Biblically Defining the Two Witnesses

Please join me, please, in Ecclesiastes 8. Let's look at verse 11. Ecclesiastes 8 and verse 11. Ecclesiastes is often known as the book of wisdom. It's also a book of promises. It's a book that's inspired by the very breath of God that we can draw strength and courage from in the days ahead, whether it's in the day of today, tomorrow, or in the future. Let's notice what it says and read it together. Because the sentence, against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the hearts of the Son of Man is fully set in them to do evil. And though a sinner does evil a hundred times and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before him. But, but, it will not be well with the wicked, nor will he prolong his days, which are a shadow, because he does not fear before God.

As we begin this message, which is going to be prophetic in nature, we want to recognize that when we deal with the prophecy it also speaks to today.

We recognize always that there is a tension in God's word between the past, the present, and the future. And in all of this, we recognize that when we totally grasp what Scripture is for us, it is again to recognize that God is not just simply a first cause, knocks on our door and leaves us and goes his way, and maybe we'll see him in the beyond and forever.

No, God is a God who interrupts. God is a God who intervenes. God intervenes in a macro sense with his universe and with human history, and he also intervenes in our lives to not create that tension between our own lives and the world at large, or to not create that tension between what we might call the micro and the macro of God's involvement, is to lose and miss out on a great lesson of the Scriptures. Why am I reading this today? Last time I left you, Susie was with me too.

We've been to Las Vegas and also to Redlands since. Last time I spoke, I spoke about the mark of the beast and the number of the beast. Pretty challenging times. People that are being influenced and perhaps directly possessed by none other than Satan, the adversary, the dragon, and recognizing that all of mankind was under their crushing personalities and their crushing program so much that whoever did not receive the mark or that number of the beast were challenged, and to recognize that during that time that there were people as we covered that did not love their life unto death but gave themselves as a testimony of their faith and their testimony in Jesus Christ and of keeping the commandments.

That's where we left off last time, and I hopefully left off in an encouraging note even then, but we're going to spell out more today. And some of you are going to be hearing about this for the very first time. Perhaps last time, those that are listening today have never really studied into the mark of the beast or the number of the beast and or really ever focused on what we're going to be talking about today.

One of the reasons why I'm giving these messages, and I've given them for the last 20 or 25 years, especially in prophecy, is simply this. Not only to deal with the subject at hand—are you with me?—but to help all of us understand how to deal with prophecy as a whole, and to understand some of the markers that you and I need to understand, some of the tremendous opportunities God uses as He opens our mind by His Spirit, and also for our own sake and for our own faith growing in Him, some of the things that He doesn't share here and now, right now, but to have that confidence that He will in the future.

So here we go. We've got a foundation, and we're going to find out how Ecclesiastes 8, 11 and 13, works in this sense with what we're going to be covering today. Serious students of biblical prophecy have long been intrigued about the subject of the two witnesses. The goal of my message today to all of you is to define what do the Holy Scriptures reveal. What do the Holy Scriptures reveal, and what do they not reveal about these future human instruments of God's purpose?

Now, anytime we tackle a subject, whether it's about Caesarea, Philippi, as Bob brought out, or other subjects, as he was dealing with the matter of bearing a cross, oftentimes we want to be like a reporter, go back to eighth grade, and come up with the big questions of inquiry. Who, what, where, when, why, and how. And I think that this will fit in this subject as well, because these are questions that flood our minds regarding these two fascinating characters that God speaks about, speaks about, not only in the New Testament, maybe you've never seen that before, but we're also going to go back to the Old Testament, because remember the old maxim that the Old Testament is revealed in the New Testament, and the New Testament is concealed in the Old Testament.

Now, what happens when you say who, what, where, when, why, or how? All of these inquiries, they beg answers. In stating that, let's understand something, though. God is not going to answer all at this time. He gives us the biggest answer at the end of the book of Revelation. God wins. Christ wins. And because they win, we that have faith in our Father and faith in His Christ, we also are going to win by their grace.

But God, in His wise provisions to us, has not chosen to provide all the answers now. And I may not be able to give you all the answers regarding the two witnesses. Some elements may be fully understood, and we're going to come to understand some today. Others may be considered, and others will ultimately, we will gain full comprehension when it is God's choice, God's desire to give it to us at that time.

For again, the verse says, for God will do nothing, but He doesn't first reveal it to His servants, the prophets. Most students of prophecy, like most people I know, naturally want to tackle the who first. Who are the two witnesses? Just who are they?

And they want to do that first, foremost, and at times rather dogmatically. They will pin the tail on the beast. They will also pin the tail on not only the donkey, but pin the tail on those two individuals that are the two witnesses. And we'll deal with that at the end of this discussion.

Others have prematurely declared it and defined themselves as the two witnesses. So where are we going in the next few minutes? This message is designed to define the role and the responsibilities of the two witnesses. They are too powerfully and yet spiritually humble individuals. I want you to think that through, because that's going to be talking about us today being witnesses of Jesus Christ. They are both powerful and yet they are humble individuals whom God is going to shed His light in a world that is very dark in the future. And I think along the way, I think we'll be able to address the beforehand mentioned inquiries of who, what, where, when, why, and how.

And we will also get to the who in the last several minutes of this message. So we're going to deal with that. So the most important thing I want to share with all of you is this. Some of the concepts—stay with me, please—some of the concepts that we're going to be dealing with are not just simply for the future, but to build your faith today in wherever you are at. Perhaps your world is darkened, but to recognize that God is not only interested in the macro, but as He answers human history, universal magnitude of situations. That same God is true to His Word, true to the principles of His Word. Just like we read out of Ecclesiastes, I'm going to bring out a few that you can put your—you can bank your life on. You can affirm your life on and give your life for. So to begin with, let's reshuffle some of the questions. And instead of asking who or when, let's ask why are there two witnesses? You may want to jot that down just to keep you awake and to stay following me. Why are there two witnesses? I think that's a good question to begin to ask. And so let's take a look at that. And as we do, let's explore Revelation 11. Let's go to Revelation 11. We're going to spend a lot of time in Revelation 11, but let's take a look here at what's going on in Revelation 11. We're going to notice a few things here. In Revelation 11—and let's pick up verse 3—and I will give power notice to my two witnesses. Now let's notice verse 4.

These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of Earth. Then let's go down to verse 10. Way down to verse 10. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry—we'll get to that story later on—and send gifts to one another because these two prophets torment those who dwell on the earth. Now let's put this all together for a moment. Maybe you've never seen it this way before. These terms are all synonymous about two individuals that God is going to raise up and use in the future. They are known then as two witnesses. They have the name of two olive trees. You thought you had a lot of names in your name, right? Or sometimes you see British royalty. You know, it just goes on and on and on. But anyway, let's take two witnesses, two olive trees, two lampstands, and two prophets. What is the obvious word in all of this? Two. Let's just get that down for a reason, which is going to be very germane to our discussion. Two is a key element in the entire understanding of why there are two witnesses and not just one.

Why are they defined by these terms? For a moment, then, let's establish some context regarding the two witnesses and what they're about. Again, at the top of Revelation 11, let's take a look at this. As we go to Revelation 11, 1 and 2, we're going to see what we call some dos, and we're going to see some don'ts. So we're going to have contrast. There's contrast here that's very important to understand. So let's take a look at this. John is given a do, and he's given a don't. He's told, don't measure areas outside of the temple. Let's just read through it for a second. Then I, that's John speaking, was given a read like a measuring rod. It got kind of a tape measure. And the angel stood, and this is the angel speaking on behalf of Christ, and the angel stood saying, rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. Verse 2, but leave out the court, which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles, and they will tread the holy city under foot for 42 months. And or we can bring that to a common denominator of three and a half years. Now this is all going to be very important, these two verses, because this really introduces them to two witnesses. So we have to, as Bob would say, unpack this for a moment. What is happening here? As we look at this, it says, then I was given a read, and I was told to rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. So John was given a specific assignment. But in verse 2 it says, but don't deal with the Gentiles. So what does that all mean for a moment? I'm only going to share a thought. This does not have to be in cement. This is just a thought as how I perceive it.

I think it's a reasonable construction of what's going on. We look at this for a moment, speaking of John, that in his day through Christ and Christ's revelation, he did offer in real time in that first century. Remember, are you with me? This was actually written for real people that were really living before a real God that had challenges. The book of Revelation was as germane to the first century saints as it is to us today upon whom the ends of the world have come. But to recognize this, when you think about it, John is told to measure the temple. In his day, he did offer in real time God's measurements of the church of his time. When you think of Asia Minor, and you think of the seven churches that are mentioned, and there were other churches as well outside the seven, but there were seven churches that were there, and were very well, to a great degree, acquainted with Revelation 2 and 3, which are really God's measurements of the church, at least in Asia Minor at that time. And how does God measure the seven churches? He measures them by number one, giving them first. Normally, the pattern is this. Number one gives them a commendation. It's always nice when somebody says something nice about you that you're doing right, at least one thing. Well, God gives encouragement. He starts always... He's an encouraging God. He gives commendation. He gives, this is... You're doing all right here. Go for it. But then, number two, he normally through all seven gives a complaint. There's an encouragement, there's a commendation, and then there is... Number two, there is a complaint. Number three, in the measuring process, at the end of the tape roll, he gives encouragement. He gives encouragement. He wants his people to succeed spiritually before him. Again, another thought, because he'll stay with me for a second when he looks at this, it says to measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there. I just throw this out for you for a moment. You just jot these down right now.

1 Corinthians 3, 16 through 17, and 1 Corinthians 6, 19. This is where the Apostle Paul, under the inspiration of God, says, no you not, that you are the temple of God. Under God's inspiration, Paul begins to expand this tension between the past, the present, and the future. He begins to say, this is where God is actively being worshipped now. You are the temple. And the terms there, the terms there speak of... when speaking, no you're not the temple of God, it's actually speaking of, in a sense, the holy place, the holy of holies, where God would come down and reside.

So he's saying that, you know, in that sense, the saints of God are the temple of God, and they're being measured. And they're not only being measured in that sense then, but they're also being measured now. Because, again, let's just jot down one more verse so I can keep on going here. 1 Peter 4 and verse 17. That judgment is now upon the household of God, because we have God's yardstick in front of us of how to, as Bob brought out, to follow Jesus' invitation to follow me, inch by inch, foot by foot, yard by yard. And so, in that sense, we are. Now, let's go to verse 2, because now we flip-flop. And notice what it says here, but leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it for it has been given to the Gentiles, and they will try it on the holy city for three and a half years. Now, let's understand what's going on here. And I think it's interesting that you look at it. There's a contrast here. What is going on? This is yet for a future event and a future time. When you see the term in verse 2, the Gentiles, the term there in Greek, you might want to jot this down, is ethnos, like ethnic, but it's ethnos, O-S. It's ethnos, the Gentiles, the ethnos. It can also be defined as the nations. If you've ever gone to synagogue and listened to the Jews or watched a program in Judaism, they will always talk about the nations.

It's a very common phraseology that they use. These are people in their minds that are apart from having a covenant with God. Think that through a second. So, the Jewish community, for thousands of years, has talked about the nations. Those that, at this time, are not looking to God.

And to recognize, then, that when you pick this up, let's just go down to verse 9 for a moment. In chapter 11, verse 9, you'll see how this works. Then those from the peoples, the tribes, the tongues, and notice the nations. So, these are people that are apart from God, don't acknowledge God, have not been called by God, are not in covenant with God, and especially in future years, are going to be an affront to God. So, we take a look at this and we understand this.

So, we recognize that this, in the future, is going to be measured. Now, just to give you a hint, stay with me. This is where the two witnesses are going to come in, in the future. And we need to understand that. So, what's the role of the two witnesses? These are individuals. These are individuals that are given extra human and miraculous power, not only to warn, but to confront, which is very important. Let's read down here now, as we further the study here. Notice verse 3, and I will give power. It's not their power. It's not their might. I will give power. So, we have to recognize where the power is coming from to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy 1,260 days, and they're clothed in sackcloth. They're clothed in sackcloth.

So, for three and a half years, they're going to be prophesying, and they are in sackcloth.

Sathcloth as a matter of humility, and also in a sense of mourning.

Humally, they would not want to give this message, but they must, just as much as Jeremiah did in his time, who loved people. But he had a message from God to a people that had er and needed to be chastised by God. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, notice, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner.

They have power to shut up heaven so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy. And they have power over water to turn it to blood and to strike the earth with all plagues as often they desire. We're going to hold it right there and talk about this a little bit. What's going on, we might say, to understand it. When we look at this, we see where, again, and for you that did not hear the last message, to understand that in understanding prophecy and moving from the Old Testament to the New Testament, you might want to jot down these two words, types and anti-types.

The Old Testament has types that become repetitive, expanded, not always the same in every manner. That's one thing that you have to understand about types and anti-types. It doesn't always fully play out every note of the same symphony, but there is a pre-setting towards an ultimate crescendo, towards an ultimate conclusion. Now, it's very interesting as we look at this. We see what do we recognize in here? Number one, if we want to use it in our common day parlance, you don't want to mess with these guys.

There's something happening there. They are the agents of God Almighty, the divine.

And for a season of three and a half years, God is going to give them extra human power.

And you notice the different things that we just mentioned. Who might this be likened to? Different commentaries will say different things. It's very interesting. One thought here is simply this. We look at the ministry of Moses. Moses witnessed to an earthly kingdom, just like the two witnesses are going to in the future, that held terrorized people in physical bondage, in servitude. And when we recognize the story of the mark of the beast, the number of the beast, being slaves to a global economy in that sense, to recognize that there is control on top, there is a certain amount of slavery, and yet people become so used to it that they go, oh, it's so wonderful, you know, kind of like the bug in bug's life, going towards the the summer light bulb up above the back porch. Oh, who is like the beast? And that is what happens when all of your needs are being provided. Interesting story. We also see similarities in that sense with Elijah. Elijah witnessed to a confused spiritual kingdom under Ahab that mixed truth with error, that had a collusion and had an intersection between the temporal and the spiritual. And that is the world that is prophesied in the future when you have this bestial kingdom that has a one beast that is temporal, and the other one, you might call the little beast or the second beast, and that is one that has a spiritual nature. They don't necessarily, probably, like one another, but they need one another. They need one another to coexist, just as much as I mentioned last time with the Holy Roman Empire, where the Holy Roman Empire, the very famous maxim by Voltaire, is simply this. It was neither Holy, Roman, and or an empire. And it would kind of come and go over that eight or nine hundred years. It would rise to the fore and do something, then would kind of disappear in the fog of history. And then it would rise up again, and then it would disappear in the fog of history. And so this is what we're talking about. It's very interesting. Some of the commentaries say it's interesting. They may not even look at this as being individuals. I do.

They say when you look at Moses and you look at Elijah, you have a combination of the law and the prophets, which is being carried over in that sense. You always see this intersection between the Old Testament and the New Testament, just as much as when you go to Revelation 21 and it talks about the New Jerusalem, where the gates of the New Jerusalem have the names of the 12 tribes. And underneath then you have the in the cornerstones underneath the walls, you have the names of the apostles. So you see this intersection between the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament is not lost in the New Testament. Same God directing towards ultimately his kingdom. So I just kind of wanted to bring that up.

What does happen is simply this, that we do see this combination of the law and the prophets, which I think is interesting. Now, it's also very interesting that here Jesus is about to appear. The day of the Lord is about to occur. He's about to come the second coming. Again, Moses and Elijah are important in the story of Christ. We recognize that they are seen in Matthew 17. You might want to jot that down. The story of the Transfiguration. Here is Jesus, who is the very, very essence of prophecy. And so there you see on one side, you see Elijah and you also see Moses. Moses prophesied about Jesus coming, that he would be something very, very special. So you see all of this. Bottom line is simply this. Like their predecessors, be it Elijah before Ahab and Jezebel, and then you think of Moses before being before a God-man, being Pharaoh, they are going to confront both temporal and spiritual system all at once. Now, let's look at verse 7 here. What's going to happen? There is going to come a time of witness and then something is going to happen. And when they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. So if you want to volunteer to be one of the two witnesses, you have to understand what the job description is. Okay? Are you with me? They are given great power for a while, and they are able to stand up against civilization at that time, but there's going to come a time when God is going to... the best word I can say is to allow, but it's an allowance towards a greater witness that we'll cover at the end of this message.

The beast is identified in verse 7. It's a system. We talked about it last time, the beast power. Let's understand it's interesting that God and Jesus... let's talk about you... is introduced as a lamb, and yet this worldly society is introduced as a beast, something to be afraid of. And this way of life... let's understand something about the beast. You might just want to jot this down. It is a way of life, but it's contrary to the way of life that you and I have been called to.

And it has its very roots in the Garden of Eden. It is nurtured in the Babel of Nimrod, and it's given full form in the court of Nebuchadnezzar under the Caledaeans, and is yet to manifest itself. When you think again... I think I spoke about this last time... when you think of the Middle East, and you think of the beast system that's going to yet occur at the end... this fusion between church and state that was very much a part of Middle Eastern culture. The city-states of the Mesopotamian plain were normally ruled by what we call king-priest. And again, you even use the example of Melchizedek. Melchizedek was what? He was a king and a priest. He was the good guy, okay? Melchizedek, prince of Salem, prince of peace. But there is always this fusion. Everything was under the control of this individual. And to think about it, when I mention the name of Nimrod, because this is going to be part and partial of this story... Nimrod, back in Genesis, where it talks about Nimrod in Genesis 10, it talks about Nimrod being that mighty hunter before the Lord. You probably heard that phrase before. So what does that mean? He was shooting bows and arrows before God. What does that mean? No. The actual term in the Hebrew means, in place of, in front of, primary. He had stepped in front of God and said, I will be your Savior. We will build a tower. God will never be able to drown us like a bunch of rats again. I will be your champion. You can trust on me. And that is what the two witnesses are coming up against that system. Now, where will the world be? Let's look at verse 7. What will public opinion be? And when they finish their testimony, the beast that it sends out of the bottom of his pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the streets of that great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. So it's identified where they are going to be martyred. Now, God calls things for what they are. The universal one-world press system of that time, called the the Beast Times, is not going to call Jerusalem Sodom and Gomorrah. See, God calls things for what they are. That's why you've got to read the Bible. God gets below the skin. I remember many, many years ago, one of one of my mentors used to have this phraseology, beauty is skin deep, but ugliness runs all the way to the bone. See, God looks under, and He calls us for what we are apart from Him, our need for Him, where we are, where He is. And He defines the world. He calls this system a beast.

Don't look for that in the newspapers of the future. That's not how it happens. That's why you have to read the Word of God. And their dead bodies will lie in that. And then, from those people, tribes, tongues, and nations, will see their dead bodies three and a half days and not allow their dead bodies to be put into the graves. You know, just think today. We understand so much how this global picture will happen, where we turn into world events, whether unfortunately it was 9-11, or we remember when a princess died of England died, the whole world, or we think of other events where we've all tuned in. Everybody on earth watching the same thing at once. And that's how it's going to be in the future. These two men that gave witness on behalf of God and gave their lives for Him. Now, this takes us to the next step, then. Let's focus on the word witness. What does witness mean? Not only a witness, but what kind of a witness and what is the quality of a witness? If you're a prosecutor, you're looking for what? Quality, quantity of information, and being able to witness. Let's talk about this. The word for witness there is martyrs. It's out of the Greek martyrs. And it's literal sense now. This is going to allow you to understand the two. And it's in a literal sense, it's used in a judicial manner. That is, one is called to give, as one is given, called to give testimony in the court of law. These individuals, and this is what I'd like you to get out of this today, if anything at all, is simply this. These individuals, these two individuals, are witnesses for the divine prosecution against the Gentiles in verse 2, against the beast in verse 7, and against the world as a whole in verse 9.

Now, because we live in a world that is fraught with people just saying whatever they want to, and false accusations, bearing false witness, accusing others, we should take some careful notice on how God Himself exercises judgment. And therefore, what the two witnesses are communicating. Join me if you would in Psalm 9. In Psalm 9, in Psalm 9, let's pick up the thought in verse 7. Because, again, let's understand that these two witnesses are not bringing their case.

They are bringing the case of God the Father and Jesus Christ to a world that has rejected them.

In Psalm 9, in verse 7, it says this, But the Lord shall endure forever. He has prepared His throne for judgment.

He shall judge the world in righteousness, and he shall administer judgment for the people in righteousness. Let's now drop down to verse 16.

The Lord is known by the judgment He executes, and the wicked is snared in the work of His own hands. But notice it says the Lord is known by the judgment that He executes. What's this telling us about our God, the one that we worship today, here in 2021?

It tells us that He is just. He is fair. He is beyond challenge. He is known for the judgments that He executes. That then leads us to ask and come to understand why, then, two witnesses, and not just one. We discover the answer. Join me if you would over in Deuteronomy. Join me in Deuteronomy, and let's pick up the thought in chapter 17.

In Deuteronomy 17, and picking up the thought in verse 6, Whoever is deserving of death shall be put to death on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

And he shall not be put to death on the testimony of one witness.

The hand of the witness shall be the first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people, so ye shall put away all the evil from among you.

What's happening here?

That was written nearly 3,500 years ago in the sands of Sinai. But now, in this future event, these verses come to the fore.

God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, whether in our lives now or whether in the future.

It's here that we note how meticulous God's ways are in passing judgment to others. Let's just pick up one other verse here in chapter 19 verse 15.

One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits, but by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established. God does not declare this form of judgment once but twice back in the law. So what's happening here? What's going on?

Great care needs to be given, and we need to ask why.

Here in the book of Revelation, we're speaking of an accusation and a complaint registered, not simply against an individual, but, number two, an entire system.

And number three, the world is rejoicing the world at large, humanity as a whole.

And this is before divine judgment is about to be executed.

The day of the Lord. Let's understand something for you that are just becoming acquainted with the word and a little bit about prophecy. There's a lot of, it looks like there's a lot of shootouts that are happening. It's like the okay corral. What's going on in the book of Revelation or the book of Daniel, etc. We need to recognize two things are going to happen in the future. There's the fifth seal, which is the time of Satan's wrath. He knows his time is short. Therefore, he comes down and, in that sense, I believe, possesses this individual called the beast and then also the false prophet, because what they're about to do. And the world's going to even go further the way that it's going today. But then we have what is called the day of the Lord. The day of the Lord is the seventh seal.

This is moving right up to that time now, and we're going to find out why towards the end of the story of the two witnesses. So God himself is about to create. This is not about Satan. It is about Satan because Satan is going to be taken care of, because even though Satan is against an evil work, right? It doesn't all happen all at once, but what do they do? They get even more mischievous and more evil, but God is going to judge, and that's going to be the day of the Lord. So we take a look at this, and we understand that God is true to his word.

Again, what is the charge? We will find that, if you want to put it in legal terms, because Martus is a legal term, we're going to find that the earth is in contempt of court. Which court? The heavenly court. Join me if we would in Revelation 13, and let's read the charge. You know how you feel like you're going to be back in Perry Mason here? We're going to read the charge here. Revelation 13. In Revelation 13, I am framing this as a charge, okay? But I think I will rest my case. I'll use the Bible to add some color to this, but I think this will be the charge. Revelation 13 verse 14. Excuse me. Revelation 13 verse 4. So then they worship the dragon who gave authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like the beast?

Who is able to make war with him?

The world becomes an accomplice. And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for 42 months. And then he opened his mouth and blasphemy against God. Charges. The people have become accomplices to this beast. Also, this beast is also made blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name. And to blaspheme his tabernacle and those who dwell in heaven.

And all of those who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the book of life of the lamb slain from the foundation of the world. And then, remember, the book of Revelation is not only a book of prophecy, it's a book of wisdom. If anyone has an ear, let him hear. You might say the two witnesses are going to solidly lay out the case for divine prosecution. Here, then, they are rightfully defined, as it says in Revelation 11 verse 10, as prophets. For they come in the spirit of Elijah. They come in the preparation of the second coming of the Messiah. And they also come in the power of Moses. Moses, who was a prophet. We often think of him being a deliverer. We often think of him being a log. He was a prophet. Shot down Deuteronomy 18 verse 15, he says, there is going to be one who is going to come likened unto me. He speaks of the Christ. He speaks of Messiah, one who will be a deliverer, one who will be a law giver, one who will lead a people into a promised land. You can see the types and the anti-types between the first Moses and the second Moses. So, we take a look at this. But he's also a man of humility. In Numbers 12 and verse 3, you can just jot that down. It says, which is interesting, because we always kind of remember Moses striking the rock. He had a little hissy fit out there in the desert. But beyond that, God said there was nobody that was more humble of all men that ever lived than Moses. And when you recognize this dynamic duo, plus the dynamic qualities of being bold and yet humble, they always remember, which is incredible, thinking about us, how we've been given so much, but so often we put us in it, me, me, me, look at me, and or us, us, us, rather than it all flows from God, doesn't it? It all flows from God.

And they're going to have, if I can use this phrase theology, they have real chutzpah, because that beast is going to come after them just like Ahab and Jezebel came after Elijah. And where finally they say, you know, in the whole world, they say, why don't they just go away? Just go away. We're just having a great time. Look at the economy. Just going up and up and up. Just go away. And then they're going to look at that beast, and they're going to look at that false prophet. And they're going to say, it is not we that trouble Israel. It is you that trouble Israel. They're going to put it right where it belongs.

It will be in humility because God is going to give them the words at that time.

It's going to be an incredible confrontation, but they are God's witnesses.

They are God's witnesses. And God has got to do this because the day of the Lord is about to be unleashed on the entire day of the earth. And God is true to His Word. But now the big question, what allows this godly dream team called the two witnesses to actually function?

Remember, they are called two lampstands. They are also called two olive trees. And you have to go back to Zachariah 4. And in Zachariah 4, remember, there's always a tension between the Old Testament and the New Testament, type and anti-type. And it's actually dealing in Zachariah's day. Let's remember Zachariah is also apocalyptic literature. It is written to a remnant people. They are losing hope. And yet God gives them this shiny picture, this light comes through down from heaven through His prophets, to give His people encouragement to hold fast at their portion in this age of man towards the coming kingdom of God. So we see all of that. And to recognize that it speaks of two olive trees. It speaks of the oil. Well, the oil is representative of God's Spirit, isn't it? The olive oil from the olive trees, it represents purity. These are men that are as men. They are men, but they have a purity. They have a humility. They are driven by the Spirit of God. And I'll show you one verse here, Zachariah 4 and verse 6. A very familiar verse in the Church of God culture, but in Zachariah 4 and verse 6. No verse is just for a moment in Zachariah 4 and verse 6. So He answered and said to me, because He's saying, What is this all about? I'm looking up here and I see lampstands and I see olive trees. What's going on? And then in verse 6 comes in, This is the word of the Lord, who's a rubble, not by my might nor by my power, but by my spirit says the eternal of host. Now that's not only written as rubbables. Rubbabel is a builder.

He's coming back from Babylon. He's trying to build for God. And what the two witnesses are doing, they are also building a case, that prosecutorial case. They are God's servants. And we always need to be reminded on this day, on the Sabbath day, on a day that we rest from all of our labors, to recognize if there's anything of us going forward.

It's not by our might. It's not by our power. But it's by God's Spirit. That's our witness today.

We may not be the two witnesses, but we have a witness in this today, that we have the power of the Gospel. We have the revelation of knowing. But how do we carry that? Is it simply knowledge, or is it becoming? See, as a saint of God, there is knowledge, and then there is becoming. And becoming, like Christ, is to recognize that, as Jesus himself said, it's not of me. I can only do that which the Father gives me to do. Not my will, but His will be done. See, we don't have to wait for the two witnesses to emerge. We can be doing this in our own life today. But Zachariah 4.6 was not just for Zerubbabel. It is speaking of these two witnesses in the future that are going to set this incredible example.

One thing that God's Spirit is going to do in them, I firmly believe this, is certain scriptures are going to come to mind.

Scriptures not only for these gentlemen in the future, but for us today. And they're very powerful verses that I'd like to share with you, so that our witness today can also be extant. Number one, I believe in the whole... what happens? You ever thought everybody was against you? They probably weren't all against you, but the Bible says that the whole world, basically, except for the saints, are going to be against these two individuals. Number one, and you can take this to the bank. Number one, God promised that He would never leave us nor forsake us. And I believe when the whole world is crashing down around them in the streets of Jerusalem, that they are going to remember that. They'll remember what Jesus said on that last night of His life, as He was about to be a witness for the kingdom of being murdered and killed for us. He said, I will come to you.

That's a measure of faith. This is not just prophetic timetables.

This is the core of our belief that Jesus said that He would never leave us nor forsake us. I think Luke 12, verses 11 through 12 will come to their minds and their hearts to strengthen them. Because they will know what is about to happen. It says that God will bring His Word to their mind. It's not their words, pords, a beast alone. It's God's words. But also, we're all men and we're all women, and we need the comfort of God. We need the comfort of His Spirit. And they're going to remember the words that Jesus said that I will give you what to say. I will let you know.

Don't worry. Remember Jeremiah? You know, Jeremy said, I'm too young to die. I don't want to go. I'm too young. And what did God tell him? Go out and do not look at their faces. You're going to be my witness.

This is not just for them. This is for us to be bold and to be humble and to learn to ride those two horses together. Number three, John 14 and verse 12. Jesus said that my disciples will do greater things than even I did. This is going to be on a global nature. Everybody's going to be watching. Which now brings us to the win. Sometimes, like the saints of Revelation 6 9 to 11, we ask something. Let's go to Revelation 6 real quickly. Revelation 6 verse 9. And when he opened the fifth seal, that's the time of the tribulation, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God in the testimony which they held in. They cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth. And then a white robe was given to each of them. And it was said to them that they should rest, hold on, it's not over, rest a little bit longer until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who would be killed as they were was completed. The two witnesses are part of those that are yet to be killed.

And when that happens, I believe everything takes another turn. Something must be completed. This sequence points to the death of the two witnesses. The time of the two witnesses prophecy affixes the same time frame as the Bible allows for the what we call the great tribulation for three and a half years. You can call it 42 months, you can call it 1260 days, you can call it three and a half years. It is only after that time. Remember, God not only created time, but He is the master of timing. It is only after that time that He allows He allows these beloved two witnesses to die. Now, why did He do that?

They give their all for three and a half years. They've given every ounce, they've left everything on the court, as we say. And basically, they don't have left everything on the courtyard of Jerusalem because they're going to lay in the streets for that amount of time. Consider this for a moment.

Ultimately, their martyrdom for the cause is much like Christ whom they emulate. After all, they are Christ disciples. Christ was the greatest witness of all times. After a three and a half year ministry, interesting, like Christ, they are unjustly killed in Jerusalem, like Christ.

And like Christ, God the Father allows them to die. But like Christ, their greatest witness is not what they've done the three and a half years before.

It is what God is going to do through them. They live, they die. But now, notice verse 12 in Revelation 11. Join me if you would there, please. And they heard a loud voice from heaven.

Let's go to verse 11. And now, after three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.

And they heard a loud voice. When God is speaking or Jesus is speaking, it's loud, it's clear, it's knowing. And notice it said, Come up here, and they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. Just like Jesus.

Again, there's this type and anti-type. What was Jesus' greatest witness? And, you know, each part of his ministry is incredible, his life and his death. But if he had only remained dead, he would have been one more Jew that had died. He would have been one more lamb, earthly lamb, that would have been sacrificed. So it makes Christ Christ as he was a resurrected. Number two, he did ascend. And you see right here, you see this resurrection, you see this ascension, you see this ongoing model of a Christ-like situation of a witness to the world. And the greatest witness to the beast and the little beast is God controls both life and death. They're killing people, but God, who they have blasphemed, has life inherent, uncreated.

And he takes that which is dead and makes a life. He takes that which has been judged by the courts of this earth like they did with Jesus, and like they do with the two witnesses, and overturns it once and forever. That's the God that we worship. That's what prophecy is about. We may not have all of the details. We may not know every inch on the way, but we get the big stuff that we can set our lives towards and know that's the same God that we worship today. I'm going to leave you with one question. So the big and final question is, who are the two witnesses? Always important.

Who are the two witnesses? I want to finish here. Who would you choose?

Who would you choose to be one of the two witnesses? Think of all the different people that God chose down through the ages to accomplish his will. David, son of Jesse, Samuel was going to look over him. Amos, a shepherd boy. Jesus himself, what good thing comes out of Nazareth. Matthew, an apostle, whose name is going to be on the stones that are in the foundation of the heavenly Jerusalem that was a tax collector. Who was the last person that Jesus had a really kind of a meaty conversation with? It wasn't even really probably with one of the apostles. It was that guy on the stake up there about seven or eight feet up. It was what we have come to call the good thief. Had this conversation and made this promise to him. Who would you choose?

Let's find out who God chooses. Join me if you would in Revelation 11.

In Revelation 11, I've got the answer for you right here. God's saying in Revelation 11 verse 3, and I will give power to my two witnesses.

That's it. That's who they are. They're God's witnesses. He says, he puts his mark, he puts his stamp, he puts his seal. Speaking of the book of Revelation, he says, they belong to me.

I will select them. I will know who they are, not by what they look like on the outside, but who they are on the inside, and they will be my witnesses. You see, reading the book of Revelation, understanding prophecy, is a matter of not only knowledge, but of faith. And giving our best thoughts, our best understandings, and recognize, compared to him, we are incomplete.

God will give us enough to consider, but we will not totally know or comprehend until that time.

And then we will know that, as Jesus said, by their fruits you shall know them.

And remember the wisdom of Ecclesiastes 8, which is a matter of faith.

Those sentence against an evil work is not carried out immediately, and thus the sons of men set their hearts to do evil. But neither shall it go well with them, but it will go well with those that love God and keep his commandments.