The Eternal Witnesses...

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The Bible is clear that God intends to prepare eternal witnesses of His Person, will, ways, and eternal purpose in Christ. It appears to me that the preparation of the eternal witnesses has begun in our day. Of the many adjustments that are part of this preparation, the most important is that we count our original personality as being dead with Christ on the cross, and choose to live each day in the Life of Christ as His Nature is being formed in us.

(9/18/2011). The two witnesses of the eleventh chapter of the Book of Revelation describe the testimony that will be given during the closing days of the Church Age. Who are the two witnesses? They are set forth as follows: And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth." They are "the two olive trees" and the two lampstands, and "they stand before the Lord of the earth." (Revelation 11:3,4)

The two witnesses are the two olive tree and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth The expression "stand before the Lord" was used by Elijah and Elisha.

And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. I Kings 17:1)

But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I (Elisha) stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused. (II Kings 5:16)

This does not mean Elijah and Elisha are themselves the two witnesses of Revelation. Rather, the symbolism refers to the fact that Elijah represents the first anointing, that of the original Day of Pentecost. Elisha represents the latter-day anointing, the double portion, the greater works that are ahead of us.

Also, the raising of the dead man when he touched the bones of Elisha is symbolic of the raising of the Divine testimony after the reign of Antichrist.

The two olive trees and the two lampstands refer back to the Book of Zechariah:

I answered, "I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven channels to the lamps. Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left." (Zechariah 4:2,3)

Two olive trees (the fullness of the Holy Spirit), but only one lampstand. The lampstand of the Tabernacle of the Congregation was solid gold. The symbolism means that only Divinity is portrayed by a lampstand. We understand Jesus Christ to be the Lampstand of Zechariah. So where did the second lampstand come from? First of all, let us notice that the seven churches of Revelation are lampstands.

The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. (Revelation 1:20) There is a church within the seven churches. That church is the second lampstand. Only the saints who have gained victory in Christ are the second lampstand. They are the firstfruits to God and the Lamb.

Notice in the following verse that in the large church in Sardis, only a few believers were eligible to be members of the royal priesthood, that is, of the Body of Christ. They are eternal witnesses of God, along with the Lord Jesus Christ—today and forever.

Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. (Revelation 3:4,5)

Have you ever thought much about the two verses above? The church in Sardis, probably quite large, had a reputation for being alive. Yet only a few members of that "dead" Christian church, that lampstand, will be dressed in white. Why? Because they had been found "worthy." Please consider how opposite this concept is from a great deal of what is being preached in our day.

When Zechariah asked for the meaning of the lampstand and the olive trees, this is what he was told: So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty. (Zechariah 4:6)

This used to be the watchword of the Pentecostal churches. I wonder if it still is! God is telling us that in the closing days of the Church Age His witness will not be accomplished by the plans and striving of religious people. He is going to bear witness of Himself by mighty signs and wonders.

Obviously we must be prepared to take part in such an unprecedented witness. If I am not mistaken, right now is the period of preparation, and there are and will continue to be multitudes of believers in the valley of decision. What has to be decided? Whether we are going to live our own religious life or submit to weakness and crucifixion as the Lord sets aside our natural life and teaches us to live by His Life.

Such continual, consistent giving ourselves over to the wisdom and strength of Christ is the principal preparation for participation as a member of the second lampstand. It appears to me that most Christian work of our day is carried on by the ideas of well intentioned people. Money is a key ingredient. Plans and programs abound. But there is so much self-seeking! So much striving for pre-eminence!

Are the Christian organizations and leaders ready to give up their prominence and humbly submit to Christ as He directs us by His Spirit?

We are heading toward the morally darkest hour of earth's history. It is at this time that the Glory of God will rest upon His witnesses. But such Divine Glory will never come upon people who have not prepared themselves today to live by His Spirit, His Life, His body and blood.

The nonsensical "rapture" teaching, plus the teaching that Christ does everything and we are saved by a sovereign act of God, are leaving God's people totally unprepared for the coming of Divine Glory, and for the spiritual darkness that even now is blanketing the nations of the earth.

The Western nation are pitiful, threadbare vestiges of what once was a vibrant Christian testimony. Therefore Divine judgment shall fall upon them. But there will be a remnant of believers who are willing to die in the Lord that they might live by the Lord's Life.

God has spoken glorious things concerning Zion. Righteousness and praise yet shall spring forth before all the nations of the earth. But this splendid testimony cannot be given until there is a "lampstand" of people who have "died in the Lord" and who are anointed by the double portion of the Spirit of God.

Are you and I candidates for a position in the second lampstand? Do we realize we are being prepared to bear witness of God from now throughout eternity?

The new Jerusalem is God's Tabernacle, His eternal witness among saved mankind. The holy city is composed of the members of the royal priesthood. They finally have been purified from every blemish and now are clothed with the glowing white robes of the royal priesthood.

But how about you and me? Christ died that we might live. Are we willing to die that Christ might live and bear witness of His Father's Person, will, way, and eternal purpose?

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