“Two Fearless Future Witnesses”

Some Scriptures are pretty easy for us to understand…love one another…be kind to one another…be patient…do not steal… believe in God believe also in me…simple, straight forward passages……application may be tricky…living them out can be difficult…but understanding what it says and means is pretty simple and straightforward.

There are Scripture texts like that…but Revelation 11…not so much.

Revelation 11 is part of an interlude…where the Spirit basically gives John a pause from all the horrific visions he has been witness to…as God revealed to him how unrepentant mankind will be judged.

I firmly believe the passage is meant to be an ENCOURAGEMENT for the original recipients.

We love stories of brave men and women who sacrifice comfort and even their lives… 

Church history is replete with stories of saints, mere men & women who take a stand for Jesus in difficult days…and even paid the ultimate price for their courageous convictions… 

John wrote Revelation in 96 AD…horrific persecutions against the Church was happening.

God’s people…scattered & fearful…standing against overpowering and intimidating forces…namely emperor Domitian.

They needed to know…God will triumph! 

They need to know…that good will triumph over evil…

They need to know…that wickedness will be judged…

They needed to know…that the righteous will receive their reward.

John, in exile, receives this vision of the last things…records them…in order for them to be read among the churches of Asia Minor…who were courageously standing against trials & temptations.

So we have this interlude…a passage that had to have brought comfort & encouragement.

Read: Revelation 11:1-14

Notice…the many images John uses…most…are OT pictures…John knowing the OT…

Is seeing and hearing this vision…from an OT perspective. 

We will look at it verse by verse and then…bring it to some application at the end…

The passage is part of the second INTERLUDE…(if we can call it that…a brief reprieve.)

The first interlude was back in Revelation 7 where we saw a glimpse of heaven…God keeping the 144,000 who had His seal on their foreheads…bought by the blood of the Lamb and filled with the Spirit of God standing in heaven worshipping and praising God with a great number…people from every nation, all tribes, peopels and languages standing before the throne…

Singing …Salvation Belongs to Our God!

Then came the seventh seal and the Trumpet Judgments…we have looked at the first 6 horrific Trumpet judgements and now we have an interlude

Like Revelation 7, Revelation 11 shows God’s providential care for His people in the midst of hostility. 

God’s preserves His people…really…what a moment of sweet relief! 

After this interlude…the 7th trumpet judgement will be next which will announce the arrival of Christ’s Kingdom (11:15-19) John will see a series of visions describing Satan’s final world empire…which will desperately oppose Christ…oppose God’s people and even oppose God Himself.

Let’s begin with Revelation 11:1-2

v.1 “Then I (John) was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there.”

v.2 “…but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty two months.

1. The STAGE is SET…Revelation 11:1-2

These opening two verses provide a SETTING/CONTEXT for us to understand what will come.

John is given a measuring stick (a lot like a yard stick)…presumably from an angel.

A voice then told him to “…measure the temple of God, the altar and those who worship there…”

ODD PART #1

This seems kind of odd…probably no stranger than being told to eat a scroll, love the taste but then experience stomach upset.

But it is odd…because John had this vision in 96AD.  He knew, as every Jew had known…the Temple in Jerusalem had been destroyed 25 years earlier. Maybe his first thought was: “What Temple?” 

On the other hand John would have known of the OT prophets…the Lord Jesus and the apostle Paul each pointed to a future temple that will be standing during the time of the Tribulation.

DANIEL...Daniel 9:26-27 mentions both the destruction of “the city and the sanctuary”…and a future interruption of apparently reestablished temple worship routines. (Daniel 9:27)

JESUS…centuries later, quotes Daniel when He referred to the abomination of desolation being set up in the holy place. (See: Matthew 24:15-26)

PAUL… describes the Anti-Christ as “the man of lawlessness…the son of destruction who opposes God and exalts himself above every so called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.  (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4)

It is believed that the Jewish Temple will be rebuilt during the Tribulation period…Jewish worship will be restored during the first part of the seven year period…and at the mid point the man of sin will exalt himself to be worshipped in its place. (FYI many orthodox Jews dream of rebuilding the Temple, but the site is currently being used by the Islamic shrine…the Dome of the Rock. [PICTURE]

ODD PART #2 Notice as well that John was told to leave something out of his measurements.(v.2)

The Outer Court also called the “Court of the Gentiles”…it was a boundary…the closest a non-Jew could get to the Temple without dying. 

It is important to remember that God will continue to redeem Gentiles…even during this time of tribulation period. (5:9; 7:9) But He will reject those who unite themselves with Satan and the beast and they will oppress God’s people Israel. God will reject them.

Note: a vivid distinction here…between Jew and Gentile…this suggests to me that the Church (where there is no distinction) are no longer on the face of the earth.

There would be too many of these Gentiles to count…

Notice what these nations do: they “…trample the the holy city for 42 months” (1260 days=3.5 years)

This is the time of the Antichrist…who will dominate the last half of the Tribulation period. 

Note 2 things quickly here…first John was told to measure those who worship there (Temple)…

I.e. there is a smaller group/remnant of people still looking to God. 

Points to the fact…God can and does often work out His plan through a small remnant.

The second thing to point out here is the time designation…God has set in place in advance…a time limit that these nations/Gentiles will be able “…to trample the holy city.”

FYI…at the end of the 42 months…Christ will return (19:11-16) He will destroy the Antichrist and his forces…and He will judge the nations and establish His millennial Kingdom.

2. God’s LAST Prophetic Witnesses…Revelation 11:3-6

v.3“And I will grant authority to My two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1260 days, clothed in sackcloth

v.4 “These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.

v.5 “And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouths and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed.”

v.6 “They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have the power over the waters to turn them to into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire.”

Having established the setting…that Jerusalem would be trampled by God’s enemies for 42 months.

We are INTRODUCED to God’s 2 witnesses…not told who they are.

Some think…Moses & Elijah-transfiguration…

Some think…Enoch & Elijah…the only 2 who departed this world without dying

All we are told in v.4 they are the...2 olive trees and 2 lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.

We don’t have time to go there…but these images come from Zechariah 4:1-14.

God gives them AUTHORITY…v.3 much like he did with Moses, Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah

God calls them “WITNESSES” = plural form of martur = martyr 

They will “PROPHESY” = foretelling…but primarily forth-telling they will speak forth, proclaim, preach…

They will make sure that the world knows that the disasters that have happened are the judgements of God on sinful, unrepentant humanity.

They will warn the world…that God’s final outpouring of judgement and eternal hell will soon follow.

And they will preach the Gospel…calling people to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus.

They will do this for 1260 days (3.5 years) God gives them special authority to prophesy/preach 

v.3 Clothed in SACK CLOTH…the typical garb for mourning showing humility & grief…

Kind of object lesson for the world experiencing God’s judgments…there is so much to grieve for.

v.5 During this time they will be PROTECTED from harm…and they will even have special power to call down plagues and judgments on their wicked adversaries.

They are given miraculous AUTHORITY…much like Moses, Elijah and other OT prophets.

(JMac)“If they are to have an impact on and capture the attention of the world during the terrifying events of the second half of the Tribulation they will need to be capable of miraculous deeds.”

During the tribulation period these two prophets will frustrate their enemies…

They will be invulnerable…and unstoppable for the entirety of their God empowered ministries…impervious to any kind of assault.

3. Mission ACCOMPLISHED…Revelation 11:7-10

v.7 “And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the  bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them…”

v.8 “…and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified.”

v.9 “For three and a half days some from the people and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb.”

v.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 n the earth.

Then when God says: “Mission accomplished.” 

God will lift His hand of protection from them and their enemies will kill them. (Revelation 11:7)

What a startling turn of events! BUT GOD’S NOT DONE!!

Just like the scroll that tasted like honey…the days of these two witnesses proclaiming the Gospel.

But also just like the scroll turned bitter…the apparent defeat at the end of their time of testimony.

I find it interesting that the Greek word translated “testimony” is martyr…the same root as our english word “martyrdom”.

Originally a martyr meant to give public testimony about the truth…

But that public testimony often would lead to death.

These 2 Martyrs of the future will follow their Saviour…Jesus and the many countless saints before them on the path of martyrdom for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

v.7 we are introduced “the beast” in Revelation.

More details about this end times figure…a.k.a. the anti-Christ in John’s letters will appear again in Revelation 13 & 17.

This coming Beast will rise to full power by the mid-point of the Tribulation…

He will be responsible for defeating and killing the two witnesses after their 3.5 year mission.

Even after their death…the world will display utter contempt for these men…

v.9 They will leave their dead bodies in the street of Jerusalem for 3.5 days…

BTW…this would be an utter contemptible display to the Jewish culture…who practice a quick and dignified burial.  

v.10 On top of all that the entire world will rejoice at the news of their brutal deaths…they had been so tormented in their hearts because of them.  BUT GOD’S NOT DONE!!  

God takes what appears to be a TRAGIC LOSS

…and turns it into a TRIUMPHANT VICTORY!

4. God TURNS the Tables…Revelation 11:11-12

v.11 “But after the three and 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.”

v.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.”

Look what happens…the world gift giving merriment and mockery…will be suddenly cut short.

The enemies of the prophets will leave their bodes in the street for everyone to see…

But then God steps in and raises them to life again after 3.5 days (Revelation 11:11)

As their mockers look on with fear…the prophets will leap to their feet and ascend to heaven in the sight of all. (Revelation 11:12)

Wow!  The ministry of these two faithful preachers will certainly leave a profound mark on the lives of those who witness their exploits…

Yet even as we look at these two guys…it’s not the prophets…nor is it the power of the prophets.

Everything that sets these witnesses apart…

Their incredible preservation…their miraculous powers…their convicting preaching…

Comes from the sovereign hand of God.

When their mission ends….their enabling power also ends.

But God does not abandon His people His vessels like disposable rags.

Instead…as He always does…He turns tragedy into triumph…

He whiskedd His two fearless prophets witnesses into His heavenly presence. 

5. The End of the INTERLUDE…Revelation 11:13-14

v.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 gave glory to the God of heaven.

v.14 “The second woe has passed, the third woe is soon to come.” 

With the world still gawking at the shocking events of the resurrection and ascension of the 2 witnesses …

the city of Jerusalem will shake violently with an earth quake.

1/10 of the city to collapse…leaving 7000 dead

The survivors of the quake will immediately break into what looks like a forced confession…

We can’t be sure how many of these terrified survivors who suddenly give glory to God of heaven will be exercising genuine saving faith.

Many people down through the centuries have acknowledged the power and wrath of God without actually confessing Him as their Saviour and Lord.

If they are giving glory to the God of heaven…then there is a good chance they have repented and have come to saving faith.

WRAP UP: So what?…How can we apply this interlude to our hearts and lives?

This is God’s Unchanging PLAN…what John is seeing is God’s plan set in motion and on target.

God empowers His servants…in life & ministry…then when that ministry is done…He brings it to a conclusion.

God’s truth…the message of the prophets…the Gospel message…the message you & I preach in our lifetime…is indestructible. God continuies to call out …TURN FROM YOUR SIN…TURN TO ME AND BE SAVED!!

God takes what appears to be a TRAGIC situation

…and turns it into a triumphant event!

God gets all the glory!  This is what God…all through history…

All the heroes of the Bible…Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Samuel, David, Solomon, Elijah and Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah….

Saints who accomplished much…but they don’t get the glory…God does! 

PERSONAL REFLECTION & ACTION…

The Scriptures are full of God using outcasts and underdogs to accomplish His plan.

David vs. Goliath…

Elijah vs prophets of Baal…

Gideon’s 300 vs Midian…

Esther vs. Haman

God delights in turning the tables on the world’s thinking that “bigger is better” and “only the strong survive.” 

He takes the world’s rejection of Him and shows His power and authority.

In a world that sees success and accomplishments as the ultimate standard for determining a person’s worth…it is easy to forget that God often chooses the small over the large and a remnant over the masses.

HOMEWORK…

I challenge you to take some time to dig into the lives of 1-2 of these great stories over the next few days.

Focus in on the weakness or tragedy in the person’s life…

Focus in how God enabled the person to overcome the handicap…

Notice…what great things God accomplished through this person…

Then look at your own weaknesses and reflect on your own situation…