November 13: THE DEAD BODY OF THEM

Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three and a half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. Revelation 11:9-10

The eyes of the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations of Europe and across the world were upon France, observing the tyranny and murderous rage of the Jacobins, the political party of the French Revolution. Many from other nations did not want the same thing to happen in their own countries. In addition to the bloody murders of their political opponents, atheistic France had declared the death of God and His word.

Thoughtful observers looked on with horror as the news from France spread across the globe, with many resolving not [to] allow the Bible to be “dead and buried” in their own countries. These would see their dead bodies – literally: the dead body (singular) of them, according to the original Greek – another reminder of the unity, cohesion, and singleness of purpose of the word of God.

The phrase three and a half days prophetically references a three-and-a-half-year period that began in November 1793 when the National Convention in Paris outlawed Christian worship. Houses of worship were closed and converted into “temples of reason.” Other French provinces and cities fell into step with the Parisian decree with many drafting their own similar versions. In June 1797, a legislative group called the Council of Five Hundred passed a resolution that repealed the anti-religious decrees. At that point, the Bible was allowed again – not embraced by the public at large, but tolerated.

The phrase those who dwell on the earth is a unique phrase used in Revelation to designate unbelievers. Here, it is used twice in the same sentence. To be sure, God’s word pricks the human conscience. The unbelievers who rejoiced, made merry, and sent gifts in celebration of the burning of Bibles—rather than repent and turn to God for forgiveness—were indeed tormented whenever the divine words that convicted their stubborn hearts were heard or read.

France, in shaking off the heavy yoke of Rome, had also shaken off the Bible itself; exactly what our crafty foe intended. But the other nations, in looking on, saw the two witnesses lying dead in the streets all across France. They determined not to do to the Bible what France had done. This is what John the Revelator meant when he wrote that they did not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves.

This period in France’s history spawned numerous atheistic writers to produce influential material that has continued to influence people today; Georg Hegel, Charles Darwin, and Karl Marx, to name a few.

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” Psalm 14:1a