Devotion, March 5, 2014: Rev 11 Faithful Witnesses PROMISES TO POCKET Amidst the moral and spiritual chaos thats going on in the world as described in this chapter, God sent two witnesses to prophesy to the people (v. 3). They will prophesy for three and a half years. They have extraordinary powers (vs. 5-6) and they used it to validate their authority and to counter their enemies. However, their power is not enough to fight against the beast from the bottomless pit (v. 7) who fought against them and killed them. But one thing that I like about this account is this. The beast had to wait until God is through with what He wants to do. Verse seven clearly tells us, And when they have finished their testimony... This assures us that when God calls us to go and do, He wont leave us at the mercy even of the strongest enemy of the faith. God will protect us to the end until we have finished our mission. POINTS TO PONDER Those who believe in the tribulation period as a future event has something in this passage to support the idea of the pre-tribulation rapture of the saints. The pre-tribulation rapture is the event of believers being translated from this earth to heaven without experiencing death and without going through the tribulation period themselves. Many believers cling to this hope because as we can see from the previous chapters, this period is not at all a pleasant one. The antagonism against believers is unprecedented for even these witnesses of God, despite their credentials and the powers to prove their calling, were not spared from the wrath of the devil who seemed to dominate for a season, even in the hearts of the people who rejoiced to see the witnesses killed (v. 10). How does this passage support the pre-tribulation rapture belief? The presence and need for these two faithful witnesses prove that there were no longer anyone to do the witnessing, the believers having been raptured already. Otherwise, it is unreasonable to think that believers would suddenly all be silent and fearfully hiding in this great period of fulfilled prophesy. PLANS TO PURSUE Just reading about the obedience of believers of old regardless of the kind of calling they received - think about the conquest of Jericho, or the promised son to Abraham at his wifes old age - we may be tempted to doubt whether to follow God or answer His call when our time comes. The good thing about obedience even when the call seem to be ridiculous in our own estimation is this: unless and until God is finished with us, even the power of Satan cannot touch us. But once our task is done, theres no reason to stay long here on this earth when it is in fact not our home. We do well to be assured of this truth: we are in complete safety in the hand of God. For me it means, I just do what I have to do regardless of the circumstance and leave that which should be better left alone to His control.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Mar 2014 09:14:28 +0000
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