5. The
Bible says Gentiles will trample upon the outer court and Jerusalem for 42
months, or 1,260 days. To whom does prophecy assign the 42 months or a
"time [one year], times [two years] and half a time [one-half year]," (Revelation
13:5-8;
Daniel 7:25-26)?
The beast, or more specifically Antichrist, who will speak against and
blaspheme the Most High, persecute the saints, and try to change set times
of spiritual rest, worship and the laws of God.
Forty-two
is a significant number in Judaism. It is taught that the number forty-two
is associated with the timing of significant events. There are the
forty-two segments of the Israelites journey in the wilderness. This leads
to their arrival in the Promised Land, symbolic of what the future holds
when they will be permanently brought in at the time of Messiah.
There are forty-two
generations between Adam and Yeshua as presented by Matthew. Again, with
Messiah on earth through the birth of a baby male child, we have the
symbolism of bringing unity from above to earth below though forty-two
stages: "Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David,
fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to
the Christ,"
Matthew 1:17.
Furthermore, according to
Jewish teaching, the "unifying of above and below" may be seen in the rod of
Moses, which acted as a "connecting agent" in the fashion of Yesod. This rod
is said to have the name of forty-two (42) letters engraved upon it:
“And in the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a weaver's beam” (I Chr. XI,
23). This alludes to the divine rod which was in Moses’ hand, and on which
there was engraved the divine ineffable Name radiating in various
combinations of letters. These same letters were in possession of Bezalel,
who was called “weaver”, and his school, as it is written: “Them hath he
filled with wisdom of heart... of the craftsman and the skilled workman, and
the weaver, etc.” (Exod. XXXV, 35). So that rod had engraved on it the
ineffable Name on every side, in
forty-two various combinations, which were illumined in different
colours,"
Soncino Zohar, Bereshith, Section 1, Page 9.
6. What is
Heaven's response to Satan's overwhelming deceptions and Antichrist's evil
activities during the last days? (Revelation
11:3)?
God will give power to His two witnesses, and they will prophesy for
1,260 days, clothed in garments of sackcloth--the attire of mourning and
sadness (2
Samuel 3:31).
The Two
Anointed Ones
7. Who are
the two anointed ones likely to be (Matthew
17:1-3,
11)?
Moses and Elijah are
seen talking with Jesus in His future glorification, when His face will
shine like the sun and His clothes will be as white as the light. At the
transfiguration, Elijah is promised once again to come and "restore all
things." Jewish tradition also suggests that Moses and Elijah will come at
the end and may be the ones to fill these roles of Netzach and Hod in the
physical realm.
Revelation 11:4
describes the two as "the two olive trees and the two lampstands (Menorahs)
that stand before the Lord of the earth" as identified in Zechariah 4--a
prophetic book concerning the last days. Zechariah is given a vision of the
heavenly Temple, and he sees the seven-branch Candlestick that represents
the Light of the World. He also notices "two olive trees" (4:3).
8. What is
said concerning their work in Zechariah 4:6?
"Not by might [of man's
strength or position], nor by power [of government or armies], but by My
[God's] Spirit, says the Lord Almighty." That's why in Revelation 11:3
it says God will give the power to the two witnesses to testify of
the truth, proclaim God's judgments and perform miracles. They will come in
the power of Almighty. They represent light from Heaven--Menorahs to light
our world during the darkest days of world history.
9.
Zechariah asked the Angel in verse 11,
"What are these two olive trees on the right and left of the Lampstand?
What is His answer in verse 14?
These are the two who
are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth. The King James Version
reads, "These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole
earth." Here they are counseled, and in turn offer their view of earthly
matters.
How did they get their
positions in the Temple of God? Elijah was translated without seeing death
to stand before God because of His commitment to righteousness (2
Kings 2:11),
and Michael evidently called forth the faithful prophet Moses from the grave
(Jude
9) to
stand before God after being buried just outside the Promise Land (Deuteronomy
34:5-12).
Now these two faithful prophets who have been standing before the throne of
God in Heaven for centuries, leave their glorious positions and return to
earth in the midst of great darkness and deception as lamps of light and
truth for Almighty God.
In the mouth of two or
three witnesses "every matter may be established," even a man's sin and
death sentence can be secured by the testimony of two or three
eyewitnesses. If a man refuses to listen to the warnings of the witnesses,
Jesus said to treat them like a pagan because whatever is bound on earth by
two or three together will be bound in Heaven. The two prophets--Moses and
Elijah--are God's eyewitnesses to the unfolding of last-day events on
earth. These two will pronounce judgment upon Jerusalem and Antichrist just
before their demise.
11. What
Old Testament predictions clearly prove that Elijah is a forerunner to
Messiah (Malachi
4:5-6;
3:1-2)?
God has promised to send
Elijah before the great and dreadful Day of the Lord. As Luke writes, "to
turn the hearts of the fathers to their children [at a time when hatred will
reign, even in families] and the disobedient to the wisdom of the
righteous--to make ready a people prepared for the Lord," (1:17).
Nevertheless, the
warning of a curse is given in Malachi. In spite of the testimony of Elijah
the majority will follow after Antichrist so the Lord will "strike the land
with a curse." The Bible says the curse will come because of disobedience (Deuteronomy
11:26-28).
12. What is
the next event just after Elijah is finished with his 1,260-day ministry (Malachi
3:1-2)?
Malachi writes, "THEN
SUDDENLY the Lord you are seeking will come to His Temple [in Jerusalem] . .
. but who can endure the Day of His Coming?" His coming will not be in
defense of Jerusalem, but in destruction of the Temple and the Holy City
because of the nation's sin and disobedience.
13. What is
the punishment for anyone attempting to kill the two prophets before their
time is complete (Revelation
11:5-6)?
The words of the
prophets are like fire. They proclaim death upon their attackers and fire
will devour them.
The two prophets will
have power over nature and will bind up the skies so famine will devour the
land for three and one-half years, just as Elijah once before held back the
rain for the same period of time (James
5:17).
The earth will be smitten by plagues, even turning water into blood, as
Moses proclaimed in the land of Egypt thousands of years before (Exodus
7:19).
Two primary reasons are
given in Scripture for God withholding rain from His people: For serving
other gods (Deuteronomy
11:16-17),
and for forgetting the Holy Covenant, the Ten Commandments (Leviticus
26:15).
For these reasons, the two witnesses will call forth plagues, as often as
they see fit, in order to bring God's punishment and divine plan to
completion.
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