6/1/2023

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING:

“But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet. Terror struck those who saw them. 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.” (Revelation 11.11,12)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

If we remember, the “first woe” was revealed in chapter 9 between the sounding of the fifth and sixth Angel trumpets. In the first woe, the Abyss was opened up to release agony and destruction for five months. But, even the forces of hell were under the command of God. They could pillage, plunder, destroy, torture and threaten to their hearts’ content but they could not bring death. Death would be called out for by those who were on earth in those days but it would not come. In those days Abaddon, or Apollyon, hell’s angel would lead the reign of terror. In chapter 11, we are given the description of the second of three woes to come upon the earth. It comes during the season of prophecy proclaimed by the “two witnesses.” This season lasted 42 months, Daniel’s three and one-half years, and then came to an end. It did not end because they had died. The end of that season came when the word that was to be given was exhausted. The breath of life breathed into it by God’s Holy Spirit was “complete.” In the words of Jesus from the cross, “It is finished. It is done,” we have our understanding of this “completion.” On the cross, Jesus breathed His last surrendering the very truth which had kept Him alive through all of His trial, tribulation and torture- the Holy Spirit. He called out from the cross, “Into Your Hands, I commit My Spirit.” In that understanding, we see the end come for the two witnesses who could not be eliminated by anything on earth for that season. At the end of that season of prophecy, however, the Beast from the Abyss was allowed to come into the world for the sole purpose of ending their lives. The world rejoiced at their death believing, as did the unrighteous rulers in the days of Jesus, “silence the man, silence the message.” But, the world did not understand before nor will it understand in that revealed season of Sabbath, “the message is more than the man; it is the will of God on earth as it is in Heaven.” By the will of God Jesus died for the sins of those who would truly repent and be saved and was Himself raised up from the grave on the third day to dwell in power, dominion and authority by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. In other words, God revived Him by restoring and resucitating Him with the ruach, the breath of God- the Holy Spirit. So, it would be with the two witnesses. After their Sabbath rest, God breathed into them and they came alive. The world was struck in fear and surprise as the witnesses took their stand being “raised from the dead.” In that moment, the word of God was spoken. It was a word of affirmation, “Come up here!”, which caused them to ascend into Heaven and dwell with God. Their enemies who had surrounded them in life and in death could only watch. Then, in the twinkling of an eye, the earth shook with such power that one-tenth of Jerusalem crumbled and seven thousand people died. There has to be a correlation to what happened when Jesus died on the cross and in that moment an earthquake shook the earth. The “Holy of Holies” was torn in “two” which revealed the inner sanctuary where the Ark of the Covenant should have been. What was made visible that day was the truth of emptiness. The “veil” was torn. The truth was revealed as to the futility of those who manifested an unrighteous faith to be their own. They had done all they could to maintain the facade on the exterior with wardrobe, sacrifices and the flaunting of “holier than you” attitude. But, it all amounted to nothing. When the veil was torn and the emptiness revealed, the prophecy of Ezekiel must have come to mind for those who remembered it. In Ezekiel, the Spirit of the Lord removed Itself from the desecrated Temple and went to dwell on the Mount of Olives. It remained there until the Age of Restoration and Return was completed when it would again take Its place in the New Temple, the New Jerusalem, the New Israel among the people of God who trusted only in Him.

So, what of the “two witnesses” and this Age of Prophecy as it was revealed to John? Might it be a symbol of the Church, as the disciples were sent out two by two, to fulfill the Great Commission. Are we in that Age now with the enduring and all-powerful presence of Christ as it was promised to them before He, too, ascended into Heaven? In that moment, Jesus told them “Lo, I will be with you always to the close of this Age.” Amid all the terrifying imagery of the forces of evil in their physical array and display of power, is the message of God’s will. We know that “God does not will the death of anyone.” His will is that all people on earth shall call upon His Name and bear witness to the truth of the gospel by which they will be saved. But, only by that witness of word and deed infused with the testimony of the Holy Spirit, mind you. What will it take for us as a people to stop in the presence of our enemies and feast on the praise opportunity which is set before us like a banquet table? Death? Death on a cross? Death at the hands of the Destroyer of flesh and bone? God is surely giving the people of this world every opportunity to “choose life” as which only comes from God our Father. But, there is still more to come.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY:

You are our God and we shall be Your people in spirit and in truth. Continue to dwell among us. Let the revelation by Your Holy Spirit inspire us to greater service in a more refined identity. We do not live as ourselves for ourselves. Rather, we live in Christ as He lives in us. We declare it with all the elders and angels in Heaven, saying “Holy, holy, holy is He who was and is and is to come.” In Jesus’ name we live, serve and pray. AMEN.