TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY IN BIBLE PROPHECY
Lesson 44: The significance of the Bible's prediction that rain will not
fall for 1,260 days after the world's first atomic war.
I A look at what is meant by the statement that the witnesses
will "have the authority to shut heaven, in order that rain
may not fall" for 1,260 days.
6 These have the authority to shut heaven, in order that
rain may not rain(fall) the days of the prophecy of them,
and authority they have over the waters to turn them into
blood and to strike the earth with every (kind of) plague
as often as they may wish (Rev. 11:6, IGENT).
A What is the most important point made in verse 6?
1 The declaration that it will not rain on Earth during
the entire 1,260 days of the two witnesses' final
prophetic mission.
2 This means there will be unprecedented famine around
the world during this 1,260 day period.
B Since the text places the timing of their final mission
directly after the text covering the Sixth Trumpet World
War, it is reasonable to assume that the globe-gripping
drought will be a delayed negative consequence of AWWI.
C A United Nation's study (May, 1988) titled "Study on the
Climatic and Other Global Effects of Nuclear War,"
reported that lowered temperatures and various other
disruptive climatic effects of nuclear war might be
compounded by a decrease in rainfall of as much as 80
percent over land in temperate and tropical latitudes.
D Does the two witnesses' authority "to shut up the sky so
that it will not rain during the time they are prophesy-
ing" (NIV) demand that they will invoke supernatural
power to stop the rains?
1 Not necessarily--the intended meaning seems to be
that they will declare that it will not rain for
1,260 days on the authority of this very prophecy.
2 This position is in keeping with the first mention of
their power in verse 3: "And I will grant authority to my
two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred
and sixty days" (Rev. 11:3, NASB).
3 Thus, Rev. 11:3 identifies God's remarkable prophecies
about the last days of the nuclear age as the source of
the witnesses' God-given "authority."
II A look at the meaning of the statements that the witnesses
will turn water into blood and strike the earth with every
kind of plague.
A Why is it unlikely that the witnesses will turn water
into blood?
1 First note that the statement "and authority they
have over the waters to turn them into blood"
(IGENT), can be metaphorical, instead of literal.
2 The metaphorical meaning would be that the two
witnesses will prophesy according to the authority of
God's Word--e.g., "The third angel poured out his
bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they
became blood" (Rev. 16:4, NIV).
3 The Rev. 16:4 prophecy does not mean that the Earth's
waters will actually turn into blood but rather that
they will become contaminated from AWWI's long-term
atomic fallout to the extent that they will
eventually take on the unnatural reddish hue of blood.
B In the same vein, how will the witnesses' authority "to
strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as
they want" (NIV) find fulfillment?
1 In the two witnesses pointing out the parallels
between the Bible's descriptions of the post-AWWI
plagues and the observable consequences of that
war--e.g., no rain, waters turning bloodred, and soil
contamination from long term atomic fallout.
2 The closing comment, "as often as they may wish," in
turn, seems to indicate that as often as they preach
on the post-AWWI plagues, people will be able to look
at the accumulating evidence and see for themselves
the fulfillment of Bible prophecy in their time.
3 Thus, God will commission the two witnesses to
testify of these mighty prophecies coming to pass
after AWWI in front of the rulers, bureaucrats, and
general population so that they will know that God's
word is true.
III The world government will eventually succeed in killing the
two witnesses, but God will raise them from the dead.
7 And whenever they finish the witness of them, the beast
coming up out of the abyss will make war with them and will
overcome them and will kill them (Rev. 11:7, IGENT).
8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the
great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt,
where also our Lord was crucified (Rev. 11:8).
A The statement about "the beast coming up out of the
abyss" and "making war with them," refers to the fact
that the Fourth Beast will form out of the post-AWWI
ashes.
B One thousand two hundred and sixty days after Jerusalem
is given to the nations, the witnesses' ministry will
end when the world government succeeds in killing them.
C Thus, the witnesses' mission will end according to God's
prophesied schedule, not as the result of the success
of the latest assassination plan plotted by the murderous
bureaucrats running the world government.
D The two witnesses will give their final message of
warning and hope in the city of Jerusalem, whose
inhabitants spiritual rebellion against God at the
time of the fulfillment of this prophecy is compared
to the wicked Sodomites and oppressive Egyptians of
ancient times.
9 And some of the peoples and tribes and tongues and
nations see the corpse of them three and a half days, and
they do not allow the corpses of them to be placed in a
tomb (Rev. 11:9, IGENT).
10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over
them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another;
because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the
earth (Rev. 11:10).
A The two witnesses' strong stand against the evil
excesses of the Fourth Beast and its man-made god will
be a constant source of aggravation to the bureaucrats
running the world government.
B No one likes to be told that they are following a false
way.
C When the televised news of their death is flashed around
the world, there will be widespread rejoicing.
D But the rejoicing will be premature.
11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from
God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and
great fear fell upon them which saw them.
12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto
them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a
cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the
tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain
of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and
gave glory to the God of heaven (Rev. 11:11-13).
A Three-and-one-half days after the two witnesses are
murdered, God will raise them from the dead before the
eyes of those dwelling on the Earth.
B People will be terrified when the two witnesses stand up
on their feet and literally step off the Earth and into
the clouds.
C A great earthquake within the same hour, which will
topple a tenth part of the city and kill seven thousand,
will intensify the survivors' fears.
D Why will God protect the two witnesses for 1,260 days,
then allow the beast "to kill them," and finally raise
them from the dead in a spectacular manner?
1 The answer is found in God's promise to Abraham that
his descendants would return to Palestine after serv-
ing the Egyptians for 400 years.
16 But in the fourth generation they shall come
hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not
yet full (Gen. 15:16).
a God will not allow their ministry to end earlier
because the world's cup of iniquity will not yet be
full.
b In short, if the witnesses were killed earlier, many
people, who will still be open to the gospel, would
not get a chance to hear God's plan of salvation.
2 God will raise them from the dead in a final effort
to convince people to repent and believe the two
witnesses' testimony concerning Jesus Christ?
3 The miracle of the witnesses coming to life will also
demonstrate God's commitment to His promise that He
is not willing that any should perish.
E One result of God's mercy and His miracle of raising the
witnesses from the dead, will be that many will finally
believe the two witnesses' message and give glory to God.
IV The time period referred to as the third woe will follow
directly on the heels of the passing of the second woe.
14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe
cometh quickly (Rev. 11:14).
A The two witnesses' departure to heaven will mark the end
of the period of time referred to as the second woe.
B The second woe time period spans the entire Sixth
Trumpet World War, plus the Fourth Beast's
three-and-one-half year reign of terror.
C The departure of the witnesses will also mark the end of
the visible Christian opposition to the world government.
D The world government will shut down the Christians'
evangelistic efforts completely at this point in the
flow of great tribulation events.
E Christians will not be able to do anything but look to
God, and He will not disappoint them.
15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great
voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are
become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he
shall reign for ever and ever (Rev. 11:15).
A When the seventh trumpet sounds the hope that will
sustain the Sebat Christians through the great
tribulation will become a reality--they will be caught
up to meet the Lord in the air.
B The Apostle Paul described this event, commonly called
the rapture, in letters to the Corinthians and
Thessalonians.
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep,
but we shall all be changed,
52 in a moment in the twinkling of an eye, at the last
trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be
raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and
this mortal must put on immortality.
54 But when this perishable will have put on the
imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality,
then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS
SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY.
55 "O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR
STING?"
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the
law;
57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through
our Lord Jesus Christ (I Cor. 15:51-57, NASB).
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about
those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the
rest who have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even
so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in
Jesus.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we
who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord,
shall not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a
shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet
of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up
together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the
air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord.
18 Therefore comfort one another with these words
(I Thess. 4:13-18, NASB).
A Paul's reference to the rapture of the Church at the
time of the sounding of "the last trumpet" is identical
to the seventh trumpet Revelation account of this same
event.
B Directly following Christ's timely rescue of His people
from the world government's relentless persecution, the
judgment of those who oppressed them will begin.
16 And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones
before God, fell on their faces and worshipped God,
17 saying, "We give Thee thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty,
who art and who wast, because Thou hast taken Thy great
power and hast begun to reign.
18 "And the nations were enraged, and Thy wrath came, and
the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to
give their reward to Thy bond-servants the prophets and to
the saints and to those who fear Thy name, the small and
the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth"
(Rev. 11:16-18, NASB).
A Those in heaven will rejoice when God steps in and
rescues the Christians and judges the destroyers of the
Earth.
B Note God's promise "to destroy those who destroy the
earth."
C Although the people running the world at the end of the
age will be turning the planet into a wasteland with
their atomic wars and insane policies, seemingly
unchecked, God will not allow them to continue their
evil indefinitely.
19 And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and
the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there
were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder
and an earthquake and a great hailstorm (Rev. 11:19, NASB).
A God's ark of the covenant is shown to John to remind
Christians of God's pledge of faithfulness to His
covenant in saving His people and punishing their and
His enemies.
B Part of God's judgment will be administered in the form
of an earthquake and a great hailstorm.
C These judgments will only be delivered upon those left
behind after Christ receives the Christians unto Himself.
D Thus, God will not excuse "those who destroy the earth"
when He returns at the end of the age.