"These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them."
Revelation 11:6-7
I thought these verses were interesting taken together. They are talking about the two prophets that will come in the last days to Jerusalem and in the first verse it talks about their incredible power. They can do all of the things that Moses could do, for instance... so many amazing things that you would think that would convince anyone that they were from God. Except that they won't be here to win in that way. They are here to give their testimonies... kind of like Abinadi, and then in the second verse as it says... they will be overcome and killed. The "win" doesn't come until four verses later, when after their bodies have lain in the streets for three and a half days with people rejoicing over their deaths, they are resurrected in front of everyone, and ascend into heaven. ... The whole last battle thing always overwhelms me when I read about it, but in particular, it seems so amazingly patient of God to do things this way... and patient of his servants as well. I guess I'm used to the stories where good triumphs over evil, usually by superior power. Yeah, not at first... but usually before the good guys die in the street. And we know that God *has* superior power, so why not just come in and ... win? ... Obviously a lot goes on here in mortality that he wants to allow. We need to make choices, and have freedom, and give people a chance to change. And so a lot of good people are out there prophesying and crying repentance, and the miracles don't come until later. People suffer for God's sake and are taken to heaven. And hey... Heaven I would say is worth it. :) For me today, what it means is that we don't always get the instant win. God isn't going to step in and solve things for us in many cases. Sometimes we're going to have to suffer, even when we are *clearly* in the right and the other person obviously in the wrong... because that isn't the way life works. Good will eventually triumph over evil, but sometimes that doesn't happen until after our bodies lie in the street for a while. ... and that is okay. God *still* knows what he is doing. Choosing good rather than evil is STILL right. It just means we have to be a little bit more patient. Being righteous doesn't always mean a big payoff in this life, but it does mean eternal happiness. It does mean that our lives are a success. It is always the right thing to do. But today, let's not try to expect the win and the justification... because sometimes the other side wins anyway, at least for now. It takes patience to wait on God's timing, but he knows what he is doing, and how to ensure justice and mercy for us all.
Remember in the Book of Mormon when the Anti-Nephi-Lehis who had sworn not to fight anymore were kneeling on the ground, and the bad guys came through and killed zillions of them anyway, without one of them fighting back? ... How many people were brought to the church that day? Way more than the number that died. Sometimes people have to see cruelty and vulnerability as they really are before they turn around. ... So today, no matter whether we're winning or losing, let's stay on the Lord's side. Whatever happens, it will always be for the best in the end.
And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them."
Revelation 11:6-7
I thought these verses were interesting taken together. They are talking about the two prophets that will come in the last days to Jerusalem and in the first verse it talks about their incredible power. They can do all of the things that Moses could do, for instance... so many amazing things that you would think that would convince anyone that they were from God. Except that they won't be here to win in that way. They are here to give their testimonies... kind of like Abinadi, and then in the second verse as it says... they will be overcome and killed. The "win" doesn't come until four verses later, when after their bodies have lain in the streets for three and a half days with people rejoicing over their deaths, they are resurrected in front of everyone, and ascend into heaven. ... The whole last battle thing always overwhelms me when I read about it, but in particular, it seems so amazingly patient of God to do things this way... and patient of his servants as well. I guess I'm used to the stories where good triumphs over evil, usually by superior power. Yeah, not at first... but usually before the good guys die in the street. And we know that God *has* superior power, so why not just come in and ... win? ... Obviously a lot goes on here in mortality that he wants to allow. We need to make choices, and have freedom, and give people a chance to change. And so a lot of good people are out there prophesying and crying repentance, and the miracles don't come until later. People suffer for God's sake and are taken to heaven. And hey... Heaven I would say is worth it. :) For me today, what it means is that we don't always get the instant win. God isn't going to step in and solve things for us in many cases. Sometimes we're going to have to suffer, even when we are *clearly* in the right and the other person obviously in the wrong... because that isn't the way life works. Good will eventually triumph over evil, but sometimes that doesn't happen until after our bodies lie in the street for a while. ... and that is okay. God *still* knows what he is doing. Choosing good rather than evil is STILL right. It just means we have to be a little bit more patient. Being righteous doesn't always mean a big payoff in this life, but it does mean eternal happiness. It does mean that our lives are a success. It is always the right thing to do. But today, let's not try to expect the win and the justification... because sometimes the other side wins anyway, at least for now. It takes patience to wait on God's timing, but he knows what he is doing, and how to ensure justice and mercy for us all.
Remember in the Book of Mormon when the Anti-Nephi-Lehis who had sworn not to fight anymore were kneeling on the ground, and the bad guys came through and killed zillions of them anyway, without one of them fighting back? ... How many people were brought to the church that day? Way more than the number that died. Sometimes people have to see cruelty and vulnerability as they really are before they turn around. ... So today, no matter whether we're winning or losing, let's stay on the Lord's side. Whatever happens, it will always be for the best in the end.
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