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. Revelation 11:10
There was a big holiday in the land of the Philistines. Big parties were being thrown, and big celebrations were underway. As far as the Philistines were concerned, a long period of oppression and strife was over; their nation’s biggest threat and worst problem – the superman judge from Israel – was now a captive and was permanently shut down as a potential problem. Many of them had already seen the great Sampson, chained and blinded, and grinding grain like a donkey. The one who had defeated them so easily in battle was now living in defeat and humiliation. So they rejoiced, and the leaders all gathered in Gaza to celebrate. It was an exciting party, and the celebrations reached a pinnacle when the prisoner was paraded in to be further humiliated and ridiculed. How they laughed and shouted in glee to see a once invincible man reduced to such shame and subjection, and forced to lean for support on the pillars of the house. Their laughter lasted only until Sampson pulled the pillars down, and won his greatest victory ever. The Philistines’ behaviour reminds us of the tribulation people’s response to the death of God’s special witnesses.
During a period of the tribulation, God’s two special witnesses will be preaching the Gospel. And they will have the power to inflict great judgments on those who oppose them or who refuse to listen. They will be able to continue their work until they have completed it. And when they have completed it, they will be killed by the beast that climbs out of the bottomless pit, to the great delight of the people living at that time. For only three and a half days, they will be celebrating. Their troubles at the hands of the witnesses is ended, or so they think. Then, like the Philistines who gazed in horror as Sampson pulled down the pillars, the tribulation residents will be shocked to see the witnesses rise, and then to experience a great and deadly earthquake. When we consider these two great events – Sampson’s victory and the witnesses’ resurrection – we are amazed at the difference in how God deals with enemies in our day. God’s witnesses today may encounter shameful mistreatment, and some will die for their faithfulness. And those who mock, and reject, and slay, those who submit as God’s faithful people, may well feel they are the winners. They don’t see the harm in mistreating those who they hate for Christ’s sake… not yet. God’s great day of grace allows for so much more leniency than in the days of the law and in the coming days of tribulation. But the leniency lasts only so long. And the judgment must come.
It is a great responsibility to preach the Gospel, and we should feel the weight of that responsibility, and be willing to endure suffering for it. It is also a great responsibility to hear the Gospel. Let us pray that many will take that responsibility seriously rather than celebrating our humiliation. -Jim MacIntosh