09.22 Revelation 11:1-14 THE TWO WITNESSES
Revelation 11:1-14 THE TWO WITNESSES
Intro: God always has His witnesses! Even in this time of great wickedness and absolute rebellion against God, He has His witnesses in this sin cursed world. Ill. The goal of this chapter and the entire book of Revelation, is to give glory to and to exalt the blessed Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is possibly the most difficult chapter in this book. It is simply so deep that we could literally spend hours explaining all the twist and turns that are available here. Howver, we will try to get the gist of the passage and glean some truth from it. Please notice that the events described here probably take place within the first 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation. Anti-Christ has established world-wide peace, a world religion, world economy and a seven year contract with the nation of Israel. Let’s notice the events of this awful period.
I. Revelation 11:1-2 THE TEMPLE WORSHIP (Ill. The wonder! Men wil build a temple to worship and sacrifice to a God who has already accomplished all things) (Ill. 3 Ttemples in the Word of God - 1. Solomon’s Temple - Destroyed 583 BC by Nebuchadnezzar; 2. Zerubabbel’s Temple - Destroyed 168 BC by Antiochus Ephiphanes; Herod’s Temple - Destroyed 70 Ad by Titus the Roman.) (Now, the Temple is the church of believers - Ephesians 2:21; 1 Corinthians 6:19) There are two temples in the future - The Millinial Temple - Ezekiel 40-44; and the Tribulation Temple. The Jews will rebuild their temple! They are already beginning the processes that will make this possible. As we study this passage, keep 2 things in mind, 1. We are on Jewish ground; 2. This discusses a future temple.
A. Revelation 11:2 b The City Mentioned - Holy Cuty - Jerusalem, (Ill. Moslem, Christian, Jew) 1. The Jews Must Return To Their Homeland - (Ill. Ridiculed) Fulfilled in 948! 2. The Temple Must Be Rebuilt - (Ill. Ridiculed) Ill. The difficulties involved.
B. Revelation 11:2 c The Chronology Mentioned - 3 1/2 years. Revelation 11:2-3, Revelation 12:6, Revelation 12:14 (Ill. Daniels prophecy concerning Antichrist, Daniel 8:10. He will allow the temple to be rebuilt,but after 3 1/2 years, he wil set himself up as God to be worshipped - 2 Thessalonians 2:4
C. Revelation 11:1-2 a The Chastisement Mentioned - Ill. Rod is a type of judgment! This temple is under judgment from God! Why? It rejects the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross and substitutes the sacrifices of men!
1. A part is given to the gentiles. They will be the instruments of judgment - Luke 21:24.
II. Revelation 11:3-12 THE TWO WITNESSES (Ill. The church is gone, but God still has His men!) A. Revelation 11:3-6 The Inauguration of Their Ministry - 1. Revelation 11:3 They are real people 2. Revelation 11:3 Sackcloth - Mourning - Preaching Misery - No message of hope and comfort! 3. Revelation 11:3 Preach - Probably preach Jesus as the fulfilment of Holy Scripture. 4. Revelation 11:4 Olive trees, Candlesticks - Spirit and Light. They will minister in the power of God’s Spirit preaching His Light. (Ill. Zechariah 4:3; Zechariah 4:14)5. Revelation 11:5 They are Unstoppable - Power to devour enemies with fire, stop the rain, and send plagues., turn the water to blood. 6. Who are they? Several guesses! a. Elijah - Malachi 4:5, Ill. Elijah never died. Ill. Elijahs power. (Ill. A lone voice in his generation) b. Moses - Moses mentioned in Malachi 4:5 with Elijah. Moses seen with Elijah in Matthew 17:1-27 on Mt of Transfiguration. The miracles and plagues were preformed by Moses. (A lone voice!) c. Enoch - He too was alone voice for God. He never died, and all must die - Hebrews 9:27 7. It doens’t really matter! What matters is that God has always got His man. Ill Noah.
B. Revelation 11:7-10 The Completion Of their Ministry
1. Revelation 11:7 Killed by the beast - Revelation 13:1. If you are in God’s will, nothing can harm you. 2. Revelation 11:8 Their bodies lie unburied in the street for 3 1/2 days in the city of Vice, Vanity and Violence. Jerusalem! 3. Revelation 11:9 Ill. Ridiculed until the advent of TV. Ill. this will feed the drug induced, godless, wickedness of the day. 4. Revelation 11:10 The earth Dwellers will throw a party. The Devils Christmas. Why? Their preaching troubled the sinners! Ill. The preaching of the Word brings torment and conviction. It bugs people! People do not like to be faced with their sin! People hate it now, they will definately hate it then!
C. Revelation 11:11-12 The Vindication Of Their Ministry 1. They are raised from the dead. 2. God then reenacts the rapture. He shows a godless world what they missed! (Ill. God will vindicate His people - Ill. Death and Resurrection!0 III. Revelation 11:13-14 A TERRIBLE WOE A. Earthquake - tenth part of Jerusalem falls B. 7,000 notable men die - Ill. Seven number of perfection, God shows who is still in control.
C. The remanant must admit that this is the work of God. (Ill. This will stick in Antichrists craw!) (Ill. Jail house and death bed salvation!) The kind that will save you and take you to Heaven is the kind that comes from conviction and conversion.
D. The second woe is past, but a worse on is coming!