We have mentioned in the previous essay that the first half of the seventieth week of Daniel will be the time of the harvest-rain revival, of the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom to every nation for a witness. We now are speaking of the second half of the seventieth week, that which is described in verses seven through ten of Revelation, Chapter Eleven.

Notice in the verse above that the testimony will be given until it is finished. There is nothing Antichrist can do until the end-time testimony has been given.

When the testimony has been given to God's satisfaction, then Antichrist will be able to make war against the saints and overcome and kill them. This is the meaning of the passage in Second Thessalonians describing how the hindrance to Antichrist is removed so he may be revealed.

We have stated that the two witnesses are Christ and His Body bearing witness under a full anointing of the Spirit of God. The oil from the olive trees pours directly into the lampstand instead of the cups of the lampstand having to be filled daily by a priest.

The witnesses will have the Spirit without measure.

But then we speak of the witnesses being overcome and killed. How can this be? How can Christ be killed?

How can Christ be sick? How can Christ be in prison? Do you remember in the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew how the Lord said He was sick and in prison and some people of the nations visited Him?

How can Christ be sick? How can Christ be killed?

The answer is, whatever happens to the members of the Body of Christ happens to Christ.

However, we must remember that we are dealing with symbolism. It is not that the saints themselves necessarily are overcome and killed, although the eleventh chapter of Daniel, when describing the second half of the "week" portrays many of the saints being killed with the sword or captured and plundered, and some stumbling and falling.

It is the witness that is overcome and driven from the cities of the earth.

During the last half of the week sin shall mount up in tremendous proportions until it shakes the heavens themselves. In the major cities of the earth there will be no Christian witness at all. It will be impossible to pray. It will be impossible to resist sin. The Holy Spirit will not be present so it will not be possible to be saved or filled with the Spirit.

The day of trouble is coming and you are not going to be "raptured" to Heaven to escape it. (Why should you or I be different from the saints of history or from those who are being tortured and killed today?) If you want to be saved in the day of trouble, then press into Christ. He alone is your protection, not Heaven but Christ.

According to Daniel, Antichrist will be given authority to reach up to the highest heavens and tear down some of the host. All that can be shaken will be shaken. There will be no hiding place in Heaven. There is no passage of Scripture I know of that states Heaven is a place of safety for us. After all, sin began in Heaven. How then can Heaven be safe? It is Christ who is our Hiding Place. We know that but sometimes we need to be reminded.

Where does it say in the Bible that once you get to Heaven you will be safe?

Where does it say in the Bible that you are safe in Christ?

Think about it. We now are in the "back to the Bible hour." Forget the traditions, turn to the Bible! Your destiny depends on your grasp of the truth.