Hatred Unleashed

Point 2

When they finish their testimony,

God will not allow the witnesses to die until they have completed the task he gave them. Their deaths do not mean that the beast from the pit has defeated God’s purpose.

the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit

Whether this beast is the angel from the bottomless pit mentioned in chapter nine or the beast (Antichrist) in chapter thirteen doesn’t seem to matter.

What matters is that whoever this is behaves like a beast toward the two witnesses.

The New American Commentary: Revelation (6) Two Amazing Witnesses (11:1–14)

Thērion is a word for a beast of prey, one with a ravenous appetite, a carnivore, like a lion or a panther, it connotes a cunning of unreasoning violence that acts according to its own cruel nature. It differs from zōon, a living creature which usually refers to animals also but lacks the rapacious connotations.”

Paige Patterson, Revelation, ed. E. Ray Clendenen, vol. 39, The New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: B&H, 2012), 246.

will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.

Multiple commentaries argue that this must mean that the two witnesses are figurative. Who would “make war” with just two people?

This position does not acknowledge the unique threat these two witnesses pose. They call down fire, stop the rain, turn water to blood, and strike the earth with various plagues as often as they wish. “Making war” would seem to be the level of combat these opponents would require.

Since these witnesses carry out their ministry in public, the war-making, overcoming, and killing must also be public.

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.

Identifying this “great city” would be difficult if John only told us its “spiritual” name: Sodom and Egypt. But he also told us Jesus was crucified in this city. That can only be one city: Jerusalem. This makes sense when we consider that the Jews will have rebuilt the temple there and the witnesses will have been carrying out their mission in the city for three and a half years.

But why does John call it Sodom and Egypt? John’s angelic guide called it “the holy city” as recently as verse two of this same chapter.

Consider the history of those two locations: particularly two incidents in their history.

Sodom:

Genesis 19:6–7 NKJV

6 So Lot went out to them through the doorway, shut the door behind him, 7 and said, “Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly!

;

6 So Lot went out to them through the doorway, shut the door behind him, 7 and said, “Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly!

The New King James Version Chapter 19

6 So Lot went out to them through the doorway, shut the door behind him, 7 and said, “Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly!

Genesis 19:9 NKJV

9 And they said, “Stand back!” Then they said, “This one came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them.” So they pressed hard against the man Lot, and came near to break down the door.

Lot begged the men of the city not to do wickedly, but at his pleading they only intensified their wickedness. Now consider Egypt:

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), .

The New King James Version Chapter 19

9 And they said, “Stand back!” Then they said, “This one came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them.” So they pressed hard against the man Lot, and came near to break down the door.

Egypt:

;

Exodus 5:1–2 NKJV

1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’ ” 2 And Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.”

The New King James Version Chapter 5

Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’ ”

2 And Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, nor will I let Israel go.”

The New King James Version Chapter 5

6 So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying, 7 “You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 And you shall lay on them the quota of bricks which they made before. You shall not reduce it. For they are idle; therefore they cry out, saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Let more work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it, and let them not regard false words.”

Exodus 5:6–9 NKJV

6 So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying, 7 “You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 And you shall lay on them the quota of bricks which they made before. You shall not reduce it. For they are idle; therefore they cry out, saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Let more work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it, and let them not regard false words.”

In both Sodom and Egypt, God’s man pleaded with the people to listen to him and all they did was increase their violence and hatred. What about Jesus and Jerusalem?

Matthew 23:37 NKJV

37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!

The New King James Version Chapter 23

37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!

Jerusalem’s rejection of Jesus was the crucifixion—the epitome of hatred and violence.

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.

We don’t have to question how the whole world can see something in the year 2019. Between television and the internet, anyone in the world can see something anywhere else through the camera on a cell phone. Social media allows anyone who uses it to have an audience as large as can be mustered.

The real question in verse nine is how humanity has degenerated to a point where dead bodies laying in the street qualify as global entertainment.

10 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 world doesn’t just watch dead bodies as entertainment for three and a half days; the death of the witnesses is viewed as a global holiday. The vicious murder of two men of God constitutes gift-giving in every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. Why? Because the witness’ message tormented the whole world. This is a future event showing where humanity is headed: a desensitized, cold, brutish race that can’t bring itself to do anything other than click the “like” button and send gifts when prophets of God lay dead on international television for days at a time. A demonic warlord will slay God’s messengers of grace and the recipients of their message will cheer.

Humanity is not basically good.

We are predisposed toward evil—the greatest evil. We are predisposed toward hatred of God.

Matthew 24:9–14 NKJV

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Romans 1:28–32 NKJV

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

The New King James Version Chapter 24

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

This hatred of God tends to extends to those who bear his image—other people, and especially other people who bring God’s word to bear in our lives when we’d rather not hear it.

Are you able to feel good about your anger?

Do you bond with others over common hatred?

Do you enjoy watching someone else suffer?

There’s not a thing in the world we can do to stop humanity at large from going down this road. As much as we’d like to do so, that trajectory was set when we left the Garden of Eden.

What we can do is live in such a way that we make a compelling case that listening to God’s word is better than ignoring it and hating his messengers—even if we end up like God’s two witnesses.

John 13:34–35 NKJV

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Romans 12:21 NKJV

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Matthew 24:9–14 NKJV

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Isaiah 53:7 NKJV

7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.

Christian, don’t give up.

Lean on the Holy Spirit when your faith offends.

Don’t bear a grudge when you’re betrayed.

Don’t spew hate at someone just because they hate you.

Be passionately committed to the truth of the Gospel, and bear no shame for your devotion to Jesus.

As lawlessness abounds, in the power of the Spirit, love harder and be different.

Matthew 24:9–14 NKJV

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Matthew 24:9–14 NKJV

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Now after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and a 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.

This is fairly straightforward. God raised his men from the dead in the sight of their enemies. The terrified onlookers will be able to do nothing but watch as God rewards them by calling the resurrected witnesses into heaven in a cloud.

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 NAC points out two oddities here. First, there is an odd Greek construction in this verse:

The New American Commentary: Revelation (6) Two Amazing Witnesses (11:1–14)

In referring to the 7,000 people who are killed, the text makes use of a rather unusual expression in the Greek New Testament, namely, the use of onomata anthrōpōn as literally “the names of men.” While interpreters cannot be certain what to make of this unusual expression, the fact that the terminology “names of men” is employed seems to suggest that the people who lose their lives in the earthquake are known and perhaps even particularly significant.

Second, that this earthquake will bring about the glorification of God by the survivors:

The New American Commentary: Revelation (6) Two Amazing Witnesses (11:1–14)

As indicated, the expression that these “survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven” is an unusual development in the text. Most often the text of Revelation records that whatever judgments occurred have no effect on the inhabitants of the earth.

The New American Commentary: Revelation (6) Two Amazing Witnesses (11:1–14)

Most often the text of Revelation records that whatever judgments occurred have no effect on the inhabitants of the earth.

Is it possible that these two oddities are linked? This situation seems to me to bear great resemblance to another incident in Israel’s history.

During the wilderness wanderings, a man named Korah and a group of sympathizers complained that Moses and Aaron shouldn’t have so much authority. After all, weren’t they all holy?

Numbers 16:28–34 NKJV

28 And Moses said: “By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will. 29 If these men die naturally like all men, or if they are visited by the common fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me. 30 But if the Lord creates a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the pit, then you will understand that these men have rejected the Lord.” 31 Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods. 33 So they and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly. 34 Then all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up also!”

Numbers 16:

This specific group of men died, and their deaths let the rest of Israel know who spoke for God.

Could it be that the deaths of these 7,000 people somehow carry enough of a message to let the survivors know the martyrs were right all along? Did they finally run to God “lest the earth swallow them up also?”

Malachi 4:1–3 NKJV

1 “For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,” Says the Lord of hosts, “That will leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves. 3 You shall trample the wicked, For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet On the day that I do this,” Says the Lord of hosts.

God promised long ago the day was coming when the proud, the hateful, and the wicked would be judged. It’s just been so long in coming that we’ve forgotten it’s on the way.

Hatred generally comes from a prideful heart. When the day of the Lord comes, there will be no place left for that.

Ezekiel 18:23 NKJV

23 Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord God, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live?

Hatred Unleashed

Humanity is predisposed toward hating God (7-10).

Exegesis

Interpretation

Application

God will not allow that hatred to continue forever (11-14).

Point 3

Exegesis

Interpretation

Application