Prophecy Updates and Commentary By Steven M. Collins
Introduction:
In Revelation 11:1-14
, there is a prophecy about two prophets who will emerge on the world scene at the very end of our age. The Bible prophesies that they will wield spiritual powers unprecedented in human history. They will alter the world’s geopolitical situation and astound the nations of the entire world. The Bible calls them the “two witnesses.” They will issue a final warning from God to all nations as this current age comes to a close just prior to the millennial age to be ruled by Jesus Christ. This article will examine this important prophecy in Revelation 11, which receives surprisingly little attention in modern Christian churches. The two witnesses will affect the lives of everyone on the planet; and its time we learn more about them and what they will do.
Events to Precede Their Ministry:
Revelation 11:1-2 offers some indication of the specific events, which will indicate the arrival of the two witnesses is imminent. The book of Revelation was written by the Apostle John who was told to write in a book that which he saw in a prophetic vision about events at the end of our age (Revelation 1:1-2, 11, 19). Revelation 11:1-2 records that John was given instructions about measuring a “temple of God.” He was not to measure an outer courtyard, which was “given to the Gentiles.” The word “gentiles” comes from the Greek word “ethnos” which literally means “nations.” Revelation 11:2 foretells concerning these “nations” that “…the holy city shall they tread under foot for forty two months.”
The “holy city” must certainly be Jerusalem, the city in which past temples of God, have been located. That poses a problem because there is currently no temple of God in Jerusalem. This prophecy strongly implies that such a temple will be built before the end of this age. However, since John was told to “measure” aspects of the temple area, this does bring up another possibility based on a biblical precedent. In the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, a remnant of the house of Judah returned from captivity to Jerusalem and began to rebuild some of the fallen city and repair the temple. Ezra 3:1-6 states that the returning Jews began offering the burnt offerings of the morning and evening sacrifices even though “…the foundation of the temple of the Lord was not yet laid.” [Emphasis added.]
If this precedent repeats itself in the modern world, a modern temple site could be dedicated by the modern Jews/Israelis and morning and evening sacrifices could begin even as the site is “measured” for temple construction to begin. It is difficult to see how a temple could be built given modern Mideast politics, but some kind of comprehensive political settlement could result in the Jews being able to build a new temple in Jerusalem. It is intriguing that Revelation 11:2 states that the “nations” will “tread under foot” the “holy city” for 42 months. This implies that some entity composed of “nations” will have some kind of political jurisdiction over the city of Jerusalem at a future time. Modern geopolitical realities indicate that the UN (the “United Nations”) would likely have a major role in any such multinational settlement. Will a “united ethnos” (i.e. the “United Nations”) be the entity which assumes this jurisdiction over at least a part of the city of Jerusalem? If so, this event appears to trigger the arrival of the two witnesses on the world scene for the very next biblical verse after this event announces the Divine calling of the two witnesses.
The Ministry of the Two Witnesses:
In Revelation 11:3, God states: “I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophecy [preach] 1260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” The length of the ministry of the two witnesses is 1260 days, which is the length of 42 thirty-day months. Their ministry apparently occurs during the same time period allotted for the city of Jerusalem to be “trodden under foot” by the “nations.” If so, the ministry of the two witnesses will last for the same period of time that the “nations” have some kind of jurisdiction or control over the city of Jerusalem. Notice that this 42 month period is also the same period of time allotted for the prophesied existence of an end-time political entity called the “beast” (Revelation 13:1-7).
The “beast” power of Revelation 13 (see verse 7) will have authority over all the “ethnos” (the nations), the same “ethnos” that will have some control over the city of Jerusalem in Revelation 11:1-2. It is very likely that the “beast” of Revelation which rules the “ethnos” in the end-time is also the entity acting for the “ethnos” in assuming some control over Jerusalem in Revelation 11:1-2 in the end-time. It seems evident that the two “42 month” periods of time mentioned in Revelation 11:2 and 13:5 are describing the same period of time. If so, the two witnesses will apparently emerge on the world scene just as a “beast” power assumes some form of jurisdiction over part of the city of Jerusalem.
Revelation 11:3 states the two witnesses will be “clothed in sackcloth.” The term “sackcloth” pictures garments of grieving or mourning (see I Samuel 3:31, Jeremiah 4:8 and many other scriptures). This expression could mean these two prophets will be (A) clothed in literal “sackcloth,” (B) be “clothed” in a spirit of mourning about the ominous message they are required to deliver to the world, or (C) both of the above options.
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