ENOCH AND ELIJAH

The Tribulation, described in Revelation 6:1 - 18:24, begins with Seven Seal Judgments, the seventh of which consists of the Seven Trumpet Judgments (8:1 - 14:20).  The first four Trumpet Judgments are "natural disasters" (8:7-12); the last three Trumpet Judgments are described as "Woes" (8:13).

The First "Woe" (the fifth Trumpet) has to do with Satan's fall to earth, and the releasing of his demonic "locusts" to torment mankind (9:1-11).  The Second "Woe" (the sixth Trumpet) begins by describing the release of four "bound" angels who cause two hundred million demonic warriors to slaughter one third of all mankind (9:15-19).  Chapter ten describes a "little book," which John will eat, and "seven thunders" which speak words John is not permitted to write.  They are to remain a mystery (10:4). 

In Revelation 11:1-13, the Second Woe continues with the description of God's two witnesses.  Students of the Bible know that one of these two men has to be Elijah.  First of all, he did not die, and that would contradict Hebrews 9:27.  Secondly, Malachi prophesied that Elijah would return "before the great and dreadful Day of the Lord" (Mal. 4:5).  Had they received the testimony of John the Baptist, he would have fulfilled that prophecy (Isa. 40:3; Mt. 17:10-13; Jn. 1:23).  That means Elijah will come again.  He is one of the two "olive trees" described here, and in Zechariah 4:11-14.

There is one other man in the Bible who did not experience death:  Enoch (Gen. 5:24; Heb. 11:5).  The son of Jared and the father of Methuselah (Gen. 5:18, 21), Enoch is known to have preached one message: 

"And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him" (Jude 1:14-15).

I find it incredible that Enoch, obviously filled by the Holy Spirit, preached about Christ's Second Coming before the flood, before Abraham, before the nation of Israel, before the Law, and before Christ's First Coming!  I do not know if he knew it would be Christ's Second Coming, but that is exactly what he preached! 

Enoch was to the Gentile world, what Elijah was to the Jews, and they will be again.  And though they do suffer death for the first and only time, in my opinion, their ministry brings about the salvation of millions (Rev. 11:13)!

Born again believers, those who have placed their trust in Jesus Christ, will not be here to see the two witnesses; we will have been received up unto the Lord before the day of God's wrath is poured out (Jn. 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 15:50-54; 1 Thes. 4:16-17; 5:9; Rev. 3:10)!