A Daily Walk

John Randall: Today on *A Daily Walk*, what kind of witness are you in the world? Witnessing is not just something we do, it's something you are. If you identify with Christ, then you are a witness. If you are a true believer, not a make-believe, but a true believer, then you are a follower of Christ. Jesus said to His disciples, "You shall be witnesses of Me."

The question is, is Jesus getting through our lives to this world? Do people see Jesus? Do they see the Gospel on display? Do they see compromised Christians, or do they see real, authentic believers? We're not perfect, but we're seeking to live for Christ. We don't just preach it, but we live it.

Guest (Male): Welcome once again to *A Daily Walk*. We are continuing our verse-by-verse study through Revelation with Pastor John Randall. Last time, we had just begun to get to know the two witnesses described for us in chapter 11 when we ran out of time.

As is the case with much of this book, debate has raged over the real identity of the two preachers, and Pastor John will point out the varying opinions that exist. We'll also find out today that we too, as Christians, are witnesses of Jesus, called to represent heaven.

John Randall: The Apostle Paul said, "I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." We have this message, we have this hope, and this is something that we must be proclaiming, something we must be living in the days in which we are here. This is why we're still here and He hasn't come for us yet, because we are to be a witness. This is my question: Are you a witness for Christ? Are you standing for Him at this moment?

Guest (Male): These witnesses arrive on the scene with authority and a bold message to proclaim. John tells us what they're dressed like. He says they were clothed in sackcloth. Sackcloth was the garment of mourning. When you place this garment on your body, it was an outward symbol of inward grief. These two witnesses will wear the symbols of their grief before the world.

In verse four, John tells us that these two witnesses are two olive trees and two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. Notice this phrase. I've told you before that the Old Testament ties directly into the book of Revelation. There are pictures and symbols that John uses that take you directly back to the Old Testament scriptures, and this is one of them.

When he mentions two olive trees and two lampstands, that takes you back to Zechariah chapter four, where Zechariah saw a vision of two lampstands being fed with continuous oil from two olive trees. The vision that he was given had both a near fulfillment and a future fulfillment. The near fulfillment was directed to Zerubbabel and Joshua. They were two men who were used by the Lord to help rebuild the temple when they came back from captivity.

But the future fulfillment of that same picture is right here. Just like Zerubbabel and Joshua were empowered to rebuild the temple, these two individuals, these two witnesses, will be shining lights in a dark world empowered by the Spirit of God. This is exactly what the church is to be doing at the present time. We're to be shining the light to a dark world. That's our job. That's what we're here for.

Some people say, "Why don't you guys go back inside already?" Because we're a light out here in the midst where you can see us publicly and openly. The church has left the building. Jesus said, "You are the light of the world. You're like a city that's set on a hill that cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all those who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

The Lord has called us at this time, at this moment in history, to be light in the world, reflecting His light in the midst of darkness, and we must have the power of the Holy Spirit in order to carry out this mission that we've been given. The two witnesses, sent by God, preaching the word of God, are empowered by the Spirit of God.

John Randall: But here’s the question that so often comes up when you come to this passage: Who are they? Who are the two witnesses? I can tell you on more than one occasion I have been asked, "Hey, Pastor John, who are the two witnesses? Can you tell us who they are?" Well, let's see if we can discover the identity of the two.

I want to begin by saying this passage actually doesn't tell us who the two witnesses are. So, dogmatism is avoided when you look at this text. However, there are some hints that might help us. Look at what it says in verse five and see if this is familiar to you. "If anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. If anyone wants to harm them, they must be killed in this manner. They have power to shut heaven so that no rain falls in the day of their prophecy; and they have power over water to turn them to blood and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire."

These guys are going to be opposed. They're going to be hated. And yet, when they are opposed, they have power to overcome their enemies. So there are varying opinions as to the identity of these witnesses, but the most common response is Elijah and Enoch, or Elijah and Moses. The reason that some suggest Elijah and Enoch is that both of these men did not die, but they were taken by the Lord.

Enoch, in the book of Genesis, says that he walked with God and he was not because God took him. In the New Testament, it says concerning Enoch that while he was on the earth, he prophesied that the Lord would come with thousands upon thousands of His holy angels to judge. When you think about the experience of Enoch being taken before judgment, it's a prefiguring of the church being taken before judgment. He was raptured before the flood came, and I believe that the church will be taken before the tribulation comes.

Then people say Elijah. Like Enoch, he had a unique departure from this world. The prophet Malachi predicted that Elijah would come before the great and dreadful day of the Lord. Today, for example, at the Passover meal that the Jews celebrate, did you know that they leave a vacant chair at the table for Elijah just in case he shows up?

They even do something with the children who are little. Someone will knock on the door and they'll tell their child, "It could be Elijah. Go see who it is." And they'll go to the door and they just tell them, "Okay, Elijah wasn't there, it's your grandma." But nonetheless, they leave a chair open for Elijah because they're expecting him to come before the great and dreadful day of the Lord. When Jesus was hanging on the cross, do you remember? They said, "Wait, we think he's calling for Elijah." They were anticipating him coming.

But others suggest that the two witnesses will be Moses and Elijah because of the miracles that are mentioned here. It says in verse five, "Fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies." Do you remember in 2 Kings chapter one when Elijah was being called by that wicked King Ahaziah? He sent for him to come down off the hill that he was on, sent some soldiers. The soldiers came and said, "Hey, man of God, the king's calling for you." And Elijah said, "Well, if I'm a man of God, may fire come down and consume you." He torched them all right there.

He sent a second group of troops. "Hey, man of God, why don't you come down from there? The king's calling for you." Elijah said, "You know what? If I'm a man of God, may fire come down and consume you." He consumed the second group. The next guy comes out on his hands and knees. "Hey, man of God, the king would really like to talk to you. Please don't scorch us." This guy called down fire from heaven when he was on Mount Carmel confronting King Ahab after the altar was built and the sacrifice was placed thereon. Fire came down from heaven. So people think it's got to be Elijah.

But notice the other miracles that these men will be able to do. It says they have power to shut the heavens so that no rain falls. Elijah prayed. It says that it didn't rain for three years. He prayed again and it rained. They also have power to turn water into blood. When Moses was confronting the Pharaoh in Egypt, the first miracle that he did to get their attention was turning the Nile into blood.

Many think it's Moses and Elijah, two witnesses, not only because of their past history but also because of prophecy. Moses and Elijah were the two most influential people in the history of the nation. They represent the law and the prophets. Do you remember that these two men were with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration when He took Peter, James, and John up onto that high mountain? And who showed up there? Moses and Elijah.

So some people think maybe it's these two. John, who do you think it is? Here's what I know for sure: there's two of them. There's two, and they are going to be used powerfully. I lean toward Moses and Elijah personally. Don't write me emails, but I'm just saying that's where I land. It's not a salvation issue. It's kind of funny as a pastor sometimes. You make a statement like, "This is what I think. I'm not sure, but I think it's Moses and Elijah," and undoubtedly people are like, "You know what? I'm not going to your church anymore." Why? "Because you don't think it's Enoch." Okay. It really doesn't matter. I'm going to be with the Lord anyway. So what's going on down here, it's going to happen. There's going to be two.

But here's what we know: during their ministry, they're going to be invincible, unstoppable, completely protected by the Lord. People are going to hate their message. They won't be able to be killed during that time, but then their ministry will come to an end. Just like this sermon in a few moments. But verse seven: "Now when they finish their testimony," look at this, the assassination of the witnesses, "the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified."

There they are in Jerusalem, proclaiming the message of the truth of the Gospel, calling people to repentance. Miracles are taking place. But when they are done, when their mission is accomplished, when they finish their testimony, the Lord allows them to be put to death. They will be killed. They will be martyred when they are finished.

But these guys finish strong. I wonder how you're going to finish. How am I going to finish? Are you going to finish strong? These guys went out, but they went out powerfully, uncompromisingly standing for the Gospel, standing for the Lord. There will come a day when you will finish, when I will finish. We will have our last day just like these men.

But the important thing is: where will you go when your life comes to an end? If you've accepted Christ as your Savior, you can be confident that you'll be in heaven. If you have rejected the Gospel, you can only know according to the scriptures that you'll be separated from God in hell. But that's why Jesus died and rose again from the dead so that you could be saved. In a few moments, I'm going to give you a chance to get up out of your seat and come and pray to receive Christ here so that you can know when you end, when you come to the finish line, that you'll be entering into glory.

We have a work to do, and it's not going to be done until the Lord says it's done. But the Bible tells us here, when their testimony was through in verse seven, it says the beast came up from the bottomless pit and kills these two witnesses. The beast is mentioned 36 times. There is no beauty to this beast, folks, only evil. 36 times he's mentioned in the book of Revelation. Some believe it's the devil himself, others say it's the false prophet, others say it's the Antichrist. But here's how he's personified: he is a beast, a monster, and he destroys these two men.

But I want you to see something, folks: the reaction of the world to the death of these two witnesses. In verse nine: "Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three and a half days." They won't allow their bodies to be touched or put in the graves. They just leave them there in the street. "And those who dwell on the earth," verse ten, "will rejoice over them, they will make merry, they'll send gifts to one another because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth."

When the two witnesses are killed, the world responds. In fact, it says that the whole world rejoices. The news cameras are rolling. You can see it from wherever you are, these two witnesses dead in the street for three and a half days. Suddenly there is a worldwide satanic holiday. People start getting presents, handing them to their friends. "Merry Dead Two Witness Day." Whatever it is, it's a satanic holiday. The entire world rejoices, people from everywhere giving gifts to one another because these two men who proclaimed the truth are dead.

Folks, I want you to see something here, and do not miss this. Make a note of it. This is the only time in the tribulation period when anyone rejoices. It's the only time of rejoicing, when the Christ-rejecting world rejoices over the witnesses who are put to death. The satanic celebration reveals how depraved mankind really is. The two witnesses who faithfully preached are despised and rejected because of the hardness of men's hearts, and at their death, the world rejoices.

As the bodies of the two witnesses are left in the street, something miraculous takes place as we see the resurrection of the two witnesses. It says after three and a half days, verse 11, the breath of life from God entered them. They stood on their feet and great fear fell on all those who saw them. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Come up here." And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.

And in that same hour, there was a great earthquake and a tenth of the city fell, and in the earthquake, 7,000 men were killed and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe is passed, the third woe is coming. Suddenly, amid the world rejoicing, the Lord intervenes. The world's happiness comes to an end as the two witnesses are brought back to life by the One who is a resurrection and the life.

The two faithful witnesses hear a voice saying, "Come up here," and suddenly from the street, they ascend back into heaven and everyone sees it. An earthquake falls, people begin to perish as a result, but some gave glory to God. You know, some people may not understand the truth of who Jesus is until after we are gone. We don't know what kind of legacy or impact we're going to leave for Christ, but it's important for us to remember that we are called to be witnesses for the Lord in the times in which we're living.

Just like these men, faithful. The world didn't applaud them. The world wasn't excited about them. In fact, they were glad when they were gone, when they were silenced, when they could no longer speak the truth. And there's plenty in the world today that would love for us to be quiet about the truth because they have believed a lie.

But listen, friend, I want you to understand something as we conclude today: Witnessing is not just something we do, it's something you are. If you identify with Christ, then you are a witness. If you're a true believer, not a make-believe, but a true believer, then you're a follower of Christ. Jesus said to His disciples, "You shall be witnesses of Me."

The question is, is Jesus getting through our lives to this world? Do people see Jesus? Do they see the Gospel on display? Do they see compromised Christians, or do they see real, authentic believers? We're not perfect, but we're seeking to live for Christ. We don't just preach it, but we live it. Those two things have to go together. It's one thing to say I'm a Christian, it's another thing to live like you're a Christian, to be a witness.

The Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians chapter five, verse 20, "We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us; we implore you on Christ's behalf to be reconciled to God." Is God able to plead through you? Is He able to plead through me? Are we ambassadors for Christ? Are we rightly representing Him in this world?

Folks, that is our calling. That's what we're supposed to do. And in order to be a witness, here's a couple of things to remember: First of all, we have to be empowered by the Holy Spirit. You can't do it in your own strength and, thankfully, you don't have to. We have the power of the Holy Spirit enabling us to be bold for Christ, enabling us not to fear man but to fear God.

That's the problem. Sometimes we're so fearful of man because we really don't fear God. If we fear God, we're less concerned about what man thinks of us. It really doesn't matter in the final analysis. From the eternal perspective, it doesn't matter what the world thinks; it matters what God thinks. What does God say? Are we embarrassed about being a Christian? Or do we want to be accepted? Do we want to turn the light off so that people can't see? Or have we experienced past rejection that has humbled us and we don't want to talk about it anymore? We're so fearful. The Bible says do not fear those who kill the body, but those who kill the soul.

We also have a message to share. The Bible says in Matthew chapter 10, "When they deliver you up, don't worry about what you should speak, for it will be given to you in that hour what you shall speak, for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you." We're called to be witnesses, we're empowered by the Spirit, we're not to fear man, we are to be ready to share. The Bible says, "Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is within you."

Finally, folks, I want you to know something: there is a reward for the faithful witness. The Bible says, Jesus said it, "Whoever confesses Me before men, him I will confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will deny before My Father who is in heaven."

If ever there was a time for the church to confess Jesus before this world, it's right now. Listen, the world has no problem confessing what they're confessing. They have no problem putting it on blast, that which is evil, that which is sinful, that which is destroying the family. It's everywhere. Would to God that the church would stand with grace and truth, empowered by the Spirit as lights in darkness, and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

God help us. God empower us to do just that. Friend, do you realize this is your calling? You're a witness. We don't save people; we just tell people how to get saved. We're just the messengers. It's the Holy Spirit's job to save people. It's our job to tell people about the Savior.

Guys, it's my prayer that as we continue to go forward as a church, as a people, that we would be bold witnesses. Us gathering here is a demonstration to the world. Us gathering tonight on the shore is a declaration that we're not going anywhere until He calls us, and then we're going somewhere for sure. But until then, we're a light.

Maybe today you don't know Jesus. Oh, you know about Him. You've heard of Him. You know the stories. You might have heard it in Sunday School. You might have gone to a church at one time. But He's not your Savior. You've never accepted Him. You couldn't say that you're a witness because you don't live for Him.

But today you realize that God loves you so much that He sent His Son to die for you. That Jesus came to this earth over 2,000 years ago, went to the cross, took your sin and my sin upon His shoulders, died the death we should have died, and then was buried, and then three days later, He rose again from the dead. And now He offers you eternal salvation and life in heaven if you will turn to Him today.

Friend, if you recognize your need for Jesus, if you know that you're a sinner, if you know that you've failed God—and we all have—and you want to get right with God or you want to receive Christ, today's the day. Don't let another day go by. You might have all your life together in your opinion, your status, whatever, and you think you got it together. Listen, friend, on the day that you die and stand before God, you better know who your Savior is.

Don't wait until that moment. "Well, I'll just wait until I'm on my deathbed." You may never have that. Don't assume. And why waste your life? Why miss out on what God wants to do in and through you right now? So if you want your sins forgiven, if you want your guilt taken away, if you want to know that you have the hope of heaven when you die, friend, there's no day like today where you can be saved. In a moment, your life can change if you respond to Jesus. He loves you. He died to prove it, and He offers you salvation today. It's a gift. Will you pray with me?

Heavenly Father, we thank You today for Your Word, the power that is within it. And Lord, there may be some here who have yet to receive Jesus as their Savior. Lord, they have a knowledge of You, they know about You, but they don't really know You. But today, Lord, Your Holy Spirit is bringing conviction of sin. Lord, they know that where they are and what they're doing is not where You've called them to be.

Lord, there is an emptiness, there is a void that nothing in this world can fill, and today there is an awareness of that emptiness that only Jesus and a relationship with Jesus can fulfill. I pray for those that they would respond to this invitation, that they wouldn't put it off. Lord, those watching online, those here in this parking lot, those walking around in the outlet, Lord, who can hear the message of the Gospel, that they wouldn't wait another moment, another day, but give their life to Jesus today.

And so, Lord, in this moment I pray that You would draw people to Yourself. Lord, the message is delivered. It's up to You to bring salvation. That's on You, Lord. Thank You that it's on You. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Guest (Male): You've been listening to *A Daily Walk* with Pastor John Randall. We've been in the book of Revelation today, just part of our through-the-Bible journey. You can listen to the study again at adailywalk.org or oneplace.com. It's also available through the Calvary South OC app.

2 Chronicles 7:14 says, "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." That beautiful verse served as the inspiration of a book we'd like to send your way called *If My People: A Prayer Guide for Our Nation*. Written by Jack Countryman, this will no doubt stir your heart and mind as you read seven noteworthy prayers from past presidents.

They were inspired during some of our country's darkest days. This prayer guide not only reminds the reader that in God we still trust, but also brings some measure of hope for our country just when we need it. You can order that today online at adailywalk.org or call us at 877-242-0828. The cost is just eight dollars, and anything given above that amount will help us deliver God's Word on stations like this one all across the great USA and around the world. Again, call 877-242-0828 or donate online at adailywalk.org.

There's more to come in Pastor John Randall's study of Revelation. Set aside another half hour to join us tomorrow for *A Daily Walk*, where you never have to walk alone. This program is made possible through your generosity and brought to you by Calvary South OC.