The Firstfruits Rapture: Part 4
In this study I would like to discuss the 2 witnesses of Revelation 11 and how they fit into the doctine of the Firstfruits Rapture. As I had discussed in Part 3, it is at the definitive moment when Satan and his angels are defeated by Michael and his angels and cast down into the Earth, that a loud voice in heaven is heard proclaiming "Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb." [Rev 12:10-11] It will also be at this moment when the Son of Man is revealed, and the son of perdition is also revealed, and the man child is caught up to the throne of God [Rev 12]. All born again true believers will be caught up, however, all lukewarm and misguided Christians who have not become born again, as well as all Jews who have not accepted Christ as their Messiah, will be left behind in order to complete their Salvation, bear fruit, and prophesy for 42 months in fulfillment of prophesy as declared in the books of Daniel and Revelation. It will be at this time, when the "fullness of the Gentiles" will have come to pass and the witnesses will begin to prophesy in the spirit of Moses and Elijah. Let's first look at what Paul tells us in Romans chapter 11.
Romans 11: 16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. 17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off , that I might be grafted in. 20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high minded, but fear: 21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? 25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved; as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. 29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. 30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
There is a lot of information in this passage, so I will try to make a shorter summary of it. The holy root, (or olive tree), is referring to the Lord Jesus Christ who has had some of his branches broken off. The branches that were broken off is a reference to the Jews who rejected the Lord Jesus as their Messiah because of their unbelief. These branches were broken off when Christ died on the cross and rent the veil of the Temple in two, thus ending his covenant with the Old Testament nation of Israel. The wild olive tree that is grafted into the original root is a reference to all Gentiles who were once branches to a wild olive tree, but would now become grafted into the good and holy olive tree. In verse 22, Paul tells us that God dealt severely with the Jews because of their unbelief, but has dealt in a good way with the Gentiles because they believed in and accepted Christ as their Messiah. Paul then explains that if they, (the Jews), abide not still in unbelief, they will also be grafted into the holy olive tree, (that is why all modern Jews who come to Christ are considered as both Jews and Gentiles).
Now take note what verse 25 is telling us: that God does not want us to be ignorant of a "mystery", that blindness in part has come to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in to the kingdom of Christ. Then in verse 26 we see that it is God’s will that all Israel become saved and that this will occur by their Savior who will come out of Zion, and who will turn away ungodliness from Jacob. This is God's main purpose for the great tribulation: that the remnant of the seed of the woman of Rev 12 attain their Salvation; that the nation of Israel come to "see" who their true Messiah is, (that they are no longer be blind to it). When Jesus Christ hung on the cross and prayed to the Father in Luke 23:34, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do”, Christ was actually praying for the Salvation of Israel. Praying on the behalf of the sins of a nation is what Yom Kippur is all about, and it comes from a statute that is declared in Leviticus 4:14-15.
Paul continues in verse 28 to explain, “As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the Father’s sake.” The nation of Israel is beloved for the Father’s sake and it is God’s will to have mercy upon them, and upon all of the remnant of the woman's seed of Rev 12; the Lord has promised it, and as He is "the faithful One", He will save them, and not lose one of them.
Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Jesus prayed this beautiful prayer to the Father.
John 17:12-19 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them...Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may beone in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
These that are left behind, the remnant of the woman's seed, will then begin to prophesy with the spirit of Moses and Elijah. In Matthew 17, Jesus explains that a prophet filled with the spirit of Elias, (which is Elijah), will go forth to turn the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
Matthew 17:10-13 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
Notice that Christ said Elijah would come, and that he has come. It is the spirit of Elijah, not Elijah himself. And it was the spirit of Elijah that was also in Elisha, as we see in 1 Kings 2.
2 Kings 2:15 And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
Prophesying and being a witness for God is a fruit of the Holy Spirit that a true believer will produce, and it is the spirit, and the living power, and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 19:10 ...for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
Romans 11: 16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. 17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off , that I might be grafted in. 20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high minded, but fear: 21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? 25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved; as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. 29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. 30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
There is a lot of information in this passage, so I will try to make a shorter summary of it. The holy root, (or olive tree), is referring to the Lord Jesus Christ who has had some of his branches broken off. The branches that were broken off is a reference to the Jews who rejected the Lord Jesus as their Messiah because of their unbelief. These branches were broken off when Christ died on the cross and rent the veil of the Temple in two, thus ending his covenant with the Old Testament nation of Israel. The wild olive tree that is grafted into the original root is a reference to all Gentiles who were once branches to a wild olive tree, but would now become grafted into the good and holy olive tree. In verse 22, Paul tells us that God dealt severely with the Jews because of their unbelief, but has dealt in a good way with the Gentiles because they believed in and accepted Christ as their Messiah. Paul then explains that if they, (the Jews), abide not still in unbelief, they will also be grafted into the holy olive tree, (that is why all modern Jews who come to Christ are considered as both Jews and Gentiles).
Now take note what verse 25 is telling us: that God does not want us to be ignorant of a "mystery", that blindness in part has come to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in to the kingdom of Christ. Then in verse 26 we see that it is God’s will that all Israel become saved and that this will occur by their Savior who will come out of Zion, and who will turn away ungodliness from Jacob. This is God's main purpose for the great tribulation: that the remnant of the seed of the woman of Rev 12 attain their Salvation; that the nation of Israel come to "see" who their true Messiah is, (that they are no longer be blind to it). When Jesus Christ hung on the cross and prayed to the Father in Luke 23:34, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do”, Christ was actually praying for the Salvation of Israel. Praying on the behalf of the sins of a nation is what Yom Kippur is all about, and it comes from a statute that is declared in Leviticus 4:14-15.
Paul continues in verse 28 to explain, “As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the Father’s sake.” The nation of Israel is beloved for the Father’s sake and it is God’s will to have mercy upon them, and upon all of the remnant of the woman's seed of Rev 12; the Lord has promised it, and as He is "the faithful One", He will save them, and not lose one of them.
Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Jesus prayed this beautiful prayer to the Father.
John 17:12-19 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them...Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may beone in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
These that are left behind, the remnant of the woman's seed, will then begin to prophesy with the spirit of Moses and Elijah. In Matthew 17, Jesus explains that a prophet filled with the spirit of Elias, (which is Elijah), will go forth to turn the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
Matthew 17:10-13 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
Notice that Christ said Elijah would come, and that he has come. It is the spirit of Elijah, not Elijah himself. And it was the spirit of Elijah that was also in Elisha, as we see in 1 Kings 2.
2 Kings 2:15 And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
Prophesying and being a witness for God is a fruit of the Holy Spirit that a true believer will produce, and it is the spirit, and the living power, and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 19:10 ...for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
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