Day 233

God has never been without a witness to the Truth. Even when judgment comes, God still desires repentance and restoration. As this three and a half year period unfolds, God has two witnesses who proclaim the Truth. They are protected from harm and are able to bring judgments like the Old Testament prophets did. The difference is this. In the Old Testament prophets acted in specific moments at the specific direction of the Lord. They didn’t do things on their own. These two prophets have the ability to do things on their timing. They bring judgment as often as they like.

 After they have finished their task, Satan is allowed to win one. He kills these two prophets and leaves their bodies for everyone to see. The world rejoices at their death. It is like the world rejoicing over the election of a corrupt dictator, because they know that he really poses no threat to them. It is not like the death of Osama bin Laden, which was celebrated in the West, but deplored in much of the world. These prophets are almost universally hated. Where are the Christians, I ask?

But after three and a half days God brings them back to life and takes them to heaven as the crowds watch. The earth itself seems to sync with heaven. Judgment comes in an earthquake. And some respond in partial repentance. I say partial because they give God glory, but there doesn’t seem to be repentance. We don’t read of any change in their behavior. Repentance requires a change in behavior, otherwise it is just a change in feelings. Too often the Church has allowed changes in feelings to be substituted for changes in actions. Repentance is about turning your actions in a godly direction, not about feeling better. Repentance is hard work.

Jesus is now acknowledged as the Lord of the earth. Time has been ticking along until this moment. Now Jesus is in charge. Time has come for judging the dead, rewarding His people, and judging the current crop of rebellious inhabitants of the earth. The inhabitants of Heaven itself are in worship as they declare this. They too have been waiting for sin to be erased from creation. The time is drawing near for all to be set right.

As heaven rejoices at the coming restoration, all hell seems to begins to break loose on earth. Every natural disaster that was seen by John’s contemporaries as judgments from God break loose. None of these was within man’s control, and even with all our technology, they are still out of our control. With the recent destruction from natural disasters around the world, and the cries to prevent them arising, we are not much different.

It reminds me of the Tower of Babel. The world united in disobedience and defiance, certain of their own ability to handle it without God. Like solving “Global Warming.” Ignore the fact that the earth stopped warming up sixteen years ago, and charge on with our modern day Tower. If we come together as a planet, we can solve anything. Even things that don’t need to be solved! No wonder God brings judgment on our arrogance and rebellion. We haven’t changed much in these two thousand years.