Before the third woe (last trumpet) sounds we learn that two men, called “witnesses,” have been preaching God’s Word for the past 3 1/2 years. These messengers came on the scene at the same time that God’s church went into “her place” to wait out the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord. It is at this point that the church’s ministry ends and the ministry of the two witnesses begins. Their mission ends with the ending of the second woe (vss 12-14). Bear in mind that the Word of God is called a “witness” in Matthew 24:14 following Jesus’ warning of what will take place just prior to His return. He calls this period of death and mayhem (vss 3-13) “the beginning of sorrows.” Following this warning He tells the disciples something else that will happen just prior to His return: “And this GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM (not church doctrine) shall be preached in all the world for a WITNESS to all nations, and then the end shall come.” The word “witness” comes from the same root word as “martyr.” The two witnesses, whose ministry will be seen throughout all the world, will certainly live up to the meaning of their label. In the postings titled Persecution I point out that to speak and obey God’s true gospel is to die in a social and familial sense because the world, especially the church world, hates God’s Truth. It is for this reason that He tells us to “count the cost” of discipleship before “putting our hand to the plow.” Service to God is a type of martyrdom, meaning that one must die to the things and the people of the world. The Apostle was referring to this type of martyrdom when he said: “I die daily” (1 Cor. 5:31). Sainthood is a singular existence in most cases. See Sainthood: The Separated Life. With extremely rare exception, those around the saint will come vehemently against him/her. In most cases the saint’s worst enemies will be those in his/her own family (Mat. 10:36). Contrary to popular opinion, Jesus is not a peacemaker when it comes to His saints: “Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven. Think not that I am come to send peace on earth; I CAME NOT TO SEND PEACE, BUT A SWORD (His Word-Eph. 6:17/Rev. 1:16/Heb. 4:12). FOR I AM COME TO SET A MAN AT VARIANCE AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND THE DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND THE DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW. AND A MAN’S FOES SHALL BE THEY OF HIS OWN HOUSEHOLD. HE THAT LOVES FATHER OR MOTHER … SON OR DAUGHTER MORE THAN ME IS NOT WORTHY OF ME ….” (Mat. 10:32-40). In some cases sainthood brings about physical death. Read Hebrews 11:32-38.

The two Revelation witnesses will be endued with supernatural power and protection as they give forth God’s final warning to the world’s evil inhabitants in preparation for the sounding of His final trumpet. Then, their mission completed, the Lord will allow them to be killed by the Beast government described in Revelation 13 and 17 and Daniel 2 and 7. Their dead bodies will lie in Jerusalem for three days until they are resurrected and told to “come up hither.” It is now time to “hear” the seventh trumpet (third woe) and see what transpires.

We are told that Christ will return to earth at the blowing of the seventh trumpet (1 Cor. 15:52/1 Thes. 4:16/Mat. 24:31). In Revelation 11:15 we are told: “And the seventh angel sounded and there were great voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever.'” JESUS HAS RETURNED TO RULE ALL PEOPLE ON EARTH. This does not sit well with the earth’s rulers who convince the masses that Jesus is in reality the Antichrist who has come to destroy their leader–the real Antichrist who is the head of the Beast government. Spurred on by the False Prophet, the people will fight against the Lord: “And all nations were angry, and Thy (God’s) wrath hath come, and the time of the dead that they should be judged (has come), and (the time has come) that Thou shouldest give reward unto Thy servants the prophets, and to the saints and them that fear Thy name, small and great, and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth (Rev. 11:18). Now notice what completes the wrath of God. “And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having THE SEVEN LAST PLAGUES; FOR IN THEM IS FILLED UP (COMPLETED) THE WRATH OF GOD” (Rev. 15:1).

Those who believe that the supposedly saved go directly to heaven upon death should notice whom Jesus brings with Him when He returns to earth. If churchites who have died go to heaven, would they not have accompanied Him so as to be where He is for the next 1000 years? It is true that the Lord will not be alone when He returns to earth: “When the Son of man shall come (to earth) in all His glory, AND ALL THE HOLY ANGELS WITH HIM; then shall he sit upon the throne of His glory. And before Him shall be gathered all nations, and He shall separate them one from another as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats. And He shall set the sheep on His right hand and the goats on His left. Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, ‘Come ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Mat. 25:31-34). Notice that sheep and goats remain together until Judgment Day. Notice in the Scriptures that wheat and tares, good and bad fish, good and bad fruit are not distinguished by man. Rather they are all lumped together and called “the church,” “the faith” or “Christendom.” Likewise those designated as sheep and goats will remain together as one group (the “church”) until Jesus Christ separates them following His return. It is only then that the Counterfeit Church will learn the truth, albeit the hard way: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name? and in Your name have cast out devils? and in Your name done many wonderful works? And then I will profess to them, ‘I NEVER KNEW YOU; depart from Me you that work iniquity.'” Satan’s goats will have believed throughout their lifetimes that they were the Lord’s sheep. Like the five foolish virgins, they will show up at the marriage feast expecting to be invited in, only to be turned away at the door (judgment).

As the Lord and His angels appear above the earth, those saints that have been in the grave (not heaven) awaiting His return will rise from the dead to meet Him in the air, followed by those that are alive at that time (1 Thes. 4:14-17). Having gathered His people to Him in the air, Jesus will lead them back down to earth to the Mt. of Olives (Zech. 14:4). It is at this point that the Lord and His saints will set up their Father’s kingdom and begin their 1000 year reign over the earth. As 1 Thessalonians 4:17 tells us, from that time on the Lord’s people will always be where He is–in the Kingdom of God on earth. See The Resurrections and The Kingdom of God. L.J.