The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and
will celebrate by sending each other gifts (Revelation 11:10).
Our selection for today begins with the apparent deaths of
the two witnesses (11:3) – or olive trees or lampstands (v. 4),
or prophets (v. 10. We first read about the two olive trees in Zechariah where
they symbolize Zerubbabel and Joshua. Zerubbabel governed (a descendant of King
David) the exiles who had returned from Babylon and Joshua was the High Priest,
symbolic of joint godly leadership in both the political and the spiritual
realms.
What I find particularly telling about this passage is the
reaction of the inhabitants of the earth (symbolic of the unbelieving population of Rome – or Rome itself).
After their deaths, these scoffers
will party and send one another gifts in celebration that these two prophets
are seemingly dead. But after three and a half days – Antiochus IV (Epiphanes)
wreaked havoc on Jerusalem for three and a half years; three and a half days
and 42 months are both symbolic of significant persecution – things would start
looking up. If the inhabitants of the earth symbolize Rome, then the prophets
(olive trees, lampstands, prophets, etc.) symbolize the church.
Though the church’s defeat looked like a sure thing – enough
that its enemies were already congratulating themselves with a victory
celebration, after three and a half days the breath of life from God
entered them (11:11).
TODAY’S MEDITATION
Give thanks that even when
evil prematurely throws a party thinking you’re down and out, with God’s help,
you’re still here.
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