November 07, 2009

1Mastering “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”

LTS

November 07, 2009

The Temple & The Two

WitnessesCHAPTER 11:3-14

SESSION 2


REVELATION 11:3-14The

Two Witnesses


And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

Revelation 11:3

Emphatic construction!

The two witness of mineV


Two Witnesses• They are dedicated to speaking forth His Word

and judgments Rev 10:7

• Two is the number of witness prescribed by the Torah Num 35:30; Deut 17:6; 19:5;

Mtt 18:16; 2nd Cor 13:1

• Martysin, witness – from which we get martyr


Two Witnesses• Steadfast in their faith until death

Rev 11:7 cf. Rev 2:10; 12:11; 20:4

• Cannot be killed until “they finish their testimony” Rev 11:7

• Saints and angels are witnesses in that they share in the “testimony of Messiah” Rev 19:10

• The coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost was to empower the church to be a witness for Messiah Acts 1:8; 2:32; 3:15; 13:31


Two Witnesses• Sackcloth – rough, course cloth, bag-like garment

worn as a symbol of mourning, grief, or repentance Jer 4:8; 6:26; 48:37; 49:3; Amos 8:10

• Prophets were never excited about their message, but grieved by their message of doom and judgment Isaiah 20:2

• This is akin to John’s bitterness from the little book Rev 10:9-10

• Indicates message of impended judgment to which their listeners should respond


These are the two olive trees, and the two lampstands standing before the Elohim of the earth.

Revelation 11:4

Zerubbabel & Joshua, who re-established Israel Zech 4:10-14

Continuous filling by the Holy Spirit Zech 4:12:1


For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of efei, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?

Zechariah 4:10-11


And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves?

And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.

Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by efei of the whole earth.

Zechariah 4:12-14


And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

1st Kings 17:1


Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of efei unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith efei of hosts.

Zechariah 4:6


These are the two olive trees, and the two lampstands standing before the Elohim of the earth.

Revelation 11:4

Zerubbabel & Joshua, who re-established Israel Zech 4:10-14

Continuous filling by the Holy Spirit Zech 4:12:1

Elijah said “Before whom I stand” 1st Kings 17


Standing Before efei• Standing before the Lord describes a position of

ministry to the LordDeu. 10:8; 1K. 17:1; Rev. 8:2

• These two stand before God and minister to Him by faithfully prophesying and witnessing His word

• Although their ministry appears directed toward the earth dwellers, they are in fact focused upon being pure and faithful conduits for efei to speak to the nations at the time of the end


Two Lampstands• The same word which described the seven

lampstands which were the Seven Churches of Asia

• These two lamp stands will serve a similar purpose to the seven lampstands

• The word “the” points to a particular pair that would have been known to John


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.

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.

Revelation 11:5,6


If Any Man Will Hurt Them…• Although set forth as a conditional statement,

the remainder of the passage implies that the vast majority of people strongly oppose their ministry and do desire to harm them, for they rejoice at their eventual death

Rev 11:10• The ability of the beast to kill them is testimony

to his invincibility• They will see him as a savior Rev 13-4




Revelation 11:5,6


Fire Proceedeth out of Their Mouth…• Fire speaks of judgment and is used to describe

destruction Jdg. 9:14, 20; Ps. 18:8• Frequently, judgment by efei, in conformance to

His Word, is described as being a weapon of His mouth

Isa. 11:4; 49:2; Jer 5:14; 23:29; Hos. 6:5; 2nd Thess 2:8; Rev.

1:16; 19:15


Fire Proceedeth out of Their Mouth…• There are three alternatives for interpretation:

1. Purely Figurative - The fire which proceeds from their mouths speaks of general judgments which are spoken forth by the two witnesses. The judgments result in death, but not necessarily by literal fire

2. Partly Figurative - Literal fire devours their enemies. The fire “proceeds from their mouth” in the sense that, like Elijah, they call forth fire from heaven upon their opponents (1st Kings 10:10-12)

3. Purely Nonfigurative - Literal fire actually proceeds directly from their mouths (like the demon horses of Rev 9:17)




Revelation 11:5,6


Shut Up!• The same root word is used when Messiah tells us “…many widows were in Israel in the

days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;”

Luke 4:25b




Revelation 11:5,6


Turn Water Into Blood• The witnesses have power like that of Moses in

EgyptEx. 4:9; 7:17-21; Ps. 78:44; 105:29

• The results of this plague will emulate the effects of the second trumpet judgment and the second and third bowl judgments where the seas and springs of water “become blood”

Rev. 8:8; 16:3-4




Revelation 11:5,6


Plagues• The two witnesses will be able to initiate numerous

plague judgments upon the earth as they will• The full range of plagues is not described, but we

can safely assume they are similar to the plagues with which Moses and Aaron tormented Egypt


Identities• 3 were expected: John 1:20,21

–Messiah Mal 3:1-3, 5,6– Elijah Mal 4:5,6 –Moses Deut 18:15-19

• John the Baptist: “I am not.” John 1:19-21; Mt 11:14; 17:10-11

–He did not “turn the hearts of the children” as Malachi predicted, nor usher in the “great and dreadful day,” etc.


Identities• Two ministries were unfinished:

–Moses Numbers 20:12 Deuteronomy 3:26-28

– Elijah 1 Kings 17:1; 19:13-16

2 Kings 2:11• Staff Meeting? Matthew 17

– connected with Second ComingLuke 9:31; (24:4-7?)1 Peter 1:10-12 2 Peter 1:6-18


Unique Powers• Elijah

– Fire from heaven 1 Kings 18:37;2 Kings 1:10,12; Jeremiah

5:14– Shut heaven 1 Kings 17:1;

3 1/2 years! Luke 4:25; James 5:17,18

• Moses– Water into blood: Exodus 7:19,20

– Plagues Exodus 8 – 12


Unique Powers• Because their ministry is reminiscent of Moses

and Elijah, their message is undoubtedly that of both the law and the prophets

Mtt 5:17; 7:12; 11:13; 22:40; Luke 16:16, 29; 24:44; John 1:45; Acts 13:15; 24:14; 26:22; 28:23; Romans 3:21

• T - Torah (law)• N - Neviim (prophets)• K - Ketuvim (writings)• Tanak / Old Testament


Alternatives• Enoch?

– “Once to die…?” Hebrews 9:27

General rule; exceptions: Lazarus, Jairus’ daughter, Nain’s son, et al

– The Witnesses are Jewish• Is Enoch a model of the Rapture?• Born, translated, on the Feast of Shavuot?

• John, the Apostle (and writer)? • John the Baptist?


The Two Witnesses

• Temple measured 11:1,2– Outer Court to Gentiles: 42 months

• Two Witnesses 11:2-18– Empowered: 1260 days

Elijah?

Moses?

– Call down fire from heaven– Shut heaven, no rain

– Turn water into blood– Smite earth with plagues


Two Witnesses• Transfiguration Matt 17:3• Resurrection Luke 24:4-7• Ascension Acts 1:9-11


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.

And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also osfei was crucified.

Revelation 11:7,8


The Beast• There are 5 reasons to believe this is the Antimessiah

1. Not “a beast”, but “the beast”2. The word “beast” in Revelation is used to refer to the future

Antimessiah or his system Rev. 13:1 ; 14:9, 11 ; 15:2 ; 16:2 ; 17:3 ; 19:20 ; 20:10

3. The beast will come up out of (ek) the abyss, that is, it will have a satanic, demonic source and character Rev 9:1

4. “coming up out of the abyss” corresponds with the beast “about to come from the abyss” Rev 11:7; 17:8

5. “to overcome” is used three times in the Apocalypse with reference to the enemy of efei’s people Rev. 6:2 ; 11:7 ; 13:7


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.

And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also osfei was crucified.

Revelation 11:7,8

Jerusalem = “Sodom” Isa 1:9,10; 3:8,9; Jer 23:14; Deut 32:30-33

“Egypt” Ezek 23:3,4,8,19


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.

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.

Revelation 11:9,10


The Two Witnesses

• Beast from the Abousso kills them– “Earth-dwellers” celebrate– Resurrected after 3 ½ days– This is the only time of rejoicing in the Book of

Revelation


Suffer Their Dead Bodies• There are 2 possible reasons for this:

1. Jewish sensibilities - an intentional insult to Jewish sensibilities which consider lack of burial an indication of being judged or cursed


Suffer Their Dead Bodies• There are 2 possible reasons for this:

2. Trophies to the Beast - Not only will their bodies be withheld from burial, but it seems likely they will be proactively protected from disturbance by scavengers, such as birds and dogs which would normally descend upon unguarded carcasses 2nd Kings 9:10; Ps 79:2;

Jer 7:33; Rev 19:17-18• This testifies to the power of the beast and the victory of the

world over the torment which they delivered at the hand of efei. So long as they lie inert on the pavement they provide visual confirmation of the superiority of the beast

Rev. 13:4


And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from Elohim entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.

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.

Revelation 11:11,12


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 Elohim of heaven.

The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.

Revelation 11:13,14

The names of men / important peopleThe same number of men of whom Elijah was unaware in

1st Kings 19:18 and the number of the children of Israel in 1st Kings 20:15




Revelation 11:13,14

The names of men / important peopleThe same number of men of whom Elijah was unaware in

1st Kings 19:18 and the number of the children of Israel in 1st Kings 20:15




Revelation 11:13,14


End of Parenthetical Pause

• Ends parenthetical section between 6th-7th trumpets

• Opens up the Seven Personalities in Chapters 12 & 13

• All this was part of the “2nd Woe!”• The 3rd Woe (the 7th Trumpet Judgment) will

bring the final Seven Bowl/Vial Judgments


The Heptadic Structure

2nd1st 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

The 7-Sealed Scroll

Par

enth

esis

Par

enth

esis

8,9 10-14

6

7

16

3 “Woes”

Par

enth

esis

15


Next Session• Review remaining verses of Chapter 11• Read Revelation chapter 12 (will begin on

28 November 2009)–one of the most important strategic

summaries in the Bible–Who is the “Woman” of chapter 12?

• How does chapter 12 affect our perspectives of today?


There will be no meeting next week, 14 November, 2009

Reminder


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November 07, 2009

Documents

Transcript of November 07, 2009