Page 119 - Heavenly Signs II by Mel Gable

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Revelation 6:12 “I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun
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became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood;”

The Prophet Zephaniah foretold the Day of the Lord when he called Judah to repentance and warned of the
impending Day of Judgment during the days of captivity in Babylon. He said it would be darkness and gloom,
and clouds and thick darkness on the great Day of the Lord. We see in the heavens darkness due to eclipses of
the sun with the moon and other planets occurring on the Day of the Lord or Terror of the LORD.

Zephaniah 1:14-2:2 “Near is the great day of the Lord, Near and coming very quickly; Listen,
the day of the Lord! In it the warrior cries out bitterly.

15 A day of wrath is that day, A day of trouble and distress, A day of destruction and desolation,
A day of darkness and gloom, A day of clouds and thick darkness,
16 A day of trumpet and battle cry Against the fortified cities And the high corner towers.
17 I will bring distress on men So that they will walk like the blind,
Because they have sinned against the LORD; And their blood will be poured out like dust
And their flesh like dung.
18 Neither their silver nor their gold Will be able to deliver them On the day of the LORD’S wrath;
And all the earth will be devoured In the fire of His jealousy,
For He will make a complete end, Indeed a terrifying one, Of all the inhabitants of the earth.
1 Gather yourselves together, yes, gather, O nation without shame,
2 Before the decree takes effect— The day passes like the chaff—
Before the burning anger of the LORD comes upon you,
Before the day of the LORD’S anger comes upon you.”
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The description is almost incomprehensible due to the destruction described as the great Day of the Lord. It is
like a Battle of God’s Wrath, Day of Trouble (Jacob’s trouble: Jeremiah 30:7), a day of waste and desolation and
a day of darkness and gloom, and a day of clouds and thick darkness which is described in this passage. This will
be the wrath of holiness and likewise, the Day of the Lord is also referred to as the Final Wrath of God.

Two Witnesses - Prophesying

Malachi makes the statement the Lord will send Elijah before the Day of the Lord. He will come prior to God’s
Wrath. There is a great deal of controversy with Bible scholars determining the identity of the two witnesses.
They are introduced in Revelation without any suggestion as to who they are.

Revelation 11:3 “And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve
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hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
Malachi 4:5 “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and
terrible day of the LORD.”
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It seems to be almost certain that Elijah is one of the witnesses, since it was predicted that he would return. Most
Bible scholars believe the second witness is either Moses or Enoch. It is more likely to be Enoch, since both
Elijah and Enoch never died on this earth and were taken to heaven. Enoch was a Gentile. Therefore, the two

196 New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (Re 6:12). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

197 New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (Zep 1:14–2:2). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

198 New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Re 11:3). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

199 New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Mal 4:5). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.