SUNDAY, AUGUST 10
Scripture: Revelation 11:5,6

Revelation 11:5,6 is amazing because it says, “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. 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.” What is stunning about this passage is that the witnesses are given the authority to release the judicial plagues of God as they feel they are needed. If God will release this judicial authority to the witnesses, what will He release to us? It is also amazing how those who stand against the witnesses must die. God chooses death by fire. Can we train the church to be prepared for this level of walking with Christ in the last days? Paul believed that because Jesus had not changed, the church needed to be ready to represent Him. And what was written in the Old Testament was indeed, that preparation. If we choose to believe that literally we can either expect two actual, individual witnesses, or we can expect an end-time church, as Jack Hayford believes, that represents the two distinct ministries of Christ as Savior and Judge. Shouldn’t we be ready, just in case?