God’s witnesses raised to life

The people of the earth will be happy because of the death of these two. They will celebrate and send presents to each other, because those two prophets brought much suffering upon the whole human race. After three and a half days a life-giving breath came from God and entered them, and they stood up; and all who saw them were terrified.  (verses 10, 11)

Read Revelation 11:1-14

Sometimes people don’t like to hear the truth. It hurts too much.

In this vision, John sees God send two witnesses or prophets to proclaim his message to the world. But the people don’t like what they hear, and finally ‘the beast that comes out of the abyss’ (Revelation 11:7) kills them and leaves their bodies to lie in the street. The people of the earth celebrate at the death of the two witnesses because their message had hurt them so much.

The witnesses shared the fate of their Lord. He too had been killed, and people had been glad that he was no longer around to give them trouble. But God has the last word. After three days he raised Jesus to life, a new life forever. And, similarly, he raises the two witnesses to life.

Whatever you have to go through because of your faith in Jesus, God has the last word. He will also give you life with him forever.

Thank you, ever-living God, for raising Jesus to life and promising me life with you forever. Help me to be bold in telling others about you. Amen.

by David Schubert, in ‘God’s Peace for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2005)

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