Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

The torment mentioned in the cited verse that the hearers of the prophets will experience will occur in reaction to the conviction of sin and the message of coming judgment directed against those hearers.

This will be similar to multiple prior instances in Scripture (in both the Old and New Testaments) where such preaching was met with extreme hostility from those against whom it was directed, even to the point of wanting to kill the preachers (as happened, for example, concerning Elijah and Jeremiah in the Old Testament, as well as Jesus (Luke 4:14-30)).

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Reddit User Supporter Let the corpus of my replies speak for my beliefs

While I can agree that torment might consist of a "spiritual" condition which stands at opposition to the truths of G-d, for Romans 5:10 speaks of the enmity man has put and maintained between him and G-d, to place this view at the fore without the necessary physical element would be a mistake. 

Also, G-d's Word is pure, holy and good and despite negative responses to it, His Word does not return void and we could and should have a debate if a reprobate can become saved after receiving "the mark". Not that anyone should ever even consider that path, but while people yet have the breath of G-d in them, might there not be hope? G-d's will be done, we are to not let "the gates of hell" prevail. 

Now for the physical torment, the context becomes extremely relevant.

Revelation 11:4: These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5 And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. 6 They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire. 7 And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit 1 will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, 8 and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically 2 is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb, 10 and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth. 11 But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here!" And they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them. 13 And at that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and l gave glory to the God of heaven. 

These physical elements that represent the wrath, and a segment of the great and terrible Day of the Lord, are enough to answer the question, contextually.

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Jack Gutknecht Supporter Arizona Bible College graduate and Dallas Seminary graduate

1. “If anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes.” (Rev. 11:5)
This fire isn’t just metaphorical—it’s a divine judgment. Anyone who tries to harm them is supernaturally killed. This echoes Elijah calling down fire on his enemies (2 Kings 1).

2. They cause a three-and-one-half-year drought (Rev. 11:6a).

“They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying…”
This also mirrors Elijah (again, see 1 Kings 17:1). What happens if there's a global or even a regional drought? → Food scarcities, damaged ecosystems, conflict among peoples maybe fighting for the limited resources left, job loss, etc.

3. They turn waters into blood (Rev. 11:6b).

“…and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood…”
This echoes Moses and the plague on the Nile (Exodus 7:20). Then people can't drink the water. Bummer.

4. They strike the earth with plagues (Rev. 11:6c).

“…and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire.” Didn't Moses and Aaron strike the earth with 10 Plagues? ("in the biblical account of Exodus, Moses and Aaron did strike the earth with ten plagues after Pharaoh refused to release the Israelites from slavery. These plagues were sent by God to demonstrate His power and compel Pharaoh to listen." -- AI) 

I'm getting some of this material from the Quest Study Bible and some from chatgpt. Both say that the "Two Witnesses" --these 2 prophets preach against the wicked lifestyles of the people, and that makes these people hate the prophets. Doesn't that remind you of what Jesus predicted for His followers (John 15:18)?

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