Why a dark world reacts badly to the Light and why it should not.

When the Light bulb goes on in your own heart, it will shine for others to see.

Before the end, God will send and empower two witnesses to preach to a dark world. We are told these two witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lampstands mentioned in Zechariah. They are called two olives trees because they are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth. The Spirit of God anoints their life. Men are known by what they love and the fire that burns within them. God’s Spirit will fuel that light within him. As the light bulb of inspiration goes on in their life, it automatically shines for other to see. A man must convince himself first before He can convince others. They become lampstands because God wants people to see their light. Their fire and passion for God will be a light to all men. Shine the light on a person’s life and they may see things differently. The light makes everything visible for what it is. A person needs to see things for what they are to align with truth. The light of the two witnesses will impart God’s life giving Spirit to men. A man is not changed through effort and might, but by God’s Spirit from within. Change a man’s Spirit from the inside and everything else follows. Without correction, people only go from bad to worse.

God’s message to the world will be rude awakening to many.

The two witnesses will attempt to turn the hearts of men back to their God before the great and terrible day of the Lord. They will prophesy for 1,260 days clothed in sackcloth. Repentance will be the message they bring to the world. They will attempt to prepare a people to meet their maker. People too often forget that Christ will begin to clean house at his return. Because God is silent, people often think He is altogether like them (Ps 50:21). Men’s hearts too often flatter and deceive them. They too often think that God is for them and not against them. They suppose the evil they do is good in the sight of the Lord and that He delights in them. Is it not because God has held his peace, that we do not fear Him (Isa 57:11)? They willfully forget that the Scripture charges all men as guilty and sinful before God (Rom 3:9-18). Will not God eventually try to correct this and set things in order. Their rebuke will come as a rude awakening for many. After all, the Gospel is not a popular message to many. It’s not popular because of what it has to say about us- all of us. Jesus came unto His own and His own did not receive Him. Why? Perhaps it is because He came with a whip. After cleansing the temple, the authorities asked Him ‘Who gave you authority to do such things?” Would people today be any different? When confronting people with their sin, many ask the question ‘who do you think you are?’ The world hates Christ because He testifies that it’s works are evil. In similar fashion, the two witnesses will strike the earth with all plagues in an attempt to get their message across to an impenitent world. God will grant them power to do this as often as they desire. They will have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy and they will turn many waters to blood. They will devour their enemies with fire that proceeds from their mouth. Anyone who wants to harm them, will be devoured in this manner. All discipline is painful; but discipline is not a bad thing if it helps a person to see clearly. We should not take God’s discipline lightly. We should also not lose heart just because He does rebuke us. God loves those whom He chastens and disciplines all those He receives as a Son. We should be zealous and repent. God is not man’s enemy for telling them the truth.

Why Ignorance is Bliss to people living in the dark.

Of course, the same light that softens some will also harden others. To many people, Ignorance is bliss. This is why people with ears are unable to hear. God has given them eyes to see but their unwillingness to look at themselves makes them blind. They are blind because they really don’t want to see. Some people are more interested in being right than in knowing the truth. People like to flatter themselves. They are interested in alleviating their own conscience. Being right is more synonymous with feeling good and being comfortable. In a post-modern culture, what you believe is irrelevant to everyone else provided it make you feel good and you keep the matter to yourself. Their view makes them feel good and it works for them, so the compulsion to change seems unnecessary. Who does not want to feel good about themselves? Nobody wants to be told they are wrong or even evil. Women only wanted to be told how lovely they are. Men only want to be told how great they are. Religious people only want to be told they are special and saved. Feeling good is the motivation behind why a man would deceive himself. Looking good is the motivation behind why a man would deceive others. They would have you think they are better off than they really are. So they try to put on a good show. In keeping up appearances, they make concerted efforts to suppress the truth. Throwing light on a matter can only disrupt that deluded sense of well-being and expose people for who they really are. Suggest anything other than what people want to hear or project and many will not like you for it. Men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. Shedding light on one’s behavior only exposes this evil. Evil deeds do not look good in any light. Many will get mad at you for turning on the light. Christians should not take this personally. They hate you because of Christ. Choose to follow after them and they will love you for it. Choose to side with Christ and they will hate you for it. Emulate Christ and they will treat you in kind. Nobody likes looking bad, but how else do we see what needs to change?

People in the dark do not know what makes them stumble.

We do not do people any favors by simply telling them what they want to hear. If people cannot acknowledge the truth, they become unable to listen. They turn aside from the truth and turn to fables; things their itching ear wants to hear. You can never find what you will not look for. Only people honest with themselves about their limitations can be open to receiving wisdom. No one ever learned anything by putting their head in the sand. Ignorance may be bliss to some, but it will also keep a person blind. Ignorance and an unwillingness to listen will keep a person from learning anything new. If the light within a man is darkness, how can He keep from stumbling? Without perception, people cannot distinguish between what is real and what is only in their head. Personal beliefs shape motives and ultimately drive behavior. In other words, every man does what is right in his own eyes. Truth for people becomes their perception- it is the way they see things. Of course, you cannot make good decisions if you are not first willing to see clearly. A closed mind cannot gather input. To remain objective one must first be focused on object. People will never change without a good reason for doing so. Past feeling, they give themselves over to their own vain imaginations. The way of a fool always seems right to him; his own twisted beliefs ensnare him. The greatness of his own folly leads him astray. His way may seem right to him, but it just so happens to lead to death. A man’s own error becomes his own undoing. People living in the dark do not know what makes them stumble. This folly should be obvious to anyone looking at it. Hate correction and you will die for it.

Why People need not fear the light.

Faith in anything only has merit to the extent that it’s true. All the belief in the world will not save you if you are wrong. Because of this, seeing things for what they really are is important. It is always better to admit you do not know than to pretend that you do. Making bold assertions does not make you right. People seeking truth need not fear the light. God wants to change the hearts and minds of people. Change the beliefs in a person and you change the person. A person is transformed by the renewing of his mind. In knowing the truth, a person is set free. A person must come to their senses in order to escape the devil’s snare. It starts with a willingness to listen. Everything you need for learning truth lies directly in front of you; you only have to be willing to see it for what it is. You will always hear what you listen for. As Jesus himself would say ‘He who has ears, let him hear.’ If God claims his ways are better, wouldn’t it make sense to hear him out? There is always wisdom in coming to one’s senses. Imparting sense to people is never a bad thing. Heed discipline in order to learn from it. Correction from a loving God can be life giving. If God rebukes us for our own good and well-being, why should we harden our heart to it?