Final Countdown: Chapter 17, God’s Two Witnesses:
When the period of grace, meaning the church age comes to a close at the end of Revelation 3, we are given a detailed blueprint of what’s to come. In Revelation 4, John looks up and sees, “A door opened in heaven: and the first voice which I (John) heard —- said, Come up hither, and I will show you things which must be hereafter (future).”
What does the phrase, “a door opened in heaven” point to? First let’s compare,
John 14:6, “Jesus said to him (Thomas) I am the WAY, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father but by me.” Jesus comments seem to be straight to the point and easily understood by any reasonable person.
We know the Father’s is in heaven, and Jesus is the only medium of access into heaven, for Jesus is, “the only WAY,” and He is that “OPEN DOOR” to eternal life.
Both “door and way” are metaphors of objects associated with the person of Jesus Christ. They are figures of speech used to describe His attributes.
Johns passing into heaven is a type of the future catching away of the bride of Christ; otherwise known as the great harvest of the saints. The door John passed through represents Jesus Christ as being the only gate by which the bride of Christ may be taken directly to the Father’s house.
As it was in the garden of Eden when, “God placed at the East of the garden of Eden, Cherubim — to keep (meaning to guard) the way of the tree of life.”
Obviously, there was only one way back into the garden for Adam. It wasn’t from the North, South or West, only from the East. And so also shall it be with heaven. No denomination, no man, or angels, or spirit creature, no prophet, no special prayer, no miracle workers, no one, or nothing can open that door but Jesus Christ.
The key lies in the words, “by faith and faith alone.” Faith in Jesus Christ’s death, his burial; his resurrection and ascension into heaven. If you knock on any other door, all you’ll do is wear your knuckles out.
Let’s move on to Revelation 11, where John is standing in heaven, and is in verse 11, told to measure the temple of God which I understand to be in heaven. John is also told not to measure the court which is outside the temple.
Rev.11:19, “And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: —.
Why not measure the court? The court of the Gentiles was the large outer portion of the temple complex. The area was used to conduct business such as selling sacrificial animals, and for money exchange. But in these last days, the court John is told to measure may be the whole of literal Jerusalem. It’s here, in Jerusalem, during the 1000 year reign that the nations of the world will be led by the Jews to Jesus Christ.
Concerning the courtyard: Matthew 21:12, “And Jesus went into the temple of God (the court yard) and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money changers, and the seats of them that sold doves.”
This area of the temple, the court, was not considered sacred and was used as a market place, and a gathering place for Jews and gentiles.
I believe John was told to measure the place where the court of the gentiles once was in both Solomon’s and Herod’s temple, or it may refer to the whole of Jerusalem, this after God’s Temple is set in place on Mt. Moriah.
Zechariah wrote over 500 years before the apostle John was born. He wrote, Zechariah 2:1-5, “I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man (most likely John) with a measuring line in his hand.
This piece of land purchased by king David about 974 B.C. for the LORD’s house, belongs to the LORD. It is only here where God’s Holy Temple and court yard will one day be established. Once the tribulation is over, and the temple of God comes to stand on Mt. Moriah, the whole city of Jerusalem may become the court John was told to measure. Why?
After the LORD returns, Zechariah 8:22-23, “Many people and strong nations shall come to Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD. In these days it shall come to pass, that ten men (Jews) shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, we will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.”
But, because the Jews rejected and killed their Messiah, God’s holy place (the ground on Mt. Moriah) has been temporally given over to the Gentiles beginning in 70 A.D. Understand this, the Dome of the Rock, the abomination of desolation that now stands on the temple mount in Jerusalem, has been allowed by the LORD to remain standing,
Luke 21:24, “Until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” Compare with,
Daniel 9:27, “He (Jesus) shall make it (Jerusalem) desolate (from 70 A.D.,) even until the consummation (utter destruction, end of tribulation), and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate (or desolators, meaning the Jewish people.”
After the church is raptured, the two witnesses of Revelation 11, will be established by God outside the gates of Jerusalem, to begin their testimony. They shall confirm for 3 ½ years God’s new covenant with the Jews; see Jeremiah 31:31-32.
Revelation 3:3, “I (God) will give power (dominion, authority, rule) unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy (meaning, they will be ambassadors of God, the interpreters of His mind and will for) a thousand two hundred and threescore days (3 ½ years) clothed in sackcloth (these are the garments of prophets.)”
During Jesus earthly ministry, it beginning in October of 26 A.D., after his baptism, until his crucifixion on April 5th of 30 A.D., Jesus had confirmed his new covenant with the Jews for 3 ½ years, then He cut himself off from the people and the land. He said, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” So, after his death their remains another 1260 days or 3 ½ years.
And when the two witnesses have finished their 3 ½ years, they like the Lord Jesus will be murdered, but will have finished confirming God’s new covenant with the Jews.
This ends the final 7 years of the 490 years spoken of in Daniel 9:24-25: “Prophesy fulfilled”!
“Seventy weeks have been determined (490 years) upon thy (Daniel’s) people and upon the holy city (Jerusalem).”
The prophesy had been broken down into 3 periods of time. The 1st was, seven weeks or 49 years, it began in 457 B.C. when Artaxerxes gave the command to return and to rebuild Jerusalem. This period ended in 408 B.C. This may be the year the last book of the Old Testament was finished by Malachi, and, or when the last of the Old Testament writers, Malachi died, or both.
The 49 years was to be followed by 62 weeks, or 434 years. This would take us from 408 B.C. to 26 A.D. the year Jesus turned thirty (Luke 3:23), and was baptized by John and the Holy Spirit, being made High Priest after the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 7:15-16-17, “And it is yet far more evident; for that after the similitude (likeness) of Melchizedek there arises another priest (Jesus), who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. For he testified, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.”
So, what remained? One week or seven years. Jesus began to teach His new covenant after his baptism in October of 26 A.D. and ended it after the last supper, April 5th of 30 A.D., exactly lasting 3 ½ years. Now what remained to finish the confirming of this covenant after Jesus death is 3 ½ years.
This 3 ½ years will be picked up by the two witnesses at the beginning of the tribulation and sealed when they are murdered 3 ½ years into the tribulation, this fulfilling the final 7 years of the 490 years.
After the two witnesses are raised back to life and taken into heaven, the “Great tribulation,” the last 3 ½ years begins, it ending when God’s vengeance and wrath are satisfied, 3 1/2 years after the two witnesses are taken into heaven.
Revelation 13:1, “And I (John) stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
Back to the two witnesses,
Revelation 11:5: “If any man will hurt them (during the 3 ½ years) fire proceeds out of their mouth, and devours their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. These (two) have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power (authority) over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.”
Without question, the people of the world and especially the Jews will hear their testimony, and because they hate the Lord Jesus, all will attempt to kill the two messengers God sent.
Revelation 11:7, “When they (two witnesses) shall have finished their testimony, the (1st) beast that ascended out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.”
Until the 3 ½ years are finished, no man or any army of men, be they the Iranians, Turks, Russians or any combination of armies will be able to overcome these two. Any attempt will be met with the power of God that has been given them.
The world will hate and despise the two because they will prevent rain from falling upon the earth for 3 ½ years, and what fresh water remains, the two witnesses will turn to blood. They will also send plagues upon the people.
After 3 ½ years, this 1st beast will accomplish what no other man could, he kills the two witnesses (the two saints) of God.
Revelation 13:7, “And it was given unto him (the 1st beast) to make war with the saints (two witnesses) and to overcome them (a temporary victory for him): and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues and nations.” The world population will worship this one man because he was able to kill the two witnesses who had been tormenting them.
And when he has overcome them (two witnesses),
Revelation 11:8-9, “Their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city (Jerusalem), which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and a half, and shall not allow their dead bodies to be put in graves.
Verse 10, “And they (the people) that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them (the two witnesses), and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them (the people) that dwelt on the earth.”
I can see this being accomplished today with the technology available. Up until these days of high technology, cell phones, satellites, etc., this would have been impossible, but, no longer.
Now it appears the two witnesses had wounded (by the sword) the 1st beast and put him out of commission, this, setting the stage for the 2ed beast to take power.
Revelation 13:12-14, “And he (the 2ed beast) exercised all the power of the first beast before him, and caused the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.”
Verse 14, “And (he, the 2ed beast) deceived them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image of the (1st) beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.”
Verse 15, “And he (2ed beast) had power to give life (breath) unto the image of the (1st) beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as may as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.” Again, in today’s environment of science and technology, this is now possible.
Verse 15 appears to be the anti-type of the events we read about concerning Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image, see Daniel 3. Verse 6, “And whoso falls not down and worship (the golden image of a man) shall the same hour be cast into the midst of burning fiery furnace.”
Phillip LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com