“Witnesses, Candlestick, Olive Trees. Revelation 11

December 16, 2007
by C.W. Powell

My text is “And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” (Lu 1:30-33)

And Revelation 11:1-13.

Introduction: What does Revelation 11 have to do with Christmas? A very great deal. For I would affirm that these two witnesses that are described represent our Lord Jesus Christ, but essentially as His prophetic ministry drives His Priesthood and His Kingdom.

Interpretation of the book of Revelation: The book is neither an account of the history of the world, where each thing can be associated with particular places, things, men, and events. This interpretation leads to a maze of contradictions and confusion and positive error. Neither is it an allegory where we can make it mean anything we want it to mean. Neither does the semi-preterist or preterist view work, the idea that everything in the book has already been fulfilled by the time Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 A.D. Neither does the futurist view work, that it is a book of events yet to come. Rather, it is all of these, and none of these.

I hold to the realistic view. It is an account of the history of the world,but it is from the viewpoint of heaven and eternity. Hence chronology is not a factor, for all things are open and plain unto God, for he sees all things at once. He sees all thing in terms of spiritual realities and not sensory appearances. Things are not always what they appear to be. In our eyes, Satan is transformed into an angel of light, and God’s mighty appear weak and persecuted. The realities that are described are spiritual realities, but revealed in dramatic images and dark sayings.

If you look for a woman clothed in the Sun you will not find her, for she must be seen with the eye of faith. You will not see One who sits upon a white horse with his vesture dipped in blood and a sword proceeding out of His mouth. You will not see the two hundred million horsemen who ride out of the Euphrates River wearing breast plates of fire and brimstone, riding on horses that had the heads of lions with fire and brimstone coming out of their mouths.. You will not see any of these things with your mortal eyes and ears, but they are real none the less, but are spiritual realities that can be seen only by faith and eye of faith.

I. Let us Look at the Images: In a series of images which are rich in allusions to the Old Testament events and person, the Lord reveals the great opposition between the church and antichrist There are several distinct images:

The Measuring of the Temple. God take possession of His people and their worship. The true temple is established throughout the whole world; but not the total world, for unbelief continues in opposition to God’s people until the end.

The Two Witnesses. In a clear allusion to Zechariah, this speaks of the two-fold office of Christ in His people. Christ as priest and king. Christ cannot be overthrown by all of the opposition of the world. The images are images of persecution, of Christ’s own sufferings. Christ exercises His offices in His people according to His own will.

References to Elijah, to Moses, and others. These are not individual people, but the images interpose many things. The two represent the entire prophetic ministry of the church which has always been in opposition to and filled with hatred of the church, from Cain until the end. These images represent the “conflict of the ages,” and the complete victory of the word of God.

The most powerful image is the resurrection of Christ which guarantees the final victory. Remember the words of Solomon: Proverbs 1: 5,6: “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.” The book of Revelation contains many “dark” saying, that will yield their treasures only by much study and meditation. A person must have a “feel” for the entire Scriptures before this book opens its treasures, and even so, many things will be hidden until the end.

The Time: Three and one-half years is the time that Antiochus Epiphanes occupied Jerusalem and defiled the temple. God is telling us that the time of Antichrist and the power of the devil is a limited time. The persecution and trouble of the church in the world is of limited duration. This is a symbolic time that has many references in Scripture and does not speak of a definite time at the end of the world. Those who fall into an unbiblical literalism find many absurdities and miss the blessing of this great book.

II. The Two Witnesses of Chapter 11. A great deal has been written to try to identify these two witnesses. I think if God had wanted us to know names, He would have told us. Some say Elijah, because it was prophesied that Elijah would come before the coming of Christ, but Jesus said this prophecy was fulfilled in John the Baptist. John the Baptist “Is” Elijah, but not Elijah risen from the dead, but one who came in the spirit and power of Elijah.

A. The key to their identification, I believe, is in verse 4: the two candlesticks or lampstands. This takes us to the book of Zechariah 4. The two "anointed ones" Joshua and Zerrubabel: The two offices that were most in peril: mercy and justice. There are two things we keep defiling with our human wisdom: the government of the church and the ministry of mercy in the church.

1. Joshua was high priest, and God cleansed him in chapter 3

2. Zerrubabal represented the ministry of justice: and God confirmed him in chapter 4.

3. But these “are” no more Joshua and Zerrubabal risen from the dead than the bread Jesus gave His disciples “Is” His body and blood, or that water “is” the washing away of sins. The reality is present in all these things, but it is a spiritual reality that cannot be seen with the eyes or tasted with the mouth or heard with the ears.

B. Their power depended upon the Olive Trees: that continually supplied the Candlestick. The Church will never lose the benefits of the two "Anointed Ones," who represent Jesus Christ. Christ=Messiah=Anointed. There are three offices that Christ bears as Messiah; Each are part of the universal power that He exercises throughout History, even in Old Testament, but much more extensively displayed in the New:

1. Prophet: His word rules over and subdues all other messages that pretend to be from God. Not among the ungodly, who are deceived and given over to lies, to devils and to deception. His word is like a fire that devours the opposition: as Jeremiah 23: “Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?” (Jer 23:29 av)

2. Priest: The true religion and service to God rules over all others; Spiritual worship according to the commands of God rules over the paltry substitutes that cannot satisfy the soul, but bring disillusionment and bondage.

3. King: every power that exalts itself against Christ will be overthrown. No king can stand.

It is in the last two offices that the “rubber hits the road” we might say. The message of Jesus Christ our prophet is just another voice amid the babble of the world until God’s people begin to get serious about worship and about government.

C. Throughout the ages following the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven, His offices are manifested though His people in every time and place. No power can resist Him. The images in this chapter (11) are mixed, so we might know that this is not one place, not one time, not individual people; but this is Christ exercising His offices in every time and place.

D. This is great encouragement for the people of God: for our labor is not in vain in the Lord. Those who are called by the Spirit to serve, and all of us are, must not be weary in well doing. We may not be slain and lie in the streets of Jerusalem as some did; but we all know the power of Christ's resurrection, and no one can resist the power of the word of God in the mouths of even the lowest of God's people.

E. Every political entity that does not submit to Jesus Christ is headed to ruin and abasement. We have the duty to proclaim that message. Babylon the great is fallen.

F. Every religious entity that does not submit to Christ is headed to ruin and abasement. But we must be careful: Christ walks among the candlesticks, and is Lord even of those churches that are on the brink of ruin, according to chapters, so we must be very tender of those who profess the name of Christ, even though we speak plainly. But we must not give up on churches too quickly, for Christ Himself does not.

G. Every message that is contrary to Christ is judged by the word that proceeds from His mouth. The ungodly may rejoice for a while over what might appear to be a victory, but, in a clear reference to Messiah from the book of Daniel, they only rejoice for three and one-half days, or a short period of time, for they are caught up to heaven, taking part in the resurrection power of Jesus Christ, for it is His resurrection which writes the doom of all the enemies of God. The resurrection of Christ is the guarantee of the victory and the triumph of all who give faithful testimony to the Gospel of Christ.

H. How does this relate of Christmas? Look at Luke that we read a moment ago. Jesus Christ is born to be the Mediator, which throne He entered upon at His resurrection and ascension, according to Ephesians 1. He is the King, Savior. He alone is worthy to open the book of judgment, and to redeem the world, for all power has been given to him:

1. All prophetic power: His words will overthrow all the vanities of men's minds.

2. All priestly power: He calls His sheep to true worship and praise; and all counterfeits He condemns.

3. All kingly power: every earthly authority--every prince, every president, every political assembly, is under His judgment if they do not confess Him and the true God of the earth and the true lawgiver. They shall not stand, and their judgments will be horrible.

4. The church: ministry of grace, and ministry of justice: binding and loosing. But the church is the body of Christ. But those who acknowledge Him, though they may endure tribulation and trials, are blessed indeed, and no one can take away their reward, which is in heaven.

I. At the last trumpet, the dead will be raised, and we will all stand before Jesus Christ to give an account of the deeds done in our body. There all will be judged by the words that came from His mouth. His word will judge us in that day: it will truly be a sword against the unbeliever, but it will be words of comfort and blessing to his people.

1. I was hungry and ye gave me no meat….
2. I was hungry and ye fed me…

May God bless you. Amen and Amen

May God bless you.