Witnesses

"'And I will appoint my two witnesses,

and they will prophesy for 1,260 days,

clothed in sackcloth.'

They are 'the two olive trees'

and the two lampstands,

and 'they stand before the Lord of the earth.'

. . .Now when they have finished their testimony,

the beast that comes up from the Abyss 

will attack them, and overpower and kill them.

Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city--

which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt--

where also their Lord was crucified.

For three and a half days some from every people,

tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies

and refuse them burial.

The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them

and will celebrate by sending each other gifts,

because these two prophets

had tormented those who live on the earth."

Revelation 11:3-4,7-10

There was nothing special about them, not a thing that would draw people to them.  In fact, what made these two stand out was their obvious negligence regarding appearance.  Not only did their garments of humble sackcloth irritate the average person who strove to create a good first impression, but the words that constantly flowed from their mouths set their teeth on edge.  Who did these bums think they were?

In the end times, God will send two witnesses who will testify before a defiant world.  The response of the people to their death is what sends me a warning:  How does the world react to the Truth, and how must I protect myself from joining in with their worldview?

Agree

He came not as a unite-er, but a divider. (Matthew 10:34)  His message is one of sacrifice and service, denial of self and glorification of His Father, humility and dependence.  Not many wanted to accept the words that cut so deep, dividing flesh and bone.  Many fell away, unwilling to follow such a difficult teaching. (John 6:66)

I live in a world where unity is revered.  Every effort is made to get along with each other despite our differences.  This desire is so strong in our culture that people are willing to compromise the Truth in the name of peace and harmony.  Jesus, however, made it clear that reconciliation between people was not His goal.  Instead, He came to draw a line in the sand, inviting those who His Father had given to Him to join Him. 

I must be careful in such a culture of unity to avoid diluting the teachings of Christ with the hope of bringing people together.  While I am called to live at peace with one another, this is not at the cost of the Truth. (Romans 12:18) When all belief systems agree, I must watch out.

It is easy to turn my back on Jesus in the face of such pressure to conform.  To help me stand strong with Jesus, I must remember His warning, "Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.  But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven." (Matthew 10:32-33 NLT)

In order to protect myself from thinking like a unifier and thus stand against the Truth, I must accept the fact that the world will not agree with my beliefs.

Demonize

"Homophobe"

"Misogynist"

"Bigot"

These are all words that have been used to describe me.  Let's face it, standing for the teachings of Jesus in this day and age is not popular.  In the eyes of the world, to speak out in defense of marriage as a God-created union between a man and a women means I hate homosexuals.  In reality, I love God and revere His ways.

Speaking up for the unborn multitudes who are slaughtered on a daily basis means I hate women and don't support their reproductive rights.  In reality, I love God and value the life that He has created.

Sharing the Gospel with those who are lost means I am trying to force my opinions of others who don't want to conform to my way of thinking.  In reality, I love God and don't want to see anyone lost.

In order to protect myself from caving into the efforts of those who turn the truth into an object of ridicule, I must realize how God uses the foolish to shame the wise. (1 Corinthians 1:27)

Celebration

Their voices rose as one as church bells pealed in support.  Tears streamed down the faces of those who had fought so hard for this milestone.  Prayers of thanksgiving went up as heads bowed in gratitude.  People from all walks of life gathered to celebrate the Supreme Court's invalidation of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, opening the way for gays to enter into marriage relationships.

This is a world that likes to cloak the lie as a truth, and nowhere is this more evident than in the fight for gay marriage.  While most people are in support of fairness and equality, this is not an issue of rights, but a matter of defining marriage.  Since God is the One who first instituted marriage when He gave Eve to Adam as a helpmate, describing their union as 'becoming one in flesh," (Genesis 2:24) it is his description that should be used.

Church leaders all over the country are using this landmark decision as a time to celebrate.  Instead of revering God, they are bowing to the pressures of the world and exchanging God's ways for their own understanding of what is good and right.  In this way, Jesus Christ is no longer the head but human reasoning leads the way.

I am reminded in 1 Corinthians 13:6 that love does not rejoice in wrongdoing but in the truth.  When the Word of God wins out, those are the times I can take to celebrate.

In order to protect myself from joining in with the commemoration of a lie, I must realize that, no matter how things look, the darkness has not overcome the Light. (John 1:5)

God is warning His people that the world will never accept His Word.  Living in such a place where unity is revered, Truth is ridiculed and deceit is celebrated is dangerous.  Therefore, it is important that I protect myself from joining in with the world's ways and adopting their views as my own.  I must heed the warning God is sending through His two witnesses.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can keep my eyes on Jesus to avoid getting sucked into a worldly point of view.

How do I blend God's ways with the world's?

When do I depend on my own common sense instead of God's Word to show me the way?