November 26, 2024

Passage Read: Revelation 11-12
Meditation Verses: 11:11-14

Thought

The second woe, the sixth trumpet, has to do with these two prophets who torment the earth by their warnings and call all to repentance. They are perhaps explaining everything that is happening as the work of God, His judgment on mankind for their rebellion. They are perhaps warning them who follow the beast that eventually kills them that they will be destroyed by God. And then they are killed and all the earth rejoices at their death. The beast is victorious, what can God do? After three days, the prophets come to life at the command of God and all the nation's are terrified. They are called up into heaven, then a great earthquake levels a tenth of Jerusalem and seven thousand people are killed. This ends the second woe.

Application

The raising of these prophets from the dead, calling them into heaven and the destruction of a portion of Jerusalem, perhaps a portion where the beast has many troops or loyal people, these are the second woe. Not as violent or destructive as many of the other punishments, but it results in something most of the others lack: men give glory to God, even though they don't repent. They at least credit these things to Him, and they begin to understand that the beast may seem strong, but God is stronger still. Their doom is at hand, with God's reclaiming of the earth as His own. Prophets can be more powerful than angelic armies and tormenting locust! Better a word spoken clearly, than millions of tormentors who cannot speak. Better that I speak God's Word clearly than a thousand circumstances intended for the same purpose. I need to speak clearly so that all will know what God has in store, what God truly thinks.