Sabbath School - Meat In Due Season Advanced Commentary - SS-Q2-L6 - The Two Witnesses

Sabbath School - Meat In Due Season Advanced Commentary

Sabbath Afternoon - May 4, 2024

Scripture Reading for the Week:
Revelation 11:3-6; Zechariah 4:14; Revelation 12:5-6; Revelation 12:14-15; Daniel 7:25; Isaiah 54:17; Psalms 119:89; Revelation 11:15-18.

Thought for Meditation:
All who are truly engaged in the work of the Lord for these last days will have a decided message to bear. Read the first few verses of the fortieth chapter of Isaiah:-- {RH, October 1, 1903 par. 2} (Review and Herald)

"The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. And the voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: the grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever." {RH, October 1, 1903 par. 3} (Review and Herald)

This chapter is filled with instruction appropriate for us at this time. The word of the Lord to us is, "Repent ye; prepare the way for a revival of my work." {RH, October 1, 1903 par. 4} (Review and Herald)

Memory Text:

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8).

This week's SSLesson will trace the everliving word of God which had been a prophetic symbol of being witnesses during the Dark Ages. This includes the historical accounts of those who stand for the truth outlined in the Holy Writ - the Two Olive Trees and will partly mention the study of Zechariah 4 as mentioned by Testimonies to Ministers page 188.

Study Outline:

Sunday - May 5, 2024

Two Witnesses - Who are the Two Witnesses?

Revelation 11:3-6; Zechariah 4:1-14; Revelation 11:1-19; Psalms 119:105; James 5:17; 1 Kings 17:1-18:46; Exodus 7:1-25; Jeremiah 5:14; John 5:39; Matthew 24:14.

Monday - May 6, 2024

Prophetic Time Periods - How long did they give their Testimony?

Revelation 11:3; Revelation 12:5-6; Revelation 12:14-15; Daniel 7:25

Tuesday - May 7, 2024

Two Witnesses are Killed - How he Died?

Revelation 11:7-9

Wednesday - May 8, 2024

The Two Witnesses Resurrected - When were they resurrected and ascended to heaven?

Revelation 11:11; Psalms 119:89; Psalms 111:7-8.

Thursday - May 9, 2024

Truth Triumphant - What Happened Next?

Revelation 14:6; Revelation 11:1-19

Friday - May 10. 2024

Insights and Further Study

From the Pen of Inspiration

Sunday - May 5, 2024

Two Witnesses - Who are the Two Witnesses?

Revelation 11:3-6; Zechariah 4:1-14; Revelation 11:1-19; Psalms 119:105; James 5:17; 1 Kings 17:1-18:46; Exodus 7:1-25; Jeremiah 5:14; John 5:39; Matthew 24:14.

“They are the two olive trees and the two lampstands, and they stand before the Lord of the earth” (Revelation 11:4)

The Old Testament and the New Testament - the Two Witnesses

Concerning the two witnesses, the prophet declares further, “These are the two olive-trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.” “Thy Word,” said the psalmist, “is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” [Revelation 11:4; Psalm 119:105.] The two witnesses represent the Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament. Both are important testimonies to the origin and perpetuity of the law of God. Both are witnesses also to the plan of salvation. The types, sacrifices, and prophecies of the Old Testament point forward to a Saviour to come. The Gospels and Epistles of the New Testament tell of a Saviour who has come in the exact manner foretold by type and prophecy. {GC88 267.1} (Great Controversy 1888 edition)

Thy Lamp Unto my Feet and a Light Unto my Path

The suppression of the Scriptures under the dominion of Rome, the terrible results of that suppression, and the final exaltation of the word of God, are vividly portrayed by the prophetic pencil. To John the exile on lonely Patmos was given a view of the 1260 years during which the papal power was permitted to trample upon God's word and oppress his people. Said the angel of the Lord: "The holy city [the true church] shall they tread under foot forty and two months. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth." [Revelation 11:2, 3.] The periods here mentioned are the same, alike representing the time in which God's faithful witnesses remained in a state of obscurity. {4SP 188.1} (Spirit of Prophecy volume 4)

The two witnesses represent the Old and New Testament Scriptures. Both are important testimonies to the origin and perpetuity of the law of God. Both are witnesses also to the plan of salvation. The types, sacrifices, and prophecies of the Old Testament point forward to a Saviour to come. The Gospels and Epistles of the New Testament tell of a Saviour who has come in the exact manner foretold by type and prophecy. {4SP 188.2} (Spirit of Prophecy volume 4)

"These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth." [Revelation 11:4.] Said the psalmist, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." [Psalm 119:105.] {4SP 189.1} (Spirit of Prophecy volume 4)

The Golden Pipes and the Golden Bowl

Read and study the fourth chapter of Zechariah. The two olive trees empty the golden oil out of themselves through the golden pipes into the golden bowl from which the lamps of the sanctuary are fed. The golden oil represents the Holy Spirit. With this oil God's ministers are to be constantly supplied, that they, in turn, may impart it to church. "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." God's servants can obtain victories only by inward purity, by cleanness of heart, by holiness. It is of the utmost importance that ministers set a right example. If they follow lax, loose principles, their example is quoted by those who are doing wrong as a vindication of their course. The whole synagogue of Satan is watching for defects in the lives of God's representatives, and the most is made of every defect.-- Review and Herald, December 22, 1904. {TM 188.2} (Testimonies to Ministers)

For a deep study please visit the following sites:

Consider the Following

The mention of the two olive trees and the two lampstands (Rev. 11:4) takes us to the vision of Zechariah 4. In it, the olive trees produce the oil that feeds a seven-branched lampstand (Zech. 4:1-3 , 12).

The olive trees are “the two anointed ones” that, together with the lampstand, represent “the word of the Lord” (Zech. 4:6, 14). That is, the Old and New Testaments.

Using Moses and Elijah as symbols, Revelation 11 says of these two witnesses:

— They are dressed in sackcloth (3): The Bible was preserved in troubling times

— They stand before God (4): God did not allow his Word to disappear

— If anyone wants to harm them, fire comes out of them (5): The biblical message “devours” their enemies (Jer . 5:14)

— They close the sky so that it does not rain (6a): He who rejects the Bible is deprived of the rain of the Holy Spirit (the oil).

— They turn water into blood and cause plagues (6b): Only those who studied the Bible were delivered from the plagues and spiritual darkness of the Middle Ages

Monday - May 6, 2024

Prophetic Time Periods - How Long did they give their Testimony?

Revelation 11:3; Revelation 12:5-6; Revelation 12:14-15; Daniel 7:25

“And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” (Rev. 11:3)

The Forty and Two Months and 1260 days are the same

The periods here mentioned—“forty and two months,” and “a thousand two hundred and threescore days”—are the same, alike representing the time in which the church of Christ was to suffer oppression from Rome. The 1260 years of papal supremacy began with the establishment of the papacy in A. D. 538, and would therefore terminate in 1798. At that time a French army entered Rome, and made the pope a prisoner, and he died in exile. Though a new pope was soon afterward elected, the papal hierarchy has never since been able to wield the power which it before possessed. {GC88 266.2} (Great Controversy 1888 edition)

The persecution of the church did not continue throughout the entire period of the 1260 years. God in mercy to his people cut short the time of their fiery trial. In foretelling the “great tribulation” to befall the church, the Saviour said, “Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved; but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.” [Matthew 24:22.] Through the influence of the Reformation, the persecution was brought to an end prior to 1798. {GC88 266.3} (Great Controversy 1888 edition)

Satan Controls the Church and State

Notwithstanding the Lord's witnesses were clothed in sackcloth, they continued to prophesy throughout the entire period of 1260 years. In the darkest times there were faithful men who loved God's word, and were jealous for his honor. To these loyal servants were given wisdom, power, and authority to declare his truth during the whole of this time. {4SP 190.2} (Spirit of Prophecy volume 4)

"And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and 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." [Revelation 11:7, 8.] {4SP 190.3} These events were to take place near the close of the period in which the witnesses testified in sackcloth. Through the medium of the papacy, Satan had long controlled the powers that ruled in Church and State. The fearful results were especially apparent in those countries that rejected the light of the Reformation. There was a state of moral debasement and corruption similar to the condition of Sodom just prior to its destruction, and to the idolatry and spiritual darkness that prevailed in Egypt in the days of Moses. {4SP 190.4} (Spirit of Prophecy volume 4)

The True Church Tread Under Foot Forty and Two Months

Consider the Following

Revelation chapter 11 begins with a vision of the Heavenly Sanctuary, and of those who worship before the altar of incense (Rev. 11:1).

The Court of the Heavenly Sanctuary is the Earth, where the “Gentiles” – unbelievers – trample the “holy city” – the people of God – for 42 months (v. 2).

At that time, the Word of God would be clothed in “sackcloth” – great hardships – (v. 3) [42 months x 30 days = 1,260 days (in prophecy, 1,260 years)].

From the year 538, the Roman church began to gradually impose its tradition above the Word of God, reaching the point of prohibiting the reading of the Bible and condemning to death those who had it, read it, or lived according to its beliefs. doctrines.

Near the end of this period, the reformers gave momentary relief to this persecution (Matt. 24:22).

Tuesday - May 7, 2024

Two Witnesses are Killed - How he Died?

Revelation 11:7-9

“Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them” (Revelation 11:7)

Men Cannot with Impunity Trample Upon the Word of God

But men cannot with impunity trample upon the word of God. The Lord had declared concerning his two witnesses, "If any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies; and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed." [Revelation 11:5.] The meaning of this fearful denunciation is set forth in the closing chapter of the book of Revelation: "I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." [Revelation 22:18, 19.] {4SP 189.3} (Spirit of Prophecy volume 4)

Two WItnesses Prophesied and Clothed in Sackcloth for 1260 Years

Said the angel of the Lord: “The holy city [the true church] shall they tread under foot forty and two months. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. . . .And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and 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 they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. And after three days and a 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.” [Revelation 11:2-11.] {GC88 266.1} (Great Controversy 1888 edition)

Jesus Prophesied About the Killing of the Witnesses

Read the words of Christ in Matthew 23:23: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone." These denunciations are given as a warning to all who "outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within" "are full of hypocrisy and iniquity." They say, We are delivered to do all these things. They also say, "If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore," said Jesus, "ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets." What lessons are here; how fearful and decisive! Jesus said, "Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city." This prophecy was literally fulfilled by the Jews in their treatment of Christ and of the messengers whom God sent to them. Will men in these last days follow the example of those whom Christ condemned? {TM 79.1} (Testimonies to the Ministers)

Consider the Following

What power arose at the end of the 1,260 years, that is, around the year 1798?

The French Revolution, begun in 1789, gave rise to the so-called “government of terror” (1793-1794), making it very clear who was behind this government: Satan and his demons. This government is called three ways (Rev. 11:8): — Sodom: The Revolution began a period of great immorality

— Egypt: Atheist government (Ex. 5:2), although they did not mind worshiping the “goddess of reason”

— Where Jesus was crucified: Jesus' sacrifice was rejected.

Wednesday - May 8, 2024

The Two Witnesses Resurrected - When were they resurrected and ascended to Heaven?

Revelation 11:11; Psalms 119:89; Psalms 111:7-8.

“But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them” (Revelation 11:11)

The Prohibition of the Bible Through a Decree by the French Assembly

God's faithful witnesses, slain by the blasphemous power that “ascendeth out of the bottomless pit,” were not long to remain silent. “After three days and a 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.” [Revelation 11:11.] It was in 1793 that the decree which prohibited the Bible passed the French Assembly. Three years and a half later a resolution rescinding the decree, and granting toleration to the Scriptures, was adopted by the same body. The world stood aghast at the enormity of guilt which had resulted from a rejection of the Sacred Oracles, and men recognized the necessity of faith in God and his Word as the foundation of virtue and morality. Saith the Lord, “Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.” [Isaiah 37:23.] “Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause them to know mine hand and my might; and they shall know that my name is Jehovah.” [Jeremiah 16:21.] {GC88 286.1} (Great Controversy 1888 edition)

The Persecution of the Reformers - the Reign of Terror

The gospel of peace which France had rejected was to be only too surely rooted out, and terrible would be the results. On the 21st of January, 1793, two hundred and fifty-eight years from the very day that fully committed France to the persecution of the reformers, another procession, with a far different purpose, passed through the streets of Paris. “Again the king was the chief figure; again there were tumult and shouting; again there was heard the cry for more victims; again there were black scaffolds; and again the scenes of the day were closed by horrid executions; Louis XVI., struggling hand to hand with his jailers and executioners, was dragged forward to the block, and there held down by main force till the ax had fallen, and his dissevered head fell on the scaffold.” Nor was the king the only victim; near the same spot two thousand and eight hundred human beings perished by the guillotine during the bloody days of the reign of terror. {GC88 230.1} (Great Controversy 1888 edition)

Consider the Following

On November 26, 1793, Paris issued a decree abolishing religion. This decree was annulled on June 17, 1797. During this period of three and a half years, France rejoiced and was glad to have been “freed” from the tyranny of religion, and to have silenced the voice of the Bible (Rev. 11:9-10).

Instead of being silenced or destroyed, the Bible rose up stronger than before. Protestant missions carried the gospel message to the ends of the Earth (Rev. 11:11).

William Wilberforce created the first Bible Society in 1804 for the mass distribution of the Bible. The existing copies of the Bible multiplied by thousands, until it became the first best-selling book in the world. Currently, the distribution of the Word of God is unstoppable. It has been placed by God in a situation where no one can destroy it (Rev. 11:12).

Thursday - May 9, 2024

Truth Triumphant - What Happened Next?

Revelation 14:6; Revelation 11:1-19

“Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm” (Revelation 11:19)

A Vision of Hope for Humanity - the Tabernacle in Heaven

In holy vision John was taken into the heavenly sanctuary. He says: "The temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament." "And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened." The sanctuary that Moses was commanded to make was to be after the pattern of the heavenly sanctuary. In the ark were placed the ten commandments which had been written by the finger of God. The law that was placed in the ark on earth was a copy of the law that is contained in the ark of the testament in heaven, and the precepts of Jehovah are immutable. The ten commandments constitute the moral standard of character. God requires on the part of man perfect conformity to his law, and a curse is pronounced against everyone who continues not in all things written in the law to do them. {ST, June 11, 1894 par. 10} (Signs of the Times)

The Death of Christ an Immutable Argument of God's Character

The cross is an immutable argument of the unchangeable character of the law of God. Christ died in order that a way might be provided for saving the sinner, in meeting the demands of the broken law. The law was written with the finger of God upon tables of stone, and John saw the temple of God open in heaven, and in the temple the ark of his covenant. "I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened; . . . and the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled." {ST, March 12, 1896 par. 3} (Signs of the Times)

Consider the Following

From the “resurrection” of the two witnesses, the last chapter of the cosmic conflict begins: the time of the end. The Second Coming will be preceded by wrath among the nations, and will end with the destruction of “those who destroy the Earth” (Rev. 11:18).

All of these events are framed in a context of worship in Heaven (Rev. 11:16-17), which culminates with the vision of the ark of the covenant in the Heavenly Sanctuary (Rev. 11:19).

Having arrived “the time of judgment” (Rev. 11:18), the standard of the Judgment is shown to the world: the ten commandments contained in the ark of the covenant

Friday - May 10. 2024

Insights and Further Study

It may appear that Satan is triumphant and that truth is overborne with falsehood and error; the people over whom God has spread His shield, and the country which has been an asylum for the conscience-oppressed servants of God and defenders of His truth, may be placed in jeopardy. But God would have us recall His dealings with His people in the past to save them from their enemies. He has always chosen extremities, when there seemed no possible chance for deliverance from Satan's workings, for the manifestation of His power. Man's necessity is God's opportunity. It may be that a respite may yet be granted for God's people to awake and let their light shine. If the presence of ten righteous persons would have saved the wicked cities of the plain, is it not possible that God will yet, in answer to the prayers of His people, hold in check the workings of those who are making void His law? Shall we not humble our hearts greatly before God, flee to the mercy seat, and plead with Him to reveal His mighty power? {5T 713.4}

Questions to Ponder

What do the Old and New Testaments symbolize in the Scriptures?
How is it related to the Golden Bowl of Zechariah 4? (Look at TM 188 for a guided answer)
In what way do the scriptures describe the flow or mode of God's communication to His people?
Will the event during the Dark Ages again occur in the last days? How?
How do the pioneers of our church react to the realization of the great disappointment as the stepping stone to the foundation of the SDA Church?
What hope does the prophecy offer in the last days concerning the truth?
Based on the statement above, {5T 713.4}, what lesson could we get from the struggles and death of many as the manifestation of the loyalty and faithfulness to the truth they adhere to?

From the Pen of Inspiration

“The Holy Spirit is beside every true searcher of God's word, enabling him to discover the hidden gems of truth. Divine illumination comes to his mind, stamping the truth upon him with a new, fresh importance. He is filled with a joy never before felt. The peace of God rests upon him. The preciousness of truth is realized as never before. A heavenly light shines upon the Word, making it appear as though every letter were tinged with gold. God himself speaks to the heart, making His word spirit and life.” EGW (Reflecting Christ, April 14)

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