This is the twenty-ninth in a series of verse-by-verse expositions of the book of Revelation. This message was delivered at Hilcrest Baptist Church on the morning of September 20, 2015. This message looks at the death of the two witnesses. This post contains an audio recording of my message, along with my sermon notes. Please note that the sermon notes are not necessarily a full transcript.
SERMON AUDIO:
SERMON NOTES:
v.11:
The death of the witnesses sparked a festival, but the festivities are short lived. After 3.5 days, God resurrects these faithful witnesses. He gives them the breath of life. This is no different than the life that God breathed into Adam.
- Genesis 2:7
Just as God gave Adam a living soul, He restores the souls of these two witnesses to their bodies. The sight of these two men coming back to life after 3.5 days, was enough to strike fear into all who saw them. As we will see, a fear of God is a good thing.
v.12:
This entire event mirrors the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
- Dead for three days, then resurrected.
- After the resurrection, they ascended into heaven in a cloud while people watched.
- Acts 1:9
This event has a huge impact on people, and its no wonder why. The resurrection is the key doctrine of a saving faith.
- Romans 10:9
- 1 Corinthians 15:14-17
We focus much on the death of Christ. Certainly its true that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin.
- Hebrews 9:22
Certainly Christ had to die, but thankfully it didn’t stop there. His death brought forgiveness, but the resurrection brings salvation. You are cleansed and forgiven by the shedding of Jesus’ blood, but the resurrection is the gift of life.
v.13:
This event will result in an attention getting earthquake, in which a 10th of the city will fall and 7000 people will die. The resulting fear will result in faith, and they will glorify God. Throughout the many disasters of the first half of the tribulation, people will refuse to fear God. However, the power of a resurrection will finally bring that much needed fear. By the end of the first half of the tribulation, many people will have been saved.
A fear of God is a good thing. It can result in faith, and it is commanded.
- Matthew 10:28
- Luke 12:4-5
FEAR REALLY MEANS FEAR, AND FEAR OF GOD IS A GOOD THING!
Fear is a motivator for obedience:
- Deuteronomy 8:5
- Leviticus 19:14
- Leviticus 25:17
- Proverbs 16:6
- 2 Corinthians 5:10
Fear of God brings wisdom and knowledge:
- Job 28:28
- Psalm 111:10
- Proverbs 1:7
- Proverbs 9:10
- Proverbs 15:33
- A healthy fear of God does not immobilize us, it causes us to act.
- A healthy fear of God breeds love, respect, and awe if God. It promotes worship, reverence and honor.
- A healthy fear of God deepens and strengthens our relationship with Him.
- A healthy fear of God means we don’t have to fear the world.
We don’t need to fear the world because we a secure in Christ. No one or nothing can separate us from His love. We should take great comfort in that promise. Its good and beneficial to have a healthy fear of the one who loves you so much.
In Defense: The Blog 
Posted on September 20, 2015
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