TWO WITNESSES lcg

TWO WITNESSES"

Revelation 11: 1-19

This chapter has aused 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 ne 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 verse 3.

The thousand two hundred and sixty days

are identical with the forty two months of verse 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, 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", 11:3-12.

A Thet are God's representatives on earth

{ during the last half of the Great Tribulation.}

1. I believe 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 verse 2.

{The time of the reign of the Anti-Christ.}

Same as the "time, and times, and half a time" of Rev.12:14.

C. Why does God have witnesses on earth during this time?

That all men who stand at the White Throne Judgment

will be without excuse. Compare Romans 1.19-20

D. They are described as being like olive trees and candle sticks, v4

This is symbolic language.

THE WORK OF THE TWO WITNESSES, 11:5-10.

A. They have power to shut up heaven

that it rain not during the time of their prophecy.

Compare this with the ministry of Elijah, 1 Kings 17.1;

James 5.17

B. They have power to turn water to blood

and to smite the earth with plagues.

Compare with Exodus 7 through 10.

C. Moses and Elijah were at least types of these witnesses.

They appeared with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration,

Matt. 17: 1-4.

If God so desires He can bring them back to earth for this work.

D. The death of he two witnesses, V. 7.

1. Their bodies left in streets of Jerusalem

for three and a half days.

God uses their dead bodies as a witness.

2. Earth dwellers rejoice over them. Seems almost impossible

3. They are raised from the dead and raptured to the Father.

4. Many unanswerable questions could be asked here.

IV. THE FINAL CONSUMMATION OF ALL BEGINS,11:15.

A. Number of things to happen here,

not necessarily in their proper order.

1. Christ take His great power and reigns.

2. Nations become angry. Fulfillment of Psa.2: 1-5.

3. Dead are judged.

4. {Saints are warded.} (Tribulation saints)

5. Final judgment soon to fall.

B. Thus we see the soon ending of time and the beginning of eternity.

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