Day 180

“And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.” REV.11:3,4. NASB

Lampstands are the churches (c.f. Rev 2 & 3). The church is the witness of Jesus who is the light. The 1260 days is mentioned 7 times in the books of Daniel and Revelation and is, therefore, a significant number. It is also referred to as the 42 months, time, times, and half a time and the 3 ½ years. 

One of the principles in understanding Bible prophecy is that a day represents a year. Ezekiel 4:6 says,”… I have assigned it to you for forty days, a day for each year.” Numbers 14:34 repeats the same principle. This method has been used for centuries, and time and again it has proven to be correct. Of all the time prophecies in scripture, this one is repeated more than any other. 42 months is only used in relationship to the wicked. 1260 days is used in respect to the righteous and the term times, time and half a time is used to refer to the time of persecution.

The Bible says “no prophecy is of a private interpretation” 2Pet 1:20. Therefore we need to let the Bible tell us who these two witnesses are. Zechariah saw the two olive trees and two lampstands (Zech 4:11-14). Revelation refers to these two witnesses as the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus – in other words, the old and New Testaments. This is where Moses drew power to turn water into blood, and how Elijah stopped the rain from falling for 3 ½ years. Faith in what God said, was their witness – and so it will be in the last days.

The two witnesses represent the message of the gospel, a message that God intends will be heard throughout the earth before the end comes (Matt 24:14; Rev 11:11-12; 14:6-7). The two witnesses are portrayed as standing all alone, challenging the wrongs of their day, and standing for God in the face of great opposition. Is this the word of God and the Holy Spirit during the Middle Ages? 

We too are sometimes called to stand alone for God. Such times are not pleasant. We prefer to be part of the “in” crowd, to be accepted in a group that believes and lives the way we do. But in hard times that may not be the case. The good news is that, as we make disciples for Jesus, our lonely influence is multiplied and many others receive Him in spite of the difficulties that following Christ can bring in this world. 

In today’s world, we are all called to be witnesses for Jesus Christ. ¾  of the people in our world do not believe in Jesus, and half of the people in the world have yet to hear about him in a meaningful way. While there is little anyone of us can do about reaching the billions, we can each reach out to the one or two lost people who are closest to us. The work of God will be completed under God’s supervision and in God’s time. Our personal part is to sense His direction and His call each day.