seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Revelation 11:1 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4 They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.” 5 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. 6 They have power to shut up the heavens 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.
7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. 8 Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. 10 The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.
11 But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 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.
13 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.
14 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.
This is the link to the commentary I use.
They… These… Them: In the ancient Greek grammar, all the nouns used to speak of the two witnesses in this passage are in the masculine gender. The two witnesses are definitely two men.
And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified: The two witnesses are killed in the city of Jerusalem, which is described in three illustrative terms.
As Sodom, speaking of immorality.
As Egypt, speaking of oppression and slavery.
As the great city, a term often applied to Babylon, the headquarters of Antichrist (Revelation 16:19, 17:18, 18:10, 18:16, 18:18, 18:19, 18:21).
Those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another: The earth saw and rejoiced over the deaths of the two witnesses. The fact that this is seen by all people, tribes, tongues, and nations is perhaps an oblique prophecy of modern mass media.
It is amazing — and not far-fetched at all — to think of a live, worldwide broadcast on new channels and over the internet, “Live from Jerusalem,” and seeing the amazing scene described here taking place.
The idea is also that the world treats these two witnesses in a humiliating manner. “To have his dead body lie in view of all was the worst humiliation a person could suffer from his enemies.” (Johnson)
Make merry, and send gifts to one another: Donald Grey Barnhouse told of a Christmas card with Revelation 11:10 on its cover — a terrible misquoting of the Scriptures!
They stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them: As this happens before the eyes of the watching world, the enemies of these two witnesses are horrified and astonished.
Come up here: The earth was not worthy of these two witnesses, so God simply calls them home, and they ascended to heaven in a cloud.
In the same hour there was a great earthquake: An earthquake brings judgment, and moves many to give glory to God. But it remains to be seen if this will become true repentance unto salvation.
The first "woe" brought the funky looking locusts that would bite and leave their victims wishing they could die.
This is about the second "woe". Here we read about the two witnesses. They will be murdered in public.... they will lay in the street for three days... getting all musty and stinky... and then they will get up! They will ride a cloud into heaven.... and then there will be yet another earthquake.
The first time I read Revelation, we didn't have social media. Now we've gone way past that. Now we are plagued by AI.
The two witnesses haven't even started to withhold the rain, turn water to blood, or preach in the center of town and they are already very famous. I typed in "who are the two witnesses in Revelation?". I got pages of response.
So, wouldn't it be easy for AI to formulate two men preaching? Wouldn't it be just as easy for AI to show these two men being killed? Wouldn't it be easy for 123 greetings to come up with a "they're gone" card for the event of their demise? Wouldn't it be just as easy for AI to show the two men turning into walking dead or zombies? Wouldn't it be expected that after all that formulation, AI would show them ascending in a cloud?
They will preach for 1260 days. We're going to get really bored with them. They will be worse than the never-ending Medicare Advantage ads running on the golden-oldie cowboy movie channels. Even the best of Christians would grab the remote, or swipe, or put the phone down... until the witnesses have had their say for the day.
I'm sure it will be very true... NOT AI... but social media could either carry it, or spoof it, or both. That's what we do now.
WAIT.... this is the second woe... the earth has already been hit by mountain moving earthquakes.... there is no social media... there is no signal!!!!
The second "woe" is not on social media.
