"The Two Witnesses" Sermon: Revelation 11:1-14 (video)

 "The Two Witnesses" Sermon: Revelation 11:1-14 (video) (youtube.com)

"The Two Witnesses" Sermon: Revelation 11:1-14 (manuscript)

 

“The Two Witnesses”

Revelation 11:1-14

May 19, 2024 YouTube

          As we begin chapter eleven of Revelation, let’s remember that the book of Revelation is a book of comfort and hope to the Christians suffering persecution at that time and for all Christians throughout time and space. Let’s remember that the book of Revelation is written in symbols that the first century Christians would have understood. And let us remember that Jesus didn’t say anything about rebuilding the Temple after its destruction in 70 A.D.  The Temple was for the offering up of animal sacrifices for sin.  Now, the blood of Jesus covers the sin of believers.

In the nineth chapter of Revelation, we are told that in the first woe Satan and his angels are released from the bottomless pit for five months, and the four demons bound at the Euphrates River are freed and given permission to kill one third of the unbelieving mankind.

In this morning’s reading, we are told about the second woe.

And we see, first, the new temple is made up of all the believers in which God dwells.

“Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, ‘Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.’”

John is told to measure the temple of God – remember the physical Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. – there is no physical temple at the time John is writing.  Yet, there is a distinction:  John is told not to measure the outer court, but only the temple and the altar and those who worship there. Who are those who worship only in the temple and the altar?  Who are the temple who worship their God and Savior?

Paul tells us, “For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:18-22, ESV).

Peter, likewise, reminds us, “you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (I Peter 2:5, ESV).

True believers are in the inner court – in the temple – worshipping Jesus, the Savior, offering up spiritual sacrifices.

Those left in the outer court are nominal Christian and blatant unbelievers.  Jesus says of these, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness’” (Matthew 7:21-23, ESV).

Jesus distinguishes between those who believe in the true Jesus and a fake Jesus. There are churches – which are not churches – who have all the trappings of a church, but the Jesus they preach, and worship is not the real Jesus.

At this time, there is violent persecution against believing Jews and Gentiles – Christians. (Throughout all of history, there has been violent persecution against Christians somewhere.) John is told that the temple – now – is built by Jesus of true believers, and all Christians find their security in the temple where Jesus is the Corner Stone.

Paul writes of the persecution of Christian even to death, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple” (I Corinthians 3:16-17, ESV).

Again, “What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God;” (II Corinthians 6:16a, ESV).

We are told that those of the outer court – those who have not been marked on their heads with the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit – will engage in violent persecution of believers and trample the Holy City, Jerusalem – those of the inner court – all believers.

Then we read, “and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.’

The unbelievers will trample the Holy City – the Church – for forty-two months.  Jesus will give the two witnesses the authority to prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth – symbolic of repentance and mourning.

How do we understand these numbers?

They tell us that the period of what is going to happen is specific and limited. It is the period from Jesus’ Ascension to His Second Coming.  It is the time of the tribulation.

We will see in our text this morning that the two witnesses have remained dead for three and a half days.

All of these numbers can be stated in approximate factors of forty-two. We also read that Israel was in the desert for forty-two years.  There were forty-two camps, forty-two months with no rain, forty-two months from when Antiochus Epiphanes set the abomination of desolation in the Temple to the Second Coming, and there are more (Philips, Revelation, 313).

These are all times of intense persecution, but Christians understand that no matter what happens to us at the hands of the wicked, as we go through this tribulation, we are to have hope and be comforted in knowing that we have been marked by God, we are indwelled by the Holy Spirit, we are the temple of God, build on the Word of God with Jesus as our Cornerstone.

In the new temple, all we who believe throughout time and space are secure in our salvation and off up spiritual sacrifices.

Second, God sends two witnesses with the authority to prophesy for 1,260 days (42), and they are dressed in sackcloth to indicate that their prophecies are not of good news, but of bad news.

          “These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire.”

          Who are the two olive trees?

          Zechariah records: “Then I said to him, ‘What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?’ And a second time I answered and said to him, ‘What are these two branches of the olive trees, which are beside the two golden pipes from which the golden oil is poured out?’ He said to me, ’Do you not know what these are?’ I said, ‘No, my lord.’ Then he said, ‘These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.” (Zechariah 4:11-14, ESV).

          The two olive trees are the two witnesses. There are two witnesses because God requires at least two witnesses to confirm a statement in court.

          And we know from the first chapter of Revelation that the two candlesticks are churches.  Why are there only two churches?  Again, two churches confirm who the false churches are.

          The two witnesses are all of the prophets and their message of woe. Symbolically, we will remember that Moses and Elijah met with Jesus during the transfiguration.  So we can say that the two witnesses are like Moses and Elijah or come in the power and authority of Moses and Elijah.

          They are given the authority and power to pour out fire on those who try to harm them. 

          Notice the miracles that God has authorized them to do if someone tries to harm them.  They are allowed to withhold rain, like Elijah did. They were allowed to turn water into blood and to cause other plaques to occur, like Moses did. They come in the power of Moses and Elijah.

          God sends these two witnesses to proclaim a woe of disaster on the wicked.

          Third, the beast believes he has defeated the Church – the believers who are the temple of God.

“And when they have finished their testimony, 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 the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified. For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb, and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth.”

After the two witnesses have delivered their woe against the wicked, the beast from the bottomless pit – remember we have already seen that this is Satan – he conquers and kills the two witnesses and throws their bodies in the streets of Sodom and Egypt – the place where the Lord was crucified – Jerusalem. Jerusalem is called Sodom and Egypt and Jerusalem – and we will see later, Babylon – signifying places where the true people of God suffered intense persecution.

          For three and a half days (42) the wicked from all of the earth – peoples, tribes, languages, and nations. And they will joyously come together to celebrate and have a party.  They and the beast believe that they have conquered the Church.  They leave the bodies out and refuse to let them be buried signifying that they cannot be buried in consecrated ground because they were perceived as tormentors rather than those calling the wicked to repentance.

          With the two witnesses dead, they rejoice, make merry, and exchange presents in this abomination to the murder of the two witnesses.

          Fourth, Satan and his demons cannot conquer the Church, no matter the tribulation he is allow to bring on her.

          “But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 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. And at that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.”

          Daniel writes, “As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom” (Daniel 7:21-22, ESV).

          The Church cannot be defeated.  She is the Bride of Christ, and through the tribulation, she will come through triumphant.

          God gave the beath of life to the two witnesses and they stood up and terrified those who had been rejoicing.  A great fear fell upon them, and they didn’t know how to react.

          The initial reaction of the disciples at Jesus’ resurrection was fear, “And he said to them, ‘Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’ And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid” (Mark 16:6-8, ESV).

          How much more the fear of the wicked at the resurrection of these two – as well as the resurrection of Jesus – causes them to tremble and fall down in fear.

          Symbolic of the truth, we see that in the two witnesses and in Jesus, the Church shares in the death, resurrection, and exaltation of Jesus at His ascension, as we are united with Jesus.

          As the wicked tremble before their resurrection, a voice from heaven calls them, “Come up!” and they ascend, just as Jesus had ascended. And as they went out of sight, God sent a massive earthquake which killed ten percent of the inhabitants of Jerusalem.  7,000 people died.

          And we are reminded of what happened at the last breath of Jesus on the cross: “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.  When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, ‘Truly this was the Son of God!’” (Matthew 27:50-54, ESV).

          In the terror of the wicked who rejoiced in the death of the two witnesses, “they gave glory to God.” This was a response out of fear, not of faith, not of belief.  We have heard the expression, “There are no atheists in foxholes.” Likewise, they gave God glory not because they believed He deserved glory, but in fear and in the hopes that they would escape the Wrath of God by mouthing the words.

“The second woe has passed; behold, the third woe is soon to come.”

The two witnesses have come among us in the whole Word of God.  Hear the Good News and turn from sin.  Know that whatever pain you suffer, and the Church at large is attacked, the Church is victorious through Jesus.

Let us remember that the Church is potent in the world not by money, political influence, worldly gimmics, not worldly strategy but through the proclamation of Jesus Christ Who lived, died, rose, and ascended to the Glory of the Father. (Philips, Revelation).

Let us pray:

Almighty God, we believe that You are Absolutely Sovereign, and still we fear the tribulation brought by the devil and his demons. Help us to trust that the Church is victorious through You Son and let us look to Your Word to find hope and comfort until the day of Christ Jesus.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Reformed Wisdom

 "Preach the Gospel, die, and be forgotten." Count Nicolaus Von Zinzendorf

"What Does Baptism Do?" Sermon: Matthew 3:13-17 (video)

 "What Does Baptism Do?" Sermon: Matthew 3:13-17 (video) (youtube.com)

"What Does Baptism Do?" Sermon: Matthew 3:13-17 (manuscript)

 

“What Does Baptism Do?”

[Matthew 3:13-17]

May 5, 2024, YouTube/ Second Reformed Church

            This Sunday, we remember the baptism of our Lord.  Jesus is about thirty years old when He goes to John the Baptist at the Jordan and asks John to baptize Him.

            Just prior to Jesus ascending back to His throne at the Right Hand of the Father, we read, “Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age’” (Matthew 28:16-20, ESV).

            Why did Jesus instruct them – and all believers – to baptize and be baptized?  Does baptism do something?

            I wonder what answers we would hear if we went around the congregation.

            People have said, “We baptize our children because it’s kind of like we’re dedicating them to the Lord, like Samuel, so He will care for them.”

            “We baptize our children because it is a way to get the church to see them and teach them how to be moral – how to be good people – by the time we come back to church for them around their thirteenth birthday.”

            “We baptize our children because that’s how God saves them.”

            No.

            Baptism does one thing relative to the infant who never savingly believes in Jesus Alone, and it does two things relative to the infant who does savingly believe in Jesus Alone.

            In the past, we saw Paul comfort the Thessalonians by saying if you believe the Gospel – Who Jesus is and what He did to accomplish salvation – you are one of the people given to Jesus for salvation, you are one of the elect, you are really and truly, forever the property of Jesus.

            So, what does baptism do?

            Let’s begin by asking what John the Baptist was doing.

            John the Baptist was baptizing repentant people for the forgiveness of their sins.

            Matthew tells us in the text just prior to the one we read this morning:

[John the Baptist said,]  “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:11-12, ESV).

John says he baptizes those who come to him repenting of their sins.  John explains that just as water washes away dirt, the waters of baptism symbolize – they are a sign – that forgiveness – salvation – is only found through confession and repentance of your sins to God.

Baptism is a sign of the Gospel.  Baptism symbolizes that all humans are sinners and in need of forgiveness – of being made clean.  It symbolizes that forgiveness of our sins is not something we can do – we must go to Someone Else Who is sinless to have our sins washed away.  We must go to the One Savior that God has provided to repent of our sins – to ask for forgiveness and promise to turn around – to not commit those sins again – and that Savior – Who we know is Jesus – and He Alone – grants us forgiveness through His work, His Merit, His Authority, His death, and His resurrection.

This is what baptism does for every person who is baptized – even the person who never savingly believes – baptism puts the sign on them and before all those who witness it – that you cannot forgive your own sins – you cannot make yourself clean.  Someone Else has to cleanse you of your sins.  And no one who has received this sign can remove it.

But, you can bear the sign and not believe.  Being baptized does not cause you to believe in Jesus savingly.

Now, we turn back to this morning’s Scripture, as we notice that John the Baptist doesn’t think it is right for Jesus to be baptized by him:

“Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he consented.  And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased’.”

John’s baptism is a baptism for sinners who recognize that they are sinners and repent of their sin and want to be forgiven and know they need to look outside of themselves for forgiveness.

So, Jesus comes to His cousin, John, and asks John to baptize Him.  Jesus comes to John, who was filled with the Holy Spirit in the womb and jumped up and down in the womb in pure joy at recognizing Jesus, the Savior, in the womb of Mary.

This is John who exclaims and explains:

“The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, “After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.” I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.’ And John bore witness: ‘I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God’” (John 1:29-34, ESV).

John certainly understood more after Jesus’ baptism, but he understands enough that when Jesus comes to him and asks him to baptize Him, John says, “You are the only One Who doesn’t need to be baptized – You have no sins to forgive – I need You to baptize me.”

How does Jesus respond?

“Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”

What does that mean?

What is “righteousness”?

Righteousness is being morally perfect, sinless, having kept all of God’s Law.

How does being baptized by John help Jesus to be morally perfect, sinless, having kept all of God’s Law – remembering that Jesus is sinless, and baptism is only for sinners?

It may help to remember that we read earlier that Jesus said that we are to go out, preaching the Gospel, baptizing in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

John Calvin explains that there are at least four things happening in Jesus’ baptism – in His fulfilling all righteousness:

First, in being baptized, Jesus fully obeys His Father.

We remember from our study of the Gospel of John that Jesus did not come to do His own will but the Will of the Father.  Jesus came to save the people the Father gave Him by obeying and submitting to everything the Father commands.

Jesus says, “but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. …” (John 14:31a-b, ESV).

Even to the end, Jesus prays, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39b, ESV).

Second, in being baptized, Jesus submits to God’s Law.

As we have already seen, Jesus says we are to be baptized.  Since Jesus has to be like us in every way – excepting sin – to be our Substitute, He also is baptized.

Third, in being baptized, Jesus consecrates and institutes baptism as a sacrament.

This we see in the Great Commission.

And fourth, in being baptized, Jesus makes baptism a seal of the believer’s salvation.

Paul writes, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3-4, ESV).

And now we understand the two things that baptism does for the believer:  first, baptism is a sign on and to the believer that Jesus lived a righteous life and died to pay for our sins, and second, baptism is a seal of that salvation of and to the believer.

The Heidelberg Catechism explains what the sacraments are:

66. Q.  What are the sacraments?

A. The sacraments are holy, visible signs and seals.

They were instituted by God

so that by their use

he might the more fully declare and seal to us

the promise of the gospel.

And this is the promise:

that God graciously grants us

forgiveness of sins and everlasting life

because of the one sacrifice of Christ

accomplished on the cross. (http://www.heidelberg-catechism.com/en/lords-days/25.html).

When Martin Luther was feeling accosted by the devil with temptation, he would respond, “I have been baptized.  I am a Christian.” (https://yinkahdinay.wordpress.com/2017/01/26/luther-baptizatus-sum-i-am-baptized/)

In other words, I have been baptized – I bear the sign of the work of Christ that justifies and makes righteous all those who believe in Him.  And I am a Christian – and that baptism is a seal of my salvation because I am a believer in Jesus Christ Alone for salvation.

What does baptism do?

For everyone who is baptized, it is a sign of what Jesus did – that He lived a perfect life under God’s Law, died for the sins of everyone who would ever believe, and physically rose from the dead, and ascended back to His throne.

And for the believer, baptism is that sign as well, but it is also a seal – a confirmation – an assurance – of that salvation.  So we can look back on our baptism and remember, as Paul says in Romans 6, that we who believe savingly in Jesus have been buried with Him through baptism and have now been raised to new life, which can never be lost or stolen away from us.

So let us pray:

Almighty God, we thank You for the sacrament of baptism that Your Son instituted while He was on earth.  We thank You that baptism is a visual representation of the Gospel – it is a sign that says what Jesus did to save His people.  We thank You that it is also a seal of the Gospel – that all we who have believed savingly in Jesus can look back on our baptism and what it symbolizes and be assured of our eternal salvation through the work of You Son.  And we thank You for sending God the Holy Spirit that He would cause us to believe in Jesus Alone for salvation.  For it is in Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.