The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

ight shining of truth on every subject will be that which will eventually be used to
destroy the anti-Christian systems.
Spiritual drought in the days of their prophecy
It is further said of these witnesses that "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."--Verse 6.
A reference is here made to Elijah, the Prophet, who foretold the drought in the days of
Ahab, king of Israel (1 Kings 17:1; Jas. 5:17); and the prophecy was fulfilled, in that it
rained not for a period of three years and six months, which typically refers to the period
of 1260 years mentioned in the vision under consideration. We quote Mr. Russell's
explanation of this type:
"Elijah was 'three years and six months' in the wilderness, and during that time there was
no rain, and a great famine was in the land--Jas. 5:17; 1 Kings 17:7; 18:2.
"The Church was three and a half symbolic years (a day for a year--1260 literal years) in
the wilderness condition, during which there was a spiritual famine because of the lack of
truth--the living water.--Compare Rev. 12:6; 11:3; Amos 8:11."
The fuller meaning of the expression in the symbol is that the blessings of the Gospel and
the Divine favor and protection would be withheld from those who failed to heed, and
who despised the testimonies of the Scriptures as proclaimed and exemplified by those
making up the little churches (candlesticks) during the twelve hundred and sixty years of
their preaching.
Their having "power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all
plagues, as often as they will" (verse 6), would mean that those represented by these
witnesses are like Moses and Aaron, the agents who inflicted the literal plagues of this
character upon Egypt. In Scripture language the prophets of God are often said to be the
authors of the plagues or judgments which they declare and foretell, and in this sense, it
may be said that the woes, plagues, that come on apostates, proceed from them, that is
from their unfolding of the prophecies to this effect. Undoubtedly, however, the full
accomplishment of the prophetic judgments proclaimed by the witnesses will be in the
"day of the Lord" when the "vials of wrath" of Rev. 16, will be poured out.
It would, therefore, seem from these statements concerning the symbolic actions of these
witnesses, together with the similar use of the vision of Zechariah, that the Word of God
would, during the twelve hundred and sixty years (except during a brief period of three
and one half years), be proclaimed by those referred to in the prophecy of Daniel, as the
"saints," against whom the fierce "little horn" prevailed (Dan. 7:20,21); in other words, it
would be proclaimed by the pastors and teachers of the little churches [lampstands]
existing during this period. We quote from several noted expositors: