Who are the two witnesses of Revelation 11? For 1,260 days, God’s two witnesses will prophesy clothed in sackcloth. Fire proceeds from their mouths to devour their enemies, and they have power to shut heaven so that no rain falls, to turn the waters to blood, and to strike the earth with plagues as often as they desire.
In this message from our series Revelation: Jesus Revealed – The View Behind The Veil, we walk through Revelation 11:3-13 in three movements: the rise and rule of the two witnesses; the response and removal of the two witnesses, when the beast from the bottomless pit makes war against them and the world celebrates over their dead bodies in the street for three and a half days; and the resurrection and rapture of the two witnesses.
After three and a half days the breath of life from God enters them, they stand on their feet, and a loud voice from heaven says, “Come up here.” It will be the only time in human history that human eyes watch a resurrection and a rapture take place at the same time – a reminder that God’s faithful witnesses always have the final word.
Sermon Audio
Sermon Video
Sermon Notes:
Revelation 11:3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will
prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
Revelation 11:4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing
before the God of the earth.
Revelation 11:5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth
and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed
in this manner.
Revelation 11:6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days
of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to
strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
Revelation 11:7 When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of
the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.
Revelation 11:8 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.
Revelation 11:9 Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations
will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies
to be put into graves.
Revelation 11:10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make
merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented
those who dwell on the earth.
Revelation 11:11 Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God
entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who
saw them.
Revelation 11:12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them,
“Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies
saw them.
Revelation 11:13 In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth
of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the
rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.
I. THE RISE AND RULE OF THE TWO WITNESSES.
Revelation 11:3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will
prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
Revelation Chapter 2 (Verse 13) mentions Antipas, who is explicitly named as
“my faithful martyr [witness]” who was killed in the city of Pergamum.
Revelation Chapter 6 (Verses 9-11): John sees the souls of those who had
been slain (martyred) for the word of God and their testimony resting under
the heavenly altar
Revelation Chapter 17 (Verse 6): John looks upon the woman (Babylon) described
as drunk with the blood of the saints and the “blood of the martyrs of Jesus”.
Revelation Chapter 20 (Verse 4): John sees the souls of those who had been
beheaded (martyred) for their testimony about Jesus and for refusing to worship
the beast or his image.
Polycarp in his final prayer, he prayed, “O Father, I thank you, that you have
called me to this day and hour and have counted me worthy to receive my
place among the number of the holy martyrs, Amen.”
Revelation 11:2 “… for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the
holy city underfoot for forty-two months.
Revelation 11:3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will
prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
Revelation 11:4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing
before the God of the earth.
1 Thessalonians 1:5 For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also
in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind
of men we were among you for your sake.
Revelation 11:5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth
and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed
in this manner.
Revelation 11:5 (MSG) If anyone tries to hurt them, a blast of fire from their mouths
will incinerate them–burn them to a crisp just like that.
Revelation 11:5 (EXB) “… Notice If anyone ·tries [wants] to harm them in whatever
way, in that same way that person ·will [or must] die in the same way.
Revelation 11:6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the
days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood,
and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
II. THE RESPONSE AND REMOVAL OF THE TWO WITNESSES.
Revelation 11:7 When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of
the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.
He is also called the Beast from the Sea in (Revelation 13:1):and the First
Beast in (Revelation 13:12) to distinguish him from the second beast
who is (the False Prophet) that rises from the earth.
He is also called a Scarlet Beast in Revelation 17:3
Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field
which the Lord God had made.
Revelation 12:9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called
the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world;
Daniel 7:3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other.
Isaiah 27:1 In that day the Lord with His severe sword, great and strong, will punish
Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan that twisted serpent; And He will slay the
reptile that is in the sea.
You are going to find that a great many of the saints are more interested in
Antichrist than they are in Christ.”
Revelation 11:8 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.
Revelation 11:9 Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations
will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies
to be put into graves.
Pastor R.G. Lee famously stated, “If you preach at my funeral that I had no enemies,
I will raise up out of that casket!”
III. THE RESURRECTION AND RAPTURE OF THE TWO WITNESSES.
Revelation 11:11 Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God
entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who
saw them.
Revelation 11:12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them,
“Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies
saw them.
Now this is the only time in human history where human eyes will actually see
a resurrection and a rapture take place at the same time.
Revelation 11:13 In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth
of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the
rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.
