This Program is about th The two prophets mentioned in the book of Revelation. And about certain periods of time or days mentioned in Revelation in Daniel. This will be much easier to understand if you take a sheet of paper and a pen or pencil and graph it along with me as I speak. So that it will be clearly visibly portrayed in front of you.

                                     
I would like to start in Daniel 12:1, and that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which stands for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

                                     
These two verses are explained in Revelation 12, starting in verse 7. And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, 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 and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhibiters of the earth and of the sea! For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has but a short time.

                                     
And when the dragon saw that he was cast down unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And the dragon was angry with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

                                     
Now, time can be shown to be a year, times will be 2 years and half a time is half a year. So, time, times, and half a time represent three 3 ½ years. And these verses in Revelation clearly explain what was meant in Daniel 12, starting in verse 1, where Michael shall stand up for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble.

                                     
Michael is to stand up when Satan resists or attacks God and Michael will cast Satan down from heaven in a great war. And on verse 3 of Daniel 12, they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.

                                     
So, we see that the wise shall shine like the stars. Who are the wise? The wise, are those who recognize and understand that the source of all true wisdom is the Eternal God. The wise are those who know that the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord. It is the respect for God and for his commandments that makes one wise. The wise know that by keeping God's commandments and doing what God says, they will learn true wisdom and will have access to true wisdom.

                                     
Now, Daniel 12:4, but thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even unto the time of the end: many shall run about to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

                                     
So, this book was sealed until the end, the very end. Nobody writing a few hundred years ago could have understood these things. No one writing even 40 or 50 years ago could have understood these things because these things were sealed until the very end.

                                     
We have the word here of the angel of God written in Holy Scripture. Verse 5, then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on the other side of the bank of the river. And the one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, how long shall it be to the end of these wonders? And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and swore by him that lives forever that it shall be for a time, times, and a half.

                                     
So, we see, the same period of times that was mentioned in Revelation 12. And when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he answered and said, go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.

                                     
So, Daniel is told the second time that all these things are sealed until the time of the end. Nobody before now, nobody writing many years ago could have understood these things. Not because they were not godly or converted but because God himself had sealed them and concealed them until the very end time.

                                     
Now, continuing in verse 10 of Daniel 12, many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand. So, who are the wicked? Well, it is written, sin is the transgression of the law and sin is wickedness. Therefore those who transgress the law of God, the commandments of God, those who despise God's commandments and his word, they are the wicked. And they shall not understand.

                                     
So, there is a second key here. The prophecy of Daniel was sealed until the end. But it is also sealed permanently from the wicked. You have to become wise. You have to become righteous by keeping God's commandments in order to have any chance of understanding these things.

                                     
So, if you are living in the last days and if you are wise, because you keep God's commandments then you shall understand. But those people who reject God's commandments, who despise his Sabbaths, who have contempt for his holy days, who tread all over his commandments and then present to you some sort of explanation of these things, don't believe it. It just can't be true because God said so.

                                     
He had it written out by Daniel in Daniel 12:10, the wicked shall not understand; only the wise shall understand. Only those who put God first, only those who seek God's wisdom, only those who keep God's commandments, only they, the wise shall understand.

                                     
Anybody else who despises God's commandments, who pollutes his Sabbath, who treads all over God's holy days, who rejects God's law and his commandments, if such people present you with some sort of explanation, turn away. It simply cannot be accurate. It cannot be correct. It cannot be true for the wicked shall not understand.

                                     
And this is true, not only of this prophecy but of any other prophecy including the 70 Weeks Prophecy, or any other; because spiritual things are spiritually discerned and God's spirit is given to those who obey him.

                                     
Continuing now in Daniel 12:11, and from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there shall be a 1290 days. Blessed is he that waits, and comes to the 1335 days.

                                     
So, you see very clearly, Daniel is being told when the abomination is set up. And we covered that with the abomination and false prophets last week. When the abomination is set up, there shall be 1290 days. Now, in verse 12, blessed is he that waits, and comes to the 1335 days.

                                     
Some people in the Church of God, would say that such and such a time would begin the 1335 days. And  45 days later the 1290 days would begin. This is the exact opposite of what the Bible says. It is the opposite of what the book of Daniel says.

                                     
Notice it and I'm really emphasizing this point. From The time that the abomination is set up verse 11; there shall be 1290 days. Blessed is he that waits, and comes to the 1335 days.

                                     
So, what we have read in Daniel is that the abomination will be set up and then a period of 1290 days will occur, at which time something will happened and those that continue and wait until after the end of the 1290 days and come to a total of 1335 days will then be blessed.

                                     
One of the keys to understanding scripture is to believe what is written and not just sort of scratch your head and think and think and try to figure it out and try to act like it means something different than what it says. No. It means what it says. It says the abomination will be set up and then 1290 days later something will happen and then those who continue, who waits, who come to the end of 1335 days will be blessed.

                                     
Now, if you'll take your sheet of paper and just draw a line on it and just draw a line of a certain distance and mark it 1290 days and put a little mark or x at the end of it and then continuing on for another  short distance and complete 1335 days.

                                                 X____________________________________________x__________x

                                                                          1290                   +                                           45  =   1335

                                     
So, you have a line of a total length of 1335 days with a little stopper at the end of 1290 to indicate the difference between 1290 and 1335. And doing the simple math of subtracting 1290 from 1335, you find that there's 45 days difference. So, at the end of 1290, you can mark 45 days, until the completion of 1335. It's very simple you go 1290; stop, then 45 days, stop. That completes a total of 1335 days.

                                     
And I will tell you now that the end of the 1290 days is the resurrection from the dead on the 6th day of Unleavened Bread; and 45 days later brings us to the end of the 1335 days, on the day before the Feast of Pentecost. And on the feast of Pentecost, God's kingdom will be established. God's spirit will be poured out on all flesh even calming the savage beast. And the Kingdom of God will be established and the millennium or thousand years of peace will start.

                                     
Now that is the first line and the first period of time. A total of 1335 days. For the next, we would like to go to Revelation 13, and I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

                                     
And this blasphemy is that it calls itself holy when it is not. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power; that is the dragon, Satan the devil, gave him his power and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of the heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? And I covered this last week, where we talked about false prophets and the final prophet, the great abomination.

                                     
Now, in verse 5, there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue 42 months. Forty-two 30 day months equal 1260 days, and 3 ½ years  is the same as a time, times and half a time which also equals 1260 days. These periods of time are all the same, exactly the same.

                                     
Now, continuing in verse 6, and he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

                                     
Now, what does it mean worship? It means to hold in awe, in esteem to say, who can resist this system, who can resist this person, who can fight against it, who can defeat? We must bow to it. We must do its will. That is worship. Worship means obedience. To obey something is in a sense to worship it and if we obey it in all things, it has become our god. It has become a false god that we esteem and exalt above all other things.

                                     
So, people on the earth worship the system. It doesn't mean they like it or agree with it, but they will not resist it. They will bow to it. If you remember last week’s program, you remember that the abomination, the great false prophet is set up, he is established, he is empowered and he calls for a revival of the Roman system.

                                     
And he has the power to bring this revival to life. He has the power to resurrect the Holy Roman Empire, which is what this beast is. So, the false prophet is set up, the abomination is set up, he calls for a revival of the Holy Roman Empire this beast and it is set up.

                                     
Now, let us turn to Revelation 19:20, and the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet which wrought miracles before him, and which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his likeness or image. And these both, the beast, that is the empire and the false prophet who gave it life were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

                                     
The false prophet and the emperor, the king emperor, the leader of this bestial system are both cast into the lake of fire, together at the same time. So, we see the false prophet and this king of the beast, this ruler of this empire cast in the lake of fire, at the same time.

                                     
Now, going back to chapter 13 and verse 5, remember that power was given unto this beast, this empire and this system to continue for 42 months. And as Daniel says, a time, times and half a time; or 3 ½ years.  And 42 months is 3 ½ years.

                                     
Now,  go to Revelation 11:1, and there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot 42 months.

                                     
So, this is exactly the same period of team. This beast, this Roman Empire with its emperor, have power and they shall tread down the city under foot for 42 months. Chapter 11 of Revelation verse 2, they shall tread the city under foot 42 months.

                                     
And if we go to Revelation 13:5, he has power to continue 42 months. And the marginal rendering there is that he has power to make war for 42 months. So, it is very clear that this bestial empire and this emperor will have power to make war for precisely 42 months, which is a time, times and half a time or 3 ½ years or 1260 days.

                                     
And we are told this in all of these different ways, and with all of these different methods, these different periods; months and days and years to emphasize to us precisely the period of time involved. We therefore know that the abomination will be set up and 1335 days later, he will be thrown into the lake of fire.

                                     
And we know that when he is set up, he will call for the rise of this Roman system. And when it has risen, it will make war for 42 months and that this beast, this emperor will be thrown in the lake of fire, at the same time, together with the false prophet.

                                     
So, this beast emperor is thrown into the lake of fire at the end of the 1335 days. So, we can go below the first line that you drew, draw a second time. This time going backwards. From the end of the 1335 days, draw a line and call it 1260 days or 42 months or 3 ½ years, however you want to label it.

                                            X____________________________________________x__________x

                                                                       1290                         +                       45    =  1335

                                            Abomination                                                           Res                            kingdom

                                                  75                 X_________________________________________x

                                                                                                    1260 tribulation

                                      But the beast and the false prophet are both killed at the same time. Therefore we can know that at the end of 1335 days is when they are both killed. And we can then come backwards 1260 days and we can see when the Tribulation begins. And if we do our simple math of subtracting 1260 from 1335, we know that the Tribulation will begin about 75 days after the abomination is set up.

                                     
So, when the abomination is set up, he shall call for a revival of the Roman system. And he, this false prophet, this abomination shall go to the holy place and war shall begin 75 days after the abomination was set up. Because the war, or Tribulation; is to last for 42 months. And this beast, this Roman system and its emperor, this ruler of this Roman system will have power to make war for 42 months, no more, no less.

                                     
And now for our third line. In Revelation 12:14, and to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time from the face of the serpent.

                                     
Now, this woman has a place prepared of God for her. This woman is the church. This woman flees to this place. Where she is nourished for 42 months; or a time, times and half a time.

                                     
And by the way, these times are; the times of the gentiles, mentioned by Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ said that the city shall be trodden under foot until the times of the gentiles be fulfilled, Luk 21:24. Christ was referring to these times; this time, times and half a time, this 3 ½ year period.

                                     
He was not referring to some complicated imagination invented by somebody. He was simply referring to these times, the times when the gentiles will dominate Jerusalem and trod the city under foot. So, this woman, the church is giving the two wings of a great eagle. And those two wings, my friends; are the two prophets that God will send to deliver the church.

                                     
That is those who are responsive and will listen and respond to the warnings and do what God wants them to do through his prophets. These two prophets will give the final warning and they will have the power to deliver the woman, the church; to the place which God has prepared for her, where she will be nourished for 42 months, from the face the serpent.

So, again, this pe             This period of time, 42 months; is the period of time in which Jerusalem shall be trodden under foot by this Roman system. So, we could then say logically that she must be in the wilderness for this entire period and that the time in the wilderness will end when the beast and false prophet are destroyed.

                                     
So, we can go down on our little chart, our graph and make a third line and start it again at the end of the 1335 days. When the beast and false prophet are destroyed and drive back for 1260 days and mark that church in the wilderness.

                                     
Now, that certain foundations have been laid, we can get back to the two witnesses themselves. In Revelation 11:3, and I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 1260 days is 42 months. This is a time, times and half a time. This is 3 ½ years. The exact period of time that the beast has power to make war. The exact period of time that the church is in the wilderness.

                                     
This begs the question. How can they take the church into the wilderness if they have power for exactly the same period of time that the church is in the wilderness? And I'm going to deal with that very shortly. Clothed in sackcloth means to be clothed in humility and giving up the things of this world, the pleasures of this world for the things of God.

                                     
Now, on verse 4, these are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the whole world. This is a direct reference to Zachariah 4:1 and the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep. And said unto me, what seest thou? And I said, I have looked behold a candlestick all of gold and a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top of it.

                                     
Now, I do urge you to read our page on the Seven Churches. This candlestick is not about candles. It is about a seven branched lamp stand. And in the bowls on the top is pure olive oil. Wicks are in. The wicks are lighted and the oil is burnt, giving light. In King James England, they use candles but in ancient Israel, they used olive oil.

                                     
Verse 3 and two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. So, I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, what are these, my Lord? Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, knowest thou not what these be? And I said, no. Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, this is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of host.

                                     
Signifying that no man accomplishes anything godly on this earth. It is the spirit of God, the power of God, working with and through men that accomplishes God's will. Verse 7, who art thou, O great mountain?

                                     
He's referring here to Jeremiah 51:25-26, the great mountain of Babylon, the government of Babylon. Verse 7 here, who art thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain, you shall be leveled. And he shall bring forth the headstone, the cornerstone with shouting’s, crying, grace, grace unto it.

                                     
This headstone, this cornerstone is Jesus Christ who will come and smash the idol, the statue of Babylon on its feet and destroy the whole system and destroy the mountain, the government of Babylon and level it. Verse 8, moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying; the hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the Eternal of hosts hath sent me unto you.

                                     
Who laid the foundations of God's physical temple here? A man named Zerubbabel and he completed it. Who lays the foundations of the spiritual temple? Who sent the apostles? Who sent the prophets? Who established the church of God? It was Jesus Christ, not Herbert Armstrong, not any other man. It was Jesus Christ.

                                      Jesus Christ is the Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel was a type of Jesus Christ. It was Jesus Christ who laid the foundations of the church. He sent the prophets. He sent the apostles and He himself was the chief cornerstone. And it is He who can save men, not some human being. Jesus Christ was the man that Zerubbabel was a type of. And Jesus Christ is the son of the living God. And He has become our high priest. Ministering and interceding and mediating for us with the Father in heaven.

                                      Zech 4:10, who has despised the day of small things or small beginnings? For they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet or the tools in the hands of Zerubbabel with those seven; where are the eyes of the Lord, running to and fro through the whole earth.

                                     
So, this Zerubbabel, Jesus Christ, laid the foundations of the church and he is going to pick up his tools, the two prophets and his other prophets and his apostles and evangelists and His saints; and He is going to complete the job. The prophets will not do it, nor the apostles, nor evangelists, nor the individuals. It is God, though the power of his Holy Spirit, the spirit of Jesus Christ dwelling in them which will do the job.

                                     
No. This man or that man is not going to accomplish anything, not a single thing on their own. It is the power of God, being directed by Jesus Christ which will accomplish the matter and reach the goal and complete the job and finish the building. Not any man. It is the power of Almighty God, who will complete the job. The power of God as directed by Jesus Christ, the true Zerubbabel.

                                     
In verse 11, then answered I, and said unto him, what are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof? Verse 12, and I answered again, and said unto him, what be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves?

                                     
So, he is asking the question for the third time. Clearly Zachariah is driven by curiosity. He really wants to know. And in verse 13, he answered me and said, knowest thou not what these be? And I said, no, my Lord. Then said he, these are the two anointed ones, which stand by the Lord of the whole earth.

                                     
So, Zachariah 4 is directly referred to by Revelation 11:4. Revelation 11:4, these are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the Lord or the God of the earth.

                                     
Now, olive trees emptying oil into a candlestick and the burning wicks, burning the oil in the lamp stand or candlestick; represents the church of God, the seven churches, as it is written in Revelation 1:20. So, what are these two prophets then?

They empty oil out of themselves, that oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. So, God is pouring his spirit though these people into his church, into all seven eras of the church. So, all seven eras exist at the same time. And they are all running short of oil. And God pours oil into them through his two prophets.

                                     
They are like olive trees, emptying oil out of themselves into the lamp stand. Providing oil for the churches to use, to let their light shine, to become more righteous, more godly; to stand out in this world as being God's people.

                                     
So, in Revelation 11:5, and if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devours their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

                                     
It does not mean that they are some sort of fire breathing monstrosities. It means at their command, at their word, which comes out of their mouth. They can command fire to come down and consume their enemies.

                                     
Now, verse 6, these have power to shut heaven that it rains not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.

                                     
So, these two prophets have the power to smite the earth with plagues. They have the power to pronounce cursing. And to have those curses come to pass. Now, I did say last week that men of God, people of God, do not go about cursing people. So, what do we have here? We have people empowered to place curses on the earth. And did not the prophets of old do the same thing? Did they not pronounce curses; and did they not come to pass.

                                     
The key to this apparent contradiction is not precisely in cursing, it is rather about power. It is about lawful power and godly use of power. It is about mature use of power. Power without responsibility is tyranny. God gives power to his servants to fulfill their mission. The power is given for specific reasons and specific purposes. And part of the reason is to in able them to fulfill their mission. The ability to curse if necessary is an enabling power to fulfill their mission.

                                     
Does this mean that they can take every little thing personal and go around cursing everybody? No. It means they must judiciously and wisely use this power for the purpose God intended only. They are to use this power, A) when God directs them to do so, B) when it is essential for self-defense for self-preservation, to keep themselves from being killed and C) when it's essential to carry out their mission.

                                     
If someone should bind them up or put them in prison, they might use this power to get out, if that is God's will. The power comes from God. All power comes from God. And all power must be used in a manner consistent with God's will. And God does not will that we exercise power recklessly, or foolishly, or destructively, or for personal reasons, or personal purposes. The power God gives is the power to do the job. Period.

                                     
If we use the power for any other purpose, it won't work. And it won't work because God will not back us up. It is the job of every man of God to back God up. And if we back him up. He will back us up. It is not God's job to back us up in anything, including prophets or anybody. It is the job of prophets or apostles or ordinary people who are called of God to always put God first, to keep God's commandments, to stand for God, to back God up, to support him, to worship him, to exalt him in all times, in all ways and all things.

                                     
It is not God's job to do our will. It is our job to do his will. It's not his job to do our will. He takes care of us as we obey him, as we serve him. And the power He gives us is power which will be necessary for us to accomplish the task he has given us.

                                     
And He will give that power only to people whom He knows will wisely, properly and in a godly manner, use that power for the purpose it was intended. And He will not give the power to anyone He knows can't handle it. He will not give power to anyone he knows will abuse it.

                                     
The whole question here is whether people can go around cursing other people because they're prophets or not. This whole question has nothing to do with the ability to curse. It has to do with the ability to use power wisely. The ability to handle it; and to handle it in a righteous and godly manner for the purposes that God intended when we gave it. And if we abused that power, He will not back us up, which means the curses will not be backed up. They will not come to pass. Period.

                                     
Yes God's true prophets will have powers. But He will call them to be his prophets because He knows that they can handle it, that they can handle it in a mature, wise, godly manner and that they will only do as He commands, as He directs, either directly through inspiration or directly through his commandments. And He will not give such power to any self-centered, immature, oversensitive person who is going to abuse it and lash out at everybody he doesn't agree with or doesn't like.

                                     
In verse 7 of chapter 11 in Revelation, and when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, shall overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. And we all know that he was crucified in Jerusalem.

                                     
And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies 3 ½ days, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and send gifts to one to another; because these two prophets tormented those that dwelt on the earth.

                                     
And these people were tormented because they worship the beast, they had his mark, they exalted the false prophet and they rebel against God and trample over God's commandments and rejected the eternal God and swallow this deceptive evil.

                                     
In verse 11, after 3 days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying, come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

                                     
This is talking about the resurrection. When all the living and the dead in Christ shall be raised up and ascend into the heavens. Given new bodies made of spirit, they're to rejoice and hold the wedding feast with Christ and the Father, as it is explained in Revelation 15.

                                     
Revelation 15:2, I saw as it were a vast expanse or a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory of the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, standing upon this vast expanse of crystal or glass, a sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou king of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Eternal, and glorify thy name? For you only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: and the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven last plagues.

                                     
So, here we have it, the saints of God are standing on the vast expanse of glass, the sea of glass before the throne of the Father, before the throne of God. They are in heaven, before the throne of God and while they are there, the seven angels having the seven last plagues come out of the temple and prepare to pour out the seven last plagues upon the earth.

                                     
There you have it brethren. The resurrected saints will go to heaven for the wedding feast with Christ, the Lamb and with the Father and during that time, the seven last plagues will be poured out upon the earth and upon the seat of the beast.

                                     
These two prophets will have power to prophesy and to do God's will for exactly 3 ½ years, warning the people of the coming destruction of this coming Babylon system. They will witness that the Eternal is God and that beside him, there is no other.

They will witness that this deception, this false prophet, this abomination, this stench in the nostrils of the Almighty, is not God and is not God's servant. And that the Eternal is the only true God and the Eternal and his Christ are the true God. And that mankind can enter that family as their children.

                                     
They will witness that the Eternal is God and they will witness against the world, which worships the false prophet and the beast. And after 3 ½ years, they will be killed and they will lie dead for 3 ½ days, which is a total of 7. If that means anything, 3 ½ days plus 3 ½ years. And they will be resurrected and raised up to heaven where they shall stand before the throne of God with all the other resurrected or changed saints.

                                     
At this point, the question arises. I have said that the resurrection will be on the 6th day of Unleavened Bread. And that the kingdom will be established on the Feast of Pentecost, on the 46th day after. That is 45 days after the resurrection the beast and false prophet will be destroyed; and then the day after that; on the feast of Pentecost The Kingdom of God will be established.

                                     
How then can the resurrection take place 45 days before the beast and false prophet are destroyed and why is the church in the wilderness until the beast and the false prophet are destroyed? In other words, if a church is in the wilderness until the end of the 1335 days, how can the resurrection take place 45 days sooner than that?

                                     
The answer to this question has two parts. The first part is the simple fact that many are called and few are chosen. And not everyone in the wilderness will be accounted worthy to have a part in the resurrection. When the resurrection comes, there will be many who are not ready, who are not worthy. They've gotten lax, they've gotten bored. They found life monotonous and routine in the wilderness and they just have gotten lazy and they are not ready, they are not prepared and they are not worthy and they will not be in the resurrection.

                                     
That is why Jesus said, there will be two women grinding at the mill. One taken and the other left and so on and so on. You know the scriptures, you can look them up. The fact is, probably half the people who are even in the wilderness will not be worthy to be resurrected. And when they see their friends  rising up around them, they will be struck with horror that they are still on the ground. They will be crushed in spirit and they will still be God's people, they will still be God's elect. But they are just not worthy. They are not zealous enough, not ready, not properly prepared. Not having enough of the spirit doesn't mean that there is no spirit at all.

                                     
People could have a small amount of spirit and not have been using it. And there is very little left and they just don't have enough to have a part in the resurrection. So, they would need to continue on and being that they were in shock at seeing their friends and neighbors rising up around them. In absolute shock and horror, they would repent deeply and bitterly and would still need protection for the final 45 days. Protection from the beast, from the false prophet, protection from Satan and protection from the seven last plagues being poured out on the earth.

                                     
Yes after the resurrection, there will still be some of God's people who were not considered worthy to be changed and resurrected, to be a part of the first fruits at that time. But who will repent bitterly and who will still be protected by God up until the very coming of the kingdom.

                                     
The second part of the answer concerns who are God's people, who is God's church, who are God's called out ones? And we are told in Holy Scripture that the conversion and the godliness and the commandment keeping of the parents sanctifies the children. As long as the children are willing to obey their parents, as long as the children are subject to their parents, they are sanctified by their parent’s conversion.

Therefore in the resurrection, little children who are not going to be part of the first fruits, who simply by reason of their youth don't have the experience, don't have the understanding, are not ready to be a part of the first fruits, those little children are still God's people. They are sanctified

by their parents and they by their parents faithfulness and shall be blessed with God's protection in the wilderness until the actual establishment of the kingdom.

                                     
We need not be concerned or worry about our children. God will take care of them. How? Why those people who were not worthy to be part of the first fruits, who were lax, who have suddenly be horrified and deeply repentant, they will take care of the children. And if not, God would send his holy angels to do so. For He would not allow our sanctified children to suffer.

                                     
So, we can go to our chart and make one more line. Now, we can start at the mark which says 1290 days. And in that point, we can count backwards 1260 and 3 ½ days. And make that mark at the time when the two prophets will begin their task. And you will see that they begin their task about 27 days after the abomination is set up. You can do the math from the resurrection day, the 1290 days count backwards, you will see that the two prophets begin their task about 27 days after the abomination is set up.

                                             X____________________________________________x__________x

                                                                       1290                             +                        45  =  1335

                                                    Abomination                                                        Res                  Kingdom

                                                            75         X_________________________________________x

                                                                                                    1260 tribulation

                                             26 1/2    X________________________________________x    45       x

                                                                   2 Prophets                1263 1/2

                                     
Which means that they begin their task quite a number of days before the church goes into the wilderness. That they are set up with sufficient time, barely sufficient time to organize the church and get them off to the place God has prepared. Yes the two witnesses, the two prophets are set up after the abomination is set up. Which means that they are not working today because there is no false prophet doing great miracles and calling for a revival of Rome today?

                                     
The false prophet, the abomination has not been set up. Therefore the two prophets have not begun their job. Who are they? Who will they be? I don't know. Nobody knows. God is keeping that a close secret until the time when God reveals to them exactly what He wants them to do and how they are to do it. They will go and do it. They will do precisely what God wants them to do. And the way He wants them to do it and they will be precisely consistent with scripture and they will have the powers mentioned in scripture. But they will not abuse those powers for personal reasons and personal purposes.

                                     
And they will be humble men and not men of great pride, all puffed up in their personal vanity. Saying, look how great I am and they will not glorify themselves and they will not enrich themselves. They will understand what their mission is. They will understand the word of God. They will understand the prophets. They will understand the truth of God and they will understand the need to always put God first and always serve God. And they will understand that if they fail in their mission, God's word is broken. God's plan is broken.

                                     
Therefore they will devote themselves totally to their mission and they will always, always rely totally on God. Because they know that without God's backing, without God's help, they will utterly fail. But with God's help and by serving God and being close to God, they cannot fail. That is the key they will be close to God. In which case, they cannot fail. But if they ever stray, they will definitely fail, for God will not back up anyone in sin, not even his two prophets.

                                     
Now, I have heard that some say that the two prophets will be Elijah and Enoch. Because Elijah and Enoch were translated that they should not see death and they are waiting in heaven for the opportunity or the responsibility to be conferred upon them so they can come back and they never die.

                                     
Well, what does God's word have to say about that? Here we go, read it in your own bible. Hebrews 9:27, and as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. All men die. And then there is a judgment. A resurrection and a judgment.

                                      E 

Enoch and Elijah died. T  Enoch and Elijah died they are dead. But what will happen to those who are alive at Christ coming? Well, they will die and be resurrected in an instantaneous manner. What is flesh is flesh. What is born of spirit is spirit. And when the flesh is changed into spirit, the flesh dies. The flesh dies and a new being in spirit appears. This change is virtually instantaneous. It is instantaneous to our minds. But it is a death of the flesh and a birth of a spirit.

                                     
All men die and after that, the judgment. Enoch and Elijah did die eventually even though they were translated from one place to another so that they would not be killed or murdered at that time and that place. They did in fact eventually die.

                                     
Those two persons who will be called by God to be his two prophets are alive now. God has probably been training them and preparing them all their lives for this one task. I have no idea who they will be. I would not dare to speculate as to who they will be. I know that they are not empowered now and that they will not begin until after the abomination is set up.

                                     
I know that God is wiser than I am, in comparison to the brightness of the sun to the darkness of the depths of some hole in the earth. I know that God is wiser than I, in comparison to my knowledge over the knowledge of some insect. God just has the wisdom to pick the people He wants, to pick the right people for the job and I don't; and I don't think any man does. No man has a wisdom even approaching God. And I'll tell you something. Our life, your life and my life depends upon the completion of this. Because if it's not completed, God's word is broken.

                                     
It is very important.  It is so absolutely utterly completely vital that no man should dare to presume that he knows what this should be done or who these people should be. This is in God's hands and it should stay in God's hands because He's the only one capable of bringing this through correctly. Of getting the right people and backing them up and getting the job done.

                                     
I could not ever imagine having the wisdom to make those kinds of choices and any man who takes this matter so lightly as to say, well I'm one or this guy or that guy is one or whatever. These people are just, as far as I'm concerned, just downright foolish and stupid. Because they're taking so lightly things that are so vitally important and trivializing the things of God.

                                     
Such people just don't have the wisdom or discernment to tie their shoes in the morning and they certainly shouldn't be trusted or considered by us as some great prophet. No. God will choose his prophets. God will send his prophets and He will reveal through his spirit, to those who have enough of his spirit, who these people are.

                                     
God will give you discernment. If you seek God regularly, if you do all you can to keep his commandments, if you are zealous for him and devoted to him, He will give you his spirit and He will give you the spirit of discernment. And you need not be afraid because He will keep his word and He will preserve you from the correction that is going to fall on those who do not put him first and do not value the truth and do not love him and love his commandments.

                                     
There are many, even in the faith who do not put God first. They say, well I will be faithful to God as explained by this person or that person. That doesn't cut it with God. He needs to be first in your life, not somebody else. Not the way somebody else explains the scriptures. No. That's putting them first.

                                     
If you put God first truly and directly and personally and go to him through our high priest and mediator Jesus Christ directly and you don't allow any man or church or organization to come between you and him, He will preserve you, He will take care of you, and He will deliver you. No need to worry.

                                     
Keep close to God and you will be accounted worthy through the worthiness of Christ, who gave himself for us. And if you are not close to God, not putting him first, well all the speculations in the world and all the hopes and dreams and words and speeches of all the people, living and dead are not going to save you. Only Jesus Christ can save you.

                                     
Herbert Armstrong is not going to rise from his grave and save you and neither is pope so and so; from 300 years ago or whoever. It is Jesus Christ who will save you and him only through the Father, the Father through Christ. One is the same as the other. They are together. If you have seen one, you have seen the other. They are God. And only they can save you and only they will deliver you from the hour of trial.

                                     
Put them first and Jesus Christ will keep his covenant of the 70th week of the 70 Weeks Prophecy. That He will keep a covenant and that covenant is the marriage covenant. And that covenant is; if you love him, are faithful to him, serve him, put him first, then He will love you and protect you and provide for you and care for you and deliver you.

                                     
Even so it is written. Jesus Christ will confirm his covenant, his marriage covenant; with his espoused bride. For one week, which is a day for years, 7 days for 7 years. The first half of that week was fulfilled in 70 AD when Jesus Christ protected and delivered his church from the Romans for 3 ½ years. Showing that He will also do this a second time. In our day when He will preserve and protect those who are faithful to him from the Romans once again for 3 ½ years, the final 3 ½ years of this age of mankind deceived by Satan.

                                     
I know that these things are very complicated. So, let me give a very brief overview here. And you have your little chart that you can read off on. The end time starts with the setting up of that great false prophet, the abomination. 27 days later, approximately 26½ days later, the two prophets start their work. 48 ½ days after that, the church arrives in the wilderness, the false prophet goes to Jerusalem and war begins.

                                     
Now, we proceed to the period, the 1290th day after the abomination is set up, which would be the resurrection day. The saints are resurrected; they go to stand on the crystal sea, the sea of glass before the throne of God, for the Wedding Feast of the Lamb, during which God's kingdom is organized. Responsibilities and rewards are handed out, offices are conferred and the seven last plagues are poured out on the seat of the beast and upon the abomination, the great abomination, the unholy Roman Empire and all those who would resist God.

                                     
When the last plagues have been poured out, Christ will then come with his saints to seize control of the governments of the world. Governments mostly destroyed and totally humbled. And having destroyed these governments and taking the beast and false prophet and throwing them into the lake of fire at the very end completing 1335 days.

                                      
After these days are completed, on the Feast of Pentecost, Joel 2:28; a new beginning, a new millennium with God's spirit poured out on all flesh and a Sabbath of rest and peace for all mankind from Satan as he is removed for a thousand years. And there's a thousand years of peace with man in harmony with God and even the wild beasts having their nature changed. That is the overall picture.

                                     
And the two prophets will be chosen by God, empowered by God, commissioned by God. And their first task will be to deliver the church to the wilderness and then to witness to the Israelite people about the imminent Tribulation and then to witness to the peoples of the world that this false prophet, this false Christ, this abomination is indeed false. And that Jesus Christ and the Father are God indeed and that their commandments are to be held as preeminent and are not to be interpreted by somebody's traditions or ideas. But that God is to be put first and when they have completed their testimony, then they shall be killed and lie dead for 3/2 days, after these  3 ½ days they will have their part in the resurrection and then God will pour out by his angels, pour out the seven last plagues.

                                     
When the 1335 days are completed God’s Kingdom will be established with the pouring out of His Spirit on ALL FLESH Joel 2:28.