I Shall Not Be Moved!...
                                                                                                 By Pastor F. M. Riley
                                                                                                 April 30, 2019
     "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord," 1 Corinthians 15:58.  

     "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive," Ephesians 4:14.  
Introduction
     "Glory hallelujah, I shall not be moved; Anchored in Jehovah, I shall not be moved; Just like a tree that's planted by the waters, I shall not be moved.  
     I shall not be, I shall not be moved, I shall not be, I shall not be moved: Just like a tree that planted by the waters, I shall not be moved."
                                                                        Favorite Songs & Hymns
                                                                       Stamps-Baxter Music Company
     No true believer should ever be dogmatic on Bible doctrine and truth, UNLESS they have studied it out under the leadership of God's Holy Spirit, and absolutely know the truth of a passage or doctrine.  Then, having been led by the Holy Spirit [John 16:13] into what they KNOW to be the truth, they should never be moved from that truth.  
     The Apostle Paul, by Divine Inspiration, wrote both of the Scriptures used as a text  for this study.  God's people living today need to once again take a stand for and upon  the great truths of God's Word, and be unmoveable.  
     Being wishy-washy, and compromising is what has resulted in the apostasy in the churches and the ranks of Christianity that we see today.  If a person is not certain about what they believe, then how are they ever going to convince the lost of the reality of their "faith?"  Well.....??  
    The Interpretation of God''s Word
     The Holy Bible is the most unigue, and valuable book on earth.  It is literally and actually God's inspired Word, bestowed upon fallen mankind. The Bible covers every subject that confronts mankind, and therefore is a light to guide mankind into the fulness of truth and a right relationship with God who created us.   
      Every Scripture in The Bible is to always be taken as literal truth, UNLESS there are other inspired Scriptures which indicate that a Biblical statement is to be taken other than literal.  Yes, the Bible, in certain places, does set forth symbols and types, which need to be carefully studied, and even prayed over, in order to come to a correct understanding, and in order to "rightly divide the Word of truth," 2 Timothy 2:15.  .  
     The Bible is it's own interpreter.  It is not left up to men to correctly  interpret the Bible.  The "true Interpreter" of the Bible is the Holy Spirit of our living God, John 16:13.  Every true believer needs to pray for the  leadership of God's Holy Spirit as they read and study the Bible.  Unbelieving lost people, with all of their boasted intelligence, can never understand the Word of God, 1 Corinthians 2:14.  It is only when one repents of sin, and receives the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, and are "born again" of the Holy Spirit, that the Bible begins to make sense to them, John  3:3-7; 3:16-18.  Clear enough?  
      Taking the statements of God's Word as literal truth, certainly applies to Bible Prophecy.  Why?   Because the Apostle Peter, in his epistle, was inspired of God to explicitly say, "We have also a more sure [absolutely certain] Word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
     Know this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation.  
     For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit," 2 Peter 1:19-21.  
     In view of Peter's inspired statement, we believers can depend upon every prophecy in God's Word  coming  to pass without fail,  actually and literally fulfilld exactly as given.  Amen!  Praise the Lord!  
     Now with these opening remarks let's turn our attention to one of these "controversial" prophecies set forth in God's Word.......
God's Two Witnesses
     This subject is found in Revelation 10:1-11 and 11:1-14.  In 11:3, in the context of the future Tribulation Period, the Lord Jesus explicitly told John, "And I will give power unto My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.  
     I suppose that ever since this prophecy was given by the Lord, men have been arguing over it.  The controversy is over trying to determine the identity of these "two witnesses" who will be preaching the Word of God during the first half of the Tribulation period.  
     I make no claim to being more intelligent than other true believers, for as already noted in this study, my degree of intelligence, or the readers, has nothing to do with a correct understanding of God's Word.  Correct understanding is the work of God's Holy Spirit in the heart and mind of a true believer.  
     But many years ago, as I studied these chapters in Revelation 10 and 11, it came across to me loud and clear, that the Lord was commissioning John himself to be one of the "two witnesses" during the coming Tribulation Period.  And I have been teaching and preaching this truth now for many years.  
     And ho boy!  Have I caught flack from teaching this truth.  I have now wrote and sent out several Bible Studies presenting this truth to my fellow believers.  But many of them just refuse to believe it, and bluntly tell me so.  But when I ask them to identify the "two witnesses," most tell me that one of them will be "Elijah the prophet" based on the prophecy given in Malachi 4:5-6.  Or some think it will be Moses and Elijah, because they appeared with the Lord at His Transfiguration, Matthew 17:1-11.  But hardly anyone seems to know the identify of the second witness.  About everyone is agreed on Elijah, but hardly anyone is certain about the identify of the second "witness."  And  when I attempt to point out that the second witness will be John the Revelator himself, all  I get is more denial and flack.  
     Okay!  Our readers can suit themselves.  But I refuse to be moved away from what I know to be the truth.  "I shall not be moved."  
For Those Readers Who Want to Know.....
     In Revelation 10, the "little book" that the Lord Jesus Himself had taken from His Father's hand in 5:1-8, was finally passed on to John, and he was told to "eat the book," 10:8-10.  Then immediately after John had eaten the "little book," he was told, ".....Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings," 10:11.  
The Unscriptural Division
     Right at this point the translators of the King James Version Bible decided to end chapter 10 and begin chapter 11.  It was a poor decision, and poor division, for the Lord was speaking to and about John in chapter 10, and continues speaking to and about John in 11:1-2.   
What John was Told
     Our readers can see for themselves that John was explicitly told that he
[1]   MUST preach again "before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings," 10:11.   
[2]   That he was to "Rise," 11:1.  
[3}   Then after rising, he was to "measure the Temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein." 11:1.  
[4]    Not to measure the court of the Temple, for the court yard of the Temple was given to the Gentiles, and they would tread it and the Holy City under foot for "forty two months," 11:2.  The court yard of the Temple is where the anti-christ will erect his image, 13:14-15; Matthew 24:15.
Christian History
     I am well aware that historians are not always accurate, yet we living today have a fairly accurate history of Christianity which has been passed down to us.  
     First, I would point out to our readers that the Book of Revelation was written by John in 96 A.D. while John was in exile on the island of Patmos, Rev. 1:9.  So, at that time there was no temple in existence for John to measure.  The Temple and the city of Jerusalem has been destroyed and burned by the Roman army 26 years previously in 70 A.D.  
     Second, John was already an old man.  He had been chosen as one of the Lord's apostles in about 27 A.D, and he was a grown man when he was chosen.  So we know John was at least in his eighties or nineties, or  close to 100 years of age.  When he was finally released from exile on the island of Patmos, there is no record in Christian history whatsoever, of his preaching again to "peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings."  None!  
      So if John ever fulfills this commandment of Christ, he is going to have to fulfill it in the future.  Now when would that be?  
     Third, the first part of the Lord's commandment to John was to "Rise." the Greek word translated as "rise" in this Scripture is the word "egeiro."  This word occurs 140 times in the New Testament.  I know because I have counted them.  90 times this word is used directly or indirectly in reference to someone rising from the dead.   So, it is my strong conviction that He who is  "the resurrection and the life" [John 11:25] was commanding John to rise from the dead in Rev. 11:2.  
     There is only one problem with this!  At the time John was receiving this vision from the Lord, John was not dead!  John was very much alive.  It was several years later that John died.    So if John is to rise from the dead again, then it has to be in the future.
     Now we believers all know that there is to be a resurrection of the dead, John 5:28-29; 1 Corinthians 15:50-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.  John will be "raised from the dead" at the future resurrection of God's people, however John will not be raptured.  He will remain behind to serve as one of the "two witnesses" along with Elijah, John 21:20-24.  
     Right here is a prime example of the importance of looking up the meaning of the original words in the Hebrew and Greek texts.  The Lord said in 21:22, "If I will that he tarry [remain behind] till I come,....."  This is repeated a second time in 21:23.  The Greek word translated as "come" in these Scriptures is "erchomai."  This is the Greek word which always speaks of the bodily return of Christ, while the Greek word translated as "come" which refers to the Lord's coming at the rapture is the word, "parousia."  Two different words with two different meanings in the Greek text.  Hello!  
     So the Lord Himself actually said that John would be "raised" in the soon approaching resurrection of God's people, but he will not be taken in the rapture.  Rather, John will remain behind to serve as one of God's "two witnesses" during the Tribulation Period.  Glory to God!    
     Fourth, the second part of the Lord's commandment to John was to "measure the Temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein."   Once again, there was no Temple in 96 A.D. for John to measure.  Apparently, the Lord certainly knew this, for the Greek word translated as "measure" in this Scripture, literally means to "lay out the measurements as an architect designs a new building."  This strongly suggests to me that John is going to "rise" from the dead, and be involved in the construction of the Tribulation Period Temple of the Jews.  Oh glory to God!  
The Fulfillment
     Dear readers, the "signs" the Lord told His Church and people to  "watch" for preceding the resurrection and rapture, have been fulfilled to the extent that  the resurrection and rapture could take place at any moment of any day now.  The terrible Tribulation Period is staring humanity in the face right now as I write.  
     John will be raised right along with all the other "dead in Christ" when the resurrection occurs.  But he will not be "caught up" when the rapture occurs.  Rather, he will "tarry" [remain behind] to serve as one of God's "two witnesses" along with Elijah.  
     Thus, what will occur here, is that the Lord God takes the greatest prophet of the Old Testament dispensation, and the greatest prophet of the New Testament dispensation, and uses them as His "two witnesses" to all of mankind LEFT BEHIND on the earth when the rapture occurs.  
     John and Elijah will give forth their "witness" during the first half of the Tribulation Period.  Just as the Lord said, their "witness" will go forth before all "peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings."  I think their ministry will be primarily in the city of Jerusalem, but they may bodily go to other places on the earth.  Regardless, all of mankind on the earth during the Tribulation Period will hear their preaching and "witnessing" for the Lord Jesus.  Thousands will believe their message and be saved, Rev. 7:9-17.  Other thousands will simply be "tormented" by hearing their preaching, Rev. 11:9-10.  
     Regardless of the effect on individuals, whole nations, or kings, no one will be able to stop them from their "witnessing" until their ministry is concluded.  Anyone who attempts to do so will end up as a pile of ashes, to be blown away by the winds, Rev. 11:5.    
     Finally, at the end of their "1,260 day" ministry, the Lord God will permit the anti-christ to kill them, Rev. 11:3; 11:7.   The anti-christ will be so jubilant over their deaths, that he will leave their dead bodies laying in the streets of Jerusalem, for all the people in his kingdom to rejoice over.  And rejoice they will.  They will pour out into the streets making merry, and giving gifts to one another in celebration of the death of God's "two witnesses."  
     But why does God allow them to be killed by the anti-christ?  In order to demonstrate that it is the God they preached who is the true God; the God who has the power over life and death.  After the bodies of John and Elijah have laid in the streets of Jerusalem for "three days and a half," suddenly "the Spirit of life from God" will enter into their bodies, and they will stand upon their feet in their new "glorified bodies" fitted for Heaven, 1 Corinthians 15:50-53.  Then, whille their enemies behold them, they will ascend up to Heaven in a cloud, just as the Lord ascended some 2,000 years ago, Acts 1:9; Rev. 11:12.  
     Notice that it is shortly after this, that the Temple of God in Heaven is opened, Rev. 11:19.  There is no question in my mind that this is when "the wrath of God" takes over the judgments being poured out upon the unrepentant wicked on the earth by His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, Psalm 110:1.   And if the wicked on the earth thought the first half of the Tribulation was bad, just wait until Father God begins to pour out His "wrath" upon them.  
I Shall Not be Moved
     Dear readers, I have presented the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth of God's Word in this study, and have backed up every point made with the "rightly divided" Word of God, book, chapter, and verse, so our readers can check it out for themselves.  
     Therefore, if any reader still wants to criticize and cast doubt on John being one of the two witnesses, don't bother sending your criticism to me any longer.  I have put up with it for years, and tried to reason with some of the critics, and some just refuse to pay attention to what God's Word actually and literally says and teaches.  But by God's Grace, I pay attention to it, and I refuse to be moved from my position on this truth.  I have the truth on this subject, and I intend to stay with it.  I hope some of my critics will come to the knowledge of this wonderful truth also.  May Father God grant His Grace, I'm asking in the sweet name of the Lord Jesus. May Father God bless every reader.  
     "Glory hallelujah, I shall not be moved;  Anchored in Jehovah, I shall not be moved: just like a tree that's planted by the waters, I shall not be moved." Psalm 1:1-3.  
     I hope every true believer developes this same attitude about the great truths of God's Word, 1 Corinthians 15:58.   
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     My personal contact information:
POSTAL.......Pastor F. M. Riley, 14275 Co. Rd. 8120, Rolla, MO 65401
EMAIL.........francismriley34@gmail.com
PHONE........573-202-6493
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