Rev 11
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The Two Witnesses.
The Two Witnesses.
G. The two witnesses (11:1–14)
While it is clear that 11:1–14 continues the parenthetical section begun in 10:1,
an amazing variation of interpretations of this portion of Scripture have been offered.
Alford calls this chapter “one of the most difficult in the whole Apocalypse” (The Greek Testament, 4:655).
The best guideline to follow in interpreting this section is to take each fact literally. In line with this principle, a literal temple will be in existence during the Great Tribulation, and the city should be considered the literal city Jerusalem in keeping with its identification in 11:8. The time periods of 42 months (v. 2) and three and one-half days (vv. 9, 11) again should be considered literally. The earthquake will kill literally 7,000 individuals, and the two witnesses should be considered as two individual men.
1. the measuring of the temple (11:1–2)
Then I was given a measuring stick, and I was told, “Go and measure the Temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers. But do not measure the outer courtyard, for it has been turned over to the nations. They will trample the holy city for 42 months.
11:1–2. John was given a reed, a lightweight rod, to be used as a measuring instrument. John was instructed to measure the temple and the altar but not the outer court, meaning he was to measure the holy place and the holy of holies. While others could come into the outer court, only priests could enter into those two temple rooms. The explanation was given that this would be under the control of the Gentiles who would trample on the holy city for 42 months.
Why should John measure the temple?
Measurement is usually taken of one’s possessions, and the temple belonged to God.
In a similar way the temple of Ezekiel 40 was measured and the New Jerusalem was measured (Rev. 21:15–17).
The temple here will be constructed so that orthodox Jews can offer sacrifices according to the Mosaic Law in the period in the first half of the seven-year period known as Daniel’s 70th week.
At the beginning of the 42-month Great Tribulation, however, the sacrifices will stop and the temple will be desecrated and become a shrine for the world ruler of the Great Tribulation who will put an idol in it and proclaim himself to be God (cf. Dan. 9:27; 12:11; 2 Thes. 2:4; Rev. 13:14–15).
John was also instructed, however, to count the worshipers who came to the temple.
Here the thought seems to be that God will evaluate both the temple and those in it.
The tendency of some is to spiritualize the 42-month length of the Great Tribulation, but this should be taken as a literal period, as confirmed by the 1,260 days of 11:3 which are 42 months of 30 days each.
(From this it is also clear that “the times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24) will not end until the second coming of Christ to the earth to set up His kingdom.
They will be killed by the sword or sent away as captives to all the nations of the world. And Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the period of the Gentiles comes to an end.
Though Jews may possess Jerusalem temporarily, as they have in this century, they will lose possession in the Great Tribulation.)
Some believe that the 42 months refer to the first half of Daniel’s 70th week (Dan. 9:27).
While it is not clear, the evidence surrounding this passage in Revelation seems to refer to the final three and one-half years.
This also seems to be confirmed by the fact that in the first half of the last seven years the Jews will actually possess the city of Jerusalem and worship in their temple,
whereas here the context indicates that this is the period when Gentiles will tread down the Holy City,
implying ill treatment of the Jews and desecration of the temple.
2. the ministry of the two witnesses (11:3–6)
And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will be clothed in burlap and will prophesy during those 1,260 days.” These two prophets are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of all the earth. If anyone tries to harm them, fire flashes from their mouths and consumes their enemies. This is how anyone who tries to harm them must die. They have power to shut the sky so that no rain will fall for as long as they prophesy. And they have the power to turn the rivers and oceans into blood, and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they wish.
11:3–6. It was revealed to John that the two witnesses would be empowered by God to serve as prophets for 1,260 days or 42 months.
They would be clothed in sackcloth and would be called two olive trees and two lampstands.
Numerous and varied interpretations have been given concerning the two witnesses.
Some have suggested that they are not literal individuals.
However, in view of the fact that they die and are resurrected, the implication is that they are actual people.
Another problem is their identification. A common interpretation is that they are Moses and Elijah because the judgments inflicted by Moses and Elijah in the Old Testament are similar to those of these two witnesses (11:5–6).
Further support is given the identification of Elijah because of the prediction
(Mal. 4:5) that he will appear “before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes.”
Christ said this prophecy of Elijah was partially fulfilled in His lifetime (Matt. 17:10–13; Mark 9:11–13; cf. Luke 1:17).
And both Moses and Elijah were involved in the transfiguration (Matt. 17:3), which anticipated the Second Coming.
But a problem with this suggested identity is that Moses had already died once.
Some have identified the two witnesses as Enoch and Elijah inasmuch as they did not die but were translated (cf. Heb. 9:27).
While there is room for considerable discussion of these various views, the fact is that the passage does not identify the two witnesses, and they probably do not have historic identification.
The description of the two witnesses as olive trees and lampstands has an Old Testament background
like in
(Zech. 4:2–14). The two witnesses in this passage were Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel the governor.
Their connection to the lampstands was that they were empowered by the Holy Spirit, symbolized by the olive oil.
In a similar way the two witnesses of Revelation 11 will be empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Like prophets of old the two witnesses will be able to do supernatural miracles, and fire will destroy those who will try to harm them (Rev. 11:5).
Like Elijah they will have power to stop rain, and will have power like Moses to turn water into blood and to bring on plagues (v. 6).
In the midst of the unbelief, apostasy, and satanic power of the Great Tribulation these two witnesses will be a threat to the entire wicked world for a literal period of 1,260 days.
3. the death of the two witnesses (11:7–10)
When they complete their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the bottomless pit will declare war against them, and he will conquer them and kill them. And their bodies will lie in the main street of Jerusalem, the city that is figuratively called “Sodom” and “Egypt,” the city where their Lord was crucified. And for three and a half days, all peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will stare at their bodies. No one will be allowed to bury them. All the people who belong to this world will gloat over them and give presents to each other to celebrate the death of the two prophets who had tormented them.
11:7–10. With the ministry of the two witnesses ended, God permitted the beast that comes up from the Abyss (cf. 9:1–2, 11; 17:8; 20:1, 3) to overcome them.
The beast, that is, the Antichrist, is mentioned nine other times in Revelation (13:1; 14:9, 11; 15:2; 16:2; 17:3, 13; 19:20; 20:10).
After the witnesses were killed, their bodies were left unburied in Jerusalem, figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, because of the people’s apostasy and rejection of God.
For three and one-half days the whole world gloated over their dead bodies.
This implies some worldwide display, now made possible by television, internet, social media, etc.
Their deaths were considered a great victory for the world ruler and Satan, and were celebrated by people sending each other gifts.
4. the resurrection of the two witnesses (11:11–12)
But after three and a half days, God breathed life into them, and they stood up! Terror struck all who were staring at them. Then a loud voice from heaven called to the two prophets, “Come up here!” And they rose to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched.
11:11–12. After three and one-half days in the street, however, suddenly the two witnesses were resurrected and stood on their feet.
They responded to the invitation, Come up here, and went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on with great fear.
5. the resulting judgment of God on jerusalem (11:13–14)
At the same time there was a terrible earthquake that destroyed a tenth of the city. Seven thousand people died in that earthquake, and everyone else was terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second terror is past, but look, the third terror is coming quickly.
11:13–14. At the same moment an earthquake occurred in Jerusalem with a 10th of the city collapsing and 7,000 people were killed. In contrast with previous judgments where revolt and rebellion against God continued, the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. So ended the second woe, leaving only the seventh trumpet, the final and third woe, to come.
H. The sounding of the seventh trumpet (11:15–19)
Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven: “The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.” The twenty-four elders sitting on their thrones before God fell with their faces to the ground and worshiped him. And they said, “We give thanks to you, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is and who always was, for now you have assumed your great power and have begun to reign. The nations were filled with wrath, but now the time of your wrath has come. It is time to judge the dead and reward your servants the prophets, as well as your holy people, and all who fear your name, from the least to the greatest. It is time to destroy all who have caused destruction on the earth.” Then, in heaven, the Temple of God was opened and the Ark of his covenant could be seen inside the Temple. Lightning flashed, thunder crashed and roared, and there was an earthquake and a terrible hailstorm.
11:15. Though the full results from the sounding of the seventh … trumpet are only introduced here and not brought to finality (as they will be in chap. 16), the introduction of the seventh trumpet itself is dramatic. As the trumpet sounded, voices were heard in heaven: The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever. (Cf. predictions of the earthly kingdom of Christ in Ezek. 21:26–27; Dan. 2:35, 44; 4:3; 6:26; 7:14, 26–27; Zech. 14:9.)
The fact that this will be fulfilled at the Second Coming makes it clear that the period of the seventh trumpet
chronologically reaches to Christ’s return.
Therefore the seventh trumpet introduces and includes the seven bowl judgments of the wrath of God revealed in chapter 16. In contrast with previous trumpets where a single voice was heard, here a mighty chorus from heaven joined in the proclamation.
11:16–18. After this announcement, the 24 elders, who appear frequently (4:4, 10; 5:5–6, 8, 11, 14; 7:11, 13; 11:16; 14:3; 19:4) and who were seated on their thrones before God, were seen by John as falling on their faces to worship God. Their song of praise indicates that the time had come for God to judge the nations, to judge the dead, and to reward God’s servants.
God was described as the Almighty (pantokratōr; also used in 1:8; 4:8; 15:3; 16:7, 14; 19:6, 15; 21:22), eternal (who is and who was; cf. 1:8; 4:8), and possessing power (dynamin) (11:17).
In general their hymn of praise anticipates the second coming of Christ and the establishment of His rule on earth.
11:19. The chapter closes with another dramatic incident. John wrote, Then God’s temple in heaven was opened. At the same time John was able to look into the temple where he saw the ark of His covenant. This refers to the heavenly temple rather than to a temple on earth. The corresponding results in the earth, however, included lightning … thunder, an earthquake, and a great hailstorm (cf. 8:5).
The dramatic introduction of the events relating to the seventh trumpet concluded here and will be resumed in chapter 16. Chronologically the time was close to Christ’s second coming.
I. The seven great personages of the end times (chaps. 12–15)
