01A.04. The Tribulation's First Half

4. The Tribulation’s First Half 

A. The Restraining Ministry of the Holy Spirit: Before the Tribulation can begin, God’s restraint on the devil in the Person of the Holy Spirit must be removed (2 Thessalonians 2:6-7). Before the removal of the Spirit’s restraining ministry, Satan is unable to set up antichrist’s kingdom (2 Thessalonians 2:8-12). The removal of this restraint is symbolized by the opening up of the seven seals of Revelation (Revelation 6:1-17; cf. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 4:30), which restrain the Tribulation described in the scroll until the Lamb unseals the scroll.

1. Previous Restraining Ministries of the Holy Spirit: a. Preventing satanic activity on the devastated earth until God’s seven-day reconstruction of it (Genesis 1:1-2). b. Preventing the satanic seed of the Nephilim from completely destroying true humanity until God’s judgment of that seed in the great flood (Genesis 6:3). c. Specific restraint of other satanic activities (Matthew 16:19; Matthew 18:18; John 20:22-23; Acts 5:3; Acts 5:9). d. General restraint of evil (cf. Genesis 11:6; Deuteronomy 32:8; Job 12:23; Psalms 74:17; Jeremiah 18:7-10; Acts 17:26-28).

2. Restraining the "Mystery of Lawlessness": The mystery of lawlessness, that is, the growing satanic influence in the world, is already at work (2 Thessalonians 2:7; cf. 1 John 2:18-22; 1 John 4:3; 2 John 1:7). However, during the Tribulation, an exponential expansion of the present "mystery of lawlessness" constituting an unprecedented unleashing of sin and evil world-wide will occur as a direct result of the removal of the barriers put up by the Spirit, and of the devil’s consequent exploitation of this opportunity (Matthew 24:12; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; 2 Peter 3:3-7; 1 John 2:18; Jude 1:17-18).

3. Restraining the "Man of Lawlessness": The rise to power of antichrist, the "man of lawlessness" and his "unveiling" to and acceptance by the unbelieving world as a god will only be allowed to occur once the Tribulation has begun, and only after the deliberate and purposeful removal of Holy Spirit restraint symbolized in these seven seals (2 Thessalonians 2:1-8; cf. 1 John 2:18-22; 1 John 4:3; 2 John 1:7).

4. Protection of Believers to Continue during the Tribulation: Even after the removal of the Spirit’s restraint of lawlessness and of antichrist, believers will still enjoy the presence of the Spirit and all the divine protection which this sealing ensures. Instead of restraining the world and us in it, we will then be protected in the midst of an unrestrained world for as long as we are in it (2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 4:30; cf. Ezekiel 9:1-11; John 6:27; 1 Peter 1:1-2).

B. The Sealing of the 144,000: Like the 12 and the 70 sent forth as representatives of our Lord to prepare the hearts of His countrymen for the nearness of the Kingdom, the 144,000 are representatives of our Lord sent to prepare the hearts of His countrymen for the coming of the Kingdom in its tangible reality (Revelation 7:1-8; Revelation 14:1-5; cf. Matthew 10:1-42; Mark 6:7-12; Luke 9:1-6; Luke 10:1-20). Thus, as Second Advent messengers, the 144,000 will have a similar role and similar function to that of the 12 and the 70. As the special representatives of Jesus Christ to the Jewish people, it is fitting that the 144,000 will not only adhere to the same mandates set down by our Lord for the 12 and the 70, but will also approximate His life and His walk (in so far as sinful human beings can do).

1. Characteristics of the 144,000 and their Ministry: a. They are Jewish: Just as our Lord, in His humanity, is clearly Jewish (Luke 3:23-38; Romans 9:5), so His 144,000 special emissaries to Israel are very clearly described as belonging to the twelve tribes of Israel (12,000 from each tribe named). Just as clearly, they are also Christians, that is, Jewish believers and followers of Jesus Christ, "servants of our God" (Revelation 7:3). The exclusion of gentiles from their number is a necessity. This will be a unique ministry with a unique purpose and will thus have correspondingly unique requirements, most especially the need to understand the Jewish point-of-view, and to avoid giving offense (Matthew 27:18; Acts 13:43-45; Acts 17:5; Acts 22:21-22; Romans 10:2; cf. Luke 15:25-32). b. They are male: Just as our Lord is male, and so these 144,000 who are chosen to spread the good news of His imminent return to the lost sheep of Israel are also male (viz., they are described in the Greek with masculine modifiers only). This is also a necessity to avoid giving offense in the Jewish tradition (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:19-23). c. They are virgins: Just as our Lord remained a virgin throughout His earthly life, so shall His 144,000 precursors who will begin to turn the hearts of Israel back to Him (Revelation 14:4; cf. 1 Corinthians 7:7-8; 1 Corinthians 9:5-6). d. They are sent to evangelize Israel: Just as our Lord became a "Minister to the circumcision" (Romans 15:8; cf. Acts 3:26), sent "to the lost sheep of Israel" (Matthew 15:24; cf. the twelve: Matthew 10:6), so the mission of the 144,000 will be directed to the Jewish people (Matthew 10:5; Matthew 10:18; Matthew 10:23; Luke 10:1), although it will be a worldwide as opposed to a centralized ministry (cf. Revelation 14:6-7). e. They are given the authority to perform miracles: Just as our Lord performed miracles in part as a badge of His authority that clearly marked Him out as the true Son of God and the Messiah (John 5:36; John 10:25; John 10:38; John 14:11; cf. Matthew 11:1-6; Luke 7:18-23), so miracles will be given to the 144,000 to perform as a witness to the fact that they speak with the authority of God:

Healing the sick (Matthew 10:1; Matthew 10:8; Mark 6:7; Luke 9:1-2; Luke 10:9; compare Matthew 4:24 et passim in the gospels; and Acts 5:15-16; Acts 8:5-7; Acts 28:8-9).

Driving out demons (Matthew 10:1; Matthew 10:8; Mark 6:7; Mark 6:12; Luke 9:1; Luke 10:17; Luke 10:20; compare Luke 8:26-37 et passim in the gospels; and Acts 5:16; Acts 8:7; Acts 16:16-18; Acts 19:11-13).

Raising the dead (Matthew 10:8; compare Mark 5:37-43; Luke 7:11-17; John 11:1-44; and Acts 9:36-42; Acts 20:7-12).

Miraculous protection from dangers (Luke 10:19; compare Luke 4:28-30; John 7:30; John 8:59; John 10:39; and Acts 12:1-10; Acts 28:3-6). f. They are subject to a special code of conduct: Just as our Lord adopted a "servant life-style" throughout His earthly life (Php 2:5-10; cf. Isaiah 42:1-25; Isaiah 49:1-26; Isaiah 52:1-15; Isaiah 53:1-12; Matthew 20:28; Luke 22:27; John 1:1 with John 1:14; John 5:18; John 10:30; John 14:9; John 17:5; 2 Corinthians 8:9; Romans 8:3; Romans 9:5; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 2:9-18; Hebrews 10:5-10), so the ministry of the 144,000 will require extreme commitment: The will remain celibate (Revelation 14:4). Their help (healing, etc.) and their message will be offered on a grace basis, without charge (Matthew 10:8).

They will be entirely dependent upon God’s day by day provision (Matthew 10:9-10; Luke 19:3; Luke 10:4). Their ministry will be conducted in a serious and purposeful fashion (Luke 10:4).

They will maintain an itinerant lifestyle (Luke 9:6; Matthew 10:11; Matthew 10:23).

They will maintain an overt and above-board dependence upon the charity of those they minister to (Matthew 10:11-15; Luke 9:4; Luke 10:5-7), but without any opportunity to amass surplus (i.e., only "room and board", trophes in Matthew 10:10).

They will maintain an overt and above-board policy of seeking and accepting support, searching diligently for a "worthy" house (a policy which will entail many nights spent in the open in travel and prior to finding a "worthy" house: Matthew 10:11-15; Luke 9:4; Luke 10:5-7).

They will maintain an overt and above-board policy of removing themselves from a particular mission field only 1) when the mission is completed (Matthew 10:11; Luke 9:4; Luke 10:7); 2) if the town proves unworthy (Luke 9:5; cf. Luke 10:10-12); 3) if forced to leave by persecution (Matthew 10:23).

They will be careful and circumspect in every aspect of their manner of life, thereby not giving offense on their own behalf in any way, but keeping the focus on the gospel message (Matthew 10:16-17).

They will make their complete faith in God obvious to all from the total reliance they will display in His protection in times of trouble (Matthew 10:16-20).

They will conduct their ministries courageously, openly proclaiming the gospel in spite of any and all consequences (Matthew 10:26-31).

They will resolutely demonstrate uncommon perseverance in a variety of threatening circumstances (Matthew 10:32-39).

They will courageously continue their ministries despite threats and opposition, departing only at the point when persecution makes further work impossible (Matthew 10:23). g. They will face stiff opposition: The 144,000 will be spoken against vociferously not only by gentile unbelievers, but also by those of their fellow Jews who have determined in their hearts not to accept their witness and return to God through Jesus Christ (Matthew 10:17; Matthew 10:21; cf. Isaiah 6:9-10; Isaiah 53:1; John 1:11; John 12:37-41). They will be betrayed by their own family members (Matthew 10:21; Matthew 10:35-37), hated by all men (Matthew 10:22), slandered (Matthew 10:24-25), imprisoned, tortured and falsely accused (Matthew 10:17-20), persecuted (Matthew 10:23), knowing no peace (Matthew 10:34), running their course as did our Lord, as did his apostles among ravening "wolves" (Matthew 10:16; Luke 10:3), faithful until the appointed end when they will give up their lives in the service of God’s gospel (Matthew 10:39; Revelation 14:1-5). h. They will receive miraculous protection during the days of their ministry: The invisible seal on the foreheads of the 144,000 marks them out as special servants of God (Revelation 7:1-8). The sealing of the 144,000 is an assurance from God to them of His special superintendence of their lives and ministries, invisible to men, but obvious and understood by all angelic creatures, elect and fallen (cf. Ezekiel 9:1-6). Although their ministry will involve incredible risks, they will receive miraculous protection (Luke 10:19; compare Luke 4:28-30; John 7:30; John 8:59; John 10:39; and Acts 12:1-10; Acts 28:3-6). i. They will be martyred at the conclusion of their ministry: The 144,000 will be the first martyrs of Great Persecution of antichrist which takes place during the Tribulation’s second half (Revelation 14:3-4; Revelation 17:6; cf. Matthew 10:23; Luke 21:12-19).

2. The Course of the Ministry of the 144,000 a. Some particulars of their ministry: Just as the twelve, and the 70, and John’s disciples did not operate in a vacuum, but were selected, commissioned, and sent out by Jesus and John respectively (cf. Matthew 10:7; Mark 6:7; Luke 9:1), so the 144,000 will operate under the specific, earthly direction of the "two witnesses", Moses and Elijah, the prophetical counterparts of Jesus and John respectively. And just as the two witnesses are to conduct a ministry that will gain worldwide attention from its central location in Jerusalem (Zechariah 4:11-14; Zechariah 11:1-13), so the ministry of this famous pair will be projected, augmented and paralleled by the ministries of thousands of other pairs of the 144,000 serving around the globe under their supervision. b. The content of their message: The content of the message preached by our Lord Jesus Christ, as well as by John, Moses and Elijah, the 12, the 70, and the 144,000 is all one and the same, namely the gospel of the kingdom, the call to repent and turn back to God through faith in His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. There is also, it must be said, an urgency to the message so given in all these cases, precisely because of the imminence of events (Malachi 4:4-6; Matthew 3:1-2; Matthew 4:17; Matthew 10:7; Mark 1:14; Mark 6:12; Luke 9:2; Luke 10:1; Luke 10:1, Luke 10:11; Acts 13:24; Revelation 11:3; Revelation 11:7; Revelation 14:1-6; Revelation 17:6). c. The results of their ministry: Although in large part the ministry of the 144,000 will not come to fruition until Israel returns en masse to the Lord at the Second Advent (Joel 2:30-32; Zechariah 12:10; Matthew 24:29-30; Romans 11:25-27; Revelation 1:7), there is ample evidence from prophecy to show that a sizeable (though unspecified) number will respond directly to the message of the 144,000. In Revelation chapter twelve (and elsewhere: Matthew 24:15-22; Mark 13:14-23; Luke 21:20-24), we find a large remnant of Jewish believers in Israel who are persecuted by antichrist immediately following the Tribulation’s mid-point and are subsequently forced to flee into the desert for refuge. d. Parallels to the ministry of Christ, and also of John, Moses, Elijah, and the Apostles: The ministry of the 144,000 bears many resemblances to the most impressive divine ministries which have preceded them. These parallels are important to take note of, because they emphasize both the importance and the nature of the ministry of the 144,000, both points which we have been stressing since the beginning of this section. For the 144,000 are all ...

Jewish males: As are Christ, John, Moses, Elijah, and the apostles.

Unmarried: As are Christ, John, Elijah, and Paul.

Miraculously protected: As are Christ (Luke 4:28-30; John 7:30; John 8:59; John 10:39), Moses (Numbers 16:1-50, Numbers 17:1-13), Elijah (2 Kings 1:1-18), and the apostles (Acts 12:1-10; Acts 28:3-6).

Evangelists to Israel: As are Christ (Matthew 15:24; Luke 2:34), John (Matthew 3:7-10; Luke 1:67-80), Moses, Elijah, and Peter (Galatians 2:7).

Preachers of restoration to God: As are Christ (Luke 4:14-21), John (Luke 1:17    ; John 1:7), Elijah (Matthew 4:4-6), and the apostles (Acts 3:17-21).

Performers of exceptional miracles: As are Christ (Mark 5:37-43; Luke 7:11-17; John 11:1-44), Moses (Exodus 4:1-17; Acts 7:36), Elijah (1 Kings 17:17-24), and the apostles (Acts 9:36-42; Acts 20:7-12).

Subject to a demanding "code of conduct": As are Christ (Matthew 4:1-11), John (Matthew 3:4; Luke 1:80), Elijah (1 Kings 17:1-16), and Paul (1 Corinthians 4:8-13; 2 Corinthians 4:7-12; 2 Corinthians 6:3-10; 2 Corinthians 11:16-33; Php 3:7-11).

Confronted by fierce opposition: As are Christ (Luke 4:29; John 7:1; John 8:40), John (Matthew 14:1-5), Moses (Acts 7:39), Elijah (1 Kings 18:16-17; 1 Kings 19:1-2), and the apostles (Acts 5:17-42).

Consistent in flawless behavior (Revelation 14:4-5): As is Christ (John 8:46; Acts 8:32-35; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 1:19).

Serving a three and one half year ministry: As did Christ, Elijah (James 5:17), and John.

Martyred at the conclusion of their ministry (Revelation 14:3): As was Christ, John (Matthew 14:6-12), and the apostles (cf. John 21:18-19).

Standing as an offering of "first-fruits" to God (Revelation 5:9): As does Christ (1 Corinthians 15:23; cf. Leviticus 23:9 ff.). e. The omission of the tribe of Dan: The overarching reason for Dan’s non-inclusion within the ranks of the 144,000 is the fact that antichrist will be descended from this tribe (Genesis 49:16-18; cf. Genesis 3:16). This removal of one the twelve tribes for betrayal and satanic allegiance parallels the removal of Judas from the number of the twelve apostles (replaced by Paul). f. Their reward: The 144,000 will be granted the special status of "first-fruits", a unique and preeminent martyrdom (Revelation 14:1), a special, memorial anthem (Revelation 14:3), and a unique place beside the King of Kings and Lord of Lords forevermore (Revelation 14:4). So important is their ministry that those who support them, even in seemingly trivial ways, will be rewarded as well (Matthew 10:13; Matthew 10:40-42).

C. The Lamb, the Scroll, and the Seven Seals: In Revelation 5:1-14 the scroll which represents the Father’s bequest to His Son (i.e., His "revelation" to the world as its Lord and King), and therefore describes the events which lead up to His Kingdom (namely the Tribulation, Armageddon, the Second Advent, and the divine dispositions and judgments which follow) is opened by the Lamb who alone is worthy to do so. Jesus is "the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29; cf. John 1:36; 1 Peter 1:19; Isaiah 53:7), and by His death for us He has won the right to remove the seals of the scroll and bring in His glorious Kingdom. The seven seals on the scroll which must be opened before this process begins have a dual symbolism, individually representing events which are set in motion by their removal, and collectively representing the power which now restrains these trends, namely, God the Holy Spirit in His ministry as the Restrainer.

1. The first four seals: These represent four major trends related to antichrist and his kingdom which begin during the Tribulation’s first half (Revelation 6:1-8):

#1. The White horse: Antichrist’s Conquests: the trend of warfare and aggression.

#2. The Red horse: Civil Discord: the trend of lawlessness and political destabilization.

#3. The Black horse: Economic Constraint: the trend of economic dislocation & famine.

#4. The Pale-green horse: Accelerated Mortality: the trend of plague and rampant death.

2. The fifth and sixth seals: These represent the two major events of the second half or Great Tribulation, namely the Great Persecution of the true Church by the beast, and the extraordinary judgments which precede the return of our Lord (Revelation 6:9-17):

#5. The Martyrs: the Great Persecution: martyrdom of believers at the hands of the beast and his religion.

#6. Judgments: the Second Advent: both its preliminary and concomitant judgments.

3. The seventh seal: This represents removal of the final impediment to unleashing the Tribulation as well as the inevitable and blessed results on its farther side, namely, the coming Kingdom of our Lord.

#7. The Commencement: the Tribulation Begins: following a half hour of silence (six months), the final seven year period begins in the wake of the removal of the Spirit’s restraining ministry.

D. The Great Apostasy: Coming about as a direct result of intensified satanic activity administered by antichrist and directed against believers, the Great Apostasy is a massive falling away from the faith by a third of Christians predicted to begin during the Tribulation’s first half and destined to reach its culmination during the Great Persecution of the Tribulation’s second half (Daniel 8:10-12; Daniel 8:23; Daniel 11:29-35; Matthew 24:3-13; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4; 1 Timothy 4:1; Revelation 12:4; cf. Revelation 6:9-11; Revelation 7:9-17; Revelation 12:12-17; Revelation 13:10; Revelation 13:11-18; Revelation 14:13; Revelation 14:14-16; Revelation 15:1-4; Revelation 16:5-6; Revelation 17:6; Revelation 18:24; Revelation 19:1-2; Revelation 20:4).

1. The Process of Apostasy: Turning away from God and away from the Person of His Son is, in general, not an immediately obvious thing, and, rather than an event, is more often a process wherein the believer progressively violates his conscience, giving himself over to sin to such a degree that he is eventually forced to make a final choice between God and repentance on the one hand, or sin and reprobation on the other. For, at some point, continuing on the wrong road far enough and willfully enough will eventually and inevitably lead to the complete breakdown of the conscience and result in the "shipwreck" of faith (1 Timothy 1:18-19). When the believer stops believing altogether, then he/she is no longer a believer (Matthew 24:10-13). The specific, biblical process involved here is the "hardening of the heart", that is a gradual loss of response and sensitivity to one’s conscience, to the known will of God, and to one’s commitment to following Jesus Christ as a true and faithful disciple (1 Corinthians 10:11-12; Hebrews 3:12-19; James 1:14-15; 1 John 5:16).

2. The Situation of the Church and "church-visible" on the Eve of the Tribulation: Two problems confront the contemporary Church which make it particularly vulnerable to the coming Great Apostasy: 1) the fact that not all who represent themselves as Christians really are believers in and followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, with the majority of the "church-visible likely falling into this camp; and 2) the fact that in our current Church age of Laodicea complacency is the dominant trend. a. The Hardness of Unbelieving Pseudo-Christianity (The Seven Woes): Organized Judaism of our Lord’s day present a close parallel to the situation described above. Controlled largely by the scribes and Pharisees, the religious establishment of that time had become every bit as divorced from the true grace and power of God as will be the case for organized "Christianity" in the Tribulation (cf. Matthew 23:5). Jesus’ characterization of the spiritually dead "church-visible" of His own day with "the seven woes" gives us a very clear picture of what true believers will be up against once the church-visible of that future day makes a similarly clean break from the truth. The Pseudo-Christian establishment hinders salvation for its members: So woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you lock up the kingdom of heaven [right] in front of people. For you yourselves are not going in, nor do you allow those about to do so to [actually] go in. Matthew 23:13 The Pseudo-Christian establishment reaches out to hinder salvation for others seeking God:

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you scour land and sea to make a single convert, and when he becomes [one], you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. Matthew 23:15 The Pseudo-Christian establishment adds forms and rituals which obscure truth:

Woe to you, you blind guides who say, "Whoever swears by the temple has no obligation, but whoever swears by the gold of the temple is obliged". You fools and blind men! For what is greater, the gold or the temple which makes the gold holy? And you [also] say, "Whoever swears by the altar has no obligation, but whoever swears by the sacrifice which is on it is obliged". You blind men! For what is greater, the sacrifice or the altar which makes the sacrifice holy? Therefore whoever swears by the altar swears both by it and by everything on it. And whoever sears by the temple swears by it and by the One who dwells in it. And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it. Matthew 23:16-22 The Pseudo-Christian establishment uses minor, partial obedience to obscure major truths:

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you give a tenth of your mint and of your anise and of your cummin, but you have neglected the weightier parts of the Law, [namely], justice and mercy and faith. You ought to do the former – but not neglect the latter! You blind guides! You [are careful to] filter out the gnat, but [then] you swallow down the camel! Matthew 23:23-24 The Pseudo-Christian establishment gives the appearance of holiness, but is not holy:

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they teem with robbery and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup so that its outside may also be [truly] clean. Matthew 23:25-26 The Pseudo-Christian establishment gives the appearance of spiritual life, but is dead:

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you resemble whitewashed tombs which, while they appear to be beautiful on the outside, on the inside are filled with dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. This is just how you are. On the outside you appear to men to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Matthew 23:27-28 The Pseudo-Christian establishment appears to be for God, but is really hostile to Him and His:

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you restore the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and you say, "If we had been [alive] in the days of our fathers, we wouldn’t have participated in [shedding] the blood of the prophets". So then you are your own witnesses against yourselves that you are [indeed the] sons of those who murdered the prophets. Matthew 23:29-31

Dead pseudo-Christian organizations (of which there are plenty in our own day) may seem to pose no threat under present circumstances. However, just as soon as circumstances change (and change they will in the Tribulation, much for the worse), such organizations will be ready-made and willing co-conspirators both for the advancement of the process of the Great Apostasy and also for the implementation of the Great Persecution. The reason for the nature of such groups is not a matter of accident: these spiritually dead organizations reflect the hardened hearts of the individuals who make them up. b. The Vulnerability of Lukewarm Believers (The Problem of Complacency): The overwhelming characteristic of believers in this current Church era of Laodicea is one of apathy when it comes to building faith, growing through the Word of God, drawing closer to Jesus Christ, and preparing for and putting into practice the gifts, ministries and effects that God has ordained for us (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:4-7; Ephesians 2:10). One could go on at great length as to the causes of such indifference toward the Lord Jesus who bought us, but it is sufficient here to point out that in its essence this appalling attitude stems primarily from loving the world more than Jesus. Complacency is a serious problem for the Church at large and for individual Christians in particular precisely because of this "zero sum" opposition between the two alternatives. For either you truly love Jesus Christ more than anything else, or the truth is that you love the world more than Him. And if you do love the world more than the Lord, then your faith is at the very least extremely fragile and vulnerable so that it may well not survive serious testing or tribulation, not to mention the Tribulation (Matthew 13:20-21; Mark 4:16-17; Luke 8:13). And, indeed, this dominant characteristic of our Laodicean era will make the Church as a whole highly vulnerable to the pressures of the Tribulation to come, thus explaining in large measure the Great Apostasy.

3. The Causes of the Great Apostasy: a. The unleashing of the "mystery of lawlessness": In 2 Thessalonians 2:7, we are told that "the mystery of lawlessness", that is, unseen satanic influence which leads to the active rejection of divine truth in all of its forms, is already at work in our day. Following the removal of the Holy Spirit’s restraint at the commencement of the Tribulation, however, lawlessness will explode, embittering human life to an unprecedented degree and leading to increased pressure upon the faith of us all (2 Thessalonians 2:6-7). While this circumstance will result in the refining of the remnant of dedicated believers, in the case of lukewarm believers it will greatly contribute to apostasy (Matthew 24:10-13; 2 Thessalonians 2:11; 1 John 4:3; 1 John 4:6). b. The dearth of Bible teaching: This second major cause of the Great Apostasy is the exclusive concern of believers. While the unleashing of lawlessness and consequent degeneration of the behavior of unbelievers will only affect believers indirectly (by increasing the external pressures on faith), the coming dearth of genuine Bible teaching anticipated during the Tribulation will have a direct negative impact contributing to apostasy. As in the case of the former cause above, so in this case it will be almost exclusively the lukewarm members of the Body of Christ adversely affected by this coming famine of spiritual food. For having been complacent about solid spiritual nutrition in good times, they will find turning to substantive Bible teaching in hard times a difficult transition, both because it will be very hard to find (Amos 8:11; Hosea 4:5-6; cf. 1 Samuel 3:1; 1 Samuel 28:6; Proverbs 29:18; Micah 3:4-7), and because this very condition will have come about in no small part through their negative and complacent attitude in the first place (2 Timothy 4:1-4; cf. 2 Chronicles 15:2-4; Isaiah 6:9-10; Isaiah 28:9-13; Ezekiel 20:34; Ezekiel 20:30-31; Matthew 13:11-17; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10). c. The rise of false teaching: In addition to the pressure exerted by increased lawlessness and the difficulties created by the dearth of spiritual food, a third major cause for the massive apostasy among believers during the Tribulation will be the prevalence of persuasive false teaching. Our Lord’s teachings in particular are replete with warnings about the danger of deception and the need for alertness during this dark period ahead (Matthew 24:5-6; Matthew 24:17; Matthew 24:24-25; Matthew 25:13; Matthew 25:42; Mark 13:5-9; Mark 13:23; Mark 13:33; Mark 13:35-37; Luke 12:40; Luke 17:23; Luke 21:36; cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12; 1 Timothy 4:1-5; 2 Timothy 3:1-13; 2 Peter 2:1-22; 2 Peter 3:1-17; 1 John 2:22; 1 John 4:1-6; Revelation 12:9; Revelation 13:14; Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:3). d. The persuasiveness of tribulational false signs: One particular aspect of tribulational false teaching that deserves special mention in regard to its contribution to promoting apostasy is the effective use to which false signs will be put by antichrist and his false prophet. For scripture is very clear that the signs performed by these two in the power of the devil will be unprecedented in human history, and will play no small part in winning over the majority of the world’s population (Matthew 24:24; Mark 13:22; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10; Revelation 13:3-4; Revelation 16:13-14; Revelation 17:8; Revelation 17:11; Revelation 19:20; Revelation 13:13-15), and any believer who is not absolutely firm in his or her faith will be vulnerable to the extreme persuasiveness of these unprecedented false miracles and portents. e. The persuasiveness of coopted groups: When all the world begins to follow after the beast, even so-called Christian organizations and denominations, it will put serious pressure even on the faith of the elect (Matthew 24:24; Mark 13:22). True believers in Jesus Christ must make up their minds ahead of time to put their entire allegiance in the Son of Man and not compromise their faith for the sake of tradition, sentimentality, herd-mentality, or peer-pressure (Exodus 32:1-6; Deuteronomy 13:2-4; 2 Peter 2:1-2; 2 Peter 2:20-22; 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 4:1-4; 1 John 4:1-3).

4. The Refining of the Remnant: If there is a silver lining in this terrible cloud of apostasy, it is to be found in the refining of the faith of all those who are truly God’s people to be produced by the pressures of the Tribulation. It is true that the refining of the hearts of His people, the strengthening of faith and the testing of our commitment to Jesus Christ are givens in every era (Daniel 11:35; Daniel 12:10; cf. Job 23:10; Psalms 66:8-12; Proverbs 10:25; Proverbs 17:3; Isaiah 10:22-23; Isaiah 48:10; Luke 3:16-17; Romans 11:1-6; Ephesians 5:25-27; Hebrews 11:13-16; 1 Peter 1:6-7).

E. The Trumpet Judgments:

1. The Purpose of the Seven Trumpet Judgments: The seven trumpet judgments are literal "plagues" in the biblical sense (Revelation 8:12; Revelation 9:20; Revelation 9:18), calamities visited by God upon the earth which are not confined to physical diseases (cf. the plagues of frogs, gnats, and flies in Exodus 8:1-32). As in the case of the ten plagues the Lord inflicted upon Egypt some three and a half millennia ago (Exodus 7:14-25, Exodus 8:1-32, Exodus 9:1-35, Exodus 10:1-29, Exodus 11:1-10, Exodus 12:1-30), and also in the case of the seven bowl judgments (Revelation 16:1-21), the seven trumpet judgments are instances of divine punishment leveled upon exceptional evil (cf. Leviticus 26:14-39; Deuteronomy 28:15-68; 1 Kings 16:29-34, 1 Kings 17:1). The primary purpose of these judgments is one of warning as indicated by the blowing the trumpet (Ezekiel 33:1-20; Joel 2:1; cf. Numbers 10:1-9; Joshua 6:1-5; Joshua 6:20; Jeremiah 4:19-21; Jeremiah 6:1; Hosea 5:8-9; Amos 3:6; Zephaniah 1:15-17; 1 Corinthians 14:8).

2. The Chronology of the Seven Trumpets: Like the plagues upon Egypt prior to the Exodus, each trumpet judgment lasts for a specific length of time and comes to an end before the next one in the sequence commences. The fact that judgment #5 lasts five months invites us likewise to assign a corresponding number of months to each of the first six trumpets (excluding the seventh trumpet which represents the Tribulation’s entire second half, that is, the Great Tribulation). The net result of adding this ascending number of months (i.e., 1 month for trumpet #1, plus 2 months for trumpet #2, plus 3 months for trumpet #3, plus 4 months for trumpet #4, plus 5 months for trumpet #5, plus 6 months for trumpet #6) is a total of 21 months, exactly one half of the 42 month total of the Tribulation’s first half). These six judgments should be understood to occur in immediate sequence directly prior to the commencement of the Great Tribulation: The principle of acceleration and intensification of judgment argues for understanding things in this way. The parallel seven "bowl" judgments are arranged in this way (Revelation 16:1-21).

Only with this sequencing would these judgments provide maximum warning effect. The narrative of the seven trumpet judgments does in fact lead directly into the Great Tribulation with no discernible gap or interval (Revelation 10:6-7; Revelation 11:1-14; cf. Revelation 11:15-19 with Revelation 12:1-17, Revelation 13:1-18).

3. The Ascending Intensity of the Seven Trumpet Judgments: Not only do the trumpet judgment expand sequentially in terms of their duration (being 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 42 months long respectively), but they also exhibit a progressive intensification in terms of the painful effect they produce:

Trumpet #1: Vegetation Stricken: A third of the earth is scorched and a third of its grass and trees are burned up, but no human fatalities are mentioned.

Trumpet #2: The Sea Stricken: A third of the creatures in the sea are killed and a third of all ships destroyed, unquestionably resulting in some human fatalities.

Trumpet #3: Fresh Water Stricken: A third of the world’s fresh water is poisoned with the result that many human fatalities.

Trumpet #4: The Heavenly Lights Stricken: While no fatalities are mentioned in conjunction with this one third reduction in the delivery of heavenly light, this is the first judgment wherein all human beings and all portions of the world are adversely affected. The suffering caused by this diminution of light should not be underestimated (cf. Revelation 16:10-11). The administrators of these first four trumpet judgments are the four angels of Revelation 7:1-3, "to whom it had been given to harm the earth and the sea". For all four of the above judgments are targeted directly at either "the earth" (i.e., land), or at "the sea" (i.e., the waters of the earth), or, in the case of the fourth judgment, both (i.e., lack of deprivation of light affects all living things). In this they are different from the last three trumpet judgments where human beings are the objects of the judgments, and human suffering and death the main rather than merely ancillary results. Of further significance is the fact that the last three trumpet judgments, while decreed by God, are carried out by demonic forces. This is a further, clear indication of the progressive intensification of these judgments which are so much more severe in nature than the preceding four that they are given the name "the three woes" (compare Revelation 8:13 with Revelation 9:12; Revelation 11:14; Revelation 12:12).

Trumpet #5: The First Woe: Demon Harassment: The entire unbelieving population of the earth is affected.

Trumpet #6: The Second Woe: Demon Destruction: An entire third of the world’s population is killed.

Trumpet #7: The Third Woe: The Great Tribulation: The "third woe" is synonymous with the Great Tribulation (cf. Revelation 12:12). While exact numbers are not provided, this three and one half year period will produce the most staggering loss of life in raw terms that has ever taken place (cf. Isaiah 13:12). The slaughter that will take place at Armageddon alone boggles the mind (Revelation 14:17-20; cf. Ezekiel 39:4-6; Ezekiel 39:11-20), and the bowl judgments of Revelation 16:1-21 which precede it are clearly more dire in their effects than the trumpet judgments (which collectively claim the lives of over a third of the world’s population). Finally, the fact that the Great Tribulation lasts for 42 months, exactly seven times as long as the sixth trumpet judgment which precedes, also does much to signal the incomparably more horrendous nature of this last judgment (cf. Matthew 18:22). For as terrible as the first half of the Tribulation will be, in comparison to the Great Tribulation unleashed by the seventh trumpet it is only the "beginning of woes" (Matthew 24:3-13).

4. The Effects of the Seven Trumpet Judgments on Believers: These judgments are divine punishment upon the world of unbelievers, and are not meant or intended to harm God’s people. All of us who are believers in Jesus Christ are sealed with the Holy Spirit of God (2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 4:30). Therefore, just as the 144,000 were sealed by God so as to be spared the plagues soon to be delivered by the four angels of Revelation 7:1-3, so we may have every confidence that not only are these judgments not meant for the people of God, but also that we shall be spared the worst of their effects.

F. The Two Witnesses: The ministry of the two witnesses covers the entire first half of the Tribulation, but is terminated by antichrist on the eve of the Great Tribulation (Revelation 11:1-2). Through them, God’s witness to truth proceeds hand in hand with His judgments upon evil (demonstrating His grace and mercy even in the midst of severe judgment).

1. The 1,260 days of Revelation 11:3 : 1,260 days is the length of the ministry of the two witnesses (i.e., the entire first half of the Tribulation). This should not be confused with the forty-two months cited in the preceding verse, Revelation 11:2 (wherein the gentiles will "trample" Jerusalem), which is a reference to the Great Tribulation, commencing with the seventh trumpet directly after the termination of the two-witness ministry (discussed in rest of Revelation chapter eleven). Our Lord makes a similar reference to the trampling of Jerusalem by gentiles in Luke 21:24, and tells us that this situation of gentile intrusion and conquest will continue "until the gentiles’ times have been fulfilled", that is, until His Second Advent brings antichrist’s control of Israel and Jerusalem to a violent and immediate conclusion. Here is a summary of the various scriptural designations for the forty-two month time period covered by the Great Tribulation in contrast to the prior, preceding 1,260 days wherein the witnesses will minister: In Daniel 7:25, the saints of the Most High (i.e., believers) are said to be handed over into the power of the little horn (i.e., antichrist and the Great Persecution) for "a time, times, and half a time", a biblical way of expressing the three and one half years of the Great Tribulation. In Daniel 9:27, "the prince of the people which is to come" (i.e., antichrist as the ruler of revived Rome) will make a treaty for one "seven" and break it in the middle of the "seven", that is, during middle of the seven years at the outset of the Great Tribulation. In Daniel 12:7, the angel speaking with Daniel declares that it will be "a time, times, and half a time" before the persecutions stop and everything comes to an end, that is, the Great Tribulation will last three and one half years. In Revelation 11:2, (discussed above), the gentiles (i.e., the army of antichrist) will control Jerusalem for 42 months, that is, during the entire three and a half year period of the Great Tribulation. In Revelation 12:6, the woman Israel is said to be protected for 1,260 days, that is, during the whole 42 months of the Great Tribulation (expressed in standard 30 day months). In Revelation 12:14, the woman Israel is said to be protected for a time, times, and half a time, that is, during this same period of the Great Tribulation’s three and a half years. In Revelation 13:5, the reign of antichrist is said to last for 42 months, that is, for the duration of the Great Tribulation.

2. The Tribulational Temple rebuilt by Moses and Elijah: While the "forty-two months" of Revelation 11:2 refer to the Great Tribulation, the remainder of chapter eleven (up until the seventh trumpet of verse fifteen) is a description of events which take place during the Tribulation’s first half. We see here for the first time in the book of Revelation that while the unbelieving population of the earth has been undergoing a series of horrific judgments, a significant revival has been taking place in Israel. As part of this revival, the temple has been reconstructed, and John is here invited to take precise measurements of all its dimensions. The temple rite has also been reinstated as we may conclude from the presence of the altar which meets the Mosaic specifications (implied by the command to measure it). And a considerable number of genuine worshipers (large enough that they will have to be counted with some effort) is present paying homage to God, a clear indication that by this point the revival associated with the ministry of the 144,000 witnesses has born significant fruit. The description of the measuring rod given to John is purposely reminiscent of the scene in Ezekiel chapter 40 and following. In that passage, Ezekiel is brought to the millennial Jerusalem and sees a "man whose appearance was like bronze" (i.e., a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ). Our Lord there holds a similar rod in His hands wherewith He likewise measures the millennial temple complex. It is no doubt for this reason that Revelation 11:1 has only the participle "saying" and does not identify the speaker, for, as we learn later in verse three, the speaker is also divine, and is none other than our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, whose servants the two witnesses are (i.e., they are "My servants" in Revelation 11:3; cf. Matthew 16:28, Matthew 17:1-13). From this set of facts we may deduce that the rebuilding of the tribulational temple is divinely ordained and supervised, for it corresponds to divine specifications of measurement. It is given to John by our Lord to see for himself that this is true, for the process and concept of such measurement with rods and plumb lines often involves the idea of employing a divine standard, often one which results in judgment when these standards are violated (cf. Job 38:5; Isaiah 28:17; Isaiah 34:11; Isaiah 44:13; Jeremiah 31:39; Ezekiel 40:3; Ezekiel 47:3; Amos 7:17; Micah 2:5; Zechariah 1:16; Zechariah 2:1; Zechariah 4:10; cf. also 2 Samuel 8:2). The restoration of the temple rite must also therefore have come at God’s behest (cf. the pattern of restoration recorded in Ezra 3:1-13 and following), with the worshipers also legitimate followers of God, namely, those of Israel who have turned to Jesus Christ through the ministry of the 144,000 witnesses. The fact that these true, legitimate, and divinely ordained things (i.e., the temple, its rites, and the mass of worshipers) are here directly juxtaposed to and opposed by anti-God "gentiles" (i.e., antichrist and his followers) who will shortly defile the temple and thus of necessity interrupt its rites and scatter the worshipers is further evidence that the restored temple and worship of God therein has truly been of God, for God, and by God.

Inasmuch as the Tribulation is an era of restoration jointly shared by Israel and the Church in which Israel once again claims the leadership role, it should come as no surprise that we find here the reinstitution of the temple rites in a rebuilt temple. Coming as it will after so long a hiatus, and coming as it will as a direct result of two messengers sent from God, there will be no confusion about the meaning of the renewed sacrifices: rather than shadows of things to come, it will be clearly understood that these are memorials to the already accomplished work of Christ (i.e., different in purpose from the Mosaic sacrifices just the millennial sacrifices will be; cf. Ezekiel 45:13-25). This principle of the "restoration of Israel" (that is, a turning of their hearts back to God and a reinstitution of appropriate worship), is, as we have already seen in the case of the ministry of the 144,000, very closely associated with the two witnesses and their ministry:

Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, which I commanded him on Horeb (i.e., Sinai) concerning all Israel, [with both its] statutes and judgments – behold, I am about to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the Day of Lord, [that] great and awesome [Day], so that he may restore [to God] the hearts of the fathers along with [their] children and the hearts of the children along with their fathers, lest I come and smite the land with complete devastation. Malachi 4:4-6 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared and were talking with Him (Malachi 4:3). . . . . . And His disciples questioned Him, saying, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first (i.e., before the Kingdom)". And He answered, saying, "Elijah is coming, and he will restore all things". Matthew 17:3; Matthew 17:10-13 (cf. Mark 9:11-12) So repent and turn back [to God] for the blotting out of your sins, so that times of refreshment may come from the Lord, and so that He may send to you the One acknowledged as the Christ [Messiah], [namely] Jesus, who must remain in heaven (lit., "whom heaven must receive") until the times of the restoration of all things of which God has spoken through the mouths of His holy prophets from of old. For Moses said, "The Lord God will raise up for you from among your brothers a Prophet like me". Acts 3:19-22 a

These passages closely connect the future spiritual restoration of Israel to the two witnesses and their ministry. Given that in Revelation chapter eleven the two witnesses are also placed in close association with the rebuilt temple, the revived rites, and the reinvigorated worship, we may conclude that the rebuilding of the temple and the restoration of the godly worship associated with it is indeed directed by these two heralds of the Kingdom.

We would certainly be hard pressed to choose two other Old Testament figures more suited to spiritual revival and the reestablishment of the orthodox worship of the Lord. Moses was sent to a people far removed from the Lord and mediated to them the covenant written by God Himself (Galatians 3:19). Elijah was sent to a people long in the grasp of pagan idolatry, and presided over a great and dramatic spiritual victory on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:16-46). Elijah’s rebuilding of the altar of the Lord on Mount Carmel foreshadows his leading role in rebuilding the temple during the Tribulation (1 Kings 18:30-32), and Moses, of course, oversaw the construction of the original tabernacle, its furniture, and the rites ordained by God to serve it (so that there could be no better person to oversee its restoration: Exodus 25:40). The time required for the reconstruction of the (relatively small) temple itself need not be prohibitively time consuming. The massive structure of Herod’s design (which took so long to build: John 2:20) was in fact an elaboration of the original second temple rather than the temple proper. Ezekiel 40:1-49, Ezekiel 41:1-26, Ezekiel 42:1-20, Ezekiel 43:1-27 which describe Ezekiel’s vision of the massive millennial temple complex are also consistent with this interpretation. The temple structure itself (Ezekiel 40:48-49) is relatively modest, and, as in the case of the second temple set in the midst of Herod’s massive complex, constitutes only a small part of the overall design. It is thus entirely consistent with the scriptures which deal with this subject to posit that Moses and Elijah rebuild the temple proper, leaving its elaboration (as described in Ezekiel and elsewhere) for the millennial reign of our Lord as indicated by the following passages: The entire flock of Kedar will be gathered for you. The rams of Nebaioth will serve you. They will be sacrificed as acceptable offerings on My altar. And as for My glorious house (i.e., the temple), I shall glorify it. Isaiah 60:7 The entire glory of Lebanon will come to you, the fir, the pine, and the cedar together, to beautify My holy place (i.e., the temple), the place of My feet. And I shall glorify it. Isaiah 60:13 And He said to me, "Thus says the Lord of Hosts: Behold a Man – ‘Branch’ is His name (i.e., the Messiah; cf. Isaiah 4:2; Isaiah 11:1; Isaiah 53:2; Zechariah 3:8). And He will branch out from His place and will build [up] the temple of the Lord". Zechariah 6:12-13

Behold, I am about to send [forth] My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord whom you are seeking will suddenly come to His temple (i.e., it is already built in "preparation" for that great day). Malachi 3:1

Moses and Elijah will possess all the divine authority necessary to complete this third and final temple in the correct, godly and sanctified fashion just as God has ordained it. All problems of time, placement, politics, and logistics will dissolve under the leadership of these two divinely appointed, divinely inspired, and divinely empowered heralds of the Kingdom of our coming Lord Jesus Christ.

3. The two olive trees and the two lampstands: The fact that the two witnesses of Revelation chapter eleven occur in context with the reconstructed (third) temple also leads us to connect them to the detailed description of "the two anointed ones" of Zechariah chapter four (who are likewise prophetically associated with the second temple’s reconstruction). In Zechariah’s vision of a single, solid gold lampstand with seven lamps, there are two olive trees standing by the lampstand on the left and on the right (Zechariah 4:3). When he asks the meaning of this vision, Zechariah is first told "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit" (Zechariah 4:6). This part of the answer explains not the details of the vision’s symbolism, but rather the overall principle that it will be God’s Spirit which empowers the rebuilding of the temple. Inasmuch as the second temple was not reconstructed without divine help, and given that the two witnesses are a prophecy connected to a future rebuilding (i.e., there is no further mention of them in the rebuilding of the second temple), we may conclude that the rebuilding of the third temple seen in Revelation chapter eleven will also be accomplished by God’s Spirit, and that its reconstruction will be overseen by the two witnesses of Zechariah four (who are mentioned as being present after its construction in Revelation 11:1-19). This is clearly the main reason for the Spirit’s inclusion of the "two anointed" in Zechariah’s vision. The name given to these two in Zechariah, generally translated "anoint-ed ones", is actually "sons of oil". While usually understood passively, the phrase should be taken actively, for it is the translation "anoint-ing ones" which gives the correct sense: like the word "witness" used in Revelation eleven, "anoint-ing ones" indicates that they are conduits of God’s power and God’s light rather than merely being recipients. This is the point behind the symbolism in Zechariah 4:12 where the two olive trees pour out their oil into the lampstand’s golden bowl. The lampstand has seven lamps which are "the seven eyes of the Lord" which range throughout the earth. These "eyes" are often mistaken to have a purely investigative purpose, but, just as the human eye can sparkle and reflect light, so the Hebrew word ‘ayin (]yi) sometimes refers to an object’s appearance as a reflector of light as well (Numbers 11:7; Numbers 22:5; Numbers 22:11; Leviticus 13:5; Leviticus 13:37; Leviticus 13:55; 1 Samuel 6:7; Ezekiel 1:4; Ezekiel 1:7; Ezekiel 1:16; Ezekiel 1:22; Ezekiel 1:27; Ezekiel 8:2; Ezekiel 10:9; Daniel 10:6; cf. Proverbs 23:31). Similarly, these two witnesses will be the primary "reflectors" of the light of God’s truth during the gathering darkness of the Tribulation.

Zechariah’s seven lamps which are also seven eyes are identical in symbolism to the seven Spirits of Revelation chapters four (where lamps = spirits) and chapter five (where eyes = spirits). In all three cases, we have to do with the perfect seven-fold witness of the Holy Spirit, shedding forth God’s light to illuminate the darkness of this world, making use of human agencies, but always in behalf of Him who is the true Light, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ("Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit": Zechariah 4:6). And there [stood] burning before the throne seven lamps of fire, which are the seven spirits of God. Revelation 4:5 (cf. Revelation 1:4; Revelation 3:1) And I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing [there, looking] as if He had been slain, with seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent out into the entire earth. Revelation 5:6 (cf. Revelation 1:4; Revelation 3:1) In the context of Zechariah chapter four, the lampstand and its lights are clearly speaking of just such a witness of God’s light in the world during the dark time to come (cf. the seven eras of the Church represented as a series of lampstands giving forth God’s witness of light to the world: Revelation 1:20). Empowering this tribulational witness of light, therefore, are the "two anoint-ing ones", the two witnesses, Moses and Elijah. During the dark days of the Tribulation, they and the ministry of the 144,000 directed by them, will constitute the major witness of God’s light (and His Light, Jesus Christ) in the world, just as in our own day that witness is provided by the Church.

4. The two pillars: In the portico or entrance porch of the first temple, Solomon placed two massive bronze pillars, one on the north side, and one on the south. These pillars, flanking the threshold of the temple like two giant guardians, would doubtless have been in the mind of anyone hearing Zechariah’s vision of the olive trees and the lampstands, especially had they lived long enough to have seen that first temple before its destruction (as some of the older people indeed had: Ezra 3:12; Haggai 2:3; cf. Zechariah 4:10). Columns are, in any case, originally architectural representations of trees and the same was true of the lampstand (i.e., with its "flower-like cups, buds, blossoms, and branches"; cf. Exodus 25:31-32). Moreover, when one considers that the lampstand within the holy place was not far removed from these two pillars, the connection between it and the pillars on the one hand and the lampstand in Zechariah’s vision with its two olive trees on the other is hard to ignore. We may add to this picture that the unique and unparalleled verbal phrasing used in both Zechariah 4:14 and Revelation 11:4, "who are standing by/before the Lord of the earth", suggests a permanent and stable positioning, exactly in the manner of pillars. The Hebrew word for pillar, ‘amudth (dvmi; viz., "a standing thing"), is derived and virtually indistinguishable from the verb used in Zechariah 4:14 of the anointing olive trees who are "standing by the Lord", making the connection between these pillars and our two witnesses even more certain. Just as the two witnesses, the anointing ones, the two lampstands, and the two olive trees all "stand [solidly like pillars] by/before the Lord of the earth", so these two pillars stood solidly on either side of the entrance to the first temple (which contained the lampstand). The one on the north side was named Boaz, while the one on the south was called Jachin (1 Kings 7:21). Jachin is to be translated "He (i.e., the Lord) establishes", while Boaz means "strength in Him". Both of these names sum up the careers of the two witnesses Moses and Elijah respectively. Jachin is erected first and Boaz second (just as Moses’ first earthly ministry preceded that of Elijah), and Jachin takes the first place of honor on the south (i.e., the "right hand" as the temple faced east with the ark or chariot throne oriented in that direction), while Boaz stood on the north, the second most honorable place. In a similar way, while Elijah’s ministry was remarkable in every way, Moses’ was superior (compare Paul’s use of Moses’ ministry as the closest parallel to that of the ministry of our Lord in Hebrews chapter three). Their ministries, after all, served somewhat different purposes. Moses was the Lord’s instrument for effectively "establishing" the spiritual groundwork for Israel through his mediation of the Law ("He establishes"), while Elijah presided a significant overture from the Lord for spiritual revival (renewed "strength in Him"). From the divine viewpoint, history has always been supported by these twin pillars of original establishment of the truth and restoration to the truth, with both pillars ever looking to Him who is the truth, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the "Lord of all the earth". At His right and left hand these two witnesses stand as solidly as columns of bronze. To serve directly by the Lord’s side is clearly a preeminent honor. When the mother of James and John requested this privilege for her sons, our Lord’s response was "... to sit at my right or left is not for Me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared" (Mark 10:40; cf. Luke 14:8-11). For even though the twelve apostles of our Lord will indeed occupy unique positions ("judging the twelve tribes of Israel", i.e., to be heads of the twelve divisions of the family of God: Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30), it is to Moses and Elijah that this most prestigious honor will fall. Being so close to our dear Lord for all eternity is indeed an exceptional and sublime reward, earned in the case of these two by exceptional earthly service on not one, but two occasions. But I, [in contrast to the wicked,] will be like an olive tree flourishing in the house of My Lord, for I have trusted in the mercy of God forever and ever. Psalms 52:8

5. Their restoration ministries: During the Tribulation, two main areas of restoration will need to be addressed for the ministry of Moses and Elijah and the 144,000 to be effective: 1) the temple and its rites will need to be restored as a focus for renewed Jewish worship; and 2) the hearts of a large number of their countrymen will need to be won back to their Lord and ours, Jesus Christ the only Messiah. As God’s instrument in founding, constructing and instituting the original tabernacle along with its statutes and ceremonies, no more authoritative person than Moses can be imagined. As God’s instrument in His most dramatic offer of spiritual revival in Israel’s history, one, we might add, which took place in spite of the most severe opposition from a pagan government which had wedded satanic worship to the governance of the state (reminiscent of antichrist and his false prophet), no more highly qualified person than Elijah can be found. The future ministries of both of these great men of God in restoring and multiplying the remnant of Israel during the Tribulation’s first half is documented in scripture:

"The Lord Your God will raise up from your midst, from among your brothers, a Prophet like me (i.e., to whom Moses will be analogous in type). You must give heed to Him, just as you requested from the Lord your God at Horeb (i.e., Sinai) on the day of your assembly [there], when you said, ‘May I not hear the voice of the Lord My God any longer, nor see this great fire lest I die!’ Then the Lord said to me, ‘They have done well in what they have said. I will raise up for them from the midst of their brothers a Prophet like you. And I will put My words in His mouth, and He will tell them everything I command Him. And it will come to pass that the person who does not listen to My words which He will speak in My Name, that I will require it of that person’ (i.e., hold him responsible). Deuteronomy 18:15-19

Elijah’s future return is more generally accepted and understood because in Old Testament prophecy the antitype of our Lord is stressed rather than the type (i.e., the Messiah instead of Moses), but in the case of His herald, it is the type who is set in the forefront of prophecy rather than the antitype (i.e., Elijah instead of John the baptist). So while the passage above does have a general application for all of the true prophets of God (cf. the following Deuteronomy 18:20-22), it is also clear from the emphasis it places upon a single prophet that we have to do here with a future coming of a single Person who would proclaim the Word in a way so preeminent that only Moses’ ministry is worthy of comparison (cf. Luke 9:8; John 1:21; John 1:25; John 1:45; John 6:14; John 7:20; Hebrews 3:1-16). The sublime fulfillment of these verses is therefore in the first coming of our Savior (cf. Acts 3:22-26; Acts 7:37). This fact, however, does not preclude a final application of the passage to Moses’ return. For while the salvation of Israel has indeed been accomplished by our Lord’s first advent, present and prophetic circumstances still require just such a preeminent prophet to resurrect the true worship of God, and, other than our Lord whose return must await the Tribulation’s conclusion, no one is more "like Moses" than Moses himself. In John 1:25 we find both sets of types and antitypes linked where, speaking to the Messiah’s herald, John the baptist, the type of Elijah, the Pharisee’s disciples ask, "So why are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?". It is generally accepted that one half of this pair of types will precede Jesus’ return (i.e., Elijah). Given the consistent linkage of the two in scripture, there is no more likely candidate to be identified as the second witness than Moses.

Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, which I commanded him on Horeb (i.e., Sinai) concerning all Israel, [with both its] statutes and judgments – behold, I am about to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the Day of Lord, [that] great and awesome [Day], so that he may restore [to God] the hearts of the fathers along with [their] children and the hearts of the children along with their fathers, lest I come and smite the land with complete devastation. Malachi 4:4-6 The first thing to note about the passage above, a fact usually overlooked in interpretation, is that Moses also figures prominently in this prophecy. The specific mention of Moses in connection with "remembering" the Law with all its "statutes and judgments" foreshadows the reinstitution of the temple rite in the reconstructed temple. "Remembering the Law", in fact, comes first, and is followed by the heart-restoration said to be mediated by Elijah. As in our other parallels, Moses is first, then Elijah, indicating that the rebuilding of the temple and the reinitiating of the sacrifices will be instrumental in and fundamental to the spiritual revival (Elijah’s area of expertise) and the ministry of the 144,000. Incidentally, in both passages quoted above, Sinai is called by its alternative name, "Horeb", which means "devastation" in Hebrew. This appellation brings to mind the desolate spirituality of Israel which will obtain when the two witnesses begin their ministry, and the concomitant need for complete restoration not only in terms of spiritual response, but also of the main concrete features of the Law (namely, the rebuilding of the temple and the reconstitution of its rites, Moses’ area of expertise; cf. also Ex.32-34). So repent and turn back [to God] for the blotting out of your sins, so that times of revival may come from the Lord, and so that He may send to you the One acknowledged as the Christ [Messiah], [namely] Jesus, who must remain in heaven (lit., "whom heaven must receive") until the times of the restoration of all things of which God has spoken through the mouths of His holy prophets from of old. For Moses said "The Lord Your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me". Acts 3:19-22 In the context above, Peter is referring to our Lord Jesus Christ when he mentions the Prophet who was to come in order to explain to his contemporaries that Jesus was that Prophet in the most direct fulfillment of Moses’ prophecy. But it is significant that in this context of future revival that precedes our Lord’s return (i.e., "so that times of revival may come" and "Jesus, who must remain in heaven until the times of the restoration"), that Moses is mentioned, once again the inseparable type to our Lord’s antitype whenever the issue of the future revival and restoration of Israel comes up. Also present in the passage above is the dual focus of the two witnesses’ ministry, both revival (the spiritual aspect represented by Elijah) and restoration (the visible aspect represented by Moses). That both aspects of preparation for Jesus’ Second Advent should be so mentioned is not surprising, for it is through the persons of both of these two witnesses that God will prepare His people for His return. For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John [the baptist]. And if you are willing to accept [this], he himself (i.e., John) is [typical of] Elijah who is destined to come [in the future]. Matthew 11:13-14 And He answered and said, "Elijah is coming [in the future] and will [then] restore all things. And I tell you that Elijah has [also] already come [in true type] and they did not acknowledge him, but did to him such [terrible] things as they desired. In the same way the Son of Man is also going to suffer at their hands". Matthew 17:11-13 (cf. Mark 9:11-13) In both of the above passages, our Lord confirms to His contemporaries the still future coming of the actual Elijah. His true type, however, had already come (i.e., John the baptist), just as Moses’ true type was standing there among them (i.e., our Lord Himself, the Prophet about whom Moses spoke). The return of Elijah, the type of John, will be accompanied by the return of Moses, the type of Christ. To help illustrate this point, a few words are in order here concerning some of the similarities between this dual set of types and antitypes . The two witnesses minister for three and one half years (Revelation 11:3), as did John and our Lord Jesus Christ.

John ministered "in the spirit and power of Elijah"(Luke 1:17), while Christ spoke of Moses’ testimony about Himself (John 5:45-46; cf. Luke 24:44), and typicality to Himself (John 3:14).

Elijah’s extensive exile in the wilderness (1 Kings 17:1-9) provides the type for John’s ministry in the wilderness (Isaiah 40:3-5), while Moses’ forty days on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:15-18) is a type of Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness of testing and communion with God (Matthew 4:1-11).

Elijah’s persecution by Jezebel and Ahab (1 Kings 19:1-21) is typical of John’s persecution by Herod and execution at Herodias’ behest (Matthew 14:1-12), while Moses disappearance and reappearance to His rebellious congregation (Exodus 32:1) is typical of Christ’s death and resurrection appearances to His doubting disciples (John 20:9; John 20:25).

Both John and Jesus were martyred (although this word hardly does justice to our Lord’s unique sacrifice of Himself for the sins of the world), just as the two witnesses will be.

Both Jesus and Moses are mediators of the New and Old Covenants respectively, wherein they represent man to God and God to man (Galatians 3:19-20; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 8:6; Hebrews 9:15; Hebrews 12:24), while both John and Elijah called their countrymen to repent and adhere to these covenants (1 Kings 18:21; Matthew 3:1-2).

Only Moses spoke with the Lord face to face (Exodus 33:11), and only Christ has seen the Father (John 1:18), while both John and Elijah received special communication from our Lord Himself when they faltered in their faith (1 Kings 19:9-18; Luke 7:18-28).

6. Their miracles: Besides Moses, no other Old Testament believer was responsible for administering more numerous and more impressive miracles than Elijah (e.g., the bottomless jars of oil and flour, the raising of the widow’s son, the heavenly fire which consumed the altar sacrifice, etc.). Only Elisha comes close, and his miracles were performed through the granting of a double portion of Elijah’s special unction of the Spirit, before the receipt of which Elisha did no miracles (2 Kings 2:9-10; cf. Luke 1:17). Apropos of our point here is that supernatural blood was the crucial third "sign" given to Moses by the Lord to validate his authority (Exodus 4:9 with Revelation 11:5-6), the precise supernaturally validating sign of the first two trumpet judgments (Revelation 8:6-9), and that by Elijah’s word and through his prayer, no rain fell for three and one half years, the precise period of the two witnesses’ ministry, that is, the first half of the Tribulation (Luke 4:25; James 5:16-18; cf. Revelation 11:5-6).

7. The Transfiguration: One of the clearest proofs of the identity of the two witnesses is their appearance with our Lord at His transfiguration (Matthew 16:28, Matthew 17:1-13; Mark 9:1-13; Luke 9:27-36). That event is expressly stated to have been a prophetic foretaste of our Lord’s Second Advent and the coming of His kingdom (cf. Matthew 16:28; Mark 9:1; Luke 9:27). Given that the passages dealing with the transfiguration mention both Moses and Elijah, the literal Moses and Elijah, in connection with this preview of Christ’s return, it is natural and necessary to connect them with the two witnesses of Revelation chapter eleven who herald that very return. After the event, Jesus’ disciples asked Him only about Elijah and He responded in kind. But our Lord’s response, that Elijah would come "first" (i.e., before the Second Advent which His recent transfiguration had previewed), gave them (and give us) no reason to suppose that both of His famous interlocutors on the mountain would not precede Him. Moses’ presence on the mountain with Elijah serves to demonstrate that, following our Lord’s death and resurrection (also represented in the transfiguration: cf. respectively Luke 9:31 and Jesus’ glorified, resurrection-like appearance on the mountain), both will precede His return (as the two witnesses to and heralds of that return).

8. The bodies of Moses and Elijah: The return of Moses and Elijah will not be a case of resurrection, but of resuscitation. The ruler’s daughter, the widow’s son, and Lazarus, all brought back by Jesus (Matthew 9:18-26; Luke 7:11-17; John 11:1-44), Tabitha brought back by Peter (Acts 9:36-42), and the boy brought back by Paul (Acts 20:7-12), the young boys brought back by Elijah and Elisha respectively (1 Kings 17:17-24; 2 Kings 4:8-37), the dead who rose following the crucifixion (Matthew 27:52-53), and all of the other examples of this miracle whether recorded in the scriptures or not are without exception examples of what we are calling here "resuscitation" rather than "resurrection", because in all of these cases the individuals later died again physically (in contrast to Christ who has been truly "resurrected" and is no longer subject to death in His humanity for He is "destined to see corruption no longer", Acts 13:34). Since Moses and Elijah reappear physically before the Second Advent, and since they are in fact killed by antichrist at the end of their ministry, we may say of a certainty that what we have here is indeed a case of resuscitation rather than of resurrection (cf. Revelation 11:3-12). In the cases of both Moses and Elijah, their departure from this life the first time was absolutely unique (as indeed it will also be the next time: Revelation 11:11-12). Elijah’s departure in the heavenly chariot needs no great elaboration (2 Kings 2:1-18). Elisha’s extensive search after the fact (at the request of the company of prophets) demonstrates that no physical trace of his body was left behind. In Moses’ case, we are told that he was "buried" in the valley opposite Beth Peor (Deuteronomy 34:5-6). However, we are also told in the same verse that "to this day no one knows where his grave is". Deuteronomy 34:6 actually attributes the burial to God Himself, and Jude clarifies the situation: the "burial" was only temporary (thus explaining why the site could not be known). Jude 1:9 explains that, like Elijah’s physical body, Moses’ body too was uniquely taken to heaven by angelic agency, an operation which was carried out by the archangel Michael and contested by the devil. Thus, the physical bodies of both of these two extraordinary servants of our Lord left earth in an extraordinary way, precisely so that they might later return via resuscitation after so many years in an equally remarkable and unprecedented way.

9. Their unfinished business: It is also significant that the ministries of both of these great believers were cut short. Moses did not enter the promised land and it was left for Joshua to settle the Israelites in Canaan. Elijah did not complete his ministry of revival and miraculous witness, but was succeeded in his work by Elisha. Neither man enjoyed great spiritual response from the congregation to whom each ministered so exceptionally, and both men were, in effect, "replaced" by God on account of momentary lapses in their otherwise magnificent service to the Lord (each of which was motivated in no small part by their reaction to this lack of response). In anger at the abuse heaped upon him by his stubborn charges, Moses violated God’s specific instructions at Kadesh (i.e., Meribah: Numbers 20:2-13; Psalms 95:8). In fear for his life from the pagan government which the people did not overturn after the miracles on Mount Carmel, Elijah temporarily abandoned his ministry and retreated to the desert (1 Kings 19:1-4). In both cases, each was temporarily acting contrary to his own character (Moses, normally the most humble of men [cf. Numbers 12:3], reacting in arrogant anger, and Elijah, normally so courageous [cf. 1 Kings 18:8-16], reacting in self-pity and fear). Both men recovered swiftly from what may seem to us understandable and perhaps even minor transgressions, but the termination of these great ministries as a result of their failings shows us an important biblical principle: to whom much has been given, much is expected (Luke 12:48). Perhaps only a handful of believers in the history of the world have attained anything like the spirituality of these two men, and even fewer have been entrusted with ministries of the magnitude they enjoyed. With such great privilege comes great responsibility. Scripture is very clear about the fact that both men’s ministries were prematurely terminated (Numbers 20:12; Deuteronomy 1:37; Deuteronomy 3:23-26; Deuteronomy 32:48-52; Psalms 106:32-33; 1 Kings 19:15-18; 2 Kings 2:9-10). In the return of Moses and Elijah, therefore, we once again see the awesome grace of God at work. For both men are going to be given a "second chance", so to speak (although, in comparative terms, the rewards they have earned even without this new opportunity will be surpassed by few if any). This observation helps to explain the symbolism of the posture of the two witnesses. Along with the olive trees, lampstands, and columns, they are standing rather than sitting. Just as the Lamb stands up to receive the scroll from the Father’s hand to begin the Tribulation which terminates with His glorious return (Revelation 5:6; cf. Psalms 110:1), so the standing posture of Moses and Elijah in all of the citations and analogies given above indicates that their work is not yet done. They will return to earth once more to set the capstone on two of the most spectacular performances in history of believers in the service of our Lord. The main duties of Moses and Elijah during their forty-two month ministry have in the main been adumbrated above. They will . . . . .

1) bring about the reconstruction of the temple.

2) reconstitute the temple worship.

3) direct the ministry of the 144,000.

4) be involved in the earthly direction of the trumpet judgment plagues, as well many other similar plagues of more limited scope (Revelation 11:5-6).

10. The war against Moses and Elijah: The Greek phraseology of Revelation 11:7 specifically the use of the words "war" (polemos) and "conquer" (nikao), strongly suggest that the beast’s elimination of Moses and Elijah will be far from an easy or instantaneous matter. It will be, as the context intimates, a genuine battle. The God-given ability of the two witnesses to unleash blasts of fire from their mouths proved an effective deterrent during the three and a half years of their ministry (Revelation 11:5), and we may expect that, just as Elijah’s prayers were answered with the result that several large detachments of soldiers were similarly destroyed, so here as well a large number of antichrist’s henchmen will meet their doom. We are not told the precise means used by antichrist to overcome the two prophets, and it is possible that part of antichrist’s approach will be to "fight fire with fire", making maximum use of the satanic power given to him and his key lieutenant, the false prophet (who likewise has a similar ability to bring fire down from the sky: Revelation 13:13). However, we may safely say that no means available to antichrist would have been capable of removing Moses and Elijah from the scene had it not been the will of God for their ministry to conclude in this dramatic fashion (cf. Isaiah 54:15-17).

11. The three and a half days: Days frequently represent longer periods of time in biblical symbolism. Here the three and a half days during which the bodies of Moses and Elijah will lie lifeless in the center of Jerusalem represent the three and a half years of spiritual desolation and persecution which are about to commence (i.e., the Great Tribulation). The two witnesses will be, in effect, precursors of the martyrs of the Great Persecution which is about to break out upon believers all over the world (with the 144,000 being the first to fall in it). The deaths of the two witnesses will serve to alert those faithful to Jesus Christ of that coming storm of unequaled tribulation and persecution (cf. Luke 23:31). The deaths of Moses and Elijah will be met with great joy on the part of the majority of the earth’s inhabitants. Rather than being grateful to God for His gracious warnings and turning to Him, the unbelieving world will be all too pleased to see these two great men of God destroyed. The world is now ripe for dominance by antichrist, and in choosing to support him in his "war" against the two witnesses, and by rejoicing in his victory over the servants of the Lord, the world will not only be openly and unreservedly choosing for the beast, but will also be handing him the ultimate opportunity to establish his own alternative religion, and thus impose a large measure of religious dominance over the entire globe by its establishment (a development which will in turn cement the political, economic, and social control he will gain at the Tribulation’s midpoint with the defeat of the last coalition to oppose him). The reviving of Moses and Elijah, on the other hand, will be a matter of great encouragement for all God’s people, reminding us of His complete power, even over death. For their resuscitation at the end of the three and a half days will symbolizes the resurrection of all believers three and a half years from this point at the end of the Great Tribulation (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:23; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

12. The Third Woe: The termination of the joint ministry of Moses and Elijah and the 144,000 marks the conclusion of the second woe, because at this point the first six trumpet judgments as well as all the localized plagues administered by the two witnesses in support of the 144,000 have come to an end. The third woe, said to be "coming soon" in Revelation 11:14, begins immediately after the ascending of the two witnesses when the seventh angel sounds his trumpet (Revelation 11:15). For the third woe, the seventh trumpet judgment, and the Great Tribulation all refer to the same period of time, the horrific final three and a half years that precede our Lord’s return. That period will be a period of woe, because the earth has never and will never again see darker days (Daniel 12:1; Joel 2:2; Matthew 24:21; Mark 13:19). That period will be a warning period (symbolized by the trumpet), because its terrifying nature warns of the day of judgment soon to come (Matthew 3:10-12; 2 Peter 3:10-13). And that period will be a period of unparalleled tribulation, because within it the greatest persecution in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ will take place, when Satan and his fallen angels are cast down to earth (Revelation 12:7-9), and through his minion antichrist he vents his wrath on the Body of Christ.