REVELATION 11
Revelation 11 ---- The Two Witnesses & The 7th Trumpet
REVELATION OPENS WITH JOHN BEING BACK IN HEAVEN.
(v.1) John is instructed to measure the temple, the altar and its worshippers.
“Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.”
“A reed like a measuring rod:” In Ezekiel 40-43, there is an extended passage where a temple is measured. The temple in Ezekiel is the temple of the millennial earth, but this temple seems to be before that temple. The temple in Ezekiel is measured extensively, including the outer courts (Ezekiel 40:17-19).
There are a few other Biblical examples of measuring. In Zechariah 2, a man measures Jerusalem, a scene that evidently shows God’s coming judgment on the city. In Revelation 21, the New Jerusalem is measured.
“Rise and measure the temple of God:” Sometimes in the Old Testament, the idea of measuring communicates ownership, protection, and preservation. When Habakkuk prophesies, He stood and measured the earth (Habakkuk 3:6), the idea is that the Lord owns the earth and He IS in charge.
GOD IS IN CHARGE.
This IS the MAIN THEME of the Book of Revelation. Revelation 11:17 again uses the title Almighty for God. The Greek word for Almighty is pantokrater, and it describes “the one who has his hand on everything.” Nine out of the ten times this word is used in the New Testament, it is used in Revelation. This temple WILL BE (future tense) the scene of great horror and great glory, but God IS STILL in TOTAL control!
“The temple of God:” The identity of this temple is an IMPORTANT matter of interpretation. Some mistakenly see this temple as a symbol of the church.
Paul also describes the church as a temple: “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.” (Ephesians 2:19-21)
Peter also describes the church as a temple: “You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house.” (1 Peter 2:5)
However, some believe this IS proof that Christians WILL go through the Tribulation. But if THIS temple in Revelation 11 IS a symbolic representation of THE CHURCH=Christians, why should it be measured? Why speak of courts and altars? The Church has NEVER been visualized with altars, courts, and pews…but as a foundation or a body of believers, right?
And additionally, if CHRISTIANS ARE THIS TEMPLE, then WHO are the worshippers? There is TOO MUCH SPECIFIC physical detail here for this to be VIEWED/BELIEVED to be Christians, rather what it is that John IS describing, which IS an ACTUAL temple (building) of God.
THIS TEMPLE…THIS ACTUAL building MUST be ON the earth for the fulfillment of what Daniel, Jesus, and Paul said about the abomination of desolation.
The prophet Daniel told us the Antichrist will break his covenant with the Jews and bring sacrifice and offerings to an end; the Antichrist will DEFILE THE TEMPLE he miraculously rebuilds on The Temple Mount in 3.5 years by setting something abominable there (Daniel 9:27; 11:31, and 12:11).
Remember too, Jesus WARNED the Disciples to look for an abomination standing in the holy place, which would be the pivotal sign that the season of God’s wrath was upon the earth (Matthew 24:15-16 and 24:21).
And also remember, Paul told us that the Antichrist would sit IN the temple as God (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).
Some say it is a spiritual thing ONLY, explaining that the abomination of desolation is JUST idolatrous worship established in the HEARTS of God’s people (His “temple”).
But we KNOW that it is IMPOSSIBLE for Christians/The Church to ALSO be called God’s temple if they worship the Antichrist - an emissary of Satan himself?
So we KNOW that John IS telling us in these verses is that there WILL be a REAL Jewish temple REBUILT in Jerusalem, during the Tribulation.
More intriguing is the fact that today there are Jews very interested in rebuilding the temple and resuming sacrifice, and are ALREADY making preparations to do that exact thing as we speak.
TODAY if you were to visit the Temple Institute in the Jewish Quarter of the old city in Jerusalem. There, a group of Jews absolutely dedicated to rebuilding the temple attempt to educate the public and raise awareness for a new temple. They are trying to replicate everything they can for a new temple, down to the SPECIFIC pots and pans used for sacrifice.
Israel IS a nation again AFTER thousands of years, and efforts to rebuild the temple ARE in the planning stages. In fact, the main Jewish group leading the charge to rebuild the temple is an organization called Faithful of the Temple Mount, who say they will continue their efforts to re-establish the Jewish temple on the Mount. One leader in the group said, “We shall continue our struggle until the Israeli flag is flying from the Dome of the Rock.”
In Israel right now, there ARE students being trained for the priesthood, learning how to conduct animal sacrifices in the rebuilt temple.
But remember MOST Jews – religious or secular – do not care one bit about building a temple. And if there were one rebuilt, sacrifice would be difficult in a day of aggressive animal rights activists! Yet, there IS a STRONG, highly dedicated group who live to see a rebuilt temple – a temple which will fulfill prophecy.
Rightly so, we Jesus loving Christians get excited when they see/hear of efforts to rebuild the temple. At the same time, we should understand that the basic impulse behind rebuilding the temple is NOT of God at all – the desire to have a place to sacrifice for sin. WE, Jesus loving, believing Christians KNOW ALL sacrifice for sin was FINISHED/FULFILLED at the cross, and any further BLOOD sacrifice for sin is OFFENSIVE to God, because it DENIES the precious sacrifice & finished work of HIS beloved son, Jesus on the cross.
Now, Orthodox Jews BELIEVE that THEIR Messiah will rebuild the temple; however, the man they WILL initially embrace as their Messiah, is in fact The Antichrist.
WHY do we believe this?
Jesus told us so, when he said of the Jews, “I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.” (John 5:43)
(v.2) The outer court of the temple.
“But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months.”
“The outer court need not be measured because it has been given to the Gentiles:” What does this mean? The outer courts of this rebuilt temple include the Islamic Dome of the Rock shrine, which CURRENTLY stands on the temple mount and is a point of great contention between Jews and Muslims.
When the city of Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 a.d. by the Romans, they destroyed the city so completely that the foundations of the old temple are NOT easily found. Most have long assumed that the Dome of the Rock shrine stands on the place of the old temple. But new research/digging discoveries gives evidence that the temple may have stood to the north where the Dome of the Rock shrine is today, and that if the temple were to be rebuilt at its old place, the Dome of the Rock shrine would be in its OUTER courts. This WOULD explain why the angel told John leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles.
“The holy city (Jerusalem) will be tread underfoot for a period of forty-two months, which equals 1260 days (three and one-half years).” This “trampling” by Gentiles probably takes place in the last half of the final seven year period described by Daniel 11:26-27 - when the Antichrist pours out his FURY on the people of Israel (as described in Revelation 12:13-17 and Matthew 24:15-28).
The two witnesses.
(v.3-6) The ministry of the two witnesses.
“And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.”
“My two witnesses:” This introduces two of the more interesting characters of Revelation, the two witnesses. The character of their ministry is prophetic (they will prophesy); they preach and demonstrate repentance (clothed in sackcloth), and they have an effective ministry (I will give power).
“These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands:” The witnesses have an unique, continual empowering from the Holy Spirit, as shown in Zechariah’s olive trees and oil lamps picture (Zechariah 4:2-3; 4:14).
The passage from Zechariah had its first application to two men in Zechariah’s day: Joshua and Zerubbabel.
“And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies:” The two witnesses have SPECIAL protection from God, similar to Elijah’s in 2 Kings 1.
“These have power to shut heaven . . . they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire:” The two witnesses have the power to bring both drought and plague, similar to the power Elijah (James 5:17-18) and Moses (Exodus 7-12) had.
Something else we KNOW, regardless what people may CHOOSE to think or believe, in the ancient Greek grammar, all the nouns used to speak of the two witnesses in this passage are in the masculine gender. The two witnesses ARE DEFINITELY two men.
(v.7-10) The death of the two witnesses.
“When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 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.”
The two witnesses ARE killed by the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit (first introduced in Revelation 9:11, most likely Satan himself) but their ministry is NOT cut short. They FULLY accomplish their task (when they finish their testimony).
This is ANOTHER proof, Almighty God is SHOWING us that we CANNOTt be taken off of this earth until we FINISH our testimony. The devil does NOT have THAT POWER over our lives. We are witnesses of the Lord, and He will protect us until our testimony is finished.
“And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified:” The two witnesses are killed in the city of Jerusalem, which is described in three illustrative terms.
As Sodom, speaking of immorality
As Egypt, speaking of oppression and slavery
As the great city, a term often applied to “Babylon,” the headquarters of Antichrist (Revelation 16:19; 17:18; 18:10; 18:16; 18:18; 18:19; 18:21)
If, during the first three and one-half years, Jerusalem’s leadership is in league with the Antichrist, (which they WILL BE) it is easy to see how these titles apply. Any city in love with the Antichrist, or entering into a covenant with him, could be called Sodom, Egypt, and Babylon.
“Those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another:” The earth sees and rejoices over the deaths of the two witnesses. The fact that this is seen by ALL people, tribes, tongues, and nations is possible NOW because of satellite mass media.
The idea that the world treats these two witnesses in a humiliating manner, tells us how EVIL/DEAD-HEARTED this world is going to be.
“Make merry, and send gifts to one another:” The preaching of these two witnesses and their call to repentance was a torment for many, because they could not stand to hear the truth while they loved their lie.
We have ALREADY seen this in action in the Middle East. We were SHOCKED, HORRIFIED, & APPALLED when we SAW/SEE since 9-11, when it showed mothers of male suicide bombers dancing, bringing gifts, and having parties to celebrate the death of Americans/Israelis. WHY? Because the Muslim religion teaches that ONLY MEN get into their Paradise, ALL women go to Hell UNLESS, the mothers CAN get their MALE CHILDREN to WILLINGLY sacrifice themselves in their NAMES by strapping on a bomb and killing AT LEAST TWO infidels. When their sons ARE successful, then the MOTHERS will be GRANTED the COOLER areas of Hell when they die. How HEART-BREAKING is that? Jesus offers salvation for all for free, because HE PAID their price. But as bad as it is now, it will GET unbelievably worse during The Tribulation.
(v.11-14) The reviving of the two witnesses.
“Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.”
“They stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them:” As this happens before the eyes of the watching world, the enemies of these two witnesses are horrified and astonished.
“Come up here:” The earth is not worthy of these two witnesses, so God simply calls them home, and they ascended to heaven in a cloud before the world‘s VERY EYES.
“In the same hour there was a great earthquake:” An earthquake brings judgment, and moves many to give glory to God. But it remains to be seen if this will become true repentance unto salvation.
The identity of the two witnesses.
SOME interpreters mistakenly see the TWO witnesses as ONLY symbolic of the entire church being raptured in the tribulation period, or as symbols of the law/prophets. But AGAIN, how can SO MANY specific details be reduced to symbolism INSTEAD of John SEEING two REAL men?
It CAN’T. John is NOT confused. John does NOT use the word “they were LIKE two witnesses”. He says they WERE TWO MEN sent from God. I believe John.
Generally, if the two witnesses are identified with any two individuals from the past, the leading candidates are Elijah, Moses, or Enoch. Or, perhaps these are merely two believers ministering in the spirit and power of these great men, even as John the Baptist went forth in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:17 and Matthew 7:12-13).
Some think ENOCH is one of the witnesses because:
He was carried up to heaven by God & did not die. (Genesis 5:25).
Some think ELIJAH is one of the witnesses because:
His ministry seems like one of these two witnesses (2 Kings 1 and James 5:17-18)
He was carried up to heaven & did not die. (2 Kings 2:11)
Enemies of Elijah were destroyed by fire (2 Kings 1)
It is specifically prophesied that Elijah will return before the end of the age (Malachi 4:5-6)
Elijah had a unique “conference” with Jesus at the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-6)
Some think MOSES is one of the witnesses because:
His ministry seems like one of these two witnesses (Exodus 7:20-21)
God seems to have a special purpose for the body of Moses that Satan wanted to defeat (Jude 1:9)
The enemies of Moses were destroyed by fire (Numbers 16:35)
Moses ALSO had a unique “conference” with Jesus at the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-6)
Some believe the two witnesses must be Enoch and Elijah, because neither of them died a natural death and were instead carried to heaven, and Hebrews 9:27 says that it is appointed for men to die once - so Enoch and Elijah must return to die on the earth.
This is a misunderstanding of Hebrews 9:27, which is a PRINCIPLE rather than an ABSOLUTE LAW.
THINK ABOUT IT! Lazarus and others WERE raised from the dead and apparently died twice - yet this does not disprove Hebrews 9:27. The entire church on earth at the time of the rapture will NOT die, but be carried to heaven. Hebrews 9:27 stands as a principle, and there are a few notable exceptions which ultimately serve to prove the rule, not deny it. There may be good reasons for considering Enoch and Elijah the two witnesses, but the principle of Hebrews 9:27 is not among those good reasons.
The seventh trumpet.
(v.15) The seventh trumpet finally sounds.
“Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”
“Then the seventh angel sounded:” The seventh seal brought forth a profound silence (Revelation 8:1); the seventh trumpet initiates joy at the inevitable resolution. There can’t be a more glorious proclamation than this: The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!
“Have become the kingdoms of our Lord:” In the ancient Greek grammar, the verb tense of “have become” indicates an ABSOLUTE certainty about Jesus’ coming and reign, even before the fact is accomplished.
How can there be such joy, when the King is not reigning completely yet? Just as here on earth, the headquarters at a successful political campaign on election night, there is joy, even though it will be a WHILE until their candidate is actually installed into office. The joy anticipates a certain result.
(v.16-18) The twenty-four elders worship God.
“And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying: “We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was and who is to come, because You have taken Your great power and reigned. The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth.”
“We give You thanks:” This thanksgiving ISN’T to thank God that He has already done this; but that the hour HAS FINALLY COME for it to take place, and that these things are permanently set in motion.
“The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come:” God’s punishment fits the crime; there is NOTHING arbitrary about it. The nations ARE angry with God and He responds WITH wrath; those that destroy the earth are themselves destroyed.
The world wants anything BUT the reign of God! As it says in a parable in Jesus day, “We will not have this man to reign over us.” (Luke 19:14).
(v.19) The temple in heaven is opened.
“Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.”
“The ark of His covenant was seen in His temple:” The ark refers to God’s throne, the place where the previously mentioned resolution will come from.
It IS called the ark of His covenant - in the Old Testament, because this WAS the earthly representation of God’s throne - to emphasize God’s faithfulness.
“And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail:” The great and awesome phenomenon at the opening of the temple and the revelation of the ark show that the presence of the Lord IS there; it is reminiscent of God’s manifested presence at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:16-19).