How willing are we to stand against sin?
In this passage where we see these two witnesses of God, John is told to measure the temple. Now the temple is symbolic of the church. It symbolises God's protection around those who call upon His name, protection from the spiritual evil that is in the world. Unfortunately those outside of the temple would face great suffering. This is a way of saying that true believers will be protected through persecution but those who refuse to believe will be destroyed. Revelation is full of sobering truths; do I want any of my family or my friends outside of the temple? NO, this is one of the things twinned with the Great Commission which spurs me on to see them come to know and be in relationship with God.
The two witnesses represent Moses and Elijah. Moses who with god's power brought the plagues upon Israel and set God's people free, Exodus 8-11. Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal, 1 Kings 18. The key thing that places these two men together is that they appeared together in Matthew 17 v 1-7 - "1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.
4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus." These two witnesses were willing to stand against sin and the world hated them for it. The world doesn’t like those who stand against sin. Jesus stood against sin and the world hated Him so much they nailed Him to a cross.
Jesus calls us to be His witnesses to the entire world – Acts 1 v 8 – “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” It takes guts and boldness to stand against sin, but God believes in you and He believes in me. Elijah and Moses stood against sin. The devil hates it when God’s people stand against sin and so it says he rises from the abyss (or one of his agents) to attack the two witnesses and kill them. People of the world rejoice at them dying, it says their bodies lay in the streets of Sodom and Egypt; they represent evil and symbolise the evil place Jerusalem has become. But God restores them back to life and they go up to heaven.
All over the world God’s messengers are being killed for their faith but God protects them spiritually. When we stand against the sin of the world it won’t be easy. But thank God we don’t have to do it alone, with the help of the Holy Spirit and other Christians.
Are you willing to stand against sin?
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