The Two Witnesses (Rev. 11:1-14)

The Two Witnesses (Rev. 11:1-14) I. Their Ministry (v.1-4) A. It begins during a time of intense Jewish persecution (v.1) a. The Time of the Tribulation Temple [Zech 13:8-9] B. It covers the time period of the “Great Tribulation” which lasts 42 months. [Lk. 21:23-24] (v.2) C. It is a ministry of prophecy and power (v.3) D. It is a ministry sustained by God alone [Zech. 4:4-14; Rom. 11:26-31] (v.4) II. Their Miracles (v.5-6) A. The two witnesses will have the ability to perform signs and wonders (v.5-6) a. The identity of the two witnesses: 1. Some commentators hold that the two witnesses are Moses and Elijah. 2. Some commentators hold that the two witnesses are unknown because the Bible does not mention their names. 3. Some commentators hold that the two witnesses are Enoch and Elijah. 4. Three Reasons Why Enoch and Elijah are the Two Witnesses: 1) Both Enoch and Elijah were taken to heaven without experiencing physical death (Gen. 5:24, Heb.9:27, 11:5; 2 Kings 2:11). Since both witnesses will be physically killed by the Antichrist, these men will experience physical death for the first time. 2) Both Enoch and Elijah had a ministry that involved speaking God’s Word with power in their respective times. 3) Many of the early church fathers believed the two witnesses were Enoch and Elijah. III. Their Murder (v. 7-10) A. How they will be killed [Rev. 13:1-7] (v.7) a. Seven things to know about the beast or Antichrist, who kills the witnesses: 1. He will not be known until after the rapture. (2 Thes. 2: 3-8) 2. He will begin from anonymity and rise to power. (Dan 7:8) 3. He will be a Gentile leader from the revised Roman Empire. (Dan. 2,7) 4. He will make a 7 year peace treaty with Israel. (Dan 9:27) 5. He will be assassinated and restored to life. (Rev 13:3) 6. He will sit in the Temple and declare himself to be God. (2 Thes. 2:4) 7. He will be defeated by Christ at the Second Coming. (Rev. 20:20) B. Where they will be killed (v.8-9) C. How the world will respond to their deaths (v.10) IV. Their Movement (v.11-14) A. After 31/2 days of death, God will raise up the two witnesses resulting in three events: a. The exalted movement of these two Saints (v.11-12) b. The earthquake movement to judge the Sinners (v.13a) c. The exchanging movement from sinner to saint [Lk. 17:15-19; Rom. 4:19-21] (v.13b-14) Point to Ponder: Time is of the essence in drawing men to Christ through the Gospel. Are you doing your part to expand the kingdom in terms of your words, your walk, and you witness? John F. MacArthur Jr., Revelation 1–11, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), 293. Ibid., 297. Ibid., 290. John F. Walvoord, The Revelation of Jesus Christ (Chicago: Moody Press, 1966), 180. MacArthur, MNTC, 300. John F. Walvoord, “Revelation,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 956. Mark Hitchcock, The End (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2012), 239. MacArthur, MNTC, 300. Henry M. Morris, The Revelation Record: A Scientific and Devotional Commentary on the Prophetic Book of the End Times (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale, 1983), 195. Ibid., 195. David R. Reagan, “The Two Witnesses,” Online. Accessed June 30, 2021. https://christinprophecy.org/articles... MacArthur, MNTC, 303-04. Ibid., 304. Morris, Revelation, 204. MacArthur, MNTC, 305. Ibid., 305.