What was the event foretold? It's the death of two men. Two men the world will hate. Prophets. They are foretold by another prophet, Zechariah, in the 4th chapter of his book: "These [two olive trees seen in Zechariah's vision] are the two anointed ones who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth." That's where they stand now, anyway. One day they will come to earth as God's witnesses (Revelation 11:3). In verse 4 the Lord through John ties them to Zechariah's prophecy by calling them "two olive trees...standing before the God of the earth."

Are they alive today? Will they be born and raised in a good Jewish home, come to Christ and go to the wilderness like John the Baptist? No, Zechariah is clear. These two men are in Heaven as I write these words. Their entrance to earth will be a miraculous visitation, as will the antichrist's, but that's another story.

Speculation abounds as to their identity. We probably know them. They are men who never died and so must come and keep their appointment with death, as all men must. Two Old Testament men never died. One's burial place is disputed. You can take it from there. It's not the point of this article.

From the heavenlies these men come and preach God's final warning to a sick planet ruled by a sickening dictator. They will have miraculous powers, as prophets of old had. Whoever can believe the Old Testament can believe what I am writing. Those who have trouble with extra-ordinary events are in for some surprises.

Their fellow extra-terrestrial will be given power over them when God is certain that He has said all that needs to be said to corrupted humanity. Christians too will be called home via the genocide of the people of God. Their testimony will be sealed, their life's purpose will have been fulfilled.

The in-human race will have a true field day when the prophets are killed. To shame them before the world, they will allow their dead bodies to be viewed on prime-time TV as a monument to the power of the Great Leader. But as they watch, and here by the way is the reason television was invented, as they watch, these two men will slowly awaken, stand, and be caught up to Heaven. And "all flesh will see it together", the glory of the Lord. (Isaiah 40:5)

Those who glibly talk about a pre-tribulation rapture are faced with a dilemma here. In chapter 4, when John is told "Come up here," he is in the Spirit, with the Lord, and our pop theologians declare, "See! That's the time when the entire church is caught up to Heaven, just before all the trouble breaks out!"

No. That's just when John is caught up. And here in chapter 11, the same words come to these two men. "Come up here." If ever there were a model for the rapture it is these two. Their entire body and soul is unquestionably raised, as our (new) body and soul will be caught up. But no, this is not the rapture either. The rapture is when we all hear the voice of God, when Jesus returns in judgment, a judgment which His church will never bear. The Tribulation is not the Judgment.