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On Revelation Eleven - The Two Witnesses
Posted : 22 Apr, 2013 02:46 PM
This doesn't explain all the metaphors in Revelation 11. But it is a
start in a more general way.
Those in the II Timothy church do not come to the knowledge of the
truth. "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall
come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous,
boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful,
unholy...Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the
truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also
resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the
faith." II Timothy 3:1-2, 7-8.
People in the II Timothy church do not come to the knowledge of the
truth because they are taught false doctrines by many false prophets.
"And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many." Matthew
24: 11
"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they
are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."
I John 4: 1
Just as God's people fell into false doctrines and practices several
times before Christ appeared to them to carry out the parable of the
fig tree in Luke 13:6-9, to give new spiritual life to the lost sheep
of the house of Israel, and to fulfill Old Testament prophecy saying
that the Gentiles will be joined to those who were of physical Israel
(Hosea 2: 23) to become one fold (John 10: 16) born again in Christ
(John 3:1-7)
In Romans 9:6-8 a distinction is made between two groups, both
claiming to be the people of God.
One is Israel after the flesh, or physical Israel. These are those in
verse 8, "They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the
children of God." The elect of Israel, the other group, is also in
verse 8, "but the children of the promise are counted for the seed."
Physical Israel is not the elect, because they are not Abraham's
spiritual seed (Galatians 3: 29), which is the seed of God.
But Romans 9, 6-9does not tell us anything about the relative sizes
of these two groups of people, both claiming to be the people of God.
Look at Romans 11: 5, "Even so then at this present time also there is
a remnant according to the election of grace." This verse tells us
that those in Romans 11 who were not broken off the olive tree because
of unbelief and are the elect (Romans 19, 20) are a small
number, a remnant.
In the re-enactment of Romans 9:6-9 in the end times, during the
falling away of II Thessalonians 2: 3, there is a large group, which
we can call end time Israel after the flesh, calling itself the
church, which is the II Timothy church, and these are not the children
of God. They are not the elect. A remnant which during this period of
the falling away leading up to the appearance of Christ and the
resurrection is moving toward a knowledge of the truth and increasing
numbers of the remnant will have the testimony of Jesus Christ
(Revelation 12: 17). The remnant is increasing in numbers, though it
remains a remnant. In time, at the event of Christ's appearance the
remnant will be in its fullness, its full number and knowledge of the
truth. It is the elect, the seed of God.
Revelation 12: 15 says the serpent casts out a flood from his mouth
that he might cause the metaphoric woman to be carried away in the
floor from his mouth. This metaphoric flood is the false doctrines
taught to the II Timothy church by the army of false teachers.
Then Revelation 12: 17 says "And the dragon was wroth with the woman,
and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the
commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."
This is the end time remnant who have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
But there is a thread in scripture which implies that the Two
Witnesses of Revelation 11 are also this same end time remnant who
have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
There are several metaphors in Revelation 11; which are very hard to
understand. "And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they
shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in
sackcloth.
4. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing
before the God of the earth....7. And when they shall have finished
their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit
shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
8. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city,
which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was
crucified.
9. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall
see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer
their dead bodies to be put in graves.
10. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and
make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two
prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
11. And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God
entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell
upon them which saw them.
12. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come
up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their
enemies beheld them.
13. And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth
part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven
thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God
of heaven."
Verse 4, on the two olive trees and two candlesticks standing before
God ties Revelation 11 to Zecharian 4: 2-3 and 4: 14. "And said unto
me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a
candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven
lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the
top thereof:
3. And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and
the other upon the left side thereof.... Then said he, These are the
two anointed ones, that stand by the LORD of the whole earth."
Zechariah 4:2-3, 14.
This is all heavily metaphoric.
Zechariah 3:1-2, 3-4"And he shewed me Joshua the high priest
standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right
hand to resist him.
2. And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even
the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand
plucked out of the fire?
3. Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the
angel....And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him,
saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said,
Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will
clothe thee with change of raiment."
Then Zechariah 4: 6, 9-14 says "Then he answered and spake unto me,
saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by
might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts....9.
The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his
hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts
hath sent me unto you.
10. For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall
rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with
those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro
through the whole earth.
11. Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive
trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side
thereof?
12. And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive
branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out
of themselves?
13. And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And
I said, No, my lord.
14. Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the
LORD of the whole earth."
The books of Ezra and Nehemiah list a number of men of Israel who came
from Babylon to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem and to rebuild the
temple. Yet Zechariah 3 and 4 single out Jeshua and Zerubbabel among
these many rebuilders of the wall and the temple, which had fallen
down.
Ezra 2: 2 says "Which came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah,
Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number
of the men of the people of Israel:" Then Ezra 3: 2 says "Then stood
up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and
Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the
altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is
written in the law of Moses the man of God."
Nehemiah 1: 3 explains the reason for the mission of the group who
went to Jerusalem to rebuild its walls and the temple. "And they said
unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the
province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem
also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire."
The mission to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and the temple actually
happened in history. Yet it is a metaphor for the rebuilding of the
spiritual temple of God in the end times by another remnant.
Zechariah 4: 10 says "For who hath despised the day of small things?
for they shall
rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with
those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro
through the whole earth."
II Chronicals 16:9:
"For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth,
to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect
toward him."
The Remnant who earnestly contend for the
faith which was once delivered
unto the saints (Jude 1: 3) are inspired by the Lord's looking for
those who with a love of his truth and faith.
The Two Witnesses is metaphoric for the remnant of Revelation 12: 17
who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus
Christ. The Two Witnesses testify of Jesus Christ and his faith which
was once delivered unto the saints (Jude 1: 3). The Two Witnesses is highly
metaphoric and represents the end time remnant who are rebuilding the wall
of Jerusalem and the temple of God. But - as Paul explains in I
Corinthians 3: 16-17
and I Corinthians 6: 19 the temple of God is the believers, those of the elect.
And the end time remnant is to help to build the "...new Jerusalem,
coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for
her husband." Revelation 21: 2
The temple in the end times has been torn down by the many false
prophets of the II Timothy church.
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