October 2 Unstoppable Witness

Revelation 11:4-6 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6 These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
 
TWO witnesses came into Revelation in verse 3. Verse 4 describes them as olive trees and lampstands. Why doesn’t God’s holy Word simply reveal them as two prophets?
     Yes, they can be two prophets as some modern language translations write. Such prophets have lived. Elijah brought down fire twice to destroy soldiers from King Ahaziah (2 Kings 1:10-14). Elijah also shut the sky for 3 ½ years (the same length of time as the witnesses minister) of drought in Israel. And Moses turned the water to blood and struck Egypt with every kind of plague. Yes, the two witnesses can be a reincarnation of these especially anointed prophets. Or they can be two prophets created with the same heavenly power.
    But as they are called two olive trees and two lampstands, you see another Old Testament vision repeated: Zechariah 4:12 “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?” … 14 “These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth.”  As the Jews began rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple on their return from exile during Zechariah’s prophecy, the priest Joshua joined the prophet to call God’s people to repentance amid great opposition.
    And these witnesses can be symbolic of you and me – of Jesus’ church.  We are, after all, called to be a constant light to show God’s will to be done on earth.
    Regardless of whether this is the witness of two or of the church, the vision illustrates God’s purpose to tell the gospel. There will always be great opposition and even death of his anointed ones. But the persecution will not destroy the church. The gospel overcomes.
    Be encouraged with these words from Solomon in Ecclesiastes 1:9 What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Understand these words from God’s salvation perspective. We can thank God he is the Victor. One day there will be a new creation. The opposition, the war, death and evil be gone from our lives forever.
 
Prayer: Lord, you have anointed each believer, each one of us to be a witness to unbelievers. Protect us. Encourage us. Enable us in your gracious love. Amen.