become
joined with what Zechariah saw.
(3) Now they are helping to hold up golden pipes
through which golden oil flows.
(a) I cannot say what all of that means except
to say they are now working with people of
God to accomplish something.
(b) They have gone from a stand-along-the-side-
of ministry to a help ministry.
(c) I imagine they are using their gifts to help
defend and protect Israel.
c. \\#Rev 11:4\\ However, John called them "two
candlesticks."
(1) That is interesting because Zechariah never did.
(2) He did say they were helping to hold the golden
pipes through which a golden oil was flowing so
perhaps that is what Zechariah was describing.
(3) But by calling the candlesticks we understand
they are giving off light in a dark world.
C. So the two are divinely prophesied.
IV. \\#Rev 11:5\\ These two have DIVINE PROTECTION.
Rev 11:5 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.
A. We have spoken of the 144,000 witnesses
1. Some think they will be invulnerable.
2. We noted that the Bible never says that about them.
3. I believe they will be exempt for the locust-like
creatures torment because \\#Rev 9:4\\ says so.
4. Most Bible students feel these witness live until the end
of the tribulation but since Revelation 14 announced
their arrival at home, I do not.
5. I believe Revelation 12-13 represents the middle of the
Tribulation so the last of the 144,000 will likely be
slain at the midpoint or just after the middle of the
Tribulation.
6. Regardless, the Bible tells us these two witnesses are
divinely protected.
B. There are several thoughts as to what this verse means:
1. Some take literally "fire proceedeth out of their mouth."
a. That could be literal but I believe it to be symbolic.
b. There is no Scriptural reason for me taking that
position.
(1) God can create fire-breathing people if He wants
to.
(2) I just don’t think He will want to.
2. Some have taken the phrase "if any man will hurt them, he
must in this manner be killed" literally.
a. That like a boomerang, whatever is done against these
men will come back to kill the person who did it.
b. That is also a possibility but I don’t think the text
demands it.
3. I believe that anyone who attacks these two witnesses
will die at the MOUTH of these two witnesses.
a. The power of the two witnesses is in their WORDS.
b. Like prophets of old, they speak and God does
accordingly.
c. What a unique and powerful relationship these
prophets will have with God.
d. We have many such accounts in the Bible.
(1) \\#1Kings 17:1\\ Elijah shut up the heaven with
his word and it did not rain.
(2) \\#2Kings 1:10\\ Twice, at his word, fire came
down from heaven and devoured the troops
Israel’s king had sent to bring Elijah.
(3) \\#2Kings 2:24\\ Elisha cursed some kids who made
fun of his bald head and two bears came out of
the woods and tore 42 of them.
V. \\#Rev 11:6\\ These two have DIVINE POWER.
Rev 11:6 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.
A. They have power to stop the rain, turn water to blood, and to
smite the earth, at will, with plagues.
1. These powers are given to prove the two witnesses are
God’s and to get the attention of the WORLD.
2. These powers are the greatest ever given to any human. No
one has ever done miracles that encompass the whole
earth!
B. Because of their powers and the type of miracles that they
will perform, some think they are Elijah and Moses returned
to the earth.
1. That is not possible.
2. Since we know that these two witnesses will die and that
Moses already died \\#Deut 34:5,7, Josh 1:1,2\\, it
cannot be Moses.
Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men
once to die, but after this the judgment:
3. If one can’t be Moses, I don’t think the other will be
Elijah.
4. Most likely, these will be two men born in that time who
will live, be saved, and be called to these position;
and then be filled with the overflowing presence of the
Holy Ghost, like Moses and Elijah.
C. We don’t know who these witnesses will be and it must not be
very important or God would probably tell us.
1. Who they are is not as important as Who they work for or
what they will do.
2. They are there to serve the living God and represent Him
to a persecuted people.
Through this message we have seen the plan of God for these two
witnesses. What you and I need to understand is that God has a plan
for us that is just as detailed. You say, "Not me. I am not important
enough." You are to God.
I don’t know the whole plan of God for your life but I know how it is
supposed to start.
1. God’s plan for your life starts with salvation.
2. Then God wants you to grow in your knowledge of Him.
3. Third, He wants your behaviors to change and you to become
more Christ-like.
4. Fourth, He wants you to get busy and do something for Him.
There is more to the plan but you will never know it until you accept
Jesus as your Savior. Would you do that today?
<Outline
Index> <Close Window>
