The God who commissions and empowers His servants
"And I will give power unto my two witnesses and they shall prophecy a thousand two hundred and three score days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth." And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will." Revelation v11v3-6
There has been much speculation as to the identity of these two witnesses for God in the last days. Some say that they are a re-incarnation of Moses and Elijah, some that they are Enoch and Elijah, but God has chosen not to reveal their identity and speculation is futile. We miss much teaching if we focus on what may be called "the curiosity factor" in prophecy, instead of taking the deep lessons that are here for all of us in the present day. It is largely irrelevant who these man are, they are simply stated as "My two witnesses." Notice the recurrence of the word "give" which appeared in verses 1&2; here He says " I will give power unto my two witnesses." There is much more spiritual teaching in the understanding that God can raise up anyone whom He choses and empower them for the task ahead.
God will never leave Himself without witnesses on earth, even in what will prove to be the darkest days in all human history. There are important principles enshrined in these verses as follows:
- There are two witnesses. There is a principle established in scripture in Deuteronomy 17v6 and in 2nd Corinthians 13v1 that "in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established." God places on earth these two witnesses during this period to establish His word. In Mark 6v7, when Jesus would send forth the twelve disciples it says "He called unto them the twelve and began to send them forth by two and two." There are many such examples in scripture such as Elijah & Elisha, Moses & Aaron, Isaiah and Hosea, Paul & Barnabas, Peter & John who have proclaimed God's word.
- They shall prophesy 1260 days. The word "prophecy" in scripture has a two-fold meaning depending on the context. In some cases it means to foretell, predict future events; in other cases it means to forth tell, that is to proclaim God's word. These are to prophesy for 1260 days, that is the entire period remaining of the last days. It is interesting that the programme for God's servants is measured in days rather than, as in other places, months and years. This is a reminder to all God's servants what Moses said just before he died "As thy days so shall thy strength be." (Deuteronomy 33v25). The same Moses who served God for many years had himself learned this great lesson that in the service of the Lord we must take one day at a time. In Psalm 90, attributed to him he writes "So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." God measures our service in days and it is a reminder of the need to be in daily contact with Him. The very nature of service for God will bring rejection, opposition and apathy; we need strength for every day.
- They were clothed in sackcloth. This form of clothing in Old Testament narrative always represented conditions of mourning and the need for repentance in the people to whom the message was sent. The Old Testament record is that kings and priests and prophets wore garments commensurate with the message they would bring. There was to be no ostentation in the service of God. A prime example was John the Baptist of whom it is recorded "he had his raiment of camel's hair and a leather girdle about his loins." His message was simple "repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." These witnesses in the last days in contra distinction to the pomp and splendor of worldly religion (Revelation 17v4 "the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls), they were clothed in the garments of mourning because of conditions on earth.
- They stood before the God of the earth. The picture here is of the constant readiness for service. This picture is taken from the prophecy of Zechariah 4. Back then it was dark days with the nation of Israel under God's discipline. Here in Revelation chapter 11 there are no darker days than here. We are to notice by these two records of God's word, that no matter how dark the days God will always have His witnesses. The picture is of two olive trees (the constant source of olive oil), and the two candlesticks (the constant illumination of all around); in every era, even at the end, the light of God will shine. Notice also the posture of the two witnesses "standing before the God of the earth." This is to be the posture of all God's servants; totally committed, always ready to do God's bidding wherever and whenever He may send them. The apostle Paul caught the spirit of this when he wrote "He shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified and meet for the Master's use and prepared unto every good. work." 2nd Timothy 2v21. Peter said the same in 1st Peter 3v15 "Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you." God's servants must stand at the ready to do His bidding.
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