Message Recap
Pastor Jim taught the 18th installment of his series entitled, “Revelation Revealed.” He taught about the two witnesses found in Revelation chapter 11. He talked about the various signs we will see before the Second Coming. For people who do not go up in the rapture, earth will be a scary place to be. God will send two people who the book of Revelation calls the “two witnesses” that will minister in the temple for the first 3 ½ years. They will be given great supernatural powers to dispel the Antichrist and his allies. After their time of ministry is over, Antichrist will kill them and leave their bodies in the streets for 3 ½ days for all to see. But after 3 ½ days, they will rise up and be taken up to heaven.
Dive Deeper
Pastor Jim began his message about the two witnesses by briefly talking about the rapture in 1st Thess. 4:16–18.
Then he went over some of the signs of Jesus’ Second Coming: The Bethlehem star… Four blood red moons on Passover… Foxes being seen on the Temple Mount… Live fish found in the Dead Sea… Red heifers… Predatory birds increasing… Israel becoming a nation, etc.
It’s important that we stay ready for His coming, to keep watching. If you’re not watching for His return, then you won’t know what’s going on or where we are from a biblical perspective. One of those signs is that many believers will fall away toward the end. That’s why we need to keep watching.
Pastor Jim talked a little about the struggle between Israel and the Arab Palestinians for control of Jerusalem.
Revelation chapter 11 begins with God telling the apostle John to measure the temple. In the vision, though John is told to measure the temple, at that time, there was no temple to measure. But this scripture in Revelation indicates it will be rebuilt. Daniel 9:27 also says the temple will be rebuilt. The problem is that where it’s supposed to be built is the same place where the Muslim’s Dome of the Rock is sitting.
The Jewish people know there will be an opportunity to rebuild the temple. And when that time comes, they will be ready. Right now, there are descendants from the tribe of Levi being trained to work in the temple.
Scholars discuss the possible identities of the two witnesses being either Enoch, Elijah, or Moses.
The two witnesses are described as two olive trees and two candlesticks. They will be anointed prophets who will bring light to a dark world.
The two witnesses will be given four supernatural powers to protect themselves and to fight against Israel’s enemies. They will be able to cause plagues, turn water into blood, shut the heavens so it doesn’t rain, and kill their enemies with fire that comes out of their mouths.
Between Moses and Elijah, they demonstrated all these powers when they were on the earth.
The Jewish people believe that Elijah will come back to prepare the way for Messiah. In fact, the Jewish people leave a chair for Elijah during Passover supper for when he comes back.
After their time of ministry is over, the two witnesses will be killed by Antichrist and left in the streets for 3 ½ days for all to see. But after 3 ½ days, they will come back to life and be taken up to heaven.
Read About It
Thessalonians 4:16–18, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
Isaiah 62:6, “I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence.”
Daniel 9:27, “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.”
Revelation 11:3, “And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.”
Revelation 11:5–6, “And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.”
Discussion Questions
In Revelation chapter 11, what is the ministry of the two witnesses?
What are the four supernatural powers that God gave to them?
For what reason would God give the two witnesses such powerful gifts?
Four years ago, as a five-year-old boy, Landen Hoffmann was thrown off the third story balcony by an assailant at the Mall of America. You’ll recall the story made national and international news. However, that wasn’t the end of his story. God’s miraculous power was immediately seen at work in his life on that day and the subsequent months following. This Easter, we want you to hear Landen’s full story and discover how God’s miraculous resurrection power can intervene in your life today!