Let's turn again for a little to the chapter we read in Revelation chapter 11.
! I'm reading in verse 12.
Revelation 11, verse 12.
Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them,
! Come up here!
And they went up to heaven in a cloud,
and their enemies watched them.
As we know, Revelation is a book of great mysteries,
and James McKeewith this morning was preaching from it,
and he highlighted just that very thing,
that some of it is very, very hard for us to understand,
and it's very easy to get bogged down in it,
and begin to speculate, and begin to tie ourselves in knots.
But tonight I want us just very simply to look at these two witnesses
that we have here, the reaction of the people to them,
and of what God did with them,
and the impact that it made upon all who watched
and all who saw what was happening.
And so in this chapter we read of the ministry of these two witnesses,
and it's quite interesting when we see in verse 4 where it says,
these are the two olive trees and the two lampstands
before the Lord of the earth.
And whenever you read that, it takes your mind to Zacharias' prophecy,
because we have the very same kind of imagery there.
And Zacharias, in his prophecy,
was prophesying of how God was going to restore Israel from captivity,
and that two men, Zerubbabel and Joshua,
who would be the two instruments in God's hand,
in bringing the people back and rebuilding and restoring the temple and such like.
So there is definitely some link to that here.
But here we have these two witnesses,
two men in this revelation that John's been given,
and they are given 1,260 days to witness.
Roughly, about three and a half years,
or a wee bit more, I'm not sure of the maths of that,
but between three and four years they're able to witness.
And in that period they are untouchable.
For three and a half plus years they're going to preach.
They had an appointed time,
and when their ministry was over,
they were going to face martyrdom
because of their love and their faith to the Lord Jesus Christ.
And we know in this world
that the very earth is red with the blood
of those who love the Lord Jesus Christ.
Year after year after year throughout this world,
thousands have been killed for no other reason
than that they love the Lord Jesus Christ.
There's that ongoing hatred to Christ,
to his people, to his followers.
Now it's interesting how the Lord often has his witnesses in twos.
And we find himself, the Lord,
remember when he sent out the disciples on mission,
he sent them out in twos.
And we often read in the New Testament
of how in the early church they were in twos.
We find Peter and John.
We find Paul and Silas.
We find Paul and Barnabas.
And the two is, I believe, very important.
One is there to encourage the other,
and I'm sure the other is there to compensate
for what one gives,
because different personalities,
different styles, different ways.
So there's a lot of method in that.
Now, you'll notice that when the time of the witnesses comes to an end
and the persecution against them is so severe
that two particular nations are mentioned.
It talks about their death,
and verse 8, it tells us,
and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city
that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt.
And interestingly,
these two names straight away will take to your own mind
Sodom was a city of gross immorality.
Egypt was a nation for its severe persecution of God's people,
but also we know that at the time of the end of Genesis and into Exodus
that Egypt was one of the foremost countries.
It was a country of great wealth and of education,
a country of materialism and paganism and worldliness.
So in a sense, Sodom and Egypt stand for everything that this world is
in its opposition to the Lord Jesus Christ,
of all the immorality, the materialism, and all the power,
and everything that is opposed to the Lord Jesus Christ.
And as we know, it's still the very same thing today.
So here's this world that is fired up in enmity
and opposition to the witnesses.
That are sent by God and enabled by God to proclaim the truth.
Now, verses 8 and 9 are very interesting
because you'll know that the witnesses,
it tells us here about these witnesses.
That tells us, verse 7,
and when they'd finished their testimony,
that is, when the time that the Lord had appointed,
the beast that rises from the bottomless pit
will make war on them and conquer them and kill them.
And their dead bodies will lie in the street of that great city.
So they weren't even given the decency of a burial.
They were just left their bodies to rot where they lay.
That's what the people thought of them.
They looked on them as just dirt, as refuse,
as something to be, just leave them where they are.
But what's fascinating is verse 9.
Now, people reading this at the time when John wrote it
would say, how on earth is that possible?
How can people from all the different languages in the world
and all the different nations in the world
and all the different tribes in the world,
how can they all look for three and a half days
on the bodies of these two witnesses?
Well, back then, it would be impossible.
But you and I know today it is not impossible
because we live in this world of satellite communication
and internet and everything that happens
from Japan to New York, from the Antarctic to the Arctic.
Everything is shown to everybody all over the world.
There is this instant display of communication worldwide
with all the technology that's available today.
So, no difficulty for us to understand
how we wouldn't be able to witness their bodies
because there would be so many would be photographing
and filming and showing what has happened.
So, all around the world,
people would be seeing exactly what is happening.
But tragically, we see here that there's actually
rejoicing at the death of the witnesses.
There's this time of celebration
because it tells us in verse 10,
and those who dwell on the earth
will rejoice over them and make merry.
Isn't that incredible?
And yet, that kind of opposition
that these witnesses faced
is the very same as happens today.
There are so many people
and people in places of influence
and power, and their main aim
is to eradicate the Christian faith.
We find it in the media,
we find it in the political world,
we find it in education,
in all the places of influence.
There are those, and they're determined
to silence the voice of Christ.
To eradicate Christian influence
out of the public place.
There's this idea,
have your Christianity,
but have it at home.
Have it privately.
Don't dare bring it into the public arena.
And so there's this determined push
from so many.
And it's just the very thing
that we find here.
See, the Lord is telling us
exactly how it's going to be.
And you know this,
if violence could be used
against the church
in our land today,
most certainly it would.
Thankfully, just now,
we're protected.
But there might come a day
when violence
will become part and partial
of what the church
in our land
will experience.
But we find that the people
are so happy
and so full of joy
that those witnesses are dead
that we find
it's quite extraordinary.
That tells us in verse 10,
and those who dwell on the earth
will rejoice over them
and make merry
and exchange presents
because these two prophets
who have been a torment to them.
Isn't that extraordinary?
Somebody labeled this
a satanic Christmas.
They're so happy
to see the witness of Christ
done away with
that they're exchanging presents
and celebration.
That's how awful
the situation is.
But you know,
it changes in a second.
In a moment,
it all changes.
And what happens next
reminds me to a certain extent
of when you go to Daniel
in chapter 5
with Belshazzar.
Remember Belshazzar,
the king?
And he threw this massive party
for a thousand of the lords.
And it was a drunken orgy.
And to add insult to injury,
he had taken the golden vessels
that had been brought
from the capture of Jerusalem
and they were using them
to drink
and call on the pagan gods.
And at the height
of that drunken orgy,
all of a sudden,
do you remember what happened?
A man's hand appeared
and began to write on the wall.
And instantly,
there was total silence
in that hall.
And it tells us
that Belshazzar,
he was so shaken
that his body
began to quake.
His whole body
began to shake
with what he was seeing.
Well, here's
a similar moment.
At the height
of the party,
at the height
of the celebrations,
at the height
of rejoicing
at the death
of the witnesses,
we find something
extraordinary happening.
that the two corpses
that had been lying
on the ground there
for 84 hours,
we could say,
for three and a half days,
all of a sudden
come to life.
They stand up.
And if you and I
had been there,
we couldn't believe,
talk of not being able
to believe what you're seeing.
But this is exactly
what is happening.
that God has brought
these witnesses
back to life.
And it tells us
great fear
fell
on them all.
Great fear,
no wonder.
And you know,
evil,
although there are times
it appears to triumph.
And you say
there's no end to it.
It's just getting worse
and it's getting worse.
Its days are numbered already.
evil will never
ultimately triumph.
There's always
going to be an end to it.
It's always ultimately
of a temporary nature.
And then we hear
this voice of command
to the witnesses,
come up here.
And they went up
to heaven
in a cloud.
Come up here.
You know,
that's a voice,
we'll come back to that
in a moment.
That's a voice
that every Christian
soul hears
at the moment
of their death.
Come up here.
That's what happens.
Every person
who loves
the Lord Jesus Christ,
at the moment
of death,
their soul
is summoned
into the presence
of the Lord.
And the wonderful thing
is that when God
speaks a word,
he gives power
accompanying the word.
See,
that's a big difference
between you
and me
and God.
At the very beginning
when God said
the creation,
it tells us,
God said,
let there be light.
And there was light.
Now,
if you and I
went into a room
in a total blackout,
and we said,
let there be light,
we could will it
and wish it
and exercise
all the positive
thinking in the world,
but we couldn't
produce one spark.
It would just
remain black.
But when God
says a word,
accompanying the word
is the power
to do exactly
what he has said.
And that's
the word,
you see,
for instance,
when Peter walked
on the water.
Remember what Peter
said on the boat,
Lord,
if it is you,
bid me come to you.
And Jesus
just said,
come.
And accompanying
that word,
come,
was the power
to do what is
humanly impossible
to do.
And you know,
in a sense,
it's the same
with every soul
that is saved.
When you became
a Christian,
although
theologically
and such like,
we might not
be able to,
but in a sense,
it's what God
says to every person
when they come
to faith,
is come up here.
it's when
the word of God
comes in power
into your heart,
into your life,
and is able to do
what has never been
able to be done before,
bring you
from darkness
into light,
from death
to life.
You can't
save yourself.
An elder
can't save you.
A minister
can't save you.
A member
of the family
can't save you.
You can't
save yourself.
Or the ministers
and elders
and family members
and they pray
for you,
witness to you,
but they can't
save you.
God alone
is able to save.
And we must
always remember
that,
that it's God
who saves.
You see,
we've got to be
absolutely
convinced of this
because sometimes
we think,
oh,
it's just a matter
that I know
that I've got
to believe.
And some people
think it's an area
of just,
what we might
say,
positive thinking
and being able
to say in our
heart,
I believe.
Salvation is
a gift.
God is the
giver.
And we go
to God
and say to him,
Lord,
I need to be
saved.
I want to be
saved.
But I can't
get from here
to there
unless you
will save me.
That's what
we need to do.
we need to be
absolutely,
we do the
asking.
That's imperative.
Seek and you
will find.
Our seeking is
saying,
Lord,
save me.
Reach down.
Pull me to
yourself.
Come up here.
May I hear
these words.
May these words
of life come
into my soul.
And help me to
know that I've
passed from
death to life.
And he will,
guaranteed.
We've got to
remember that we
can't save our
selves.
It's God who
saves.
But as we
said earlier,
this voice come
up here is the
voice that takes
place at the
moment of death.
You see,
our soul,
when we die,
couldn't be
transported on
its own to
glory.
That's an
impossibility.
At death,
God is
enabling.
God is
controlling.
God is
over the
whole situation.
As we were
originally made,
death, as we
know, wasn't
part of the
equation.
When God
said in the
garden,
over everything,
it is good.
Death was
not there.
There was no
death.
And it
wasn't until
Adam and
Eve ate of
the forbidden
fruit.
Remember what
God said,
in the day
you eat of
this fruit,
you shall
surely die.
death.
And the
day they
ate, the
sentence of
death began.
And death
has followed
ever since.
It is the
great enemy,
the great
intrusion,
the great
thing that
we hate,
we recoil
from.
And it's a
portal that we
all have to
pass through
unless Christ
returns first.
And who
knows?
He may
return before
some of
us pass.
We don't
know.
It's the
enemy that
we all
recoil from.
The greatest
instinct we
have is
self-preservation.
But there's
going to come
a day when
we have to
give way.
And many
Christians,
as we
know, some
Christians have
the most
amazing deaths
and the
most wonderful
peace, but
not every
Christian.
Some
Christians have
suffered,
maybe through
the illness,
through different
things.
And they've
suffered terribly
as they've
gone down
into death's
dark veil.
And many
a living
hand has
tended to
them, and
many a
living arm
has supported
them.
But we've
got to
remember that
underneath,
there's a
more powerful
hand and
a more
powerful arm,
because the
Lord is with
his people at
death.
And as
death approaches,
I believe that
the ministering
spirits of
God, the
angels, are
present.
remember what
Jesus said in
the story of
the rich man
and Lazarus,
that when
Lazarus died,
that his soul
was carried by
the angels
into glory.
I believe that
that's what
will happen,
because the
Lord is going
to give this
command, come
up here, and
the soul will
be transported
to glory.
a voice that
no person
around the
bed, or no
person in
the room, or
no person
anywhere is
conscious of,
but that
voice of
command, with
the power and
the authority,
will carry that
soul into
glory, into
the presence of
the Lord.
And Jesus, of
course, is
longing for that
moment.
We've always
got to remember
part of the
high priestly
prayer was,
Father, I
will, that
they also
whom you
have given
me, be
with me
where I am,
that they
may behold
my glory.
Jesus is
longing for
the day when
every single
Christian is
going to
arrive into
glory.
So the
arrival of a
Christian into
glory is a
wonderful thing
in glory.
Jesus is
involved.
Remember the
picture that's
given to us
when Stephen
was being
stoned.
And as he
was about to
be martyred,
he says,
Behold, I
see the
heavens opened
and the
Son of Man
standing on
the right
hand of
God.
And some
people have
suggested that
Jesus was
standing in
order to
welcome Stephen
home.
That's a
suggestion.
But we know
that there will
be a real
welcome.
Enter into
the joy of
the Lord.
So what a
transformation
will take place
in the twinkling
of an eye.
All the
suffering,
all the
pain,
all the
discomfort,
all that
this person
is going
through will
change in a
moment.
In the
twinkling of
an eye,
taken out
of this
world and
transported
straight into
all the
glory and
the wonder
and the
joy and
the beauty,
the everlasting
domain of
the redeemed.
And of
course we
here on
earth mourn,
those who
have passed
from us.
We all
know the
stillness of
death,
the quietness,
how we
miss those
who are
near and
dear to
us.
And it
can be
even a
test to
faith.
I remember
reading Robert
Finlayson who
had been a
minister,
he was
certainly a
minister in
Lochs and
I think he
was a
minister in
Point way,
way back.
and he
lost,
when he
was in
Lochs,
he lost
two sons
in a
drowning
tragedy.
And somebody
said to him,
oh minister,
this is hard
for you,
it's hard on
flesh and
blood.
Oh yes,
he said,
and it's
hard on
grace itself.
And that's
true.
Not only is
it hard on
the very
flesh and
blood,
but in
all the
grace that
God gives
in a
situation like
that,
it's still
hard.
And so
it's
inevitable
that on
this side
we miss.
But if we
could see
the glory
that our
Christian
loved ones
have entered
into,
it would
so temper
our mourning.
And you
know,
all this
that happens
here,
the picture
that we're
given of
the celebration
of the
wicked
turning into
their hearts,
turning to
ice,
at this
picture of
God's people
rising up
into the
air,
is a
picture of
what's going
to happen
at the
end of
the return
of Christ.
Because it
tells us in
1 Thessalonians
chapter 4,
we have a
wonderful picture
there given
to us of
the return
of Jesus.
Jesus.
And it
tells us
there as
Christ
descends
from heaven
that the
Lord will
give a
mighty
shout.
There will
be the
voice of
the archangel
and the
trumpet of
God.
And with
this shout
an extraordinary
thing will
occur.
The
graves
will open
and the
graves
will give
up all
their dead.
And their
bodies will
be reunited
with their
soul.
You know,
interesting,
it tells us
that the
redeemed,
those who
have gone,
will be with
the Lord
in the air.
Our souls
will be at
that moment
joining.
It's an
extraordinary
picture.
That the
redeemed are
returning with
the Lord.
and the
bodies at
that moment
of shout
when the
graves will
open and
the dead
bodies will
rise up,
that we'll
be reunited
with the
Lord,
with our
bodies in
the air to
be with
the Lord
forever.
And after
that occurs
then those
who are
still alive
of the
Lord.
If you're
still alive
when the
Lord comes
as a
believer,
you will
then be
caught up.
You won't
go through
death,
but you
will be
caught up
at that
irresistible
voice and
power,
come up
here.
And we
see that
it tells
us here,
then they
heard a
loud voice
from heaven
saying,
come up
here,
and they
went up
to heaven
in a
cloud.
There's
always a
cloud.
A cloud
is symbolizing
the presence
and glory
of God.
You'll
read of
the
manifestations
of God's
presence
so often
in the
Bible,
always a
cloud.
Well,
here they
go,
they go up
in the
cloud.
But for
those who
don't love
the Lord,
this is
the most
frightening
moment.
You know
this,
I hate
to think
of how
it'll be,
the
realization
that everything
that they
held to
was wrong,
that they
got it
all wrong,
and now
it's too
late to
do anything
about it.
but that's
how it's
going to
be for
some
people.
It tells
us that
very clearly
in the
word.
Discovering
that the
gospel
that you
mocked
is real,
that the
return of
Christ that
you ignored
is real,
that the
hell that
you might
have laughed
at is
real,
and now
it's too
late to
do anything
about it,
because the
path that
you have
chosen is
finally set.
It's a
solemn,
solemn
thought.
But you
know,
tonight the
wonderful thing
is that
we are still
on mercy's
ground,
and the
invitation of
the gospel
is still
here.
The voice
of Jesus
is saying,
come up
here in
the sense
that he's
calling each
and everyone
who is still
outside Christ.
Tonight,
tonight,
if you
hear my
voice,
do not
harden your
heart.
That's what
it says.
And you
know,
if you
come to
faith and
rest your
soul in
Jesus,
the words
of Scripture
will be so
true for
you that
it will be
better on
the day of
your death
than it
will be on
the day of
your birth.
Let's pray.
Lord our
God,
we thank
you for
your word,
for the
reality of
it,
the solemnity
of it,
the glory
of it.
And we
pray that
your word
will go
down deep
into our
souls,
transforming
them.
Nothing else
will.
It's by
your word
we're saved.
It's by
your word
we're
sanctified.
Everything
is through
your word.
And so
we pray
that your
word will
have the
main place
in our
life,
that we
will live
on it
and die
in it.
We pray
to bless
us then
and part
us tonight
with your
blessing.
Grant us
your grace
and do
us good
and cleanse
us,
we pray,
from our
every sin.
In Jesus'
name we
ask it.
Amen.
We're going
to conclude
our service
singing in
Psalm number
16.
This is
from Sing
Psalms,
Psalm number
16.
And we're
going to sing
the last
four stanzas,
verses 8 to
the end,
Psalm 16.
from verse
8,
which is
on page
17.
Before me
constantly
I set
the Lord
alone.
Because he
is at my
right hand,
I'll not
be overthrown.
Therefore
my heart
is glad,
my tongue
with joy
will sing,
my body
too will
rest secure
in hope
unwavering.
for you
will not
allow my
soul and
death to
stay,
nor will
you leave
your holy
one to
see the
tombs decay.
You have
made known
to me
the path
of life
divine.
Bliss
shall I
know at
your right
hand,
joy from
your face
will shine.
verses 8
to the
end,
Psalm 16.
Before me
constantly
I set
the Lord
alone.
Amen.
to the
heart
and
be
overthrown.
heart
is glad,
my tongue
with joy
will sing,
my heart
is glad,
my tongue
with joy
will sing,
my heart
will
be
done.
My
heart
will
done.
My
heart
body
too
will
rest
secure
in
hope
and
living
for
you
will
not
allow
my
soul
in
captivity.
to
stay
down
where
you
need
your
holy
one
to
see
the
tom
decay
you
have
made
known
to
me
the
path
of
life
divine
will
shine
you
and
you
will
shine
and
you
will
you
and
you
will
you
and
you
will
shine
you
may
the
and
peace
of
the
Father
the
Father
Son
and
the
Holy
Spirit
rest
and
upon
each
one
of
you
now
more
amen
go to
main
moment