"3 And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4 They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.”[a] 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6 They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want." - Revelation 11:3-6
Notice the [a] just before verse 5. The footnote refers the reader back to the Old Testament book of Zechariah, chapter four, to a story entitled The Gold Lampstand and The Two Olive Trees. The story in Zechariah is prophetic, a story about what will happen in the future.
"Then the angel who talked with me returned and woke me up, like someone awakened from sleep. 2 He asked me, “What do you see?”
I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven channels to the lamps. 3 Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”
4 I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?”
5 He answered, “Do you not know what these are?”
“No, my lord,” I replied.
6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty." - Zechariah 4:1-6
So the lampstands are God's light in this world. The two olive trees are a symbol of never-ending fuel for the lampstands. Back then lamps were fueled with oil - olive oil.
In His Sermon on The Mount, Jesus says, “14You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." - Matthew 5:14-16
We are the lampstands of this world. Our "fuel" comes from The Holy Spirit who fills us. The two olive trees in Revelation 11 represents God's Holy Spirit. Our fuel that will never run out. That's so cool! The question is are our lamps lit? Are we shining our light in this ever darkening world, or have we hidden our light under a basket?
One final thought and something to consider. In the Old Testament, to tell whether someone was telling the truth of not, a person had to present witnesses - TWO WITNESSES.
Jesus is The Light of The World. He is also The Truth. He lights our lamps and fuels them with the Holy Spirit, for this world to see. Light us up, Lord, and may we shine bright for all the world to see. We shine for You and only You, Lord. Light us up!
The Word - Sara Groves
You Are The Sun - Sara Groves
Note: This message was inspired by the teachings of Pastor Dave Goyke, Calvary Chapel - Waupaca. A link to his message will be posted here as soon as it becomes available.
Note: This message was inspired by the teachings of Pastor Dave Goyke, Calvary Chapel - Waupaca. A link to his message will be posted here as soon as it becomes available.
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