Reviving the Two Wiitnesses - The Two Witnesses-Continued

 Zechariah lived in a timeof rebuiding, and his vision of the two olive trees meant that Zerubbabel and Joshua would be blessed with Jehovah's spirit in strengthening the people for the work.  The vision of the  lampstand reminded Zechariah not to 'despise the day of small things' because Jehovah's purposes would be carried out-"not by a military force,  nor by power, but by my spirit,'  Jehovah of armies has said." (Zecariah  4:6, 10; 8:9)  The small band of Christians persistently  carrying the light of truth to mankind during the first world war would  similarly be used in a rebuilding.  They tooo would a source of encouragement and few as they were, would learn to rely on Jehovah's strength, not depising the day of small beginnings.

The fact that they were described as two witnesses also reminds us of the transfiguration.  In that vision, three of Jesus' anointed apostles saw him in Kingdom glory, accompanied bu Moses and Elijah. This foreshadowed Jesus'  sitting down on his glorious throne in 1914 to accomplish work prefigured by those two prophets.  (Matthew 17:1-3)  Fittingly, the two witnesses are now seen to perform signs reminiscent of thsoe Moses and Elijah.  For example, John says of them:  "And if anyone wants to harm them, fire issues forth from their mouths and devours their enemies; and if anyone should want to harm them, in this manner he must be killed.  These have the authority to shut up the  heaven that no rain should fall during the days of their prophesying." - REVELATION 15:5, 6a. 

This reminds us of the time Moses' authority was challenged in Israel. That prophetr uttered fiery words of judgment, and Jehovah destroyed the rebels, consuming 250 of them by literal fire from heaven. (Numbers  16:1-7, 28-35) Simarily, Christendom's  leaders defied the Bible Students, saying that these had never graduated from theological colleges. But God's witnesses had higher credentials as ministers: those  meek  persons who heeded their Scriptural message.  (2 Corinthians 3:2, 3)  In 1917 the Bible Students published The Finished Mystery, a powerful  commentary on Revelation and Ezekiel. This was followed by the distribution of 10, 000,000 copies of the four-page tract The Bible Students Monthiy with the feature article entitled "The Fall  of Babylon-Why Christendom Must Now Suffer-the Final Outcome."  In the United States, the irate clergy used the war hysteria as an excuse to get a book banned. In other countries the book was censored.  Nevertheless, God's servants kept fighting back  with fierty issues of the four-page tract entitled Kingdom News.  As the Lord day proceeded, other publications would make clear Christendom's spirit defunct condition. - Compare JEREMIAH 5:14. 

Next time: Reviving the Two Witnesse - Conclusion of The Two Witnesses

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