The Two Witnesses & the Second Woe

"Have you ever felt like just a face in the crowd—like your life, your faith, your efforts to follow Jesus go unnoticed?

Revelation 11 reminds us that even in the darkest, most chaotic days the world will ever see, God notices His people. He knows who is truly worshiping Him. He measures, counts, and sets apart those who are His.

This is not just prophecy for the end times—it’s a glimpse of God's heart. In a world where it feels like everything is crumbling, God sees you. He knows your worship. And He’s not done with you yet.

As we turn to Revelation 11 we see first of all...

The Significance of the Temple (vv. 1-2a)

Revelation 11:1–2 “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. 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.”

There is a lot of significance about these verses and the fact that John is told to measure the “temple of God.”

As many of you know the Temple in Jerusalem no longer exists, although discussion has been underway for many years about rebuilding it.

We are left to wonder what temple did John see in this vision? Would he have seen the temple prior to its destruction, or did he see a future temple that is yet to be built? While this may be a subject of debate, let’s focus on what John did see and here:

He heard the voice of the angel telling him to measure the temple.

He is to use a reed, which was common in John’s day to measure things, to measure it with.

Again we must speculate as to why God told John to do this. Here are some of the opinions:

This signified God’s claim upon the temple as His. We see a similar episode in Ezekiel 40-42. However, as we will see in a moment, God told John NOT to measure the court of the Gentiles. So many this act of measuring the temple, as God claiming ownership of it.

Some see this act as a way of God saying I’m going to protect and preserve it. Note what happened in Zechariah 2:2–5 “So I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.” And there was the angel who talked with me, going out; and another angel was coming out to meet him, who said to him, “Run, speak to this young man, saying: ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls, because of the multitude of men and livestock in it. For I,’ says the Lord, ‘will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.’ ””

A third suggestion is that God was “evaluating” those who worship there. Not only was he to “measure the temple” but he was also to “measure those who worship there.” The idea behind that was to “count how many worshipped there.” Some even suggest that the idea behind this was to evaluate those who were truly worshipping God, verses those who were worshipping the beast.

While we may not know exactly why John was told to measure the temple, we do know...

God is the RIGHTFUL OWNER of it all, and He knows WHO belong to Him because of their faith in Jesus.

That is true REGARDLESS of the circumstances. No matter how chaotic and crazy life gets, it doesn’t change WHO we belong to!

The second thing we see is found at the end of verse two is...

The Separation of the Outer Court (v. 2b)

Notice again Revelation 11:2 “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.”

This is a verse that gives us some important insight of some things that will happen during the tribulation period. In the original temple there was an area that was known as the “Court of the Gentiles.” If we understand this temple to be a literal one, not only will the Gentiles be in some type of possession of the Outer Court, but they will also TRAMPLE JERUSALEM UNDERFOOT FOR 42 MONTHS (3 1/2 years).

The Tribulation Period is for 7 years and many scholars see this 3 1/2 years as a reference to the last half of this period. While it is clear the “holy city” references Jerusalem, because it is trampled by the Gentiles it will also be referred to as “Sodom” and “Egypt” during this time. What was to be a “holy” city is full of wickedness, idolatry, oppression, and suffering.

It was in this same city, that our Lord was condemned and crucified.

The idea of being “trampled” most likely references the Gentile’s dominating, oppressing, and desecrating this city.

You may remember Jesus’ words in Luke 21:24 “And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”

It is also believed that during this last half of the Tribulation that the antichrist will desecrate the temple and break the treaty he has made with Israel.

That’s not the only thing happening during these 3 1/2 years...

The Two Witnesses (vv. 3-12)

Notice Revelation 11:3 “And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.””

Want to take a guess how long 1,260 days is? It’s approximately 3 1/2 years. During this time God will send two individuals to proclaim His truth during this time. But they won’t just be anyone. They will be supernaturally empowered and protected while they are delivering God’s message!

Revelation 11:4 hearkens back to Zechariah 4:1–6 “Now the angel who talked with me came back and wakened me, as a man who is wakened out of his sleep. And he said to me, “What do you see?” So I said, “I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps. Two olive trees are by it, one at the right of the bowl and the other at its left.” So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, “What are these, my lord?” Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.” So he answered and said to me: “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts.”

Zechariah 4:11–14 “Then I answered and said to him, “What are these two olive trees—at the right of the lampstand and at its left?” And I further answered and said to him, “What are these two olive branches that drip into the receptacles of the two gold pipes from which the golden oil drains?” Then he answered me and said, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.” So he said, “These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth.””

Concerning the two individuals mentioned in Zechariah, it appears that these 2 individuals were used by God to rebuild Jerusalem at the end of the Babylonian captivity. They didn’t do so in their own strength, however. They did it through the empowerment of the the “oil”—the Holy Spirit.

The same will be true about the two witnesses in Revelation. God will empower them and enable them to shine brightly for His glory!

Not only that, but notice what else is said about them in Revelation 11:5–6 “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.”

They will be UNSTOPPABLE! There will be those who attempt to stop them, silence them, eradicate them...but God will supernaturally enable them to silence their enemies and they will also have power, similar to Moses and Elijah to bring forth plagues and stop the rain if they so choose.

Notice what happens at Revelation 11:7 “When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.”

Don’t miss that… “WHEN THEY FINISHED THEIR TESTIMONY.”

They were UNTOUCHABLE and UNSTOPPABLE until God allowed them to complete their mission.

God has you on planet earth for a reason! For the child of God that reason is to bring God glory and to fulfill the Great Commission to proclaim the Good News to EVERY creature! I believe the same thing is true for you and I. I do not believe anything comes to us that is not first of all filtered through the hands of God!

The Second Woe (vv. 13-14)

After they are murdered, their bodies lie in the street for 3 days and a worldwide celebration breaks out. People are exchanging gifts and it appears the truth is finally silenced. But after 3 1/2 days, they are miraculously resurrected, raptured to Heaven and a devasting earthquake decimates 10% of the city and 7,000 “men of renown”—a possible interpretation...could be many more—

But notice what happens at the end of Revelation 11:13 “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 REST WERE AFRAID AND GAVE GLORY TO THE GOD OF HEAVEN!

That’s a lot different than Revelation 9:20–21 “But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.”

Finally, there are a few people who are starting to wake up to the reality of the mercy of God in the midst of His judgment. This earthquake that rocks Jerusalem seems to bring an end to the 2nd woe...

Conclusion

No matter how bad it gets. No matter how much evil seems to be flourishing. No matter what the media says...GOD IS STILL GOD, GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE, AND GOD AND HIS PEOPLE WILL BE STANDING FOR ETERNITY NO MATTER WHAT MAY COME THEIR WAY!

It looked as if the witnesses were defeated, destroyed, decaying in the streets, BUT IN REALITY THEY WERE PROMOTED! When you hear a believer in Jesus has died don’t believe it for one second. They are more alive than they’ve ever been!

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