Wow!  This is exciting!  God’s two witnesses have total power!  This is more exciting than some of the comic books people read!  Let’s face it… God has a flair for the dramatic!

"If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes out of their mouths!  And it devours their enemies.  This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die.  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."

God does everything He can to lead men and women to repentance. Some people will simply not listen. And the choice we are given has the equal responsibility of living with the results of a wrong choice.

This is another section of scripture that lends itself to lots of opinions and speculation… so again, we look for the principles, not the details. 

There are five distinct temples alluded to in the Scriptures. 

1. Solomon's temple, which was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 587 BC.
2. The temple of Zerubbabel that Antiochus Epiphanes pillaged and consecrated to Jupiter in 168 BC. 
3. Herod's magnificent temple, which was reduced to ashes by Titus in AD 70. 
4. The fourth temple, the one described in this chapter, is to be the focus of attention during the Great Tribulation. 
5. The fifth temple will be the millennial temple described in Ezekiel 40-47. 

When this tribulation temple is described, the court is not measured because it is given to the Gentiles (non-Christians, for Christians are spiritual Jews) for a period of 42 months.   42 months is 3½ years, and it corresponds to one-half of Daniel's Seventieth Week (described in Daniel chapter 9).  This time is also described as a period of three and one-half prophetic years (as 1,260 days). 

It appears that the Antichrist will enter into a covenant with Israel.  However, after a period of seemingly world peace, he will ruthlessly break the covenant after only three and one-half years. The remaining 42 of the seven-year tribulation will be a time of incredible suffering for Israel. Gentiles will occupy the city of Jerusalem during this time. 

This prophetical passage about measuring the temple seems to refer to Ezekiel's vision.  The intention of this measuring seems to be the preservation of the church in times of public danger.  It may be for its trial, or for its reformation.  We do know that God will take care of His own, and we do know that God allows testing to come our way to develop and strengthen us. 

Someone has said, "children need a balance of loving kindness and discipline much like a battery needs a positive ground and a negative ground.  If you leave out either, the battery won’t function. If a parent gives in to a child all of the time, the child will be spoiled rotten and a burden on society.  If the child only receives harsh discipline he or she will be insecure and unable to make decisions on his own."

The perfect parent cares for God’s children!  He or she balances tolerance and loving discipline until we learn when to tell ourselves "no" and when to tell ourselves "yes."

I believe in the premillenial rapture of the church.  I can’t accept the idea that God will allow us to go through these punishments.  However, many around the world are under so much tribulation because of their Christian testimony that it would be hard for them to believe me. 

There will be Christians on earth during the tribulation, because many that know the way but have not accepted Christ will see things differently!  They will receive Christ after the rapture.  They will be on planet earth during this time!  It may be rough!

God will test the worshippers to see what their motive is.  Will they make God's glory their purpose and His word their rule in all their acts of worship?  The ones that are in the outer court worship in a false manner.  They will be found among God’s enemies.  God will have a temple and an altar in the world until the end of time.  But many may miss out.  Jesus said, "Not everyone who says ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom… just those who do the will of the Father." 

The identity of the two witnesses has been the source of a number of interpretations.  Those who follow a spiritual or allegorical approach have identified them as the Old Testament and the New Testament, others believe that they are Elijah and Moses, but still others argue for it being Elijah and Enoch.  I go for Elijah and Enoch because these two never experienced death. 

However, a better interpretation might be that the two witnesses represent two last-day prophets who perform their ministries in the spirit and power of Elijah and Moses.  Jesus referred to John the Baptist as “Elijah”, so there is a good argument for this point. If this is true, their names are not provided. They are executed in Jerusalem. And look at what happens when they die! The folk will not allow a burial, and people all over the world will rejoice as they look upon them. Now until TV came along people really raised their eyebrows at that statement! 

But note what happens 3 days later! (11-13)  But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on. At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

Verses 3-13 tell us more about these two prophets. They prophesy in sackcloth.  This shows their afflicted, persecuted state, and deep sorrow for the abominations against which they protested.  God protects them while they are doing their great work for 3½ years.    In fact, (see verses 5 & 6) "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.  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."

Then their job is finished, (verses 7-9).  "Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them.  Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.  For three and a half days men from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial."
 

But Satan’s power to delude and confuse people is what really has my attention today.  A story published in the Dallas Morning News on January 6, 2001 is an eye opener!  It tells about a Unitarian Universalist Church that has decided to go pagan.  Members of the church started lighting candles for the elements: earth, air, fire and water.  Sermons became more focused on natural themes, such as gardening.
 
When they light the candles at the beginning of the service it is to honor the earth, air and fire. At the end of the service they blow out the candles and say, "Thank you for your presence.  Go in peace."

This is communion Sunday, a time when we renew our commitment to Christ and to each other. May I encourage us to consider our lives carefully over the next few minutes?  God is still in charge!  But He has committed to us the responsibility of obedience.  When you go to work every day, the boss is in charge.  If you are the boss, then the customer is in charge.  In each case, if you rebel, which you can, then you suffer the consequences.

May I humbly recommend submission to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords?  He said, in Matthew 11:28-30, 28  "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."