106    The Bible and the Future of the World 

    The two prophets of Revelation will also have power to send plagues 

upon the earth (Rev 11:6). Moses and Aaron were two prophets who in 

word and deed foreshadowed the two prophets of Revelation. Moses and 

Aaron struck Egypt with plagues of frogs, then gnats, and then flies. The two 

prophets will strike this sinful world with numerous afflictions. 

The Magicians of Egypt Fail (Ex 8:18 19) 

     The magicians tried by their secret arts to bring forth gnats, but they 

could not. So there were gnats on man and beast.  (Ex 8:18). 

    With the previous signs (turning a rod into a serpent, turning water into 

blood, and the plague of frogs), the magicians of Egypt were able to match 

these signs with their own power or trickery. But when Moses and Aaron 

brought forth the plague of gnats, the magicians were unable to mimic this 

miracle. 

    Thus, even though Antichrist and his followers will be able to work some 

false miracles and signs, their powers will be limited. This will be clearly 

seen when the two prophets of Revelation scourge the people of the earth 

with various plagues and afflictions, which the false prophets of that time 

can neither prevent nor duplicate. 

    Even some of the magicians of Egypt realized that these signs were from 

God.  And the magicians said to Pharaoh, `This is the finger of God.'   (Ex 

8:19). So also, during the days described in Revelation, even some of the 

worst sinners will realize that the signs of the two prophets are from God. 

The Israelites Are Spared from Further Plagues 

      `But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people 

dwell, so that no swarms of flies shall be there; that you may know that I am 

the L

ORD

 in the midst of the earth.'   (Ex 8:22). 

    With the plague of flies, God began to afflict only the Egyptians, not the 

Israelites. The other plagues afflicted  all the land of Egypt  (Ex 8:16), 

including God's people. The Israelites were required by God to suffer some 

of the same afflictions as the Egyptians. Yet, after a time, God sent plagues 

and scourges only on the Egyptians, so that the Israelites were set apart by 

God. 

    In the same way, God will afflict both faithful Christians  and evildoers, 

during the days of great suffering. But after that time, a series of severe 

punishments and afflictions shall be sent only upon evildoers and upon the 

followers of Antichrist. Some sufferings written in the book of Revelation 

are for all the earth; other sufferings are only for the wicked. This applies 

both to the sufferings at the end of the Forty Years (in the 2030's) and to the