The Two Witnesses - Salvation of Israel

Dear Saints:

We will finally see God’s desire and in particular, the cry of Apostle Paul come to pass at the very end of the age. “²⁵ For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel [the Jewish people and nation] until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 

²⁶ And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; ²⁷ For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.” Romans 11:25-27.

As we continue our study of the book of Revelation, within the interlude of chapter 11, we meet the Two Witnesses who will preach the Gospel of Christ to the Jewish people in Jerusalem for three and half years. God will open their eyes and the Jewish nation will receive Jesus as their true Messiah (the Christ), who they pierced and previously rejected. Hallelujah!

Let’s read Revelation 11:1-14:

The Two Witnesses

11 Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. ² But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months. ³ And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”

⁴ These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. ⁵ And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. ⁶ These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.

The Witnesses Killed

⁷ When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. 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.

 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. 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.

The Witnesses Resurrected

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. ¹² And 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. 

¹³ 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. ¹⁴ The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.

Did you know that right now, almost every material is set and ready to rebuild the third temple in Jerusalem? Check out the work of the Temple Institute in Jerusalem and the organization called “Faithful of the Temple Mount”. Right now, there is no standing temple in Jerusalem. Revelation 11:1 refers to the "temple of God" and it will be the rebuilt temple.

The prophecy of Daniel as confirmed by Jesus (Matthew 24) and Paul (2 Thessalonians 2), helps us understand this “temple of God” in Revelation 11. Please read Daniel 9:27, 11:31, and 12:11. There will be “an abomination that causes desolation” in the temple. 

The antichrist will negotiate peace in the Middle East that allows the temple to be rebuilt; after three and half years, he will go into this temple, proclaim himself to be God and force people to worship him. That will be the abomination.

The Jewish people will worship in the rebuilt temple but this time, the Two Witnesses will be there to preach the Gospel; and tell them and the whole world that Christ has met all requirements and that He is the ultimate Sacrifice to take away our sins and save us from the wrath of God.

The Two Witnesses will be opposed because of the truth of the Gospel - Christ crucified, but God’s power in them will zap any who oppose (verse 6-7).

Who are the Two Witnesses? They are not identified but they will minister in the power and manner like Elijah and Moses as illustrated in these verses: “These [the two witnesses] have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.”

I believe God will raise two individuals who are living at that time to be these two witnesses who are filled with Holy Spirit to perform their assignment.

When the Two Witnesses complete their assignment, the Antichrist ruler who would be demon possessed will kill them. The Two Witnesses will lay dead for three and half days and will rise and ascend to heaven by the power of God. Note the whole earth, perhaps by live TV will be watching and rejoicing at the killing of the Two Witnesses; “because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth”.  I believe their testimony and preaching had reached all ends of the earth as Jesus promised and the people hated the Gospel, just as many do presently.

“In the same hour [of their ascension to heaven] there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city [Jerusalem] fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.

The end product will be people believing that the Two Witnesses’ testimony about Jesus is true and they “gave glory to the God of heaven” as a nation that is, the rest who were not killed in the earthquake in the city of Jerusalem.

“¹⁴ The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.” The sounding of the Seventh Trumpet is coming, the beginning of the pouring of the wrath of God. Stay tuned.

Please note that no power of Satan and his cohorts could stop the Two Witnesses until they “finished’ their testimonies. Be encouraged, Saint.  As long as you are sharing your testimony of the power of the Gospel in your life, no one can take you out prematurely. We are Christ’s witnesses to the whole earth (see Acts 1:8). Go ahead and testify of the power of God to save from darkness into light. 

The testimony is not the new car/house you got (though we thank God for it). It is the Christ in you; Christ crucified, buried, risen, ascended into heaven, and coming back to judge the world and restore His people to the original will of God. “Thy will be done on earth as it is heaven”. Amen!

Do you know this Jesus Christ? If not, please believe and trust in Christ today. May God's grace abound for you and all of us. Amen!