God Speaks
Now I was given a measuring stick and told to go and measure the temple of God, including the inner court where the altar stands, and to count the number of worshipers. 2 “But do not measure the outer court,” I was told, “for it has been turned over to the nations. They will trample the Holy City for forty-two months. 3 And I will give power to my two witnesses to prophesy 1,260 days* clothed in sackcloth.”
4 These two prophets are the two olive trees, and two candlesticks standing before the God of all the earth. 5 Anyone trying to harm them will be killed by bursts of fire shooting from their mouths. 6 They have power to shut the skies so that no rain will fall during the three and a half years they prophesy, and to turn rivers and oceans to blood, and to send every kind of plague upon the earth as often as they wish.
7 When they complete the three and a half years of their solemn testimony, the tyrant who comes out of the bottomless pit will declare war against them and conquer and kill them; 8-9 and for three and a half days their bodies will be exposed in the streets of Jerusalem (the city fittingly described as “Sodom” or “Egypt”)—the very place where their Lord was crucified. No one will be allowed to bury them, and people from many nations will crowd around to gaze at them. 10 And there will be a worldwide holiday—people everywhere will rejoice and give presents to each other and throw parties to celebrate the death of the two prophets who had tormented them so much!
11 But after three and a half days, the spirit of life from God will enter them, and they will stand up! And great fear will fall on everyone. 12 Then a loud voice will shout from heaven, “Come up!” And they will rise to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watch.
13 The same hour there will be a terrible earthquake that levels a tenth of the city, leaving 7,000 dead. Then everyone left will, in their terror, give glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe is past, but the third quickly follows:
15 For just then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting down from heaven, “The Kingdom of this world now belongs to our Lord, and to his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever.”
16 And the twenty-four Elders sitting on their thrones before God threw themselves down in worship, saying, 17 “We give thanks, Lord God Almighty, who is and was, for now you have assumed your great power and have begun to reign. 18 The nations were angry with you, but now it is your turn to be angry with them. It is time to judge the dead and reward your servants—prophets and people alike, all who fear your Name, both great and small—and to destroy those who have caused destruction upon the earth.”
19 Then, in heaven, the temple of God was opened and the ark of his covenant could be seen inside. Lightning flashed and thunder crashed and roared, and there was a great hailstorm, and the world was shaken by a mighty earthquake.
Source: The Living Bible: BibleGateway.com
We Respond
Reflection: First, the Apostle John is instructed to count the worshippers and to measure the temple of God, all except the outer court, the court of the Gentiles. He was also told about the two witnesses whom God would use, empower, and protect for 1260 days. Their ministry would be to proclaim the word of God on the earth and demonstrate His power, especially over nature. They will be feared, hated, and martyred, with their deaths actually being celebrated; however, their resurrection after 3-1/2 days, with its accompanying ascension and massively deadly earthquake, will strike terror in people’s hearts and turn them to giving glory to God. Then the seventh trumpet will sound. There will be an announcement of victory from heaven. The basis of the “Hallelujah chorus” from Handel’s Messiah will be actualized. In Heaven, the twenty-four elders will fall face down in a great acclamation of praise. On earth there will be lightning and thunder, hailstorms, and a massive earthquake.
Prayer: Dear Gracious Father God, who knows and is sovereign over the future, thank You for instructing, guiding, and protecting Your servants, like the Apostle John and these two witnesses. Please keep my heart open to Your correction and direction as did the Apostle John and these two faithful witnesses. Please use me to proclaim the word of God and to demonstrate Your power as well as Your great love of human beings like me. Don’t let me shrink back because of the fear of being hated or martyred. May many people develop a proper fear of the Lord, turn from their sinful ways, and give glory to You, Lord God. I want to be on the alert so that I am ready when the seventh trumpet is sounded. I proclaim in my own life, “The Kingdom of [my] world belongs to [my] Lord, and to His Christ; and He shall reign forever and ever.” I give thanks to You, Lord God Almighty. You will, You are, and You have taken authority over my life. You will reward me for any faithful service I have done by the power of the Holy Spirit. I will fear Your name. Please destroy those who have caused destruction on the earth. Please restore Your temple in Jerusalem and reveal the contents of the ark of the covenant. I also ask that You, the God of all comfort, will comfort the hearts and minds of those who are affected by the natural disasters you send to wake people up. For the glory of Your name. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will regularly join others in worship in a church building, perhaps more frequently than I have in the past.
- I will examine my heart attitude to see if I am willing to stand up for Christ and serve God as these two witnesses did, then do as God directs.
- I will locate and listen to a recording of Handel’s Messiah (or at least the “Hallelujah chorus”) and use it as a time of worship.
- I will spend significant time praying for people affected by natural disasters like those mentioned at the end of this chapter.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.