Revelation 11:3-13 “And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth." (4) These are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands standing before the God of the earth. (5) And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. (6) These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire. (7) When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. (8) And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. (9) Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies’ three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. (10) And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. (11) Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. (12) And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. (13) In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.”
The above quoted passage of scripture gives us a great deal of insight as to what will take place during the ministries of Moses and Elijah when they are sent back to the earth. Their ministry will begin at the same time that the Antichrist manifests himself in the temple of God, proclaiming to the world that he is god. Both prophets had powerful ministries that demonstrated the gift of the working of miracles when they first walked the earth, and that aspect of their ministries will be even more pronounced the second time around. As the persecution of the saints intensifies in the expanding geographic area controlled by the Antichrist, Moses and Elijah will appear from time to time in various locations to publicly pronounce judgement on those nations, such as drought and various other plagues as mentioned in the above passage of scripture. When they do appear in public to announce the judgements, many will try to kill them but as revealed in scripture, their attackers will be killed by fire that proceeds from their mouths. At the end of their ministry however, Moses and Elijah will go into the city of Jerusalem to confront the Antichrist and the false prophet. In that confrontation the fire that proceeds from their mouths will have no effect on the Antichrist and the false prophet because those two individuals, being part angel are immortal, and so consequently Moses and Elijah will be killed by the Antichrist and the false prophet. The scripture reveals that after three-and–a-half days God will raise up both prophets and take them up into heaven. It is shortly after that event occurring that the rapture of the church will take place in the earth.
Michael E.B. Maher
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