Study in Revelation #58

The sermon centers on Revelation 11:3, interpreting the two witnesses as symbolic of faithful believers throughout history who, during a 1,260-year period of persecution, bear prophetic testimony against the spiritual tyranny of the papal antichrist and the civil beast. Drawing from the historicist interpretation, it argues that the 1,260 days represent a literal span of years, not a future event, and that the witnesses symbolize the church's enduring witness through suffering, clothed in sackcloth to signify repentance and the gravity of sin. The passage emphasizes that true prophecy is not about foretelling the future but forthtelling God's truth—declaring the gospel of salvation by grace alone through faith in Christ alone—against false religion and human traditions. The sermon warns against a modern cultural shift that prioritizes feel-good messages over the sobering reality of sin, divine judgment, and the necessity of repentance, affirming that the gospel's power begins with the 'bad news' of human brokenness before the 'good news' of Christ's atoning sacrifice. Ultimately, the message calls for a return to biblical holiness, where the law reveals God's righteousness and the gospel offers redemption through Christ's perfect obedience.