The MYSTERY OF GOD in the BOOK OF REVELATION: The Two Witnesses, the Manchild, and the Destroyer as you have never heard them spoken of before.

“But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.”

—Revelation 10:7

 

DISCLAIMER: What you are about to read explains some things about the end time mystery and plans of God in relation to several characters in the end times script known as the Book of Revelation. Specifically, who are the two witnesses in chapter 11 of Revelation? Who is the manchild in chapter 12 of Revelation? Who is the Destroyer in chapter 9 of Revelation? And are they all related somehow? What I reveal in this article is not something you have heard before. You will not find it in any of the teachings espoused by any so-called prophecy teacher. You will not find it in any of the teachings of the various sects and denominations of Christianity. You will not find it in any other teaching you may find on the internet. But you will find it in your Bible. It’s all right there in the writings of the Hebrew prophets Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, etc. If you are a believer who seeks after the truth of the Word of God, I challenge you to read this with an open mind not letting any pre-conceived notions cloud your thinking and chew upon and think upon what I have said here and have a look in your own Bibles to see if what I said is true. You will find it is truth that lines up with the Word and is confirmed by the Holy Spirit.

 

The truth will find the pure of heart. So I ask any and all believers and followers of Jesus to consider what I have written here with nothing more than an open Bible and nothing less than an open mind and a pure heart. Yes, open up your Bible and be blessed (see REV 1:3)! Grace and peace to all who will receive it (see REV 1:4)!

 

So with that, to those with eyes to see with and ears to hear with, I present to you:

 

The MYSTERY OF GOD in the BOOK OF REVELATION: The Two Witnesses, the Manchild, and the Destroyer as you have never heard them spoken of before.

 

 

3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

—Revelation 11:3-4

 

When you talk about who the two witnesses in chapter 11 of the book of Revelation are, you must talk about the two olive trees standing before the Lord as described in the book of Zechariah. One of the olive trees, or one of the anointed ones that stands by the Lord, is represented by Zerubbabel in Zechariah (and elsewhere in Scripture). The other olive tree is represented in the book of Zechariah by Joshua.

 

When the Law of Moses passes away and Ezekiel’s temple kicks in (when the new heavens and new earth are created), in addition to the ark of the covenant, gone from the temple furnishings will be the table of shew bread, the laver filled with water, the Lampstand or Menorah, the golden altar of incense, and the veil—all of these temple furnishings from Solomon’s temple will be gone in Ezekiel’s temple. But there will remain two temple furnishings in Ezekiel’s temple (see EZEK 40:49) that will remain from Solomon’s temple, and that is, two much overlooked temple furnishings, the two pillars to the right and to the left of the entrance into the Holy Place. In Solomon’s temple, at the entrance to the Holy Place, there was a pillar to the north called Boaz and a pillar to the south called Jakin, or Jachin (see 1 Kings 7:21). Boaz means “in him is strength” and Jakin means “he establishes”.  These two pillars represent the two olive trees who stand before the LORD.

 

 

 

The olive tree represented by Zerubbabel will do some extraordinary things. Jesus was not speaking in hyperbole when He said you can speak to the mountain and it will move. Zerubbabel will build the temple/church in the great end time harvest. He will be a witness to the world that the words of Jesus are true and can be trusted. He will speak to a mountain and it will move. Think that will awaken a lot of people of the reality of the Gospel? Even the eyes of our Father who art in heaven—the eyes that run to and fro—will look upon with joy at the plumb line of the temple in the hands of Zerubbabel, one of the two olive trees who stands before the Lord. From the book of Zechariah:

 

6 Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying: ‘This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying: Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

7 Who art thou, O great mountain before Zerubbabel? thou shalt become a plain; and he shall bring forth the top stone with shoutings of Grace, grace, unto it.

8 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying:

9 ‘The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.

10 For who hath despised the day of small things? even they shall see with joy the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel, even these seven, which are the eyes of the LORD, that run to and fro through the whole earth.

11 Then answered I, and said unto him: ‘What are these two olive-trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?

12 And I answered the second time, and said unto him: ‘What are these two olive branches, which are beside the two golden spouts, that empty the golden oil out of themselves?

13 And he answered me and said: ‘Knowest thou not what these are?’ And I said: ‘No, my lord.’

14 Then said he: ‘These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.’

 

—Zechariah 4:6-14 Masoretic text

 

The book of Haggai says this about Zerubbabel:

 

21 Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;

22 And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.

23 In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the Lord, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts.

—Haggai 2:21-23

 

The olive tree represented by Zerubbabel is the one spoken of in Daniel 7:13-14:

 

13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

—Daniel 7:13-14

 

And the one spoken of in Daniel 7:13-14 is the manchild of Revelation 12:5:

 

“And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.”

—Revelation 12:5

 

The olive tree represented by Zerubbabel is the one referred to as the “Shoot” in the following Scripture from the Masoretic text, for he shall shoot up out of his place and build the temple and then he will work in harmony and in concert with the olive tree represented by Joshua:

 

11 yea, take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set the one upon the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest

12 and speak unto him, saying: Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying: Behold, a man whose name is the Shoot, and who shall shoot up out of his place, and build the temple of the LORD;

13 even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and there shall be a priest before his throne; and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.

—Zechariah 6:11-13 Masoretic text

 

Concerning the olive tree represented by Joshua, the book of Zechariah says this:

 

3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.

4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

5 And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord stood by.

—Zechariah 3:3-5

 

The picture painted here is someone who bore sin (clothed with a dirty garment) and the sin was removed. It also says this in Zechariah:

 

^“For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.”

—Zechariah 3:9

 

Does that ring a bell, removing the iniquity of the land in one day? Yes, we’re talking Calvary. The olive tree represented by Joshua is none other than Jesus. After all, Messiah or Christ means anointed one, and the two olive trees are the two anointed ones that stand before the Lord! The two witnesses in chapter 11 of Revelation are referred to as witnesses of course and as prophets. Jesus is called a witness in Scripture:

 

“I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.”

—John 8:18

 

“Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.”

—John 18:37

 

“And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.”

—Revelation 1:5

 

“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; “

—Revelation 3:14

 

And Jesus is also called a prophet in Scripture:

 

“And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.”

—Matthew 21:11

 

“The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;”

—Deuteronomy 18:15

 

Revelation says this about the two witnesses:

 

“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 11:8

 

Jesus was crucified in spiritual Sodom and spiritual Egypt and was resurrected from there on the third day. And as the end times script in Revelation unfolds upon the world stage, the world will witness the two who are one also die in spiritual Sodom and spiritual Egypt and be resurrected from there after three days:

 

“And after three days and an 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

 

A curious thing about chapter 11 of Revelation where it says this:

 

“And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city….”

—Revelation 11:8

 

Regarding the above verse, in the original Greek manuscripts, A, B,  and C, the oldest manuscripts, and in the Coptic, they all read the singular dead body, or corpse.  The two are considered as one. See:

http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/jamieson-fausset-brown/revelation/revelation-11.html

 

Here is an English translation of the original Greek where you can see in verse 8 and 9 the singular “dead body” is used:

https://archive.org/stream/bookofrevelation00treg#page/n57/mode/2up

 

When chapter 11 of Revelation plays out on the world stage, the two witnesses will consist of one witness upon earth, the olive tree represented by Zerubbabel, who will build the temple on earth (the Church), and one witness in heaven, the olive tree represented by Joshua, who is Jesus.

 

So upon the earth, when chapter 11 is all said and done, the people of the nations will see two who are one. There will be one physical person (Zeruubabel) who prophesies 1260 days in sackcloth and who torments those who live upon the earth—so much so that they will celebrate his death. But their celebration won’t last long, for they will be terrified when they see him resurrected three and half days later.

 

So the world will see the two witnesses embodied in one person upon the earth. For within the physical body of the witness represented by Zerubbabel will be the witness represented by Joshua, which is Jesus. They are truly two who are one. But that is not unique to Zerubbabel. For is not the great secret of Christianity Christ in us, Immanuel? Do not all true believers have the witness of Jesus within themselves? Indeed! The difference with Zerubbabel is you could say he is the quintessential Christian as he overcomes Satan by the blood of the Lamb the words of his testimony (see REV 12:11).

 

As to why would modern translators change the original Greek in chapter 11 of Revelation to refer to two bodies or corpses, they no doubt were relying on what made sense to them instead of letting the Scriptures speak for themselves. It is much like in Matthew 24:28 where many translations opted for vultures instead of eagles as vultures made more sense to them because in nature vultures gather around carcasses, not eagles. While I believe the translators tried their best and made what they thought was the right decision, I’m not sure how not leaving the original Greek text intact plays out in light of Revelation 22:19. They should have just let the Scriptures speak for themselves and left it at that. 

 

To bring home the idea that these are indeed not two, but one person upon the earth, consider the following:

 

The mystery of God in Revelation 10:7 that will be completed just before the seventh trumpet sounds is this: the olive tree/witness who is represented by Zerubbabel, is the one who builds the temple of the Lord and will at the end of all this inherit all the nations of the earth and rule and reign forever and ever (see REV 12:5, DAN 7:13-14), he is the elect child of chp 12 of REV fame. And he will stand before the LORD forever and ever because that is what the anointed ones do and because he is a pillar in the temple of the Most High and serves Him day and night (see REV 7:15).  And this elect child of God, this chosen one, this one the LORD loves, one of the two olive trees before the LORD, is the one who does the bidding of the LORD against Babylon (see CHP 48 of ISAIAH), he is the bird of prey from the east, Abaddon, who will utterly destroy Babylon. He is the last who will be first.

 

The second woe consists of his ministry, death, and resurrection.

 

It is at his resurrection that the Second Coming is truly imminent, the third and final woe.

 

Come hither into the Word:

 

1^ST WOE from CHP 9 of REV:

 

1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.

 

2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

 

3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

 

4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.

 

5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.

 

6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.

 

7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.

 

8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.

 

9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.

 

10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.

 

11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

 

12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.

—REV 9:1-12

 

Abaddon is the slayer of CHP 21 of EZEK:

 

6 Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes.

7 And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings; because it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord God.

8 Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

9 Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the Lord; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished:

10 It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter; it is furbished that it may glitter: should we then make mirth? it contemneth the rod of my son, as every tree.

11 And he hath given it to be furbished, that it may be handled: this sword is sharpened, and it is furbished, to give it into the hand of the slayer.

 

—EZEK 21:6-11

 

…and the strong one in JOEL, the commander of the ARMY OF THE LORD:

 

1 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand;

2 A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.

3 A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.

4 The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.

5 Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.

6 Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.

7 They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks:

8 Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.

9 They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.

10 The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining:

11 And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?

 

—JOEL 2:1-11

 

He is the fierce lion of JER 4:7, the destroyer of nations, who ends up standing before the LORD (in the following, EMPHASIS is mine):

 

“Behold, he shall come up like a LION from the thickets of the Jordan against the strong habitation; for I will suddenly make him run away from it, and WHOSO IS CHOSEN, him will I appoint over it; for WHO IS LIKE ME? and WHO WILL APPOINT ME A TIME? and WHO IS THAT SHEPHERD THAT WILL STAND BEFORE ME?”

— JER 49:19 Masoretic text

 

 

43 The king of Babylon hath heard the fame of them, and his hands wax feeble; anguish hath taken hold of him, and pain, as of a woman in travail

44 Behold, he shall come up like a LION from the thickets of the Jordan against the strong habitation; for I will suddenly make them run away from it, and WHOSO IS CHOSEN, him will I appoint over it; for WHO IS LIKE ME? AND WHO WILL APPOINT ME A TIME? AND WHO IS THAT SHEPHERD THAT WILL STAND BEFORE ME?

 

—JER 50:43-44 Masoretic text

 

 

 

He is the strong one in the army described by Joel, this fierce lion spoken of by Jeremiah who ends up standing before the Lord:

 

 

 

“A lion is gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations is set out, gone forth from his place; to make thy land desolate, that thy cities be laid waste, without inhabitant.”

—Jeremiah 4:7 Masoretic text

 

 

37 And the peaceable folds are brought to silence because of the fierce anger of the LORD.

38 He hath forsaken His covert, as the lion; for their land is become a waste because of the fierceness of the oppressing sword, and because of His fierce anger.

—Jeremiah 25:37-38 Masoretic text

 

In verse 43 below, even the Devil’s hands will hang limp in fear (see EMPHASIS) when the army of the Lord rides:

 

43 The KING OF BABYLON hath heard the fame of them, and HIS HANDS WAX FEEBLE; anguish hath taken hold of him, and pain, as of a woman in travail

44 Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the thickets of the Jordan against the strong habitation; for I will suddenly make them run away from it, and whoso is chosen, him will I appoint over it; for who is like Me? and who will appoint Me a time? and who is that shepherd that will stand before Me?

 

—Jeremiah 50:43-44 Masoretic text

 

 

In the day of His wrath, the Lord breathes fire out of His mouth:

 

7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.

8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

—Psalm 18:7-8

 

The two who are one breathe fire out of their mouths:

 

4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

5 And 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 11:4-5

 

The two who are one will torment those upon the earth, so much so that when their corpse lies in the street, the nations of the earth will celebrate and not allow them burial.

 

The first woe introduces Abaddon and the ARMY OF THE LORD to the world (see chapter 9 of Revelation).  During the first woe, no one dies, though many will wish they could. But many, many, many will die in the second woe at hands of Abaddon and the ARMY OF THE LORD.

 

BREAKING NEWS ALERT for those who believe in a pre-tribulation rapture of the Church:

NOT ONLY WILL THE CHURCH BE HERE FOR THE TRIBULATION, BUT THE CHURCH WILL PARTICIPATE IN ADMINISTERING THE TRIBULATION!!!

 

 

“I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the Lord of hosts.”

—Jeremiah 25:29

 

 

“Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD with a slack hand, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.”

—Jeremiah 48:10  Masoretic text

 

 

25 The LORD hath opened His armoury, and hath brought forth the weapons of His indignation; for it is a work that the Lord GOD of hosts hath to do in the land of the Chaldeans.

26 Come against her from every quarter, open her granaries, cast her up as heaps, and destroy her utterly; let nothing of her be left.

27 Slay all her bullocks, let them go down to the slaughter; woe unto them! for their day is come, the time of their visitation.

28 Hark! they flee and escape out of the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, the vengeance of His temple.

29 Call together the archers against Babylon, all them that bend the bow; encamp against her round about, let none thereof escape; recompense her according to her work, according to all that she hath done, do unto her: for she hath been arrogant against the LORD, against the Holy One of Israel.

—Jeremiah 50:25-29  Masoretic text

 

 

35 A sword is upon the Chaldeans, saith the LORD, and upon the inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her princes, and upon her wise men.

36 A sword is upon the boasters, and they shall become fools; a sword is upon her mighty men, and they shall be dismayed.

37 A sword is upon their horses, and upon their chariots, and upon all the mingled people that are in the midst of her, and they shall become as women; a sword is upon her treasures, and they shall be robbed.

38 A drought is upon her waters, and they shall be dried up; for it is a land of graven images, and they are mad upon things of horror.

39 Therefore the wild-cats with the jackals shall dwell there, and the ostriches shall dwell therein; and it shall be no more inhabited for ever, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation.

40 As when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the LORD; so shall no man abide there, neither shall any son of man dwell therein.

41 Behold, a people cometh from the north, and a great nation, and many kings shall be roused from the uttermost parts of the earth.

42 They lay hold on bow and spear, they are cruel, and have no compassion; their voice is like the roaring sea, and they ride upon horses; set in array, as a man for war, against thee, O daughter of Babylon.

—Jeremiah 50:35-42

 

 

12 Set up a standard against the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set the watchmen, prepare the ambushes; for the LORD hath both devised and done that which He spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.

13 O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, the measure of thy covetousness.

14 The LORD of hosts hath sworn by Himself: Surely I will fill thee with men, as with the canker-worm, and they shall lift up a shout against thee.

—Jeremiah 51:12-14

 

 

 

6 Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; they shall stumble, and fall toward the north by the river Euphrates.

7 Who is this that cometh up as a flood, whose waters are moved as the rivers?

8 Egypt riseth up like a flood, and his waters are moved like the rivers; and he saith, I will go up, and will cover the earth; I will destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof.

9 Come up, ye horses; and rage, ye chariots; and let the mighty men come forth; the Ethiopians and the Libyans, that handle the shield; and the Lydians, that handle and bend the bow.

10 For this is the day of the Lord God of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord God of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.

—Jeremiah 46:6-10

 

14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.

15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.

—Revelation 9:14-15

 

You can think of the four angels bound at the Euphrates river as four war axes to be wielded in the hands of the Destroyer, or the two who are one. The two who are one will strike the earth as much as they want (see REV 11:6) with plagues of fire, smoke, and brimstone (see REV 9:18). They will prophesy, clap their hands, and the sword of the Most High will strike:

 

14 Thou therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite thine hands together. and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the slain: it is the sword of the great men that are slain, which entereth into their privy chambers.

15 I have set the point of the sword against all their gates, that their heart may faint, and their ruins be multiplied: ah! it is made bright, it is wrapped up for the slaughter.

16 Go thee one way or other, either on the right hand, or on the left, whithersoever thy face is set.

17 I will also smite mine hands together, and I will cause my fury to rest: I the Lord have said it.

—Ezekiel 21:14-17

 

Concerning Abaddon, or the Destroyer, Revelation says in chapter 9 that he is the angel/star with the key to the bottomless pit. Is the warden of a prison a prisoner himself? Is the warden of a prison a good guy or a bad guy? Abaddon is a good guy.

 

This same destroyer of the nations, this lion, this chosen shepherd that will stand before the LORD, is one and the same as the strong one who executes the word of the LORD as commander of the ARMY OF THE LORD in JOEL. Notice the appearance of the army in JOEL 2:4, they have the appearance of horses. They are the locusts with the appearance of horses described in Revelation:

 

“And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses…”

—REV 9:7

 

Make no mistake about it, chapter 9 of REV speaks of the ARMY OF THE LORD.

 

3 I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness.

4 The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the Lord of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.

5 They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the Lord, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

6 Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.

7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt

—Isaiah 13:3-7

 

41 Behold, a people shall come from the north, and a great nation, and many kings shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.

42 They shall hold the bow and the lance: they are cruel, and will not shew mercy: their voice shall roar like the sea, and they shall ride upon horses, every one put in array, like a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Babylon.

43 The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands waxed feeble: anguish took hold of him, and pangs as of a woman in travail.

—Jeremiah 50:41-43

 

The Destroyer is the rider on the white horse revealed in the 1st seal:

 

“And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.”

—Revelation 6:2

 

Abaddon, the rider on the white horse in the first seal, who is also represented by Zerubbabel, is the righteous one from the east spoken of here in Isaiah:

 

2 Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow.

3 He pursued them, and passed safely; even by the way that he had not gone with his feet.

4 Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am he.

—Isaiah 41:2-4

 

ZERUBBABEL/ABADDON IS THE BIRD OF PREY FROM THE EAST, THE ONE WHOM THE LORD LOVES AND WHO PERFORMS HIS PLEASURE, PLANS, AND PURPOSES AGAINST BABYLON:

 

“The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand”

—Isaiah 14:24

 

11 Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the Lord hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance of his temple.

 

12 Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for the Lord hath both devised and done that which he spake against the inhabitants of Babylon.

—Jeremiah 51:11-12

 

9 Remember the former things of old: that I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me;

10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done; saying: ‘My counsel shall stand, and all My pleasure will I do’

11 Calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of My counsel from a far country; yea, I have spoken, I will also bring it to pass, I have purposed, I will also do it.

—Isaiah 46:9-11  Masoretic text

 

14 Assemble yourselves, all ye, and hear; which among them hath declared these things? He whom the LORD loveth shall perform His pleasure on Babylon, and show His arm on the Chaldeans.

15 I, even I, have spoken, yea, I have called him; I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous.

—Isaiah 48:14-15  Masoretic text

 

When the olive tree represented by Joshua in the book of Zechariah, Jesus, stood up in the synagogue and read aloud the following from the first two verses from chapter 61 of Isaiah, saying “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord”  and stopped  right there in mid-verse of verse 2 and sat down, He was prophetically handing off the spiritual baton if you will (as runners in a relay race do) unto the other olive tree that stands before the Lord, the one represented by Zerubbabel, who is also the Destroyer, or Abaddon. The very next phrase of the verse at the point where Jesus sat down was this:

“and the day of vengeance of our God”

—Isaiah 61:2

 

The Day of the Lord is all about vengeance:

 

“For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak.”

—Isaiah 59:17

 

2 Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?

3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.

4 For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.

—Isaiah 63:2-4

 

“For it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion.”

—Isaiah 34:8

 

So to recap everything and tie it all together, the 2 witnesses of Revelation chapter 11 are the two olive trees who stand before the Lord. They are represented by Zerubbabel and Joshua in the book of Zechariah. The olive tree/witness represented by Joshua is none other than Jesus. The olive tree/witness represented by Zerubbabel in Scripture is the manchild of Revelation 12:5, who overcomes Satan by the words of his testimony and the blood of the Lamb (see REV 12:11).  He will build the temple of the Lord in the great end time harvest when the end times play out on the world stage, for he will be a witness of the faithfulness of the words of Jesus, that they are true and can be trusted. The one represented by Zerubbabel in Scripture who is the Manchild of Revelation chapter 12  is also one and the same with the one spoken of in Daniel 7:13-14, who will rule all the nations of the earth in a kingdom without end. He is also one and the same as the Destroyer of REV 9:11 fame, the fierce lion spoken of in Jeremiah, who will end up standing before Lord.

 

In chapter 12 of Revelation, we see the dragon knock down a third of the stars out of the sky down to the earth with his tail:

 

“And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.”

—Revelation 12:4

 

The above verse does not speak to Satan deceiving a third of the angels. It speaks to the dragon knocking a third of the stars down to the earth with his tail in an act of war in heaven. And he not only knocks down a third of the stars, but he stomps on them. Concerning the little horn in Daniel, it says this:

 

“And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.”

—Daniel 8:10

 

To help explain what I am saying, let us suppose good angels wear white hats and bad angels wear black hats. The traditional understanding of Revelation 12:4 is the dragon knocked down with his tail angels wearing black hats.  I am saying that the dragon knocked down with his tail angels wearing white hats.

 

Before continuing, a note here about stars/angels is in order. What are stars and angels in Scripture? Do stars = angels? Perhaps. But do not saints evolve/progress to the status of stars? Indeed:

 

“And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”

—Daniel 12:3

 

Which brings me to the elect. Lo and behold, one of the stars which fell out of heaven to the earth, was given the key to the bottomless pit:

 

“And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.”

—Revelation 9:1

 

This one with the key to the bottomless pit is the Destroyer:

 

11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.

—Revelation 9:11-12

 

Abaddon, or Apollyon, or the Destroyer, is the long arm of the law, a sheriff in a white hat, if you will, who takes hold of Satan and locks him in the bottomless pit for a thousand years at the beginning of the Millennial Reign:

 

1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

—Revelation 20:1-3

 

Then after that little season of time, Abaddon casts Satan into the lake of fire:

 

“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”

—Revelation 20:10

 

This star/angel with the key to the bottomless pit, the Destroyer, is the elect, the man child in Revelation 12:5. That is why the Devil sought to consume him the moment he was born. Satan knows that his time is short. He knew it when the man child was born. He knew it when he pursued the woman in the desert. Satan tried to thwart God’s plan by killing the woman in the desert, but God wouldn’t let it be. When he dies a violent death in the heart of the seas, will the Devil, as it says in Ezekiel 28:9, still think of himself as a god in the presence of those who kill him?

 

Yes yes, the Devil is done, and there isn’t a thing he can do about it. The end comes now. The dragon roars and rages but can stop it not.

 

In short, what I am saying is this:

 

The two witnesses in CHP 11 of REV = one witness upon earth + one witness in heaven (currently)

The witness in heaven = Joshua in Zechariah= Jesus

The witness upon earth = Zerubbabel in Zechariah = Manchild of REV 12:5 = Elect

And the Manchild of REV 12:5  =  Abaddon of REV 9:11

 

That is the MYSTERY OF GOD spoken of here in Revelation:

 

“But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the MYSTERY OF GOD should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.”

—Revelation 10:7

 

It is at just before the sounding of the seventh trumpet, at the completion of the second woe, when the two who are one are resurrected:

 

11 And after three days and an 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.

12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.

15 And the seventh angel sounded;

 

—REV 11:11-15

 

The same MYSTERY OF GOD is spoken of here in the Old Testament (EMPHASIS MINE):

 

2 WHO RAISED UP THE RIGHTEOUS MAN FROM THE NORTH, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow.

3 He pursued them, and passed safely; even by the way that he had not gone with his feet.

4 WHO HATH WROUGHT AND DONE IT, CALLING THE GENERATIONS FROM THE BEGINNING? I the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am he.

—Isaiah 41:2-4

 

25 I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come: from the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name: and he shall come upon princes as upon morter, and as the potter treadeth clay.

26 WHO HATH DECLARED FROM THE BEGINNING, THAT WE MAY KNOW? and beforetime, that we may say, He is righteous? yea, there is none that sheweth, yea, there is none that declareth, yea, there is none that heareth your words.

—Isaiah 41:25-26

 

14 All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; WHICH AMONG THEM HATH DECLARED THESE THINGS? The Lord hath loved him: he will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall be on the Chaldeans.

15 I, even I, have spoken; yea, I have called him: I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous.

—Isaiah 48:14-15

 

1 WHO IS THIS THAT COMETH FROM EDOM, WITH DYED GARMENTS FROM BOZRAH? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.

2 Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?

3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.

4 For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.

5 And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.

6 And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.

—Isaiah 63:1-6

 

“Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the thickets of the Jordan against the strong habitation; for I will suddenly make him run away from it, and WHOSO IS CHOSEN, him will I appoint over it; for WHO IS LIKE ME? and WHO WILL APPOINT ME A TIME? and WHO IS THAT SHEPHERD THAT WILL STAND BEFORE ME?”

—Jeremiah 49:19 Masoretic text