7. The Tribulation People
The 2 Witnesses
God tells us who the tribulation people will be.
In the Revelation we learn that there will be
The first ‘people of interest’ I want to talk about are the two witnesses. We read about them in Revelation 11:3-13
3 ¶ “And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth.
5 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.
6 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.
7 When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.
8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
9 Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves.
10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
11 Now after the 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.
12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.
13 In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.
What can we learn about the two witnesses?
First of all, that they are from God. They are appointed by Him for the specific task of becoming a ‘thorn in the side’ of the beast and his kingdom and the beast’s agenda.
Who are they? There are various attempts made to pinpoint exactly who these two are.
From scripture we get this:
They are called God’s Two olive trees, His two Lampstands.
Obviously we are told this for a reason. This is symbolic language, but the very fact that it is included in scripture means that it is there for us to discover its meaning.
There was a similar situation regarding prophecies of the crucifixion of Christ. We know of no one crucifixion prophecy that spelled it out in plain and simple language. If there had been, the disciples would not have been confused about it at all.
And yet, there were scriptures, plain enough to make it clear, if only they had been correctly studied. Jesus laid a heavy reprimand on two of his disciples, for not having studied it.
Luke records Jesus speaking to these two disciples 3 or 4 days after the crucifixion. Jesus is now raised from the dead and walks with these two men, disguising His identity.
25 And he said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?"
27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:25-27 ESV)
Jesus expected that these men should have known and understood, even though specifics and names were left out of the prophecies.
So here in Revelation 11 we are given no specifics. But we are given clues that can be interpreted.
These two men are called olive trees and two lampstands
There is a passage in Zech 4 that is too similar to overlook.
1 ¶ And the angel who talked with me came again and woke me, like a man who is awakened out of his sleep.
2 And he said to me, "What do you see?" I said, "I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it.
3 And there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left."
4 And I said to the angel who talked with me, "What are these, my lord?"
5 Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, "Do you not know what these are?" I said, "No, my lord."
6 Then he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.
---
11 ¶ Then I said to him, "What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?"
12 And a second time I answered and said to him, "What are these two branches of the olive trees, which are beside the two golden pipes from which the golden oil is poured out?"
13 He said to me, "Do you not know what these are?" I said, "No, my lord."
14 Then he said, "These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth."
Although much of Zechariah’s prophecy pertained to Israel while they were just about to leave Babylon, the language of the prophecy clearly refers to the end time approaching to the millennial reign.
But Zachariah saw only one lampstand. So there are some differences.
I want to point out a couple of other references that use similar language, before we try to give any suggested interpretations.
We are familiar with the Tabernacle of the Old Testament, and then, later, with the Holy Place of the Temple. Both had a lampstand known as the menorah. The lampstand had pipes that contained a long wick that reached to a supply of oil and there were seven of these on the lampstand. The fire was never quenched. Even during the trimming of the wicks, the fire was not to be quenched. Most biblical commentators agree that the oil is representative of the Holy Spirit, indicating that the presence of God was with Israel continually.
Jesus, in referring to Himself as being the Light of the World, was using words, the meaning of which, the Jews would be familiar with.
We can conclude that the presence of the Lampstand in the tabernacle and later in the temple was a very Jewish thing.
In the opening verses of the Revelation we read these words.
Rev 1:11 saying, "Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea."
12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands,
13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.
These verses are now connecting the use of the word ‘lampstand’ with the church, or churches.
Jesus, not only called Himself ‘the Light of the World’, but He said to the church, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set upon a hill cannot be hidden”.
He goes on to say in the Revelation,
19 Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.
20 As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
So in Jesus’ symbolic language, He is equating each lampstand as a singular church. He goes on to point out that the lampstand is a ‘God thing’ and it can be present in a group of people, and it can also be absent.
He gave this warning to one of the churches’:
"To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.
2 "’I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.
3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary.
4 I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.
5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.
6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’
(Rev 2:1-7)
Jesus both commends and warns this church. The warning is the very most severe of any warning that might be given. For a group of people who were covenanted together in such a way as to be considered a ‘church’, to hear the words that the candlestick might possibly be removed, is the same as hearing the words, You have just become de-churched.
So, supposing they do not repent of ‘having lost their first love’, and supposing they continue to meet together, thinking that they actually were still a church, in fact, in the eyes of God, from that point onward, without the presence of the lampstand, they are nothing more than a service club like the Lions, the Elks, the Rotary, the Masons, the Knights of Columbus, the Soroptimist society, etc, etc. While clubs have a focus on doing specific good works, they are not churches.
Jesus commended the Ephesus church for its ministry of good works … but pointed out that, if they did not repent and put Jesus, their ‘first love’, back into first place, … all of their good works would amount to nothing.
We have learned that a Lampstand was a very Jewish thing and we learn that it is a very ‘church’ thing.
We note that the two witnesses are referred to as two lampstands. At this point we might conclude that one lampstand may have a connection to Israel and one might have a connection to the church. We are not given any information as to why they are called lampstands. But researching the background of lampstands in the bible merely gives us ‘clues’ as to to why this symbolism is used.
The two witnesses are also called ‘olive trees’.
Paul, in Romans 11 uses a word picture that includes both Israel and the church that relate them to an olive tree and its branches.
1 ¶ I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.
2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel?
3 "Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life."
4 But what is God’s reply to him? "I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal."
5 So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.
6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.
7 What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened,
8 as it is written, "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day."
9 And David says, "Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them;
10 let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever."
11 So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous.
12 Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!
13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry
14 in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them.
15 For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?
16 If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree,
18 do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you.
19 Then you will say, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in."
20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear.
21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.
22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off.
23 And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again.
24 For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.
I find it interesting that God will apply events to a group of people who were not even present when the faults or failings of the original group took place.
I can use examples of how we do the same thing.
"The 1958 New York Yankees season was the 56th season for the team. The team finished with a record of 92–62, winning their 24th pennant, finishing 10 games ahead of the Chicago White Sox. In the World Series, they defeated the Milwaukee Braves in 7 games. New York was managed by Casey Stengel. The Yankees played their home games at Yankee Stadium."
The 2022 Season
"The Yankees were 64–28 in the first half of the season leading to the All-Star Game before going 35–35 in the second half, failing to win 100 games after being on track for it in June. Despite their struggles in the second half of the season, the Yankees clinched their 30th straight winning season, dating back to 1993, with a win against the Twins on September 7".
But think about this, not one of the players of 1958 played in the 2022 seasons. They were a totally different bunch of guys. They were still called ‘Yankees’, but they were different people.
In the Bible we talk about God dealing with the Jews and dealing with them for the sins of the past … but they are not even the same people. The Jews of the past are, right at this very moment, either in heaven or in hell. To discipline the present Jews for something their forefathers did 2000 years ago seems a bit odd. The present Jews did not commit the sins of the past. They are responsible for their present lives, for sure, but they live in the here and now.
So why is God dealing with a future time of ‘Jacob’s Trouble’ when all the guilty children of Jacob are already dead?
It’s a little hard for me to grasp, let alone try to share a particular view on it. But for now all that I would say is that it would seem as though God is dealing with Israel as if it were the same ‘person’ all through time. When Jesus promised the disciples that one day they would sit on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel, the same thing would apply, even though all of the nation of Israel who enter the millennium are physical Jews, living at the time of the second coming. They will be a totally different group of people than the Jews that Jesus was dealing with during His time here on earth.
So Israel, in Romans 11, is being referred to as Olive branches. The Gentile church is being referred to as Olive branches, albeit wild ones.
Branches are a bit different from trees, but this seems to be the closest we might come to referring to the two witnesses representing two olive trees, one tree for Israel and one for the gentile church.
Their ‘ministry’ is 1260 days long, which means they appear right at the midpoint of the 7 years. In other words, at about the same time that the Antichrist takes power.
The two witnesses have a ‘ministry’ not unlike that of Moses and Elijah.
6 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.
Elijah prayed earnestly, (James ) and it did not rain in Israel for over 3 years. Jas 5:17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.
And who was it that turned water into blood?
Ex 7:20 Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded. In the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants he lifted up the staff and struck the water in the Nile, and all the water in the Nile turned into blood.
It was Moses who brought locusts swarms into Egypt. He brought devastating Hail upon them as well. Moses pronounced boils upon the Egyptians.
5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies.
We have no record of Moses doing anything like this. But we do have this: (II Kings 1:9-10)
9 ¶ Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty men with his fifty. He went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, "O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.’"
10 But Elijah answered the captain of fifty, "If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty." Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.
By the way, this was repeated twice and almost the third time. This behavior was fairly typical for Elijah, and now we notice something similar in the Revelation.
Fire ‘proceeds from the mouth’ of the two witnesses and destroys the opposition. I take this literally in the sense that I think it to be real fire that really kills … not just ‘fiery words’. Whether it literally comes out of their mouth or not … this may be an expression.
What is the point of their 'ministry'? Here is a clue.
The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts. (Rev 9.20,21)
Bringing people to repentance is their objective. God has used His loving grace to call people to Himself. But when it comes time to call 'time is up!', there will be no 'almost persuaded' people. Some will come to faith, others will be hardened. White will be white and black will be very black.
During the three and a half years of their preaching and actions, the believers who are basically hoping to survive will see the ministry of the two witnesses as welcome ‘help’.
Speaking of this same three and a half year period, Daniel had this to say; (Daniel 11:32-35)
32 He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.
33 And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder.
34 When they stumble, they shall receive a little help. And many shall join themselves to them with flattery,
35 and some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, purified, and made white, until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time.
Daniel does not explain in which form this ‘help’ comes. It is only by comparing the same event in other places that we get more information.
At the time that the witnesses are preaching and confronting the enemy with plagues and even with death, the tribulation saints, the tribulation churches are being refined, made white and even being betrayed by their own kind.
And many shall join themselves to them with flattery,
Jesus said, Matt 24:9 "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.
10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.
11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.
12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.
The tribulation believers will undergo refining to remove the impurities of their lives. They will experience betrayal by those they considered part of their church family. But the tribulation saints will appreciate the help of two witnesses. Two ‘heroes’ of the faith.
7 And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them,
8 and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified.
9 For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb,
10 and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the ``earth.
11 But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.
12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here!" And they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them.
13 And at that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
At the end of the 42 months, the three and a half years, after having been dead for 3 and half days, the two witnesses come back to life … and rise up into the air. At exactly the same time as the seventh trumpet sounds. At exactly the same time as the events mentioned in the period of the sixth seal … people seeing heaven opened and knowing the great day of God’s wrath has come and they are in big trouble.
Two witnesses - two men especially prepared by God? Moses and Elijah who appeared to Jesus on the mount of transfiguration … and also to return for the tribulation?
People of the Tribulation. Next time we will consider another group.
In the Revelation we learn that there will be
- A beast of seven heads having ten horns on one of the heads
- A smaller beast that looks like a lamb but speaks like a dragon. He is also called the False Prophet
- A group of 144,000 Jews, 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes
- A harlot riding upon the back of the beast
- Ten horns representing ten kingdoms or countries
- Kings from the East. This would likely be China and several other eastern kingdoms
- A remnant of God fearing Jews/temple worshipers
- A group of tribulation gentile believers
- A group of all those who accepted the Mark of the Beast
- And Two witnesses.
The first ‘people of interest’ I want to talk about are the two witnesses. We read about them in Revelation 11:3-13
3 ¶ “And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth.
5 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.
6 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.
7 When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.
8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
9 Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves.
10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
11 Now after the 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.
12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.
13 In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.
What can we learn about the two witnesses?
First of all, that they are from God. They are appointed by Him for the specific task of becoming a ‘thorn in the side’ of the beast and his kingdom and the beast’s agenda.
Who are they? There are various attempts made to pinpoint exactly who these two are.
From scripture we get this:
They are called God’s Two olive trees, His two Lampstands.
Obviously we are told this for a reason. This is symbolic language, but the very fact that it is included in scripture means that it is there for us to discover its meaning.
There was a similar situation regarding prophecies of the crucifixion of Christ. We know of no one crucifixion prophecy that spelled it out in plain and simple language. If there had been, the disciples would not have been confused about it at all.
And yet, there were scriptures, plain enough to make it clear, if only they had been correctly studied. Jesus laid a heavy reprimand on two of his disciples, for not having studied it.
Luke records Jesus speaking to these two disciples 3 or 4 days after the crucifixion. Jesus is now raised from the dead and walks with these two men, disguising His identity.
25 And he said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?"
27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:25-27 ESV)
Jesus expected that these men should have known and understood, even though specifics and names were left out of the prophecies.
So here in Revelation 11 we are given no specifics. But we are given clues that can be interpreted.
These two men are called olive trees and two lampstands
There is a passage in Zech 4 that is too similar to overlook.
1 ¶ And the angel who talked with me came again and woke me, like a man who is awakened out of his sleep.
2 And he said to me, "What do you see?" I said, "I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it.
3 And there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left."
4 And I said to the angel who talked with me, "What are these, my lord?"
5 Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, "Do you not know what these are?" I said, "No, my lord."
6 Then he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.
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11 ¶ Then I said to him, "What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?"
12 And a second time I answered and said to him, "What are these two branches of the olive trees, which are beside the two golden pipes from which the golden oil is poured out?"
13 He said to me, "Do you not know what these are?" I said, "No, my lord."
14 Then he said, "These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth."
Although much of Zechariah’s prophecy pertained to Israel while they were just about to leave Babylon, the language of the prophecy clearly refers to the end time approaching to the millennial reign.
But Zachariah saw only one lampstand. So there are some differences.
I want to point out a couple of other references that use similar language, before we try to give any suggested interpretations.
We are familiar with the Tabernacle of the Old Testament, and then, later, with the Holy Place of the Temple. Both had a lampstand known as the menorah. The lampstand had pipes that contained a long wick that reached to a supply of oil and there were seven of these on the lampstand. The fire was never quenched. Even during the trimming of the wicks, the fire was not to be quenched. Most biblical commentators agree that the oil is representative of the Holy Spirit, indicating that the presence of God was with Israel continually.
Jesus, in referring to Himself as being the Light of the World, was using words, the meaning of which, the Jews would be familiar with.
We can conclude that the presence of the Lampstand in the tabernacle and later in the temple was a very Jewish thing.
In the opening verses of the Revelation we read these words.
Rev 1:11 saying, "Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea."
12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands,
13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.
These verses are now connecting the use of the word ‘lampstand’ with the church, or churches.
Jesus, not only called Himself ‘the Light of the World’, but He said to the church, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set upon a hill cannot be hidden”.
He goes on to say in the Revelation,
19 Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.
20 As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
So in Jesus’ symbolic language, He is equating each lampstand as a singular church. He goes on to point out that the lampstand is a ‘God thing’ and it can be present in a group of people, and it can also be absent.
He gave this warning to one of the churches’:
"To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.
2 "’I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.
3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary.
4 I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.
5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.
6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’
(Rev 2:1-7)
Jesus both commends and warns this church. The warning is the very most severe of any warning that might be given. For a group of people who were covenanted together in such a way as to be considered a ‘church’, to hear the words that the candlestick might possibly be removed, is the same as hearing the words, You have just become de-churched.
So, supposing they do not repent of ‘having lost their first love’, and supposing they continue to meet together, thinking that they actually were still a church, in fact, in the eyes of God, from that point onward, without the presence of the lampstand, they are nothing more than a service club like the Lions, the Elks, the Rotary, the Masons, the Knights of Columbus, the Soroptimist society, etc, etc. While clubs have a focus on doing specific good works, they are not churches.
Jesus commended the Ephesus church for its ministry of good works … but pointed out that, if they did not repent and put Jesus, their ‘first love’, back into first place, … all of their good works would amount to nothing.
We have learned that a Lampstand was a very Jewish thing and we learn that it is a very ‘church’ thing.
We note that the two witnesses are referred to as two lampstands. At this point we might conclude that one lampstand may have a connection to Israel and one might have a connection to the church. We are not given any information as to why they are called lampstands. But researching the background of lampstands in the bible merely gives us ‘clues’ as to to why this symbolism is used.
The two witnesses are also called ‘olive trees’.
Paul, in Romans 11 uses a word picture that includes both Israel and the church that relate them to an olive tree and its branches.
1 ¶ I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.
2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel?
3 "Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life."
4 But what is God’s reply to him? "I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal."
5 So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.
6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.
7 What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened,
8 as it is written, "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day."
9 And David says, "Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them;
10 let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever."
11 So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous.
12 Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!
13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry
14 in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them.
15 For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?
16 If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree,
18 do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you.
19 Then you will say, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in."
20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear.
21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.
22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off.
23 And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again.
24 For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.
I find it interesting that God will apply events to a group of people who were not even present when the faults or failings of the original group took place.
I can use examples of how we do the same thing.
"The 1958 New York Yankees season was the 56th season for the team. The team finished with a record of 92–62, winning their 24th pennant, finishing 10 games ahead of the Chicago White Sox. In the World Series, they defeated the Milwaukee Braves in 7 games. New York was managed by Casey Stengel. The Yankees played their home games at Yankee Stadium."
The 2022 Season
"The Yankees were 64–28 in the first half of the season leading to the All-Star Game before going 35–35 in the second half, failing to win 100 games after being on track for it in June. Despite their struggles in the second half of the season, the Yankees clinched their 30th straight winning season, dating back to 1993, with a win against the Twins on September 7".
But think about this, not one of the players of 1958 played in the 2022 seasons. They were a totally different bunch of guys. They were still called ‘Yankees’, but they were different people.
In the Bible we talk about God dealing with the Jews and dealing with them for the sins of the past … but they are not even the same people. The Jews of the past are, right at this very moment, either in heaven or in hell. To discipline the present Jews for something their forefathers did 2000 years ago seems a bit odd. The present Jews did not commit the sins of the past. They are responsible for their present lives, for sure, but they live in the here and now.
So why is God dealing with a future time of ‘Jacob’s Trouble’ when all the guilty children of Jacob are already dead?
It’s a little hard for me to grasp, let alone try to share a particular view on it. But for now all that I would say is that it would seem as though God is dealing with Israel as if it were the same ‘person’ all through time. When Jesus promised the disciples that one day they would sit on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel, the same thing would apply, even though all of the nation of Israel who enter the millennium are physical Jews, living at the time of the second coming. They will be a totally different group of people than the Jews that Jesus was dealing with during His time here on earth.
So Israel, in Romans 11, is being referred to as Olive branches. The Gentile church is being referred to as Olive branches, albeit wild ones.
Branches are a bit different from trees, but this seems to be the closest we might come to referring to the two witnesses representing two olive trees, one tree for Israel and one for the gentile church.
Their ‘ministry’ is 1260 days long, which means they appear right at the midpoint of the 7 years. In other words, at about the same time that the Antichrist takes power.
The two witnesses have a ‘ministry’ not unlike that of Moses and Elijah.
6 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.
Elijah prayed earnestly, (James ) and it did not rain in Israel for over 3 years. Jas 5:17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.
And who was it that turned water into blood?
Ex 7:20 Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded. In the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants he lifted up the staff and struck the water in the Nile, and all the water in the Nile turned into blood.
It was Moses who brought locusts swarms into Egypt. He brought devastating Hail upon them as well. Moses pronounced boils upon the Egyptians.
5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies.
We have no record of Moses doing anything like this. But we do have this: (II Kings 1:9-10)
9 ¶ Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty men with his fifty. He went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, "O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.’"
10 But Elijah answered the captain of fifty, "If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty." Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.
By the way, this was repeated twice and almost the third time. This behavior was fairly typical for Elijah, and now we notice something similar in the Revelation.
Fire ‘proceeds from the mouth’ of the two witnesses and destroys the opposition. I take this literally in the sense that I think it to be real fire that really kills … not just ‘fiery words’. Whether it literally comes out of their mouth or not … this may be an expression.
What is the point of their 'ministry'? Here is a clue.
The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts. (Rev 9.20,21)
Bringing people to repentance is their objective. God has used His loving grace to call people to Himself. But when it comes time to call 'time is up!', there will be no 'almost persuaded' people. Some will come to faith, others will be hardened. White will be white and black will be very black.
During the three and a half years of their preaching and actions, the believers who are basically hoping to survive will see the ministry of the two witnesses as welcome ‘help’.
Speaking of this same three and a half year period, Daniel had this to say; (Daniel 11:32-35)
32 He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.
33 And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder.
34 When they stumble, they shall receive a little help. And many shall join themselves to them with flattery,
35 and some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, purified, and made white, until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time.
Daniel does not explain in which form this ‘help’ comes. It is only by comparing the same event in other places that we get more information.
At the time that the witnesses are preaching and confronting the enemy with plagues and even with death, the tribulation saints, the tribulation churches are being refined, made white and even being betrayed by their own kind.
And many shall join themselves to them with flattery,
Jesus said, Matt 24:9 "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.
10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.
11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.
12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.
The tribulation believers will undergo refining to remove the impurities of their lives. They will experience betrayal by those they considered part of their church family. But the tribulation saints will appreciate the help of two witnesses. Two ‘heroes’ of the faith.
7 And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them,
8 and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified.
9 For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb,
10 and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the ``earth.
11 But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.
12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here!" And they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them.
13 And at that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
At the end of the 42 months, the three and a half years, after having been dead for 3 and half days, the two witnesses come back to life … and rise up into the air. At exactly the same time as the seventh trumpet sounds. At exactly the same time as the events mentioned in the period of the sixth seal … people seeing heaven opened and knowing the great day of God’s wrath has come and they are in big trouble.
Two witnesses - two men especially prepared by God? Moses and Elijah who appeared to Jesus on the mount of transfiguration … and also to return for the tribulation?
People of the Tribulation. Next time we will consider another group.