Revelation Chapter 11 Verses 11 – 12

• So the beast that ascended out of the abyss has made war against the two witnesses and has killed them.  And the Satanic Christmas has continued for three and a half days; and then something crazy happens.  As the world watches on…from their televisions, from their computers, from their smart phones and iDevices…these two that have been lying dead in the street of the great city Jerusalem…stood on their feet.
• And John doesn’t tell us that they uttered anything but we do have a hint of something here in the Greek.  John says that “the breath of life from God entered them,” (your Bible may say “the Spirit of life.”)  Either translation is fine really but understand that word there in the Greek for “breath” or “Spirit” is pneuma…a word that is used 385 times in the New Testament and it is specifically used to describe the Holy Spirit in most of its contextual applications. 
• Mary was found with child by the Holy Spirit (pneuma).  I baptize you with water, John proclaimed, but there is One coming after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal I am not worthy to strap …He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit (again pneuma).  Jesus said, “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (once again pneuma).
• That’s just one puzzle piece here in the Greek that we use to put together to get a picture...The other is that word “life” which is a specific word.  A word that means much much more than heart beating, lungs expanding, muscles working…man that word in the Greek is a wonderful word…a word that means “surging with abundance…power…purpose…sufficiency…,” it’s that word that we’ve heard so many times before from Jesus Himself, “I have come that they might have life…and have it abundantly.”  Zoe in the Greek.  Life not just alive but life as God has intended, purposed…life as God desires for you and for me…not just the mundane routine of the day, but the excitement of eternal perspective and the power of the Most High just flowing!
• And so what the world sees here that causes them to get so out of whack and afraid is not just these two stand to their feet and rub off the dust of the three days…no…by John’s description they are most likely perfectly healed…perfectly powerful…standing not just up…but tall and strong!  Filled John writes here with the pneuma zoe ek theos…the Holy Spirit of surging life from God Himself!  And the world trembles man!
• And that is precisely what you are after!  Deep down, why you’re here now, why you pursue God in your own time at home in your devotions and prayers…why you fellowship on Sunday mornings in church…we are all in hot pursuit of the power and purpose and love and grace and intimacy that comes only through the Holy Spirit of God filling us up!  These two witnesses are a picture, an example of precisely what you’re looking for…and exactly what you can be right now! 
• John says they rose man!  Filled with the Holy Spirit.  Alive in absolute power and abundance.  Standing tall and strong and completely healed…and notice, God is speaking directly to them as John says “they heard.”  He didn’t say the world heard.  He didn’t even say that he heard.  He said “they” heard.  Man they have an intimate, real, active, alive connection with God the Father and they hear Him!  How wonderous it is to hear Him!
• And notice God commands the impossible…they proceed to complete the impossible.  God says “come up here” and they take off Iron Man style.  Absolutely and unequivocally impossible yet without hesitation, filled with the Holy Spirit…all of a sudden “impossible” bows to them…all the while…their enemies watch and wonder…and are filled with fear.
• I know it’s impossible to get along with your boss.  I know it’s impossible to serve your neighbor.  I know it’s impossible to love your spouse and serve them…its impossible for you to lead worship, or not only go street witnessing…but go alone!  It’s impossible for you to teach the Bible you might say…but remember, Jesus said with men…you and me plugging along, it is impossible…but with God…not so…all things are possible.  Impossible will come and bow at your feet when God is surging through your veins man…and then you hear Him, the command is seemingly impossible, and guess what, effortlessly you begin to soar!
• Man that is what we are all after!  To be more than just dust taxiing through life…so how?  What’s the deal?  What’s the cost?  Again, these two witnesses are a good picture…they were beat up man…emotionally and physically, ostracized even…left out, not invited to the party and then when hard times come upon them…the world rejoiced…and the same will happen to you when you step out of this culture for the sake of the Lord.  When you take a stand man and start living in the Kingdom…no I don’t want to hear your dirty joke…no I’m not interested in talking bad about the boss…no I can’t work late, I have a family to pastor…yes I’m going to church several times a week and yes I’m carrying around my Bible…do you want to pray with me?  Do you know the Lord?  Can I tell you about Him and what He’s done?
• What’s going to happen?  The same thing that happened to these two…but don’t forget, don’t lose heart…three and half days later, they rose man…healed…surging…and when you begin to live counter-culturally and as a light for the Lord, man a spring in your step will come…joy in your heart will arrive…you’ll find yourself revived man and the approval and presence of the Lord will be upon you!
• If you find yourself stagnant in your walk today…witness!  Find opportunity to talk about your faith and watch your countenance soar!  Watch the life, zoe life, return man!  Jesus said that He came to save us and to seal us and to give us abundant life and then He told us how…go and make disciples!  So get at it and you will stand to your feet again!  Surging with strength and the Holy Spirit and alive again man…hearing from the Lord and busting through impossibilities!  Just like these two witnesses…

Revelation Chapter 11 Verse 13

• An odd statement by John for sure when he says here that the rest of the world was afraid and so they gave glory to God.  Understand, this is not worship…this is, in a better translation, acknowledgment of power…in the Greek the word for glory is doxa, same word for the glory ascribed to Solomon by Jesus…the same word as the glory of the world as shown to Jesus by Satan upon the exceedingly high mountain.  And so understand they are not worshipping here, they are simply acknowledging here, after seeing the two witnesses and hearing their testimony, they believe you see…they just don’t repent.  They don’t have faith…they have not placed their hope and trust in God…they just acknowledge Him as fact at this point…the condition of many who today consider themselves Christians…
• And John, seeing their continued depraved condition, knows that there is yet more calamity coming….

Revelation Chapter 11 Verses 14 – 15

• The mid-tribulation point of view would say that this is the point at which the church is raptured however I cannot agree with that perspective for several reasons that we have already covered as we have studied the Book of Revelation in depth, line upon line, throughout the past months.  However here is even one more reason why I ascribe to the Pre-tribulation rapture…notice here is the last of the seven trumpets…and notice this one is not sounded by God.
• Turn over to 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4.  Look at verses 16 – 18.  Please note that Paul tells us here who’s got the trumpet…God.  But over here back in Revelation Chapter 11, the trumpet is not being sounded by God, it is being sounded by an angel…and Paul would say comfort eachother.  Comfort?  Yes, just as Jesus said, (Luke 21:36), “pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”  Escape these things you see, not escape some of them…where is the comfort in that?  That’s concerning!  Horsemen and desperation and wars and half of mankind destroyed…comforting…psyche!
• And so I believe quite firmly that is not the point of the rapture of the church as some would suggest but an angel and notice the loud voices in heaven sing out, “the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ,” which is an interesting look at the persons of God however this is a quite poor rendition of the Greek, in my opinion.
• What John actually heard here was, “the kingdoms of this world are becoming…” the verb in the Greek is in the aorist active indicative tense which means it is an event that is so certain, it is spoken of as already occurring, however not yet come to pass…We see this in other places of the Bible such as Isaiah 53…”He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised by our iniquities…”  Isaiah writes in seemingly the past tense there doesn’t he?  Why?  Because it is an event so certain, it was as if it had already happened.
• You know what else is like that?  God’s provision.  God’s presence.  God’s deliverance.  His strength and His wisdom.  Whatever situation we are in tonight, rest assured that His faithfulness is so sure, you can right now, even in the midst of the situational storm and circumstantial struggle, right now you take God’s faithfulness right to the bank!  Count on it!  And that is the song sung here by the angels…that God’s kingdom is coming man…we all have prayed it haven’t we?  And simply in the fact that God’s kingdom is proclaimed…there is great great worship!
• Tribulation still going on…hardships all around…but God’s kingdom is proclaimed man…and wondrous worship erupts…same goes for us…look at what John sees…

Revelation Chapter 11 Verses 16 – 18

• Those who destroy or more literally, “those who corrupt,” check out what happens to them…the time is come for them to be destroyed…however those who serve the Lord and are filled with wisdom, they are rewarded!  Take heart…those of you who reject corruption and decay and stand in a place tonight of pain for the sake of righteousness, your reward is coming…and it will be worth it…

Revelation Chapter 11 Verse 19

• Hey check it out…we found the Ark!  Ah I know that the Ark on earth was simply a copy of what was in heaven but man don’t people just get so enthralled and preoccupied with things like this?  Where’s the Ark, is the shroud real, could these be the actual nails that held Jesus on the cross…what a waste of time…get the real deal man…set your hearts and minds on things above…that’s where its all hidden by the way…everything you’re looking for that we already talked about…its all hidden man in the very presence of God…
• Your wonderful blessed marriage.  Your powerful witness to those you work with.  Your purposeful ministry to your family and friends.  Your own sufficiency…its all waiting for you in heaven with the Father, and you can tap in right now through the blood of Jesus man…direct access right to the Holy of Holies in heaven, because its open to you if you’re heart is open to Jesus.