1. The prophecy under consideration gives us an undeniable evidence of the Divinity and truth of the gospel.
2. The prophecy under consideration assures us of the continuance of the gospel ministry.
3. We are here taught what is the character of Christ’s approved ministers, and what are the duties which he requires of them.
(1) They, as witnesses, are to bear testimony to the gospel by professing their own faith in it, by exhibiting the evidences of its Divinity, by defending it against the cavils of unbelievers, by exemplifying the virtues of it in their conversation, and by sacrificing in its cause their worldly interest, and even their lives, if occasion should require.
(2) They, as prophets, must preach the Word with plainness of speech, adapting themselves to common capacities: they must speak with demonstration of the Spirit and with power, commending themselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God: they must declare the whole counsel of God, however disgustful any part of it may be to vicious and corrupt minds: they must reprove prevailing iniquities, and confute licentious errors, whoever may practise the former or patronise the latter.
4. This prophecy teaches us that in times of prevailing infidelity and corruption there is always a pointed opposition to the ministers of the gospel. If men wish to exterminate the religion of Christ, they will first oppose the means of its support; and of these one of the chief is a learned and godly ministry.
5. We are taught in this prophecy from Whence arises the enmity of wicked men against the stated launchers of religion. St. John says that when the witnesses shall be slain, they who dwell on earth “shall rejoice over them, because these two prophets tormented them.” How did these prophets torment them? Not by persecution; for they possessed neither the power nor the authority to persecute; but merely by proclaiming those solemn truths which condemn the practice, expose the guilt, and announce the punishment of irreclaimable sinners.
6. Another observation which here presents itself to us is that the Christian Church is meek, humble, and peaceable. So she is represented in this prophecy. She suffers persecution from her enemies, but does not persecute them in return. Her deliverances are effected by the hand of God, not by her own hand. The main instruments of her defence are the excellency of her religion, the purity of her works, and the fervour of herprayers. These weapons of her warfare have proved mighty through God to confound the devices and defeat the power of those who sought her overthrow.
7. We are taught the great efficacy of the prayers of good men. (J. Lathrop, D. D.)
The two witnesses
I. The character of the two witnesses. “The two witnesses” are the Son and Spirit of God; the doctrines of their Divinity, or, more particularly, the justifying righteousness of the one, and the regenerating influence of the other.
1. These are the two principal witnesses of God in the Church. They are witnesses of the highest credibility, and to whom alone God would commit His cause. They are best qualified to give evidence upon a subject in all the particulars of which they have been personally concerned. They are the parties to whose care the whole affairs of the Church have been officially consigned. They alone are acquainted with the whole mind and will of God.
2. They are frequently spoken of as witnesses for God in other parts of the Scripture (Isa_7:14; Isa_55:4; Joh_5:31-32; Joh_15:26; 2Co_1:22; Heb_10:14-15; 1Jn_5:6-10; 1Jn_5:20, etc.).
3. This view of the two witnesses is sustained by the preceding allusion. Their emblems are “water and blood.” In the court of the temple are the water and the blood. Here are the altar of burnt-offering and the brazen sea; or, in other words, the “water and the blood.” These are the only furniture of the court. The altar is between the entrance to the court and the brazen sea; and the brazen sea is between the altar and the door of the tabernacle. None without passing by these could enter the holy place.
4. The two witnesses we have named agree with their denomination as prophets. The claim of the Son and the Spirit to the title of the two prophets of God in the Church, above all others, is substantiated by these two Scripture declarations: “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him,” and, “When He the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth.”
5. Our selection of these witnesses accords with the metaphorical illustration of them in the fourth verse. They are the olive trees from which, and the golden pipes through which, the oil of grace is supplied to the Church of God. These olive trees are represented to John as still standing before the God of the earth. Are they not then “He who is the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever,” and theSpirit of Christ which testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow?
II. The rejection of these witnesses. “And I will give unto My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy, clothed in sackcloth.” (G. Rogers.)
The continuous witness
The Lord calls forth His faithful witnesses, and makes promise that their voice and testimony shall not be silenced, even though the holy city be trodden underfoot. Mark--
I. The unfailing testimony. Throughout the entire period during which the usurping worldly power shall oppress and tread down the adherents to the truth, the voice of testimony is heard. It cannot be silenced. Forty and two months is the holy city trodden underfoot; a thousand two hundred and three score days do the witnesses prophesy. Not any particular two; but the confirmatory two. The number may be minished; but the voice is clear. One herald is sufficient to make a proclamation.
II. The painfulness of witnessing against evil and threatening judgment is but too obvious. The witnesses prophesy, “clothed in sackcloth.” So must all who stand in opposition to evil find the painful bitterness of their sad duty.
III. The divine defence of the witnesses. “If any man desireth to hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth.” The Lord defends His witnesses; His anointed must not be touched. The word of their mouth is itself a penetrating sword of flame; nor can the adversaries of truth escape those external judgments which fire always represents, and which the God of truth uses for the punishment of evildoers, This is further seen in--
IV. Their punitive power. But it is of a nature correspondent to theentire character of the gospel. “They shut up heaven. Sad indeed is it for them who stay the holy work of the heavenly witnesses. For if their work be hindered it is as the shutting up of the heavens--no spiritual rain, no teaching. The world is the sufferer. The loss is unspeakable. By the removal of the earth-preserving salt--the Word--a plague is brought upon the earth. Alas! though the testimony is continuous through all the time of the worldly oppression, yet the witnesses are finally slain! Here the vision may be for the comfort of the witnesses to the truth themselves. And we reflect--
V. Upon their temporary destruction and final triumph. They are slain, and so far the world triumphs. So it did with the one faithful and true Witness. Or we may see here a temporary triumph of the evil worldly spirit, and the final supremacy of the truth. Probably the former. But in either case the faithful witnesses to the truth are assured in this, as in many other ways, of the final reward to their fidelity and the final triumph over them who make them their foes. (R. Green.)
The two witnesses, their testimony
I. Why the saints and people of God are called witnesses. Because it is their work and business to bear witness to the truths and ways of Christ, in opposition to the ways of antichrist. This is the work that we are born for: For this cause, saith Christ, was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I might bear witness unto the truth. This is the work of our generation, witness-bearing to the truths of Christ in opposition to the ways of antichrist, in anti-christian times. You will say, What shall I do that I may be found faithful in this witness-bearing; what shall I do that I may witness a good confession in these days of ours? Something by way of rule. Be sure that your testimonies do agree. Though there be a hundred witnesses about a business, if their witness does not agree itwill be of little worth. And now so it is, Christ’s witnesses this day are divided into many opinions and persuasions, but they may agree in the main for Christ, they may all agree in opposition unto antichrist. If then you would have your witness valid and good, labour, you that are the witnesses, for unity in your testimony. Again, if you would witness a good confession in these days of ours, then you must be willing to own the truth of Christ, to own it whensoever you are called thereunto. It is said, our Saviour Christ He witnessed a good confession before Pontius Pilate. Pray what kind of witness was it? Was it any long confession, or large? No; but the manner of it was this: when they called Him before them to give an account of any fact, He left them to prove it. When they called Him to give an account of the doctrine that He held, “Art thou the King of the Jews”? then He owned it. He left them to prove the fact, and He owned the truth; so should we do. If you would witness a good confession in these days of ours, then you must be willing also for to suffer for the truth of Christ. Those that cannot suffer for the truth of Christ and run the hazard of a suffering, they cannot bear their witness fully. See how they go together in Rev_13:10. If you would witness a good confession, then take heed that when you have borne your testimony you do nothing that may revoke the same, either directly or by consequence. Thus by way of rule. And now by way of means. If you would be faithful in bearing your testimony, in bearing witness to the truths of Christ in opposition to the ways of antichrist, observe what the root is that a good confession grows upon, and labour for to strengthen that. Now what isthe root that a good confession grows upon, but faith working by love? Labour in the work of self-denial, and use yourself now to deny yourself. In the next place, take heed that you be not scared too much with the scarecrows of the times, but go to God for boldness, that you may be emboldened with the boldness of the Holy Ghost.
II. But then what are these witnesses more expressly in regard of their number, and in regard of their quality? In regard of their number they are two: “And I will give power unto My ‘two’ witnesses.” Two is but a few, and yet it is enough to bear witness, for “out of the mouths of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” Two, a few, and yet enough. The note is this: Christ will always have enough to bear witness to His truth in the darkest times. But then as for their qualification, For their quality: “These are thetwoolive trees,” at Rev_13:4. If you look into Zechariah, from whence this is taken, you will find the two olive trees are the godly magistrates and ministers, by whose assistance the golden oil is emptied into the candlesticks and lamps. But what are the two candlesticks? Our Saviour tells you that “the seven golden candlesticks are the seven Churches.” They were seven; now in anti-christian times reduced to a lesser company, two candlesticks. Though, as I said before. Christ will lose none in the latter times, yet in anti-christian times reduced unto two. These are the two candlesticks. Christ tells you the candlesticks are the Churches; so then put this together. Would you know what these two olive trees are, and the two candlesticks? They are the godly magistrate and godly minister in conjunction with the saints of God and Churches of Christ. Here we may see who those are that are fit to bear witness of Christ in anti-christian times, to bear their testimony. They are to be a fruitful, profitable people, and a lightsome people, that can hold forth light unto others in some measure.
III. In sackcloth; What is that? If you ask what this sackcloth means, it represents the sad and afflicted condition that the saints and people of God shall be in in anti-christian times. Is it not a sad thing for the saints to be persecuted to the very gates of Zion? And if Christ’s witnesses shall be in sackcloth 1,260 years, will not you be contented to be in sackcloth threeor four years?
IV. Prophesy--what is that, and how did it come to pass that they shall prophesy in the time of their sackcloth? Prophesy--what is that? Why prophesying is sometimes taken in Scripture for the revelation of the mind of God, whereby a man doth foretell things to come. Prophesy is taken for a declaring and making known of the mind and will of God. For, I pray, do but mark, this their prophesying and witness-bearing seems to be all one. “I will give power unto My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy in sackcloth.” I will give power to them; they shall have their orders to preach from Myself; they shall have power from Me to preach, and to prophesy, and to bear their testimony.
V. But then what is the defence and guard that these witnesses have, whereby they are guarded and defended in their prophesying? The text saith, “If any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies.” What then is this fire that proceeds out of the mouth of the witnesses but thedevouring judgments of God, whereby the enemies of God’s people are destroyed by the prayers and threatenings of the people of God that come out of their mouth.
VI. What are the great things that these witnesses will do in the end of the days of their prophesying and of their sackcloth? “These have power to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.” (W. Bridge, M. D.)
