Two witnesses

Revelation 11.1-19

This chapter has caused a great deal of study and controversy.

There may be many things about it that are hard to understand,

but this does not mean it should be completely rejected.

It contains some practical as well as prophetic thoughts.

Observe the following things:

1. Who is a witness?

How would you answer this question?

A witness is one who knows something,

and can tell who he knows if required to do so.

2. All of God's people are to be His witnesses.

Remember the words of Acts 1:8

3. The two mentioned in this chapter are special witnesses

who give their testimony during a special time.

Notice Revelation 11.3.

The thousand two hundred and sixty days are identical

with the forty two months of Revelation 11.2.

4. God did not see fit to give us the names of these two witnesses,

therefore we must be content without that information.

I. THE TASK GIVEN JOHN, Revelation 11.1-2.

• A. He was to measure the city of Jerusalem.

• B. The outer court not to be measured.

• • Time for it to be taken over had not come. Read Luke 21.24

II. MY TWO WITNESSES Revelation 11.3-12.

• A. They are God's representatives on earth during the {last half} <ref> ck this

• • • • of the great tribulation.

• • 1. They are men.

• • 2. God has ways used men to carry out His work on earth,

• • • • especially the preaching of the gospel.

• B. Notice the length of their prophecy. 1260 days.

• • Same as 42 months in Revelation 11.2.

• • The time of the reign of the Anti-Christ.

• • Same as the "time, and times and half a time" of Revelation 12.14

3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses,

and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

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.

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.

7 And when they shall have finished their testimony,

the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them,

and shall overcome them, and kill them.

8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city,

which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt,

where also our Lord was crucified.

9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations

shall see their dead bodies three days and an half,

and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.

10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry,

and shall send gifts one to another;

because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them,

and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.

12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither.

And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud;

and their enemies beheld them.

13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake,

and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand:

and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

no one will be able to harm them

or kill them during the 1260 days

they are walking with God’s power.

If anyone tries to kill them,

fire will literally come out of their mouths

to kill those who would try to harm or kill them.

They will literally have the power of God

to shut down heaven to keep it from raining

if they should so desire.

They will also have the power

to turn our waters into blood

and to cause plagues to come onto the earth

to torment all of the nonbelievers.

However, when their time is up,

the Antichrist will then be able to kill them.

He then allows their bodies to remain in the streets of Jerusalem

for three and half days.

The nonbelievers will then be rejoicing

because these two witnesses had been tormenting all of them

during the three and half years they had been walking with God’s power.

This will be shown worldwide on TV

so the whole world will see what the Antichrist has just done.

After three and half days

with their dead bodies lying and rotting in the middle of Jerusalem,

These two come back to life,

and great fear will fall on those who actually witness this event.

The two witnesses will ascend into heaven.

Then God will cause a great earthquake

causing one tenth of it to fall,

along with killing 7000 people

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