Revelation 11:1-6: a reflection

1A reed like a rod was given to me. Someone said, “Rise and measure God’s temple, and the altar, and those who worship in it. 2Leave out the court which is outside of the temple, and don’t measure it, for it has been given to the nations. They will tread the holy city under foot for forty-two months. 3I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4These are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands, standing before the Lord of the earth. 5If anyone desires to harm them, fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies. If anyone desires to harm them, he must be killed in this way. 6These have the power to shut up the sky, that it may not rain during the days of their prophecy. They have power over the waters, to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.

In this vision, God speaks of his two witnesses, whom he will empower to prophesy through a long and difficult season, clothed in sackcloth, opposed and threatened. Yet God gives them power to complete their testimony; they will prophesy for the full time appointed, and no one can finally silence them before their witness is done. God preserves and empowers his witnesses to carry their testimony through to completion, despite the opposition and the trampling of the holy city around them.

Notice that God empowers and preserves his witnesses to complete their appointed testimony. The witnesses prophesy in a hard season, in sackcloth, amid opposition; theirs is no easy or welcomed task. Yet God gives them power for it, and preserves them through it, so that they complete the full testimony appointed to them before their work is done. The opposition does not cut short their witness; God carries them through to the completion of the task he gave them. He empowers his witnesses, and preserves them until their testimony is finished.

That is an encouragement, for we too may be called to bear witness in hard seasons, amid opposition, and can trust God to sustain us to the completion of our task. When we bear witness to God in a hostile or difficult time, opposed, unwelcomed, we can fear we will be silenced or fail before our witness is done; but God empowered and preserved his witnesses to complete their testimony. Do not fear that opposition will cut short the witness God has given you to bear; he empowers and preserves his witnesses to complete the task appointed to them. Trust God to sustain you in bearing witness, even in a hard and opposed season, carrying you through to the completion of the testimony he has given you, as he empowered his two witnesses to prophesy their full appointed time despite all opposition; for God preserves his witnesses until their work is done.

Lord, in this vision, you speak of your two witnesses, whom you will empower to prophesy through a long and difficult season, clothed in sackcloth, opposed and threatened. Yet you give them power to complete their testimony; they will prophesy for the full time appointed, and no one can finally silence them before their witness is done. You preserve and empower your witnesses to carry their testimony through to completion. Show me that you empower and preserve your witnesses to complete their appointed testimony. The witnesses prophesy in a hard season, amid opposition; theirs is no easy task. Yet you give them power for it, and preserve them through it, so that they complete the full testimony appointed. The opposition does not cut short their witness; you carry them through. Give me that encouragement, for I too may be called to bear witness in hard seasons, amid opposition, and can trust you to sustain me to the completion of my task. When I bear witness to you in a hostile or difficult time, I can fear I will be silenced or fail before my witness is done; but you empowered and preserved your witnesses. Keep me from fearing that opposition will cut short the witness you have given me to bear; you empower and preserve your witnesses to complete their task. Help me trust you to sustain me in bearing witness, Lord, even in a hard and opposed season, carrying me through to the completion of the testimony you have given me.