THE TWO WITNESSES -4 OF 13 By Steven M. Collins The Power of the Two Witnesses: Revelation 11:5-6 prophesies that the two witnesses will wield Divinely-given powers unprecedented in human history. Verse 5 states: “And if any man will hurt them, fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.” [Emphasis added.] This verse describes the miraculous defensive power the two witnesses will be given. The two witnesses will proclaim God’s truths to an unbelieving world which does not welcome their message. The warning message the two witnesses will preach will surely include these elements: (A) the return of Jesus Christ is imminent, (B) the Divine Government of God will soon replace all human governments and (C) that mankind needs to repent of its sins and obey the laws of God. This message will not be popular. The governing, multinational entity called the “Beast” power will seek to kill the two witnesses and silence their message. However, for the three and ½ years of their allotted ministry, the two witnesses will be invulnerable to any human attacks and all human weaponry. The above verse indicates that an unknown number of attackers will die trying to harm or kill the two witnesses. Indeed, it states that “any man” seeking to hurt the two witnesses “must” be killed by fire. No human power will be able to stop the ministry of the two witnesses for three and ½ years. Their power was also foretold or foreshadowed in other prophecies. Zechariah 4:7 prophesied that before Zerubbabel (a type of one of the two witnesses), a “great mountain” will become “a plain.” A marginal reference in the “Open Bible Edition of the King James Version” notes that “great mountain” could be translated as “military power.” This indicates that even military forces sent to destroy the two witnesses will “become a plain” (i.e. be destroyed). Malachi 4:5 prophesies that God will send “Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord” (i.e. the time setting in which the two witnesses will be called). The “day of the Lord” is the prophesied period of time at the very climax of this age when the Creator personally intervenes in human affairs. It is instructive that this prophecy cites “Elijah” as a type of this warning message which will occur just prior to the end of this age. Elijah performed awesome miracles as God’s power flowed through him. II Kings 1:8-16 relates that an Israelite king sent three separate military contingents of soldiers to seize Elijah. The first two contingents and their captains were annihilated by fire (the same method by which the enemies of the two witnesses will be slain). The third contingent, aware that the two previous military contingents were utterly destroyed by fire when they tried to seize a prophet of God, approached Elijah with respect and deference. Because of their different approach (they meekly “asked” Elijah to come with them to see the king), they lived. Those who wish to survive encounters with the two witnesses might keep this example in mind. I Kings 18:20-40 records that Elijah called fire down from heaven to consume a sacrifice during a confrontation with 450 prophets of Baal. This confrontation ended with Elijah also killing the 450 prophets of Baal. Military forces sent to seize Elijah were slain by fire. This is precisely the kind of power that Revelation 11:5 prophesies the two witnesses will wield. It is apparent that the prophecy in Malachi 4 references the two witnesses in Revelation 11 because both the “Elijah” to come at the end of this age and the two witnesses will do the same things. The two witnesses will also have offensive power. Revelation 11:6 prophesies they will “have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will.” [Emphasis added.] This prophecy states the two witnesses will be able to miraculously intervene in the weather and elements of the earth to plague an unrepentant mankind as often as they will. This kind of power has two biblical precedents. A famous “twosome,” Moses and Aaron, had very similar power to plague the world’s dominant power at that time: Pharaoh’s Egypt. Exodus 7-12 describe the famous smiting of Egypt with a series of plagues which turned water into blood, and used a variety of natural plagues to afflict Egypt. The plagues climaxed with the killing of Egypt’s firstborn all across that nation. Also, Elijah plagued the sinful kingdom of Israel with a deadly drought for three and ½ years (I Kings 17:1-18:46). Revelation 11 prophesies the two witnesses will have the power to plague the world with droughts and it is noteworthy that James 5:17 notes that Elijah’s power to do this lasted for three and ½ years, the same period of time prophesied for the ministry of the two witnesses (Revelation 11:3). When the “beast” power assumes some form of jurisdiction over at least part of Jerusalem, the leaders who guide this system will likely think they are on the verge of accomplishing their goal of a world government under their rule. However, when God empowers the two witnesses, all the plans of the “beast” power will be jeopardized (if not outright stopped). The book of Revelation is a prophecy with much symbolism, inset chapters and overlapping narrations about end-time events. For example, Revelation 11 is specifically about the two witnesses, but consider a possible connection to the events described in Revelation 16. Revelation 11 prophesies the two witnesses will call down plagues on the earth “as often as they will,” and one of their plagues will turn water into blood. Revelation 16 describes a series of plagues which are poured out on an unrepentant mankind, and one of them turns water into blood all over the earth (verses 3-6). These plagues are even poured out “upon the seat of the beast” himself. Obviously, these plagues are poured out during the 42 months of the beast’s reign for even the beast himself is a recipient of at least some plagues. If the ministry of the two witnesses parallels the 42 months of the beast’s reign and Revelation 11 declares the two witnesses will be “plaguing” an unrepentant mankind, it follows that Revelation 16 describes some of the plagues which the two witnesses will be calling down from heaven upon mankind during the reign of the beast.
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 17:25:42 +0000
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