The idea that” might makes right” is fundamentally flawed and has led to profound injustice and suffering. Still, many people and nations practice it and justify it with various arguments.
For example, some believe that the strong have a natural right to dominate the weak because it’s part of the evolutionary process, and only the fittest should survive.
Others rationalize that throughout history, powerful individuals and nations have conquered and dominated weaker ones, and domination of others by the powerful is a natural and necessary part of human progress.
It is tragic that some religious or cultural traditions believe they have a God-given mandate to rule over the weak.
One of the characteristics of the beast in Revelation 11 is his belief that might makes right.
In contrast to the Lamb, the beast uses brute force to triumph over truth and righteousness.
When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the bottomless pit will wage war on them and conquer them and kill them,
And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that is prophetically called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified (Revelation 11.7-8).
The beast is behind the persecution and oppression of God’s people.
The great city represents a world’s system that reflects its leader, the beast. Moral degradation, oppression, slavery, and the like characterize the people who oppose God’s faithful.
The great city where the martyred church lies dead is the world under the wicked and oppressive sway of the Antichrist.
Wickedness Revealed
You would think that there would be respect for the dead martyrs and that they would receive a proper burial.
The true nature of evil is revealed when we read the reaction of the city to the death of the martyrs.
For three and a half days members of the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb,
And the inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and celebrate and exchange presents, because these two prophets tormented the inhabitants of the earth (Revelation 11.9-10).
The pagan world is so perverted that they celebrate the death of the martyrs like on a holiday.
Holiness either attracts or repels people. Some people look at a laudable life and attempt to imitate their attitudes and actions.
Other people see a Christ-like life and feel convicted of their shortcomings. Instead of learning how to live a life like Jesus, they reject the witness.
In this case, the city which has taken on the character of the beast rejoices that the witnesses will no longer call their behavior into question.
Jesus told his followers to expect this kind of hatred: “Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy” (John 16:20).
God’s Marvelous Testimony
Since murder is the last resort of the beast and his servants, what can be done about those who rise from the dead?
God gives the inhabitants who have followed the beast an opportunity to see the resurrection of his two witnesses.
But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered the two witnesses, and they stood on their feet, and those who saw them were terrified
Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here!” And they went up to heaven in a cloud while their enemies watched them (Revelation 11.11-12).
Not only are they raised from the dead, but they ascend in full view of their enemies.
To add emphasis to this marvelous event, God causes an earthquake.
At that moment there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven (Revelation 11.13).
The great mass of humans has committed the unpardonable crime of making a god out of evil, but God will provide compelling testimony to shake them out of their delusion.
Today’s Application
We do well to recognize the danger of psychological, political, and religious ideas today that promote power and domination.
This passage encourages us to stand up against injustice and oppression and to live a life that reflects our Lord’s values of truth and righteousness.
It also reminds us that following Christ may lead to persecution and suffering, but ultimately, our faithfulness will be rewarded, and God’s justice will prevail.
YouTube Video
Rudy Ross and I discuss this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
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