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Posted 21st Sept 2007

The Witnesses of Rev 11

David Weber

19th September 2007

Beloved ones, throughout the scriptures there is an unwavering principle that is taught, and that is that judgment can only be executed upon a sinning individual if at least "two witnesses" can be produced to verify the truth of any infraction. We read that "At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death" (Deut 17:6). Anything less than this is simply not acceptable to God - and so, He is preparing "witnesses" (according to the requirements of the divine law) to testify to the ungodliness of the world and to the corruption found in the present day's systems of religion - so that He might then be justified in bringing a deluge of judgment upon the whole carnal and sordid mess.

Admittedly, there are other valid applications for the following passages of scripture. In sharing what I have here, I'm just trying to be faithful to what I've heard in the spirit lately about certain end times "witnesses." May you be blessed by this. -- D
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The Witnesses of Revelation Chapter 11

Rev. 11:1,2: And there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, "Rise and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and those who worship in it. And leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months."

In a vision, a measuring rod was given to John to measure things as God sees them and not as they are viewed by carnal minded men. This rod is indicative of righteous judgment; judgment made according to divine truth. The measurements that are being taken here are of the "temple of God and the altar," which is IN the hearts of men. These are the sacrifices that men have made in their service to God and their worship of Him. This all relates to the general loss of the self-life which comes through one's surrender to the Holy Spirit.

The "outer court" on the other hand is not measured here at all, for it represents "outer court" believers who did not progress much beyond their justification by faith and therefore much of their carnal adamic life remains intact. Revelation 12 refers to these same ones as "the remnant of the woman's seed." It is given for much to fall on these people at this time, not so much that they bear witness to the wisdom of the cross, but because they need to be "trampled underfoot" by the enemy for a while in order that they experience the suffering that is needed to bring them to the end of themselves.

Rev. 11:3-5: "And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty 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 desires to harm them, fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies; and if anyone would desire to harm them, in this manner he must be killed."

John describes here the manifestation of God's true temple worshippers; an earthly witness of a people in union with their Head Jesus Christ, and a demonstration of a remnant people operating in Christ's full power and authority. These witnesses will be clothed in "sackcloth," which means that they will have a plain unnoticed appearance and have hearts that need no recognition from men. "Sackcloth" also indicates the brokenness and humility of these; that which is required to be able to announce truth with the strength and the power which comes from only God Himself.

These two witnesses are a manifestation in the earth of true faith and pure undefiled love, and they are under the blame of the entire world (as a sacrifice) because of it. Faith seems to live only with sacrifice, and pure love only in self-denial. In thus manner, these two witnesses declare the truth to those who are appointed to hear their profound words. Their strong and effective words will defeat for a time all those who oppose them, for they are a witness and a testimony in the end of the age to God Himself, and those who fight against them seem to suffer the severest of consequences because of this. These servants will have no other weapon except the words that come from their mouths. Because these words are God's words and not man's, they come forth as a consuming fire to those who hear them. We see little of this type of ministry today - holy ones who have no other weapon to defend themselves except their love and their faith, which when spoken of, can make their enemies absolutely speechless.

Rev. 11:6: These have the power to shut up the sky, in order that rain may not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.

It is certain that those to whom power is given to witness to the truth like Jesus Christ will have great power to do what He did, and possibly even power to do greater things than that. It is said that these witnesses have the power "to shut heaven." That, I imagine, is the power to stop the rain of comfort on those in whom grace must work out death. Whatever this power might be, it seems that these shall perform great miracles to prove the truth that they announce with their words. But take note that God gives these witnesses power only after they have been brought to nothing. These are not wannabe church leaders. No, these are nothing. These nobodies though, have the power to turn the waters of God's grace and sweetness to blood. This means that there is power in their words to bring suffering and even strange misfortunes to those who continue to oppose the truth that they bring. These are certainly heralds of divine truth to whom God has granted power to greatly influence the world all around them.

Rev. 11:7,8: And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.

As soon as the Lord Jesus had finished His 3 1/2 year earthly witness to the truth, He was smitten by the beast of the pit. The devil was stirred to try to take Jesus' life, but it was Jesus Himself who actually laid His life down as a testimony to the wisdom and love of God made manifest in the cross. And so it will be for these tribulation "witnesses" also. These will more than likely be physically overcome by the power of Satan, but, as that is the primary call of God for His saints at the end of this age, this will ultimately prove to be a demonstration of God's wisdom, and will be the power by which Satan is overcome.

It is said that the dead bodies of these shall lie in the world, even in spiritual Egypt and Sodom where God is not known and where Jesus Christ Himself was dishonored and crucified. This mystical Sodom and Egypt can be found in many places, even in places that some Christians might call "church." Because it was the children of the synagogue who, by way of a religious spirit, crucified their Lord 2000 years ago, I imagine that it is possible that today's religious children of the "church" might be so overcome by darkness that they would actually kill the faithful witnesses of the truth who firmly abide in Christ. I don't really know if this will be so or not. However it is that these witnesses are killed, their bodies will remain out "in the street" to bear witness to the cruelty and corruption of the day.

Rev. 11:9,10: And those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

This is still obviously a time of the reign of Satan, for sure, and is the time when he tries to destroy the TRUE Church witness ... but it will be in vain. Though this extremely powerful witness to the truth seem to be utterly destroyed and defeated (even as Jesus seemed to be destroyed on the cross on Calvary), and though the entire world rejoice in the apparent defeat of these holy ones, these are not spiritually overcome, but are only bearing witness to the wisdom of the cross of Christ. THESE WILL CERTAINLY ARISE! And they will do that with more strength and power than ever seen before.

Rev. 11:11-13: And after the three and a half days the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were beholding them. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies beheld them. And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; and seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

After three days and a half is the time when truth will seem defeated in this fight, but the Spirit of life and strength will enter into this witness once again, but not as before, but in the full power of RESURRECTION LIFE! It seems that these are they who inherit the Kingdom as first-fruits of the resurrection - not even experiencing corruption of their physical bodies. This, beloved ones, are they who will be received into God Himself as the manchild "caught up" to God's holy throne. This is a part of the remnant brought into a place of divine authority to rule the nations in righteousness in the age to come. Yes, this will be the beginning of an order of Kingdom government in the earth like nothing that has ever been seen before!

Beloved, this is about the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ come into manifestation! This is about they who take seriously the call to overcome the devil by the blood of the Lamb, the word of their testimony, and by not loving their lives unto death! This is a description of the end of the age Church on earth, those who will even willingly lay down their mortal lives as a testimony to the wisdom of the cross of Christ, to then take up those lives again, but NOT as they were before, but rather, taken up in the fullness of the beauty and power of Jesus Christ's own glorious resurrection! Oh, hallelujah!

Beloved, my prayer for you at this time is that your heart be thoroughly prepared for what lies ahead, and this so that you can give God what He really wants from you -- a life laid down in demonstration of the wisdom of the cross. I've once heard it said, "He is no fool who lays down something that he cannot keep, to attain something even greater that can never be taken away."

To that I simply say ... amen.