17 Here is the prophecy of the voice that goes before the Lord to prepare His coming:

The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. (Isaiah 40:3-5)

"Elijah," the anointed prophet, always must go before the Lord and prepare His way. Then the Lord will come. . . . and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. (Revelation 11:6)

Moses comes to mind, and the powerful plagues that destroyed the land of Egypt; also Elijah and the drought with which he plagued Israel. Can it be true that it will be the prayers of the remnant that will bring about the tribulation? Moses, the anointed man of God, was the one who brought tribulation on Egypt (a type of the world), destroying it with plagues.

Elijah, the anointed man of God, was the one who brought tribulation on the land of Israel, destroying it with drought. The Scripture is clear that the judgment of God, during the Day of the Lord, will be administered by His saints (Psalms 149:5-9; Malachi 4:3; I Corinthians 6:2,3; Jude 1:14,15; for example). Notice the following verses:

And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. (Revelation 15:1)

Notice the following, referring to the angel who was bringing the vision to John: And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (Revelation 19:10)

"I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus." The word angel means messenger—nothing more.

One of the seven angels who carry the vials of God’s wrath may be a glorified human, it is not impossible that all the Divine messengers who bear the plagues of the wrath of God are glorified human beings. This would be in accordance with the written Word of God that assigns the administration of God’s judgment to the saints.

And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. (Revelation 21:9)

And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. (Revelation 22:8,9) "See thou do it not: for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets."

One of the seven angels (messengers) who carried the vials filled with the plagues of the wrath of God came to the Apostle John and showed him the holy city, the new Jerusalem.

The exiled John, overcome with the glory and splendour of the vision Christ was giving him, "fell down to worship before the feet of the angel."

The angel (messenger) would not allow John to worship before him, saying "I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book."

As we have stated, it is not impossible that this messenger had been a human being on earth, although now living and ministering in the spirit realm. He is a fellow-servant of John, of the prophets, and of those persons who keep the sayings of the Book of Revelation. We cannot think of an instance in the Scriptures where a spirit-angel, an angel who have never been a human being, spoke of itself as a fellow-servant of human beings; although this is not impossible either.

It is not surprising, therefore, that the two witnesses possess the authority to "strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they will." In the eyes of the saints such a chastening of the earth is the Glory of God. In the eyes of the world a chastening of the earth is viewed as tribulation and torment.

How does God’s mercy appear when observed from the standpoint of God’s enemies?

To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever: And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever: Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever: And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever: And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever: (Psalms 136:17-21) One wonders what opinion Sihon and Og had of God’s mercy?

Elisha, the prophet of the double portion, is a type of the two witnesses. He stands before the Lord God of the whole earth. He also handles sin roughly, his righteousness being above reproach.

Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, was a covetous man and a liar. Here is Elisha’s response to Gehazi’s love of money: The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow. (II Kings 5:27)

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