Volume 1, Issue 35
16 Mar 2016
 Just as many have literally interpreted and mistakenly identified one of the two witnesses as Elijah, many have also literally interpreted and mistakenly identified the other of the two witnesses as Moses. The reason for this is because the two witnesses are said to “have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will” (Revelation 11:6).
Moses was able to exact judgment—literal plagues—on Egypt for its rejection of God’s Word and oppression of God’s people. The two witnesses will be able to exact judgment—figurative plagues—on the world, which is symbolized in Scripture by Egypt, for its rejection of God’s Word and oppression of God’s people. God’s judgment on this unrepentant world is depicted in the Book of Revelation in the form of plagues.
- “And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk.” (Revelation 9:20)
- “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)
- “And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.” (Revelation 16:9)
- “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” (Revelation 18:4)
- “Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.” (Revelation 18:8)
- “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.” (Revelation 22:18)
Many of these end-time plagues on an unrepentant world are similar to the plagues that befell an unrepentant Egypt.
- Water turned to blood — (Revelation 8:8-9; 11:6; 16:3-6)
- Frogs — (Revelation 16:13-14)
- Boils and sores — (Revelation 16:2)
- Hail mixed with fire — (Revelation 8:7)
- Locusts — (Revelation 9:3-4)
- Darkness — (Revelation 16:10-11)
The church has the power to exact judgment upon this unrepentant world for its rejection of God’s Word and oppression of God’s people. For instance, Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 10:14-15: “And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.” In Luke 9:5, Jesus explains that the act of shaking “the dust from [our] feet” serves as “a testimony against” those who reject us and the Gospel we preach.
- When the Gospel was rejected and Paul and Barnabas were persecuted by the people in Antioch of Pisidia, Paul and Barnabas “shook off the dust of their feet against them” (Acts 13:51).
- When the Jews of Corinth “opposed” Paul and “blasphemed” Christ, Paul “shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads, I am clean; from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles” (Acts 18:6).
Contrary to popular opinion, it is not the church that is endangered by the offense of the Gospel, but the world that is endangered by its opposition to the Gospel. The church shouldn’t fear the world shutting us up, but the world should definitely fear the church shaking it off.
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Don Walton
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