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Intro Paragraph
The message of Scripture speaks most directly to Christians — those who are in covenant with God through faith in Jesus.
Its mysteries are revealed by the Spirit, not by human intellect, and they invite us into a reality far deeper than external battles or geopolitical conflict.
Ezekiel, Revelation, Daniel, and Paul converge to suggest that the true end/goal (1 Peter 1:9 and Matt 24:3) is covenant obedience, right‑standing with God, and joy and peace in the Holy Spirit.
Mt 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
1Pe 1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
This study seeks to explore how God restores errant believers, how the Two Witnesses symbolize the obedient and disobedient camps, and how the discipline of the Day of the Lord exposes willful rebellion so that truth is made clear.
Why the Bible’s Testimony Stands Alone
Unlike any other religious collection of writings, the Bible presents a unified and repeating theme of covenant obedience and restoration across more than forty authors, written in different languages, cultures, and historical settings over a span of thousands of years. From Moses to Paul, the same Spirit‑anchored message emerges: God calls His people to righteousness, disciplines disobedience, and restores through grace. By contrast, as highlighted in historical accounts of Islam, the Qur’an was revealed to a single prophet, Muhammad, within the 7th century and later compiled into a unified text under the early caliphs.
A video titled The 12 Differences Between the God of Islam and the God of Christianity shows how oral memorization, scribes, and Uthman’s codex preserved the Qur’an as one lifetime’s revelation — distinct from the Bible’s layered testimony across generations.
This makes the Bible unique among world texts — a living witness that consistently points to Christ and covenant faithfulness across centuries.
Audience of Scripture
The Bible speaks most directly to Christians — those who are in covenant with God through faith in Jesus. While unbelievers may read it, its mysteries are revealed by the Spirit, not by human intellect, and often remain hidden until devotion and growth open understanding.
The Goal of Revelation and Matthew
The true end is not external battle but right‑standing with God, joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).
Jesus summarized everything in Matthew by pointing to Spirit‑anchored reality, not geopolitical conflict.
His method of speaking in parables and Spirit‑given mysteries (tongues) bypasses human reasoning — the mind is unfruitful, but the Spirit produces the insights.
Ezekiel 36–39: God Restores Errant Believers
- God promises to cleanse, give a new heart, and bring back His people into covenant obedience.
- This is not merely national restoration but spiritual renewal for believers who have strayed.
- It illustrates God’s mercy in reclaiming those who fall out of “the Way.”
Revelation’s Two Witnesses: Two Camps of Believers
- Obedient Camp: Covenant‑faithful Christians who confess sin and walk in the Spirit.
- Disobedient Camp: Believers whose sin has progressed into willful rebellion, refusing confession, and thus facing judgment.
- This is not about perfection — obedience means confessing when we sin, not living sinlessly.
- The witnesses can be seen as symbolizing these two camps, showing the contrast between Spirit‑anchored testimony and willful disobedience.
🔑 The 3.5 Years of Drought: Discipline and Intercession
Revelation 11:6 declares that the witnesses have the power to shut the sky so that no rain falls for 3.5 years. This relates to Matthew 16:19. If a Christian decides to allow sin in their life, God will permit it, and if they choose to reject sin, God will permit that as well.
This prophetic drought echoes Isaiah’s inquiry, when God stirred him to pray for no rain — not merely as a natural withholding, but as a spiritual famine of hearing the Word of the Lord (Amos 8:11).
In this light, the disobedient witness represents backslidden believers who have committed willful sin, even the abomination that brings desolation. Their rebellion results in a season where the Word is withheld, exposing their condition and inviting God’s judgment inclined towards correction, 1 Cor 11:32.
This famine marks the stage of delusion Paul described in 2 Thessalonians 2:11, when God allows professing Christians to believe a lie.
Futurism, popularized through Darby, became that lie — the “milk” of many believers worldwide.
Yet even this serves God’s purpose: judgment through delusion clarifies truth and prepares the way for redemption.
As futurism fades in popularity, the church is beginning to emerge from deception.
Ezekiel 36:37 confirms that even in judgment, God invites His people to inquire of Him for redemption: “I will yet be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them.”
The 3.5 years of drought, therefore, symbolize both discipline and mercy — a divinely appointed famine that calls the faithful to pray for the redemption of the purchased possession, the church.
✝️ The Lion of Judah and the Battle of Armageddon
The chastening of the Day of the Lord does not end with exposure of disobedience; it leads each believer into the deeper struggle of overcoming the spirits of willful rebellion. This battle is directed by the Lord Jesus in His capacity as the Lion of Judah, revealed in Isaiah 19:1 as the One who comes to devour rebellion, and in Revelation 16 as the true Armageddon. Here, the devil comes like a thief in the night, but Christ Himself presides over the conflict, guiding His people through judgment into victory.
Daniel’s 70th Week and Hebrews 10:26–27
- The first half of Daniel’s 70th week, when the covenant is confirmed, represents the part of a Christian’s life when they remain faithful to the covenant.
- The second half of Daniel’s 70th week takes place after willful sin, once the sacrifice has ceased.
- Hebrews 10:26–27 explains that willful sin after receiving the truth leads to judgment.
- This is not ignorance but deliberate rebellion, which is exposed and disciplined in the Day of the Lord.
2 Thessalonians 2:11–12: God’s Delusion
- When professing Christians fall out of “the Way,” God allows delusion as discipline.
- The devil is permitted to deceive them so that they believe a lie.
- This is purposeful: they are judged (more accurate than “damned”) for refusing truth and taking pleasure in unrighteousness.
- The delusion is both judgment and mercy — exposing disobedience and clarifying the line between Spirit and flesh.
Levels of Understanding in the Worldwide Church
- Level 1: Novice Believers (“Milk”) Interpret Scripture through external battles, ethnic lineage, and visible signs. Vulnerable to delusion because they rely on the flesh.
- Level 2: Growing Believers (“Transition”) Begin to see spiritual realities but still mix flesh and Spirit. Recognize covenant obedience vs. rebellion but wrestle with consistency.
- Level 3: Mature Believers (“Solid Food”) Grasp Spirit‑anchored reality: the kingdom is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Understand that the true battle is internal — obedience vs. disobedience, Spirit vs. flesh. See Ezekiel, Revelation, Daniel, and Thessalonians as unified testimony of God’s discipline and restoration.
Summary
The worldwide church’s condition of understanding is often fragmented. Many remain in “milk,” interpreting Scripture carnally.
God’s discipline on the Day of the Lord allows delusion to expose disobedience, but even this serves mercy by clarifying truth.
The true end is Spirit‑anchored reality: covenant obedience, right‑standing with God, joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit, Matt 24:3.
Ezekiel’s restoration, Revelation’s witnesses, Daniel’s 70th week, and Paul’s warning in Thessalonians converge to invite us into this deeper reality.