“Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly“
11:11
Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet,
The two witnesses will rise from the dead in the midst of their worldwide party, to the great shock of the world. Their worldwide party will come to a sudden stop. God waits for three and one-half days to guarantee their death so that there would be no question that it is He who raises them from the dead.
Can you imagine this event being broadcast for three and a half days on worldwide television? After focusing their cameras on these two dead bodies, they then rise from the dead. It will be sensational.
and great fear fell on those who saw them.
Great fear fell on those that observed this ascension. The world went from a worldwide party one moment to deep fear the next. This fear does not cause them to turn to Christ as the only answer.
11:12
And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.
God translated the two witnesses to heaven. Picture a camera crew following the bodies of these two witnesses as they ascend to heaven! The enemies of the witnesses gawk at the resuscitation and ascension of the witnesses. They recognize that God did this, yet they hardened their hearts toward Him. This is what happens when people become negative toward God and His will.
We who believe in Christ’s death for our sins will experience ascension as well. This is our destiny. Death cannot claim the Christian. Death itself is defeated.
11:13
In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.
Within the same hour, a great earthquake kills one-tenth of the city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem sits on a major geological fault. This is God’s vindication of killing the two witnesses.
Some people turn to God when they see this spectacle. However, this may be an acknowledgment of God’s power.
11:14
The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly
The third “woe” will transfer all men to Satan because they didn’t receive the truth (chapter 13).
This verse concludes the parenthesis beginning at 10:1. Beginning with the next verse, God resumes the chronology of the book with the seventh trumpet. The seventh trumpet carries us to the Second Coming of Christ. The seventh trumpet comes quickly on the heels of the sixth trumpet.
Principle:
Sheep give birth to sheep.
Application:
The greatest enemy of Christianity is false religion. Religion always distorts the truth. It is the greatest enemy of the Christian. Although much of religion portrays itself as sweetness and light, much of it is ghoulish. Christian testimonies that contrast the message to the Devil’s lies will always suffer persecution.
God expects believers to share Christ in our own vernacular and culture. Shepherds do not give birth to lambs, but sheep give birth to sheep. Pastors and professional church leaders must depend on their sheep to give birth to sheep. If people in the congregation do not give witness to their testimonies, that particular local church will not shine brightly.
