The "Day of the Lord", is the "Wrath of God". The Wrath of
God is the last 7 bowl judgments:
Rev. 15:1 "Then I saw another sign in heaven, great
and marvelous; 7 angels having the 7 last plagues, for in them
the wrath of God is complete...."
So, Elijah must come BEFORE the Wrath of God,
or BEFORE the last 3 and 1/2 years of the 70th week of Daniel.
Here is why I believe the two witnesses, will
be the two prophets, Moses and Elias. Malachi and Jesus told us that
Elias (Elijah) must come BEFORE the Son of Man. So we know for sure
that one of the 2 witnesses will be Elijah:
Mat 17:10 And
his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias
must first come?
Mat 17:11 And
Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come,
and restore all things.
Mat 17:12,13
But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew
him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall
also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that
he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
These same two prophets appeared to Jesus right
before the crucifixion:
Mat 17:3 And,
behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking
with him.
Also the types of judgments they invoke, were those granted
to Moses and Elijah:
Rev. 11:3-6: "And I will give power
to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy 1,260 days,
clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands
standing before the God of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them,
fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone
wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. These have
power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their
prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood,
and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they
desire.'"
Elijah had the power to shut heaven and
cause a drought and call down fire, during his first earthly ministry.
Moses was granted the power to turn waters into blood,
and launch plagues onto Egypt. So, I think that the types of judgments
invoked, hint at who these prophets are.
What will they be preaching? Salvation
in the name of Jesus Christ alone! Remember at the time of the 2 witnesses
ministry during the 70th week of Daniel, the Temple will be restored to
the Jews. The Jews will have returned to "The Law and the Prophets",
making burnt offerings and sacrifices at the Temple again.......this is
error and folly, since Christ has already died once for all sin, and the
curtain in the Holy of Holies was torn from top to bottom. So
in their blindness, God will send the 2 witnesses, 2 prophets that the Jews
will recognize: Moses and Elijah to point them to Jesus Christ!
Hbr 10:11 And
every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same
sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
| Dan
12:11 |
And from the
time [that] the daily [sacrifice] shall be taken away,
and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, [there shall be]
a thousand two hundred and ninety days. |
| Dan
12:12 |
Blessed [is] he that
waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty
days. |
The Beast is thrown to earth for the last 3 and
1/2 years. The Beast is the only one allowed to kill the 2 prophets,
but only after their 3 and 1/2 year ministry period is finished. Satan
is thrown to earth in the middle of the 70th week of Daniel, in order to
orchestrate the Abomination of Desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet
and Jesus. Jesus said when you SEE the Abomination of Desolation,
those in Judea are to flee the area IMMEDIATELY. (Of course,
only those Jews reading the new testament will have read Jesus warning to
them. These would be the Jews who were converted by the 2 prophets
preaching.) For the rest of the Jews and the unbelieving world, Beast
worship begins and endures for the last 3 and 1/2 years. Rev.
13 goes into all the details about this worship of Satan. Those who
have rejected Christ's message of salvation will believe the BIG LIE that
the Anti-Christ is the long awaited Messiah. Once they take the "mark
of the beast", which is worshipping the Beast, their doom to hell is sealed.
Daniel tells us in Daniel 12:11 that those fleeing
Satan/the beast are to wait 1,290 days + 45 days = 1,335, from the time
the sacrifices cease. This is slightly longer than 3 and 1/2 years.
(Many bible scholars speculate that this additional 30 days and then
45 more days is when Christ will be separating between the sheep and the
goats.)
Rev. 11:7-9 "When they finish
their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless
pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. And their
dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually
is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. (ie, Jerusalem),
Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their
dead bodies 3 and 1/2 days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put
into graves. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them,
make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets
tormented those who dwell on the earth. Now after the 3 and 1/2
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. "
Rev 12:12 Therefore
rejoice, [ye] heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters
of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come
down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth
that he hath but a short time.
Rev 11:7 And
when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that
ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and
shall overcome them, and kill them.
Rev 13:1 And
I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out
of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten
crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
Rev 13:2 And
the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were
as [the feet] of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the
dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
Rev 13:3 And
I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound
was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
Rev 13:4 And
they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and
they worshipped the beast, saying, Who [is] like unto the beast?
who is able to make war with him?
Rev 13:11 And
I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had
two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
Rev 13:12 And
he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and
causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first
beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
Rev 13:14 And
deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by [the means of] those miracles
which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to
them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the
beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
Rev 13:15 And
he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the
image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many
as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
Rev 13:17 And
that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name
of the beast, or the number of his name.
Rev 13:18 Here
is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast:
for it is the number of a man; and his number [is] Six hundred threescore
[and] six.
Rev 14:9,10
And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any
man worship the beast and his image, and receive [his] mark in
his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the
wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his
indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the
presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Rev 14:11 And
the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they
have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image,
and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
| 2Th
2:9 |
[Even him], whose
coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and
lying wonders, |
| 2Th
2:10 |
And with all deceivableness
of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not
the love of the truth, that they might be saved. |
| 2Th
2:11 |
And for this
cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe
a lie: |
| 2Th
2:12 |
That they all might
be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
|
Personally, I think that God, in His mercy, will
send the 2 witnesses/2 prophets to the Jews during the time that the Temple
is first back in operation again, and useless sacrifices are being
made again. The 2 prophets will preach salvation through Jesus Christ
alone to wash away one's sins. They will be pointing out the error
of the Jewish religious leadership....vexing them. Then when the Jews
see the 2 vexing prophets DEAD, they will foolishly rejoice! This
is an additional fulfillment of what Jesus warned in Luke in the story of
the poor beggar Lazarus vs. the rich man.
| Luk
16:28 |
For I have five brethren;
that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place
of torment. |
| Luk
16:29 |
Abraham saith unto
him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. |
| Luk
16:30 |
And he said, Nay,
father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will
repent. |
| Luk
16:31 |
And he said unto him,
If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they
be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. |
So, here we see that even Moses and Elijah the
prophets are sent to preach again, because their preaching involves Jesus
Christ, a name they have been taught to hate, the Jews still refuse to receive
the gospel message, even from Moses and Elijah! Some will, but sadly,
most will not. The scriptures don't say this, but I suspect that the 2
prophets will be the ones who convert 144,000 Jews, who will be committed
to evangelizing the world.
Rev. 7:2-8 "Then I saw another
angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And
he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to
harm the earth and the sea, saying, 'Do not harm the earth, the sea, or
the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.'
And I heard the number those who were sealed. 144,000 of all the tribes
of the children of Israel were sealed."
I also think that the 144,000 get a mid-tribulation
rapture along with the 2 prophets, because they are seen in Heaven after
the 7th Trumpet but before the last 7 bowl judgments,
which are the wrath of God.
Rev. 14:1-5 "Then I looked,
and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000 having
His Father's name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from
heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder.
And I heard the sound of Harpists playing their harps. They sang as it
were a new song before the throne, before the 4 living creatures, and
the elders; and no one could learn that song except the 144,000 who
were redeemed from the earth. These are the ones who were not defiled
with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb
wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men being firstfruits
to God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they
are without fault before the throne of God."
The church is raptured prior to the 70th week
of Daniel, for this 70th week of Daniel is for Daniel's People......the
Jews. The Jews, after God's miraculous delivery from the war of Ezekiel
38 & 39, will rebuild their Temple on the Temple Mount, and begin making
burnt offerings and sacrifices again. God is dealing with the Jews
during this 7 year period. The church age is over. There is
no mention of the church after Revelation chapter 4. The first few
chapters of Revelation is LOADED with references to Christ's church.....and
LOADED with warnings for the church to clean up their act, and for the church
to WATCH for Christ's sudden appearing, and PRAY that they may be found
worthy to ESCAPE the coming wrath of God. After Rev. 4, where John
is told to "Come Up Here", there are no further mentionings of the church
until the very end of the book of Revelation, where there are references
that the wedding supper of the Lamb has been COMPLETED and the Bride of
Christ is NOW referred to as the WIFE of Christ. Christ returns to
earth to end the battle of Armageddon. This time Christ returns WITH
with His Wife.
So the Church is raptured before the 70th week
of Daniel can begin. The 2 prophets and 144,000 Jewish evangelists
are raptured around the middle of the 70th week of Daniel, when their ministry
time is completed. The last 3 and 1/2 years are Satan's time of full
power to make hell on earth, knowing "his time" is "short". There
is only one place on earth where Satan/AntiChrist is not given dominion,
and that is Petra......the place in the wilderness (in Jordan) where Jewish
believers in the Jesus Christ are admonished to flee to.....a place prepared
for them for THIS TIME.
| Dan
9:24 |
Seventy weeks
[70 x 7 years = 490 years] are determined upon thy people and upon
thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of
sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting
righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint
the most Holy. |
| Dan
9:25 |
Know therefore and
understand, [that] from the going forth of the commandment to restore
and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince [shall be] seven
weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again,
and the wall, even in troublous times. |
| Dan
9:26 |
And after threescore
and two weeks [69 weeks]shall Messiah be cut off,
but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come
shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof [shall
be] with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
|
| Dan
9:27 |
And he shall confirm
the covenant with many for one week [7 year peace treaty between
Israel and her enemies]: and in the midst of the week
he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,
and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate,
even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured
upon the desolate. |
| Dan
11:41 |
He shall enter also
into the glorious land, and many [countries] shall be overthrown:
but these shall escape out of his hand,
[even] Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.
[Petra] |