will be put to death by Antichrist, the beast from the abyss. [1] Thus will they share the fate of their divine Master and of innumerable heralds of the Gospel. Their martyrdom will take place at the end of a war in which Antichrist and his followers will win the decisive battle in the vicinity of Jerusalem.
8-10. For three days and a half the bodies of the martyred prophets shall lie unburied in the streets of Jerusalem "where our Lord was crucified." The enemies of the Church will rejoice and commemorate their short lived victory by exchange of gifts. Like the Jews of old who thought they had rid themselves of Christ by His death on the Cross, these enemies of His Church will think they have done with the prophets who harassed them by their preaching and miracles. Naturally, the faithful will be seized with fear, as were the disciples at the death of our Lord.
11, 12. At the end of three days and a half the followers of Antichrist shall be dumbfounded to see the two prophets arise from the dead and ascend into heaven before their very eyes.
Centuries before, Elias and Henoch had been taken up from earth [2] and reserved for this supreme conflict. Now by a special privilege they anticipate the general resurrection as a reward for their labors and sufferings.
This triumph of the two prophets leads directly to
