Key Verses: 3, 9, 11,
15, 18, 19
God has never been without a witness
to the Truth. Even when judgment comes, God still desires repentance and
restoration. As this three and a half year period unfolds, God has two
witnesses who proclaim the Truth. They are protected from harm and are able to
bring judgments like the Old Testament prophets did. The difference is this. In
the Old Testament prophets acted in specific moments at the specific direction
of the Lord. They didn't do things on their own. These two prophets have the
ability to do things on their timing. They bring judgment as often as they
like.
After they have finished their task, Satan is
allowed to win one. He kills these two prophets and leaves their bodies for
everyone to see. The world rejoices at their death. It is like the world
rejoicing over the election of a corrupt dictator, because they know that he
really poses no threat to them. It is not like the death of Osama bin Laden,
which was celebrated in the West, but deplored in much of the world. These
prophets are almost universally hated. Where are the Christians, I ask?
But after three and a half days God
brings them back to life and takes them to heaven as the crowds watch. The
earth itself seems to sync with heaven. Judgment comes in an earthquake. And
some respond in partial repentance. I say partial because they give God glory,
but there doesn't seem to be repentance. We don't read of any change in their
behavior. Repentance requires a change in behavior, otherwise it is just a
change in feelings. Too often the Church has allowed changes in feelings to be
substituted for changes in actions. Repentance is about turning your actions in
a godly direction, not about feeling better. Repentance is hard work.
Jesus is now acknowledged as the Lord
of the earth. Time has been ticking along until this moment. Now Jesus is in
charge. Time has come for judging the dead, rewarding His people, and judging
the current crop of rebellious inhabitants of the earth. The inhabitants of
Heaven itself are in worship as they declare this. They too have been waiting
for sin to be erased from creation. The time is drawing near for all to be set
right.
As heaven rejoices at the coming
restoration, all hell seems to begins to break loose on earth. Every natural
disaster that was seen by John's contemporaries as judgments from God break
loose. None of these was within man's control, and even with all our
technology, they are still out of our control. With the recent destruction from
natural disasters around the world, and the cries to prevent them arising, we
are not much different.
It reminds me of the Tower of Babel.
The world united in disobedience and defiance, certain of their own ability to
handle it without God. Like solving “Global Warming.” Ignore the fact that the
earth stopped warming up sixteen years ago, and charge on with our modern day
Tower. If we come together as a planet, we can solve anything. Even things that
don't need to be solved! No wonder God brings judgment on our arrogance and
rebellion. We haven't changed much in these two thousand years.