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Revelation 11 and the Two Witnesses

The Challenge of Biblical Teaching

One of the hardest and dare I say least gratifying things of being a pastor is actually picking the text and theme for each Sunday. It's hard because there's so much and what part do you want to cook up and serve this week? You guys have one plate this morning and there's a buffet table. A lot of times pastors will try to pile it so high that you can't even carry it back to your table. That's not good.

Some denominations, especially those of the more liturgical side, will have what is called a pericopy calendar for pastors. It's a three-year cycle with dates, each week kind of planned out. They have an assigned New Testament scripture, an assigned Old Testament scripture, and a psalm every week. It's laid out so you'll be in the proper book at the right time of the year, like for Christmas and Easter. According to them, it'll give you a much more well-rounded view of biblical truth.

Others will use a handful of passages from the Bible. Some pastors always seem to be falling back into the same Bible books over and over again. Then lastly, you have what I call the hacks. They recycle their messages in a way that's just not healthy for a congregation. You know, when you eat that leftover turkey sandwich two weeks from now and it's the ninth time you've had it, it's not as good as Thanksgiving Day, is it?

When we get into like a Joseph type series that we can do for 12 weeks, it's really satisfying for both the pastor and the congregation because you're not constantly looking for stuff. The weeks of study can kind of flow together when you have a nice road map. It enhances for both of us.

If you remember last time about this time of the year, we took 2025 and made it about the three Rs: Romans, Revelation, and the Resurrection. I called it the pirate year. I think it's been a great year so far and let's head towards the holiday with one more from Revelation.

Understanding Revelation: Two Essential Truths

One of the things I have been trying to show you is that Revelation is not a linear book nor is it a continuation of any other book like Daniel or Isaiah or Ezekiel. It is its own thing. It really is.

So you may ask, are there things God showed Daniel and others that he also showed John in the Revelation? Yeah, for sure. And so now we have all this information with different languages. And we as curious human beings, we want to try to figure it all out. And yet the more you study end times prophecy, the more you will see clearly that you will never know for sure.

That is one of the big takeaways for those of us who approach the scripture with an open hand and an honest heart. You're just never going to know. It's not written for us to figure it all out.

The Two Main Points of Revelation

The one thing I believe that it has been delivered to us so that we can get two major points:

1. God is in charge of it all.

2. Our job is to be ready and stay ready as faithful servants.

That's the point of all this. When you get end times timelines and stuff, that's kind of cool in their own way, but the truth is it's not really pertinent and it is kind of beside the point.

Why Timelines Are Almost Irrelevant

Always remember the bigger points at play here. Some of this just can't be reconciled into a timeline or whatnot. It just can't. Although many timelines of the end times and the tribulation period, the seven years, the three and a half years, they get put into play. It's cool, but it's just speculation. Many times it's honest and it's intended to be helpful. And I still enjoy a good end times timeline. I really do as far as it goes. But just remember, Jesus said God has to shorten the time.

Is that on the front end or is that on the back end? Most likely knowing God of the Bible is probably on the front end. He gives us more and more and more time to repent and come to him. And that's what I think we're going to see with the shortened timeline of seven years. So, you can't do anything but have speculation.

How Revelation is Structured

Let's review an overview of what you will find when you read the book of Revelation:

• The seven seals actually introduce us to the seven trumpets
• The seven trumpets seem to intro the seven bowls
• There is a break between the sixth and seventh trumpet (that is where we find ourselves today)
• There is a break between the sixth and the seventh seal
• The bowls are called the last plagues

The seventh bowl is introduced with the words, "It is done."

Revelation 16:17 says, "The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne saying, 'It is done.'"

It's pretty clear. Again, with all of that and the fact that chapters 11-4 looks back at chapters 4-10 and it really should unlock the main points of the book for us.

And what are the two main points of Revelation again? What are the main points regarding the revelation of the end of times to John the Apostle?

God is in charge. Jesus is our Lord and our King.

And be ready and stay ready as a faithful servant.

Keep that in the forefront of your mind as you study Bible prophecy from this day forward.

The Two Witnesses: God's Special Ambassadors

With that, let's go to the two witnesses in Revelation 11. Let's look at Revelation 11:3-14:

"And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. They have the power to shut the sky that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying. And they have the power over the waters and turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they desire.

And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises out of the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them. 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.

For three and a half days, some of the people and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb. 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.

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 upon all who saw them. And when 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.

And at that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. 7,000 people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe has passed. Behold, the third woe is soon to come."

Understanding the Context

Just kind of getting us up to speed. We are still in a parenthetical portion of scripture. What does that mean? That means God has kind of got a break in the action of the tribulation as he takes care of some heavenly business.

In verses 1 and 2, we discovered that a new Jewish temple will be built at Jerusalem. And hopefully throughout this message, it'll make sense. We really needed to understand that before we get to the two witnesses instead of just cruising right past.

This new Jewish temple will be built in Jerusalem and the Jews will consecrate a priesthood and they will start to offer animal sacrifices as prescribed by the law of Moses. They will worship God under the old covenant, not recognizing the fact that Jesus shed his precious blood once and for all to save the souls of humanity.

The next vision we are given is of two special witnesses. God sends two ambassadors from heaven to preach his gospel message to the people in Jerusalem and then therefore by extension the rest of the world. It is these men and their work that we want to kind of consider today.

POINT #1: The Work of the Two Witnesses

Let's start with point number one today. Let's look at the work of the two witnesses. In verses three and four, we see pretty clearly how their ministry is designed. It's not a mystery. These two men were raised up for a special purpose. And these two verses tell us much about these men and what they are sent to do.

They Are Called "Witnesses" (Martyrs)

They are called witnesses. What's kind of wild about that word witnesses as it's translated is it actually gives us the English word martyr. See, the word originally referred to someone who gave testimony about something like a witness. However, so many Christians were being slaughtered for their faith and for the cause of Christ that the word came to be associated with those who gave their lives for the faith. They died for their faith. So, it literally could be translated martyr.

These two men have come to witness to God's truth and as we just read, they will give their lives for him as well.

They Are Sent as a Team

Secondly, they are sent as a team. God always has his witnesses and many times they are a team. Oh, sure. Before the flood, God had his Noah. I get it. But in the dark days of idolatry of Israel, remember when Elijah thought he was the only one? And the Lord said, "No, he's got 7,000 out there that have not bent their knee to Baal." That's in First Kings 19.

But if you look a little closer, you will see God always has his witness teams:

• Moses and Aaron
• Joshua and Caleb
• Paul and Barnabas
• Paul and Silas

Why Two Witnesses?

God sends two witnesses because he wants the truth to be established. Why do I say that? Because the law stipulated that matters and that it has to be that way to be established by two witnesses.

Deuteronomy 19:15 says, "A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only the evidence of two witnesses or three witnesses shall a charge be established."

This is also reiterated in Matthew 18:16: "But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses."

Their Mission: To Prophesy

So you get back to our text and it's two guys. Their main work is they are sent here to prophesy and what will be the content of their message? We're not specifically told. So no one knows for sure. But I think they will stand outside the newly completed temple and preach Jesus to the Jews in Jerusalem.

They will:

• Talk about how Jesus Christ has fulfilled all the type and symbols that are out there
• Tell of his death, his resurrection, and his return
• Prove from the word of God that the temple and its worship are in vain

These men will be hated by Jew and Gentile alike because of the message they will preach.

The Symbolism of Their Clothes

Think about it now. Even the clothes they wear testifies to what they are about. It says they will be clothed in sackcloth. Sackcloth is a symbol of mourning. These men are not coming with a message of peace and comfort and hope. Uh-uh. They're coming to bring a message of condemnation and judgment to a wayward people.

The Timeline and Symbolism

We are told their ministry will last for three and one half years. Now, while we cannot be too sure of when their ministry will begin, again, timelines, we do know that it says specifically 1260 days. So, we can safely assume that they're going to commence their preaching sometime after the temple is built there in Jerusalem.

See, in our verses today, they are described as olive trees and candlesticks. What does this mean? This is symbolic of God's hand on their ministry:

The olive tree is the source of olive oil that is often a type of the Holy Spirit in the Bible. These men are anointed by the spirit of God for their particular ministry. The olive tree speaks of their anointing.

The candlestick speaks of their function. They will come to bring the light of God's message to a darkened world.

Divine Protection

And these two dudes will be incredibly unpopular because of the message that they have been sent to deliver. As a result, many will try and kill them. But these men are under divine protection. Everyone who tries to kill them will be killed by them. They have the power to destroy their attackers with fire from their mouth.

Who Might These Two Witnesses Be?

Before we move deeper into the passage, let me take a minute to talk about who these two guys might be. First, don't forget this. Hold on to this:

NOBODY KNOWS FOR SURE.

Nobody does. The Bible does not identify them and no one can absolutely say with certainty who they are.

There are a couple guesses and I'm going to share with you those reasons behind these guesses and you can make up your own mind although it really doesn't matter.

Option One: Moses and Elijah

Number one is Moses and Elijah. Many feel it's Moses and Elijah. According to Malachi chapter 4, Elijah will return before Jesus comes. John the Baptist fulfilled this prophecy according to Jesus in the book of Matthew. However, Malachi says that Elijah would come.

Malachi 4:5-6 says, "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."

Evidence for Moses and Elijah:

• Elijah never died
• One of the miracles the two witnesses will perform is stopping the rain—one of Elijah's miracles (see First Kings 17)
• Moses is mentioned in Malachi 4, right before Elijah in verse 5
• The miracles performed by the two witnesses are reminiscent of those performed by Moses in Exodus
• The big one: They're the ones who appeared with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration

Option Two: Enoch and Elijah

Second option would be Enoch. Some people believe that it'll be Enoch with either Moses or Elijah. I tend to kind of think if it is going to be Enoch, it'll be Enoch and Elijah.

Evidence for Enoch:

• Enoch was a preacher of righteousness in Jude verse 14
• Enoch never tasted death in Genesis chapter 5
• God took Enoch so early and we don't know what his other purpose could be—this could definitely be it
• Moses has a role to play in the Muslim faith which I think is going to be very prominent during the tribulation period, so I don't know if he'd necessarily be one of the witnesses

The Bottom Line

So, we won't really know until they come. All we really know is that God always has his witnesses.

If you want to make a case for Moses and Elijah, I'm with you. If you want to make a case for Enoch and Elijah, I'm with you. I just don't know. I like Enoch and Elijah for one reason and that is God took Enoch so early and we don't know what his other purpose could be. This could definitely be it.

Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration. You say that's got to be it. I'm with you. Let's not fight over something that stupid. I mean, people who fight over whether it's Enoch and Elijah or Moses and Elijah. I mean, is that not Gulliver's Travels? You know, big enders, little enders for those of you who know.

POINT #2: The Death of the Two Witnesses

Let's move on. Point number two, let's look at the death of these two witnesses.

The Reason for Their Murder

In verse 7, we get the reason for their murder. When they have finished their appointed ministry, the Antichrist will be allowed to kill them. Until that moment, they are protected by the hand of God and cannot be killed.

We are told that they are killed by the beast that rises from the bottomless pit. This beast will make war on them and conquer them and kill them. This is in reference directly to the antichrist. The antichrist is called the beast 38 times in the book of Revelation. He ascends out of hell itself, letting us know that he is demonically charged and controlled. He will make war against the witnesses and he will be allowed to overcome them and kill them.

A Critical Truth: Death Is in the Hands of God

Now there is a blessing of information right here for every saint of God:

Death is not in the hands of man or of a devil. Death is in the hands of almighty God.

He decides when people leave this world and you cannot die until he says it's time.

So many people live their lives in fear of death. They fail to grasp the truth that death is powerless against them until God severs that golden cord of life and allows death to claim the soul.

There is now therefore no need to fear:

• Men
• Armies
• Devils
• Your circumstances

You will not die until he says it's time. And you will not live a second longer than when he says it's time to go.

The Flip Side

Now, the flip side of that is you can shorten your years by doing something stupid. You can shorten your years by putting the Lord your God to some ridiculous test like:

• Leaping from a cliff to prove your faith that God will catch you
• Snake handling
• Drinking poison
• Many other ways people have misread and misinterpreted the scriptures to their own demise

Yes, you can shorten your years, but the faithful, the ones that are ready, that are going to stay ready, death can't touch you till the Lord God says it's time.

So remember: Death is always in the hands of God Almighty for the faithful. He decides when people leave this world, and you cannot die until he says it's time. So do not live your lives in the fear of death.

The Reaction to Their Death

Then in verse 8 and 10, we see the reaction to their death. The bodies of these men will be left in the very streets where they were killed. They're just going to lay there in Jerusalem and no one will remove their bodies or attempt to even bury them.

The World Will Watch

Verse 9 tells us that all the people of the earth will see this site. 60 plus years ago, it was a mystery how this could happen. In our day, we see live events from around the world 24 hours a day. Modern technology has made it possible for us to see what's happening on the other side of the world instantaneously. The news channels, social media will broadcast the image of these dead prophets around the clock.

Now, just a sidebar, some say this passage is the earliest and clearest prophecy to actual broadcasting. Think about it. We all take it for granted now, right?

The World's Celebration

Verse 10 tells us that the people of the earth will rejoice because these two men are dead. For three and a half years, these men have preached the gospel and caused plagues to be poured out on mankind. Now they are dead and the world celebrates. They act as if it's Christmas time. They celebrate, they party, they exchange gifts because these two men are dead.

Why do they do this? Because the preaching of these two witnesses drove them crazy.

We are talking about a world that:

• Rejected Jesus Christ and his blood
• Turned a deaf ear to the Bible truth
• Given allegiance to the beast (some without even realizing it)
• Certainly don't want to hear about God

These two dudes have been preaching the truth and their message of judgment and condemnation gets under people's skin. Now they're dead and the world throws a party.

The Only Scene of Joy in the Tribulation

By the way, this is the only scene of joy on the earth during the whole tribulation.

How pathetic of a world that's going to be. That this is what you have as the only thing of joy that's mentioned in the tribulation. They are happy because God's men are dead and God's message is silent. That's a tragedy.

What This Tells Us About Our World

Now, just for the record, the world around us seems to rejoice as well when Bible truth is silenced.

Nowadays, they love the message of the false teachers that actually exalt the flesh. False teachers in our day run the gamut of proclaiming special revelation or a genie in a bottle god all the way down to the namby pamby milktoast weak-wristed preaching that tells people that they're just the best, you're just so great.

The world hates:

• Preaching that exalts Christ and demands commitment
• This truth that stands on the Bible and says there is no other way
• A message that closes the door in the face of any sinner of any flavor who will not repent of their sins and turn to Jesus by faith

We have a society that wants to create sins of a certain flavor that should be excluded from that. Sorry. The world hates teachings that magnify Jesus as the only way to get to God. They rejoice when that message is gone, stunted or silenced.

Then they can settle in and they can listen to their fake prophets of love and acceptance that flood the airways and all the be happy folks who are plunging headlong into destruction.

Sad, but that's where we are today. Things are going to get a lot worse as we approach the end of this thing. Many of us think we're in the end times. Well, here you go.

Our Response: Share the Gospel

This is why when God puts the burden on your heart, this burden of sharing the gospel, the gospel that actually saved you, this is why we who are saved will use our time and our resources and our talents, whatever they may be, and we will be bent on sharing the gospel any way we can.

For some of you:

• It may just be attending church or maybe inviting someone to church
• It may be fighting the good fight on social media
• It may be investing your money in good ground ministries and missionaries

Do what you can with what you have.

POINT #3: The Miracle of the Two Witnesses

Point number three today, let's look at the miracle of the two witnesses. Verses 11-14 talks about the miracle of their resurrection.

Their Bodies Come Back to Life

The bodies of these men are allowed to lie in the streets of Jerusalem for 3 and 1/2 days. The world has watched now as their bodies turn blue, pass through various stages of rigor mortis, and they begin to bloat.

Then a strange thing happens.

Those bodies begin to stir. The two witnesses stand to their feet and the world trembles in fear.

Why the World Reacts in Fear

Why does the world react in fear? It's the fact that these men are alive again and being dead for three and a half days proves they are the real deal.

People know that:

• They are men of God
• The message they have been preaching is true
• This is the work of God

In this brief moment, in this brief moment in time, they will understand that they are now for sure headed for judgment in front of a creator, holy God.

All the lies they had to swallow to actually tune out the message of these prophets, now it'll pop off the screen and deep in their soul. The real deal was offered to them and they hardened their hearts against it.

A Comparison We Can Understand

I don't know what to even compare it to. I was thinking this week, what can I compare it to? And a lame comparison would be for those of us old enough:

Do you remember what you felt when you saw those planes hit the World Trade Center? Do you remember kind of the fear, the worry, and the what am I seeing? Do you remember feeling as if our world had been changed?

Now, times that by a hundred, and you will see what these people will feel.

You can imagine it. They're in their midst of their celebration. They are interrupted by a resurrection. They will watch it live. They will see it for themselves. They are interrupted by proof positive that the God of the Bible, the creator God of the Bible, not man, not Satan, not Antichrist, is really in control.

The Miracle of the Ascension

And as all of this is happening in the hearts of men and women, in verse 12, it tells us the miracle of the ascension. While the whole world watches, the two witnesses will be raised up into heaven. The world will be given a clear testimony of the power of God.

Bada bing, right in your face.

Satan, Antichrist, lost mankind will be reminded that God is the one in control of the world and all that happens in it. And they'll be helpless to stop this resurrection and ascension of the two witnesses. I find that very cool.

God Judges Jerusalem

Next, before the world can catch its collective breath, a great earthquake will hit Jerusalem in verses 13 and 14.

God judges his town. Whenever I go to Jerusalem, I always say, "We're in God's town now." And it does feel different when you're there. You feel like you're in God's town. And God is going to judge that city as they denied their Christ.

The devastation:

• A tenth part of the city will crumble to the ground
• 7,000 people will die

We are told that "and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven." Probably refers to a remnant of the Jews. They see these events, repent of their sins and call on Christ for salvation. See, God will even use these events to bring glory to his name.

More Judgment to Come

Verse 14, we are told, "The second woe is passed, and behold, a third woe comes quickly."

More horrors are on the way. The worst is yet to come.

Where Does That Leave Us Today?

We think our world is in bad shape, and it is. We talk about the wickedness of people, the hardness of human hearts, and that evil flourishes all around us. But think about this:

We are living in a world that is still inhabited by redeemed people of God.

• The Bible is still here and it is preached around the world
• The Holy Spirit is still here suppressing evil and hindering the spread of evil in our world

In the tribulation period, the Bible will be definitely taken out of circulation. And I can guarantee you that it will never be preached in power and authority if it is still around. And the world will grow more evil than you and I can even comprehend.

The Easy Answer: Trust Jesus

So where does that leave us all today? Well, let me just close with this thought. The easy answer is trusting Jesus as your personal savior today.

That is such a cliche in the church. Trusting Jesus as your personal savior.

What does that actually mean?

It means accepting his work on the cross as your substitute. He took the punishment of your life upon himself. The punishment you actually deserve. By the way, then he starts a good work in you that is beyond what you can conjure up yourself. You will find a new life, one that is joyful in ways you cannot describe. And you will start down a road called sanctification where Jesus changes your attitudes and your desires.

Now, will you obtain perfection this side of heaven? No. But you will have a peace that passes all understanding. Will I have that peace all the time? No. But many times. Sanctification is a growth process with many stalls and starts. But if it's authentic, it will be well with you.

The Problem with False Conversion

Now, some may say, the Christian world is no better than the secular world. And you want to know something? They'd be right in saying that. Why is it that way? Why if someone says the Christian world is no better than the secular world according to their eyes? Why would they say that?

My belief is it is that way. And that's a true statement because many are falsely converted.

There's a thing called prayerism:

• Say a little prayer and you're in the kingdom
• You're so special
• God loves you just the way you are
• Don't change a thing
• Just confess Jesus is Lord and you're in
• Just add Jesus to what you got going on

Or my favorite, "Jesus has a wonderful plan for your life." That line has led to more false conversions than anything I can think of.

Here Is What the Real Gospel Actually Says

Here is what the actual gospel actually says and actually is. You ready?

You and I are fallen sinners. We're sinful people. We have broken the Ten Commandments many times and we continue to do so. We are such awful, wretched beings. We are constantly focused on the evil things of the world. It's our default position.

Well, in that fallen, evil, sinful state, God loves us so much as his creation. He offers us a way out. So difficult is this way out. He had to come to earth to do all the heavy lifting himself. When you hear the line, God loves you so much, please understand there is no greater love than our creator God wanting to rescue us from that condition.

The Gospel Story

So Jesus as both fully God and fully man arrives at just the right time in all of human history. And then he lives a perfect life, a life that qualifies him to be the spotless lamb that could and would be sacrificed to take away the sins of mankind.

Then after the substitutionary death in the cross, taking my punishment upon himself, he goes into the tomb, but not to stay there. The resurrection gives him the power over death, hell, and the grave. And he offers it to each of us as a free gift.

The Disconnection

Now, here's where the disconnection is for some. We don't recognize ourselves as being sinners and in need of a savior. Then what exactly are we receiving?

People are genuinely virtuous. No, people are genuinely sinful. If we are basically good people, then maybe I'll try this Jesus thing on for a while, and if it doesn't go well, well, whatever.

See, people in this falsely converted state:

• Always seem a little discontented
• Always are looking for the next thing
• Always trying to seek and obtain special revelation
• Many become consumer Christians and always church hopping
• Many get sucked up into the latest religious fad

What True Salvation Looks Like

To be soundly saved, one of the first things that goes away is immense love for self. You see, you will recognize yourself as you really are. And now you will hold on tight to Jesus because you know you know.

Can there be traces of narcissism still around the soundly saved person? Of course. But it gets less and less than it was before. And throughout this growth process, the sanctification process, each child of God will continue with the I must decrease and he must increase because you start to see it. Honestly, you see it.

Pray for Revival and Follow Through

So, at the very least, when we in our prayer time, we need to be calling on the Lord to ask him to send us one more revival before the end comes. There's a multitude that needs to be saved and I just want to be used in whatever way he sees fit to reach a few of them before it's too late.

The book of Jude is one chapter and there's a verse in there says "snatch them from the fire while you can." That's it. If we have that mentality during this time, he will grow us in ways we cannot truly comprehend today.

Tomorrow I want to be closer to the Lord than I was today. And today I want to just be held in his grip because I know if I'm let off the leash, I'll run into traffic and get killed by myself. Are you the same?

That's why we have grace for each other because people wobble, people stumble, people are at different parts of their journey. That's why the unity of the brotherhood and sisterhood is so important during this time because we will strengthen each other especially those of us who are soundly saved.

The Mission

My mission for the last 20 years through broadcasting, film production, live events, and now as a pastor has been to see the falsely converted that are in the church have their eyes opened and really find new life in Christ. That's what I'm hoping for.

If you are struggling and you are living a defeated spiritual life or you're not even sure you're fully saved, reach out.

If you are soundly saved, dig in hard with us right now:

• Give more
• Spend more time
• Volunteer more
• Invite people to church
• Do whatever you can with what you got, with what you're comfortable with

Follow through on that prompting you have in your heart and in your mind right now. And you know what it is. Follow through.