Title: The Martyrdom of the Two Witnesses
Contents
2007' Lecture on Revelation from the pulpit of the tendency (75)
"The ministry of witness of two witnesses (1) (Revelation 11:7-8)"
-The martyrdom of the two witnesses-
Revelation 11:7-8
Up to this point, we have been thinking about the Measure Movement, the two witnesses, and the authority the two witnesses received.
The two witnesses thought that God's absolute security was guaranteed by the temple and the altar of God and those who worshiped in it.
Next, I thought about who the two witnesses were. It was considered to be the church as the true witness of Jesus Christ in the Old and New Testaments, and also as the witnesses of the truth.
And the two witnesses thought that they were cooking the world by exercising the power of repentance, the power of the Holy Spirit, the power of the word, and the power of prayer.
Now we see Revelation 11:7-13[?the witness work of the two witnesses. And we can see that the extent of the witness work was even death.
At last we will see their final victory.
1. The end of the two witnesses is victory (Revelation 11:7-10).
1) When were you killed?
Revelation 11:7 says, “When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the abyss will make war with them, and will overcome them and slay them… ' he said.
“When we finish the evidence,” he said. The church movement in the gospel age will complete the work of powerful witness. No church or witness with a mission never dies leaving their mission incomplete. At first glance, things that seem to us to be martyred without being finished or to have passed away happen because his work is finished in the sight of God. Therefore, the Bible says, “They will rest from their toil” (Revelation 14:13).
The two witnesses complete the mission they received from the Lord faithfully and with joy. It is as if Jesus Christ completed the work of the cross.
Didn't he say, "It is finished" (John 19:30) on the cross?
2) Who was killed?
Revelation 11:7 also says, “… The beast coming up out of the abyss will make war with them and slay them... ' he said.
The origin of the beast was said to be the abyss. This is the center of Satan's movement as the beast, or the temporary dwelling place of Satan in Revelation 9:1~2.
A swarm of locusts have risen from here.
who is the beast
The beast here means the identity of the Antichrist. In Revelation 12 and 13, the identity of the beast is clear. A great red dragon, a beast from the sea, and a beast from the earth.
Comparing the Antichrist to a beast shows their cruelty, viciousness, spiritual blindness, ignorance, and perishability.
The identity of these beasts has been repeated throughout history. For example, Egypt, Babylon, Assyria, Greece, and the Roman Empire at the time of John. The mention of this beast again in the text refers to his final strife that will occur at the end of history. The church must be aware of the identity of the beast that will appear in the final field of history.
Also, saying that the two witnesses came up from the abyss when they finished their testimony does not mean that there was no animal activity when the two witnesses were doing the witness work. The two witnesses are doing witness work amid the constant challenge of the beasts. However, when the text says that the beast came up from the abyss, the source and affiliation of the beast are specified once more.
1 Peter 5:8-9 says, “Be sober and watchful, your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour; resist him, strong in the faith.”
3) Where were you killed?
Revelation 11:8 says, “Their dead bodies will be in the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, which is the place where their Lord was crucified.”
‘Sodom’ is a place where God challenged God with ungodliness, immorality, and pride. Therefore, it is the place where God's wrath was judged.
‘Egypt’ is the place where God’s people (the church) were abused and killed through idolatry, rebellion, and pride. As a result, they received the great wrath of God.
But again, he said that these ‘Sodom’ and ‘Gomorrah’ were the places where our Lord was crucified. Then, this great city, Sodom and Egypt, does not refer to a specific region, but to this wicked world. Therefore, the “great city” is expressed as Babylon in Revelation 16, 17, and 18. Babylon the Great (Rev 16:19), Babylon the Great (Rev 17:5), The Great City (Rev 17:18), Babylon the Great (Rev 18:2), The Great City, Babylon the Strong (Rev 18:10) said This city was the center of the great harlot and various unclean spirits. This castle was the center of the Red Christian.
This very great city of Babylon, Egypt and Sodom, was the home of beast activity. This moral (Sodom) and religious (Egypt) corrupt and treacherous world has crucified our Lord. They hate, persecute, and kill the children of God (the church) who follow the Lord.
Here, the “great city road” (Matthew 7:13-14) is a broad road. 4) Why was he killed?
(1) Because they tormented those who dwell on the earth.
Revelation 11:10 says, “These two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth… ' he said.
These two prophets are the two witnesses, the true church and ministers (witnesses).
“Those who dwell on the earth” refer to those of “peoples, kindreds, tongues, and nations” in Revelation 11:9. In other words, they are people who enjoy the menstruation of sin in the great city, that is, Sodom and Egypt.
However, the important thing is that the two prophets tormented the inhabitants of the earth. The gospel is good news. It is the news of salvation. news of love
It is the gospel that gives light, love, hope, and blessing. But how did the preaching of the church become a distress to them?
The word 'tortured' here means 'tortured'. It means that the consciences of those who dwell on the earth were judged through the gospel.
Isn't that one of the most important words?
Why has the gospel movement been a torment for those who dwell on the earth? The true gospel is distressing to unbelievers.
because?
① Because the gospel is the movement of the light of life (John 8:12, 9:5).
Darkness hates light. The reason is that all of one's identity is revealed through the light (John 3:19-20). In this case, the darkness is rather painful because of the light.
② This is because the gospel movement is an apology movement that takes away sins (Mark 10:45, 2:17).
That is why the gospel condemns the world of unbelief as evil (John 7:7). In this case, the world of sin suffers before the judgment of the gospel.
③ Because the gospel movement calls out the elect in this world.
This is because, although God's children live in the world, they belong to this world and do not live according to this world's ways (John 17:14). In this case, the world hates and hates the gospel. The reason is that they are drawn out of those who lived with them in the world. Therefore, God's children will have tribulation in the world (John 16:33).
④ Because the gospel movement is a judgment movement.
Because the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18). In this case, the existence of those who see the cross as God's saving power is painful to those who are perishing who are foolish.
The gospel is to testify of eternal life to those who believe and judgment to those who do not believe (John 3:16). Because those who believe in the Son testify that they have eternal life (John 3:36).
⑤ This is because the gospel movement is a movement for the resurrection of heaven.
Those who hear the gospel of Jesus will live. Sons are those who have passed from death to life (John 5:24-29).
⑥ This is because the gospel movement is a repentance movement.
Both John the Baptist and Jesus cried out, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2, Matthew 4:17). However, this gospel movement was regarded as painful by the world's first people living on this earth who did not want to repent.
⑦ It is because the gospel movement informs the judgment of the world.
This is one of the themes of the book of Revelation. The end testifies that Jesus Christ will return to the world as the Judge. It is because they testify that there will be eternal judgment on those who dwell on the earth at that time, namely Sodom and the first Egyptians (Revelation 1:7).
In this case, it becomes a suffering for those who dwell on the earth.
From this, we can see how true and holy the witness work of the two prophets was. They did not flatter people like the false prophets (Jeremiah 6:14; 8:11). False prophets did not point out the sins of people, but rather gave them peace (Jeremiah 6:14, 8:11, Ezekiel 2:7, 2 Timothy 4:2).
But the true prophets (two witnesses) did not. It rebukes, accuses, condemns, and urges repentance for the unbelief and lawlessness of this world, and further testifies of the imminent judgment of God's wrath.
The testimony of the true prophet Moses afflicted Pharaoh, king of Egypt. David's loyalty tormented King Saul. The testimony of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego's true faith afflicted Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. Micaiah, the servant of truth, tormented the false prophet Zedekiah and his crowd. The true witness of John the Baptist afflicted King Herod. The correct witness of Jesus afflicted the Pharisees (orcracy) and Pilate (power).
Jesus' resurrection tormented them again. How many secularists were tormented by Peter's sermon, Stephen's sermon, and Paul's sermon?
But on the other hand, for the people of heaven who will be saved, were not the witnesses of these witnesses the gospel, the hope, the light, the honey, and the honeycomb? The gospel movement, which tormented the world so much, was such a joy and joy for believers.
(2) To what extent did it bother you?
We can guess to what extent the two prophets (two witnesses) tormented the inhabitants of the earth. The basis for this can be seen from the attitude of the inhabitants of the earth before the end of these two prophets who were slain by the beast.
① They made the corpse a spectacle.
In Revelation 11:9, “… I will see the body for three and a half days, and will not let it be buried in a tomb.” Their bodies were left unattended in a large castle road and became a spectacle. Their cruelty and savagery are revealed in the prohibition of burial of corpses in tombs.
In this case, missionary activities cannot but be temporarily suspended. This is the case now under communism, especially in China and North Korea, and the extreme Muslims.
The corpses of the martyrs were wallowed in blood in the great sanctuary. But isn't it said that the blood of the martyrs shed in this city on the last day of judgment on this great city, Babylon, was not burned, but was shining before the Lord (Rev 18:24)?
② It is said that he rejoiced in the death of two prophets.
In Revelation 11:10, “… Those who dwell on the earth rejoice and rejoice over their death.”
It's a really scary and scary world. Aren't the inhabitants of the earth having killed the servants of the truth and rejoicing at the bloodstained body?
③ They even sent gifts to each other.
Revelation 11:10 also says, “… They said they would send each other gifts.”
A gift is a sign of love, a token of gratitude, or a sign of character sharing each other's joy. However, they killed the righteous, and instead shared a toast of pleasure in front of the corpse and exchanged commemorative gifts. Isn't it a really scary killer's party?
From these things, we can see that the two prophets (witnesses) preached the gospel to the point of death. This means that he tortured the inhabitants of this earth to the point of death.
5) How long will they be killed?
In Revelation 11:9, “… for three and a half days.” It is an extremely short period. However, the level of persecution is enough to cause the corpses of martyrs to be wallowed in the holy streets. This period refers to the final tribulation period. It belongs to the last period of the New Testament church age, that is, the second half of the tribulation period.
Then, it means that the persecution that hated, persecuted, and killed Jesus from the first coming of Jesus would reach its peak at the end of his church age.
It means that the age of martyrs will continue until just before the Second Coming of Jesus, that is, until the end of the church on earth.
That is the prophetic period of 1,260 days.