The Day of the Lord Series: Revelation 11:1-14-The Two Witnesses of God are Murdered And Raised From The Dead By God

One of the major events that will take place during the last three and a half years of Daniel’s Seventieth Week is the emergence of two witnesses from God who prophesy and are killed by Antichrist but are raised from the dead by God and ascend into heaven in front of a world-wide television audience.

Revelation 11:1 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. (NIV84)

The measuring of the temple is symbolic of the fact that the temple is God’s possession since measuring something meant that you were claiming it for yourself.

The fact that God tells John not to measure the court outside the temple because it would be given to the nations is a reference to the “times of the Gentiles.”

“The times of the Gentiles” is prophesied in Daniel 2:31-45 and Daniel 7 and refers to an extended period of time when the Gentiles are the dominant world powers and Israel is subject to those powers and extends from the Babylonian capture of Jerusalem under Nebuchadnezzar (586 B.C.) and continues through the Tribulation (Revelation 11:2) and ends with the Second Advent of Jesus Christ.

The “forty-two months” refers to the last three and a half years of Daniel’s Seventieth Week since it corresponds with the “for a time (one year), times (two years), and a half time (six months)” in Daniel 7:25 and the “one thousand two hundred and sixty days” in Revelation 12:6 and the “forty-two months” in Revelation 13:5.

Revelation 11:3 “And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” (NIV84)

The identity of these two witnesses is not revealed to us but some contend that they are Moses and Elijah and others Enoch and Elijah.

However, this is an argument from silence meaning that the Scriptures do not identify that either Moses and Elijah or Enoch and Elijah will appear during the last three and a half years of Daniel’s Seventieth Week and prophecy.

The statement “I will grant power to my two witnesses” in the original text is actually “I will give to my two witnesses” and does not explicitly identify what is given to these two witnesses.

However, the context indicates that they will be given protection (Revelation 11:5), miraculous power (Revelation 11:5), authoritative and effective testimony (Revelation 11:4) and deliverance (Revelation 11:11-12).

The expression “My witnesses” emphasizes God’s personal relationship and fellowship with these two witnesses and implies that they are owned by Him and that they serve Him exclusively.

“Twelve hundred and sixty days” is identified as the length of the ministry of these two witnesses and refers to the last three and a half years of Daniel’s Seventieth Week.

The fact that the two witnesses are “clothed in sackcloth” is significant because it symbolizes what will characterize the ministry of these two, namely to announce coming judgment and call men to trust in Jesus Christ as Savior.

God caused these two to dress in such a manner because sackcloth expressed mourning, repentance and judgment.

Revelation 11:4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. (NIV84)

Instead of relating the ministry of the two witnesses to Moses and Elijah or Elijah and Enoch, the angel who speaks to John in Revelation 11 connects their ministry to Zerubbabel and Joshua the high priest who appear in Zechariah 4.

Zerubbabel and Joshua were identified in the vision recorded in Zechariah 4 by the angel speaking to Zechariah as the two olive trees.

The olive tree was a source of oil used to fuel lamps in the ancient world and speaks of the ministry of the Holy Spirit empowering individuals for service to God.

Therefore, like Zerubbabel and Joshua, the two witnesses will be empowered by the Spirit as signified by the two olive trees and two lampstands.

Revelation 11:5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6 These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want. (NIV84)

Revelation 11:5-6 reveals that the ministry of the two witnesses is reminiscent of other Old Testament prophets and is characterized by the following: (1) they can kill their enemies (verse 5; cf. Elijah, 2 Kings 1:10-14); (2) they can withhold rain for three and a half years (verse 6; cf. Elijah, 1 Kings 17:1, 8; 18:1; James 5:17); they can turn water into blood (verse 6; cf. Moses, Exodus 7:17-21); they can bring plagues upon the earth’s inhabitants (verse 6; cf. Moses, Exodus 9:14; 11:10).

Revelation 11:7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. (NIV)

“The beast” is a reference to the Antichrist who is identified by this designation in Revelation 13:1, 2, 3, 4; 14:9, 11; 15:2; 16:2; 17:3; 19:20; and 20:10.

Revelation 11:8 Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. (NIV84)

“The great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified” is a reference to the city of Jerusalem since Christ was crucified in Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is called “great” not because of its population or size but because of its importance in the plan of God.

The comparison of Jerusalem to Sodomemphasizes its rebellious and immoral degeneracy (cf. Isaiah 1:10), which characterized Sodom.

The comparison to Egypt emphasizes that it is dominated by Satan’s cosmic system since Egypt is often a picture of Satan’s cosmic system.

Together, these three descriptions of Jerusalem emphasize its wicked, evil and Satanic character and opposition to God and His people because of Antichrist’s influence who is occupying Jerusalemand Palestineat the time.

The two witnesses were not given a burial in order to demonstrate Antichrist’s power that was responsible for the deaths of these two seemingly invincible individuals.

Revelation 11:9 For three and a half days men from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. (NIV84)

The fact that the entire world will view the bodies of these two witnesses lying in the city of Jerusalemindicates that this event will be broadcast to the entire world through satellite television.

Revelation 11:10 The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth. (NIV84)

This is the only recorded instance of rejoicing taking place in the Tribulation period and reflects the widespread wickedness upon the earth in those days who will celebrate because they don’t have to listen to messages from God any longer.

Revelation 11:11 But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. (NIV84)

God delivers His two witnesses with a magnificent display of His divine omnipotence in order to bear witness to the world that these men were divinely ordained and spoke His words of judgment and calls to exercise faith in Christ as Savior.

The significance of the three and a half days is that it made clear that the two witnesses were in fact dead and that God has manifested Himself in the sight of the entire world by bringing these two back to life.

This miracle was designed to lead the unsaved inhabitants of the earth to obey the gospel and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and which gospel the two witnesses proclaimed for three and a half years.

Revelation 11:12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on. (NIV84)

Christ ascended into heaven before His friends whereas these two witnesses will ascend to heaven in the sight of their enemies and this miracle of the ascension of the two witnesses is also designed by God to lead people to salvation and obey the gospel, which the two witnesses proclaimed.

Therefore, in effect, the resuscitation and ascension of these two witnesses validated that their ministry was in fact from God.

Revelation 11:13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. (NIV84)

The fact that many people gave glory to God does not mean necessarily that they trusted in Jesus Christ as their Savior rather it means that they simply will acknowledge God’s glory and power and the reality that He does exist!

Revelation 11:14 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon. (NIV84)

This last statement signifies that the events of Revelation 11:1-13 immediately precede the Second Advent of Christ since the third woe refers to the seventh and final trumpet, which immediately precedes the Second Advent according to Revelation 11:15-19.