Ch 1
Rapture Return of
7 Churches Ch 2-3 4:1 Christ ch 19
New Heaven
Trib ch
6-19 Millenium ch 20 & New Earth
Vision of Reign
of Christ
Throne
ch 4-5
1000 years ch 21-22
Revelation
Chapter 11
Lesson 30
The
* Can
we identify these Two Witnesses? Is it
necessary to do so?
Coming of
Elijah; Real or
Just in the Spirit or Power of Elijah
1. The
prophecy: Mal 4:5-6 (key
here; "great and terrible day of the Lord" sets the time; vs:6
says its related to repentance re. Messiah)
- Jews
in their observance of the Passover meal even today, leave an empty chair at a
place setting at the table for the coming Elijah.
2. Does John the Baptist fulfill this prophecy?
- Mt 17:11-12 [men....de...] Jesus makes it clear that John could have been the fulfillment of the prophecy of Malachi if the offer of the kingdom and its king had been accepted as offered even though he was clearly not Elijah.
- point is that if
- John
denies he is Elijah; Jn
- How
is it then that he is said by Jesus to be Elijah? Lk 1:17
3. Parallels between
the ministry of John the Baptist and the 2 witnesses.
- Both
are sent to
-
Basically have the same message!
- Both
represent and were involved in the spiritual and civil [national] call to
recovery.
4. Must conclude that at least one of these
witnesses must either be Elijah or one coming in the spirit and power of
Elijah.
5. What about the other one? Who is he?
- 2
people are primarily named as possibilities; Moses and Enoch who was translated,
Gen 5:24; Heb 11:5.
- He
was an antediluvian prophet; pre-flood; not likely to return to minister to
- 3
Common Reasons given for the choice of Moses.
#1
Because of the dispute over the body of Moses between Michael and Satan, Jude
9, his reason being to prevent God using Moses against his "man" in
the Tribulation.
#2
Because of the ministry Moses had in
#3
Because Moses appeared with Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration. Mt 17:3
>
Conclusion: as to who the 2 witnesses are: 2 Men,
great believers, of the Tribulation that God chooses to use for this special
ministry.
- The
Who is not as important as the what is going on; and
man's reaction to their ministry.
> 11:7 - 10 Termination of their ministry
- "And when they have
finished their testimony..."
- The
have been invincible for 3 1/2 years; nothing or no one was able to touch
them;
*
"When they have finished their testimony" this statement illustrates a great
promise; The obedient believer living in the will of God is immortal until he
has finished the work God has given him to do.
* The
means of termination of their ministry
[11:7b]
By this time the GWD has
assumed the top leadership role of the federation of nations making up the
western power block [RRE].
But he covets the
* What about this beast? Who or what is it?
The definite article, the,
implies that he is a recognized figure:
this says it is a specific beast that we should already know about.
-
What's the problem here? The beast of
Dan 7 is focusing on the political power represented by the federation of
nations represented by the 10 horns.
> Some
Considerations.
1. Satan was given the key/access to the abyss;
he is called in
2. Scripture says that men are brought out of
the grave by the voice of the Son of God.
John 5:25-29
3. This man will have to be an Unbeliever and the
wicked are not resurrected until the time of the GWTJ. Rev 20:11-15
4. All the references to this individual present
him as a man, not a supernatural being, it seems impossible to me that he is a
resurrected individual.
> 11:8-9 Treatment of their bodies!
- leave their bodies in the
street on public display for 3 1/2 days.
- "mystically" pneumatikw/j (adv.) spiritually;
- Use
of
-
Vs:9
says that the whole world will be able to view the scene of their dead bodies
lying in the street.
- What
is the message that garnered this kind of response? Truth; the Gospel of the
Kingdom.