The Three Woes
Part 19 in the Two Witnesses Series
As I have been studying the two witnesses, my understanding of the second woe has been changed dramatically. The Lord has opened my eyes to new revelation of what the second woe is and what it accomplishes. This revelation has changed the way I look at the whole tribulation experience for both believers and those who follow the beast. I have never heard or read anything like this before so hold on!
Just for review, here are the two witnesses’ verses in Revelation chapter 11:
Rev 11:1 Then there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, “Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it. 2 Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months. 3 And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way. 6 These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.
7 When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. 9 Those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. 10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
11 But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them. 12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them. 13 And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe is past; behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
Verse 14 tells us what the second woe is. It is the two witnesses. The two witness company of overcomers are granted authority and power for the three-and-a-half-year tribulation period. They use this power to torment the beast and his followers. When the followers of the beast attempt to harm them, fire comes out of the overcomers mouths and devours them. They also have power to stop the rain, turn the waters into blood, and to cause plagues whenever they desire.
These overcomers are the second woe. They cause severe woe on the whole earth. They persecute the dragon’s people. They devour the dragon’s people. They kill the dragon’s people. The woe is not on the believers. It is on the unbelievers.
The second woe is over when the two witness company is raised from the dead and the loud voice from heaven says, “Come up here.” Again, the rapture takes place at the end of the second woe and before the third woe.