At Rev. 11:5-6 we read of the two witnesses (Rev. 11:3);
"5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. 6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire."
According to the "Revelation Climax" book 2006 printing, pages 165-166 shown below,
those trying to harm the two witnesses, are interpreted as other religious organizations claiming to be Christian (termed by Watchtower as "Christendom").
The "fire from heaven" is claimed to be a 4-page Watchtower publication called "Kingdom News" along with other publications which would "expose Christendom's spiritually defunct condition". The drought caused by a lack of rain is interpreted to mean that the Jehovah's Witness organization exposes the "spiritual drought" of those other churches, meaning, a lack of spiritual waters.
Although some scriptures are offered to support the role of Moses and Elijah, fulfilled by the two witnesses; none of the scriptures provide the exact interpretations offered...
Specifically,
- that those seeking to harm the two witnesses are the churches of Christendom
- that the fire from heaven consists of Watchtower publications, notably "Kingdom News"
- that heaven being shut and the lack of rain, is the Watchtower's unveiling of a lack of spiritual waters available in other religions.
As readers of this blog know, I always strive to offer scriptures for interpretation. The source of interpretative doctrine belongs to God (Gen. 40:8). This is the example of Jesus (John 12:49) and he should be our guide (John 16:13; 8:47).
So, lets take a tour of scripture to see what God's Word has to say about heaven being shut up, so that no rain falls.
So, lets take a tour of scripture to see what God's Word has to say about heaven being shut up, so that no rain falls.
(Italicized and bold words are the scripture)(Words in brackets are mine)
Deut. 11:17 "Then the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and he will shut up the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the Lord is giving you." (God promised the good land to His own people)
1Kings 8:35 "
“When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your (God's) people have sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place (God's temple) and give praise to your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them..."
2Chron.7: "11 When Solomon had finished the temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and had succeeded in carrying out all he had in mind to do in the temple of the Lord and in his own palace, 12 the Lord appeared to him at night and said:
“I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices.
13 When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." (remember Mal. 4:2)
What we learn from God's Word...
(Rom. 3:4; Matt. 15:9;
1Cor. 1:25)
...is that when the heaven is shut so that no rain falls, it is because God's own people are being disciplined by God. Such discipline arrives due to their wickedness.
Please consider additional scriptures regarding God's own interpretation of His own prophecies:
Isa. 5:1-2,3-4,5-6,7 ; Jer. 3:1,2,3 ; Eze. 22:18,23-24,25-26,27-28 ; Zech. 14:17 ; James 5:17; Mal. 4:5; Ex. 9:33; Rev. 11:6
If you would like a link to read them:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=%20Isa.5%3A1-7%3B%20Jer.3%3A1-3%3B%20Eze.22%3A18%2C23-28%3B%20Zech.14%3A17%3B%20James%205%3A17%3B%20Mal.4%3A5%3B%20Ex.9%3A33%3B%20Re.11%3A6&version=NIV
What does it mean that heaven is shut, or opened?
Heaven is the source of God's gifts
Heaven is the source of God's gifts
(James 1:17; John 4:10;
1Cor. 14:1,12,37; 12:4; 1:7; 2:10; Mal. 3:10).
When heaven is opened, spiritual gifts of divine wisdom and understanding are offered to the humble and righteous (Heb. 6:4). This happened to the apostle John when he was graced with the scroll of Revelation (Rev. 4:1; 1:19). The two witnesses also have heaven opened to them (Rev. 11:12) as did Stephen (Acts 7:56).
Eze. 1:1; Matt. 3:16; Isa. 11:2
When the heavens are shut, access to divine spirit and truth is blocked.
We are told at Rev. 3:7-8...
"These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name."
Jesus has the power to open the minds of the faithful to heavenly truth (Luke 24:45; Col. 2:2-3).
Jesus spoke of this ability to bestow wisdom,
Jesus spoke of this ability to bestow wisdom,
at Matthew chapter 13:
"11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables:
“Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn (repent), and I would heal* them.’
(*again, Mal. 4:2;
2Pet. 1:19; Rev. 22:16)
16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.
35 So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet:
“I will open my mouth in parables,
I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”
The "hidden" sacred secrets are opened by Jesus, who holds the authority and power over those symbolic keys. He can open perception of divine secrets (John 1:51; 3:34-35; Col. 2:2-3).
As we can see from scripture, the symbolic opening of heaven is associated with symbolic rain.
Deut. 28:12; Ps. 78:23; Mal. 3:10
At Isaiah 45:8, we learn more about the meaning of rain...
“Rain down, you heavens, from above, And let the skies pour down righteousness; Let the earth open, let them bring forth salvation, And let righteousness spring up together. I, the Lord, have created it."
So, just as we see the sky, clouds, and rain are all associated with one another in a literal way;
being blessed and granted to have divine wisdom is associated with and even vital for, having righteousness and salvation.
Our eternal life depends upon our salvation, through divine wisdom (John 17:3,17). That wisdom and spirit, are found in God's Word (Prov. 2:6; Ps. 119:105,130; James 1:5; Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12). Holy Spirit is the source of these things. Spirit is found... not in teaching sourced with men, but in the teachings of Jesus Christ (John 6:63).
If God's own wicked people repentantly return to Him, He can change the thirsty ground of the heart (Matt. 5:6; Isa. 55:1-3; Rev. 22:17).
Isa. 35:
"6 Then the lame shall leap like a deer,
And the tongue of the dumb sing.
For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness,
And streams in the desert.
7 The parched ground shall become a pool,
And the thirsty land springs of water;
In the habitation of jackals, where each lay,
There shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
8 A highway shall be there, and a road,
And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness.
The unclean shall not pass over it,
But it shall be for others.
Whoever walks the road, although a fool,
Shall not go astray.
9 No lion shall be there,
Nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it;
It shall not be found there.
But the redeemed shall walk there,
10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return,
And come to Zion with singing,
With everlasting joy on their heads.
They shall obtain joy and gladness,
And sorrow and sighing shall flee away."
Rev. 11:6 is telling us, that within the scenario of Revelation,
it is not "Christendom" that gets exposed for a lack of holy spirit, righteousness, and teachings of salvation. It is God's own people, in the time of the end.
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