Revelation Study 15 Chapter 11
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Maybe we did and maybe we didn’t, but within Revelation are 3 interludes or pauses in the action on earth as we are given glimpses into heaven.
The first was in chapters 4-5 as we we in the throne room of God
The second is here in chapters 10-11
Who is an active participant in Revelation at this stage? It is John
Remember in chapter 10, John is given a small scroll, the ongoing unfolding plan of God, and this small scroll has what John is to do.
Do you remember the two “tastes” or effects of the scroll on John? Sweet to the taste but bitter in the stomach.
The gospel is sweet but causes bitter response from some.
John is then told to go and prophesy
Now here in chapter 11 John is given more to do and to see.
Then I 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, 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.
So, what do we know about the temple? The house of the Lord, only Jews on the inside, committed followers, non-Jews or Gentiles in the outer courtyard, not committed followers.
John is measuring the area of the worshippers, not the outer court, that has been given over to the nations.
What is happening to the outer court and the holy city? Given over to the nations to be trampled for 42 months.
Inside is God, people with God, protected by God, not being given over, not being trampled.
This is what we will see in this chapter,
Sweet—God is with His people, and His people will be victorious, they will triumph,
Bitter—even if things get really difficult and the holy city is trampled for 42 months and the “two” witnesses are killed.
Remember, what are the two ways to overcome and be victorious? Hold firm to the end, or be martyred for your testimony.
What is John told to do? This is like a survey of land, what is God’s and what has been given over.
When he brought me there, behold, there was a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring reed in his hand. And he was standing in the gateway. And the man said to me, “Son of man, look with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart upon all that I shall show you, for you were brought here in order that I might show it to you. Declare all that you see to the house of Israel.”
And behold, there was a wall all around the outside of the temple area, and the length of the measuring reed in the man’s hand was six long cubits, each being a cubit and a handbreadth in length. So he measured the thickness of the wall, one reed; and the height, one reed.
And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand! Then 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 behold, the angel who talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him and said to him, “Run, say to that young man, ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and livestock in it. And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the Lord, and I will be the glory in her midst.’ ”
The word for “temple” here is “naos” which is not the term for the whole building but rather the word for the inner sanctuary holding the holy place and the holy of holies.
Throughout Revelation this is the word used for temple, the inner sanctuary of the temple, the heavenly temple, not Solomons or Herod’s.
That being said, it is hard to say that this is talking about a future earthly temple that hasn’t yet been built.
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,
“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
What do these verses tell us about God’s New Testament Temple? It is not a building, it is His people.
This measuring is like what happened in Revelation 7:2-3, something to make the believers secure, do you remember? The sealing of the saints, this is similar, they are sealed and not measured, counted. Communicates God’s protection and ownership, but not complete sparing from what’s happening.
So how are they protected if they can still be persecuted and killed? Protected spiritually, never to fall away or be taken.
to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
The outer court
The outer court
leave that out—exclusion and the wording is a casting out used in reference to demons, casting out demons.
The evil behind the evil is always satanic.
The nations are in reference to the pagan peoples, again not the holy nation of God, but all the others who are not of God.
Inside is God and His protective presence, outside is not God and no protection.
This could also mean that there are believers of God outside His temple, and they along with the holy city, another term symbolizing God’s people
God will allow His to be persecuted and killed, trampled, but it will lead to their vindication, there victory.
Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land. It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them. It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host. And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown. And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression, and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper. Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?” And he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.”
The designated period of time for this is 42 months. It has an end, limited.
Remember 42 months, 1260 days and also time, times and a half time or 3 1/2 years of this tribulation.
This is a symbolic period of time, half of a full period of time, a limited amount of time in which God allows His people to be defeated.
Remember, the point here is not to figure out when or exactly how long, but to see that God is sovereign, these things will happen when He says, and endure for how long He has determined. Also, Gods will persevere and be victorious.
The little horn will conquer His people but only for a limited time.
The Two Witnesses
The Two Witnesses
And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire.
Now in 2’s, not 12 elders but 24 back in Revelation 4, 12 is a complete number, 24 is double that.
So in regard to the “2” witnesses” 1/2 are Jews God’s people, 1/2 are now Gentiles, double a communal # a X2
Earlier God gave over the court of the Gentiles to trample and now here God gives authority to His two witnesses. Sovereign control.
These “two” witnesses will dominate this period of time.
Sackcloth—symbolic of a call to repentance and being repentant.
God gives authority,
This authority is what? The authority to prophesy in His name and also power to protect themselves for a period of time. Until their prophetic ministry is completed.
Two witnesses—the intended symbolism is that these are not two people but rather two archetypes represented by the Church.
2 becomes 4 or 2 & 2
Two olive trees and two lampstands—community of God’s people, for Jews the olive tree is a common symbol.
And he said to me, “What do you see?” I said, “I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it. And there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.” And I said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.” Then he 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.
Then I said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?” And a second time I answered and said to him, “What are these two branches of the olive trees, which are beside the two golden pipes from which the golden oil is poured out?” He said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.” Then he said, “These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”
We were told in chapter 1 what the lampstands were, do you remember? The churches. A rule of Bible prophecy is that a symbolic image used, especially within the same book, retains its symbolic meaning.
Do you remember which of the two churches were the “successful” churches and why? Philadelphia and Smyrna. They didn’t compromise and endured heavy persecution.
Jews would view the two dominant witnesses in their history to be Moses and Elijah, who prophesied about a new kingdom.
So let’s look at what these two witnesses are capable of and see if there is any resemblance to the ministries of Moses and Elijah.
And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed.
Does either Moses or Elijah have anything to do with fire reigning down to consume something? Elijah and the showdown at Mt. Carmel. 1 Kings 18:36-38
They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire.
Did either of these guys shut the sky so no rain would fall? Elijah again, in his battle with Ahab and Jezebel. 1 Kings 17:1
Which one was able to turn water into blood? Moses in Exodus 7
Who struck the earth with plagues? Moses in Egypt Exodus 7-11
Now is there a chance these are two individuals, sure, but it’s very likely this is the church operating in the spirit and power of Moses and Elijah.
These will be the faithful witnesses during the period of time dominated by the antichrist and the “nations”
Israel slipped into national apostasy and idolatry during the reign of Ahab and Elijah was the bold witness, and here the world will run into apostasy and these witnesses will bear witness
The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.
So in this ministry of the Two Witnesses, what do we see? A retelling of the trumpet and bowl plagues, fire, water to blood, every kind of plague.
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, 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. For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb, 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 on the earth.
When the designated period of time is up, when they had finished their testimony
The beast that rises from the pit—will make war on them, conquer and kill them.
I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
After the sealing of the 144K, the martyred worship scene in heaven, these are the ones coming out of the great tribulation.
So John has already seen them in heaven, worshipping, now he will see how they are killed. The beast from the bottomless pit will make war on them and kill them.
And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.
Seems as if chapter 13 is telling of the same events.
The beast is the little horn of Daniel 7 & 8
Remember the beast is the system and the people who are a part of it, and the power behind it.
Their bodies lie in the streets—to deny burial was a great insult and a total disrespect and disregard, how hated these witnesses were.
The great city called Sodom, Egypt, where Jesus was crucified? Where was Jesus crucified? Jerusalem.
So how is Jerusalem like Sodom and Egypt according to John? Even Israel has partnered with Rome, become as wicked as Sodom and as idolatrous as Egypt, both a persecutor of Gods people.
It seems that the death of these witnesses, the “victory” of the beast becomes a global holiday
A celebration of the death of the “2” who tormented the earth dwellers with the message from God, to repent, to turn from idolatry, sorcery, immorality, murders, etc. and turn to God.
If some have no problem murdering the Son of God, should we think it anything for them to murder witnesses.
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
Seems as if their witness has failed
But after the three and a 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. 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.
3.5 days 1/2 of 7 or a complete or full time. So small amount of time in relation, also like the resurrection of Jesus.
The breath of life returns to them. This cause rejoicing to turn to great fear.
This where the pronouns get tricky, them, their, those, they, them, they, their.
It seems the witnesses are resurrected for all to see and great fear comes upon all the evil doers. They all hear a loud voice from heaven, and the “witnesses” ascend in cloud.
Come up here are the words John heard in 4:1, a calling up to heaven.
So, if these witnesses are the church, then for the first time, we have a realistic attempt at saying this could be the rapture.
If these are individual, then just an ascension of a Moses and an Elijah.
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.
The second woe has passed; behold, the third woe is soon to come.
Again with apocalyptic literature, chronology or sequence of events is not important, because, how could the rapture happen and Christ return accompany it and yet there is still a great earthquake, people terrified and people repenting, giving glory to God. And a third woe to come.
1/10 of the city??
7K people, a complete amount, not 12K so smaller but also, the designated amount.
Shortly after this, or quickly on its heals, the 7th trumpet will be blown, the 3rd woe.
Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying,
“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,
who is and who was,
for you have taken your great power
and begun to reign.
The nations raged,
but your wrath came,
and the time for the dead to be judged,
and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints,
and those who fear your name,
both small and great,
and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.”
Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.
The word “woe” communicates terror, does this sound like a woe?
For those who have persevered this is the greatest moment, the end has come, the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and Jesus shall reign forever.
Note verse 17, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, what’s missing? Who is to come. Why? Because He’s come.
Verse 18, the nations raged but your wrath came, past tense.
The time to judge and reward has come.
That is why this is a woe, because it’s over for the earth dwellers, over for the beast, for the antichrist, for satan
The creator has ended this world, and begun a new one, He has judged and will punish the nations, the destroyers of the earth.
Now we can see into the Holy of Holies, we see the ark of His covenant, the most sacred item in the Jewish faith that talked of God’s goodness, His presence, His provision, protection, guidance, power, etc.
His holy presence is manifest in the storm.