The Two Witnesses
Revelation • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
As we open Revelation 11 we come to a passage full of controversy stemming from there being a wide diversity of viewpoints on how to interpret this chapter. Many want to try to spiritualize, symbolize or allegorize the city, the temple, the events that are unfolded here. Does this mean that this passage is difficult to understand or that we have no hope of knowing what it is truly telling us? Should we just skip over it? No, I dont believe we can ever come to a passage of scripture — especially in the book of Revelation — and say that we can skip it or we have no hope of understanding it. I believe and I think you will agree that we look at this passage through the lens of a literal approach much of the diversity is immediately removed. A literal approach provides us with a check on our imaginations and provides us with an intelligent understanding of these verses.
On top of this interpretive approach we must also keep in mind that chapters 11-13 are not advancing the chronological sequence of events, but rather are a parenthetical description of the first 3 1/2 year period. These chapters look at the spiritual condition of the temple and Jerusalem as it will exist in the tribulation. Chapter 15 will pick up the chronological developments again with the pouring out of the 7 bowls.
The setting is Jerusalem and the timing is the first half of the Tribulation. Israel is worshipping again at its restored temple. This temple will be built under the protection of the Antichrist - whose true character has not yet been revealed.
1 Then I was given a measuring reed like a rod, with these words: “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count those who worship there. 2 But exclude the courtyard outside the temple. Don’t measure it, because it is given to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months.
3 I will grant my two witnesses authority to prophesy for 1,260 days, dressed in sackcloth.” 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5 If anyone wants to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and consumes their enemies; if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way.
6 They have authority to close up the sky so that it does not rain during the days of their prophecy. They also have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every plague whenever they want. 7 When they finish their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war on them, conquer them, and kill them.
8 Their dead bodies will lie in the main street of the great city, which figuratively is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. 9 And some of the peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will view their bodies for three and a half days and not permit their bodies to be put into a tomb.
10 Those who live on the earth will gloat over them and celebrate and send gifts to one another because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth. 11 But after three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet. Great fear fell on those who saw them.
12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” They went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies watched them. 13 At that moment a violent earthquake took place, a tenth of the city fell, and seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake. The survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe has passed. Take note: The third woe is coming soon! 15 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 will reign forever and ever.
16 The twenty-four elders, who were seated before God on their thrones, fell facedown and worshiped God, 17 saying, We give you thanks, Lord God, the Almighty, who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.
18 The nations were angry, but your wrath has come. The time has come for the dead to be judged and to give the reward to your servants the prophets, to the saints, and to those who fear your name, both small and great, and the time has come to destroy those who destroy the earth.
19 Then the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant appeared in his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder, an earthquake, and severe hail.
The Measuring
The Measuring
1 Then I was given a measuring reed like a rod, with these words: “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count those who worship there. 2 But exclude the courtyard outside the temple. Don’t measure it, because it is given to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months.
John has since become a part of the unfolding and unveiling taking active participation in the events. Here we read that John receives a measuring reed like a rod. A reed from the river that would be marked off or cut to a standard size. A cubit was the distance of finger tip to elbow of the kings forearm - roughly 18 inches - however Israel has no king. So this was a measuring rod set to whatever standards. John receives the instructions to measure the temple of God, the altar and to count those who worship there.
Interesting to note that though he was instructed to measure there are no measurements given. It is peculiar until you consider the idea measuring conveys. In the Old Testament the idea of measuring communicates ownership, protection and preservation or even further to indicate divine action - such as protection, judgment etc.
6 He stood and measured the earth; He looked and startled the nations. And the everlasting mountains were scattered, The perpetual hills bowed. His ways are everlasting.
7 He showed me this: The Lord was standing there by a vertical wall with a plumb line in his hand.
The idea is that the Lord owns the earth and can do what He desires with it.
The measuring of the temple is God declaring or claiming ownership of it. The Lord is declaring I own this city and this temple and the people worshipping here. God is declaring He is in charge; a glorious and mighty truth throughout Revelation. The thought seems to be that God will be evaluating the temple and those in it
The temple must be here on earth during this time for the fulfillment of what Daniel, Jesus and Paul said concerning the end times. The temple will be back in service so orthodox Jews can reinstitute the sacrificial system according to the Mosaic Law in the first half of Daniel’s 70th week. After 3/12 years the covenant will be broken and the Antichrist will commit the abomination of desolation
27 He will make a firm covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and offering. And the abomination of desolation will be on a wing of the temple until the decreed destruction is poured out on the desolator.”
31 His forces will rise up and desecrate the temple fortress. They will abolish the regular sacrifice and set up the abomination of desolation.
11 From the time the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.
Jesus said to look for this
15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place” (let the reader understand), 16 “then those in Judea must flee to the mountains.
21 For at that time there will be great distress, the kind that hasn’t taken place from the beginning of the world until now and never will again.
Paul describes it this way
3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way. For that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he sits in God’s temple, proclaiming that he himself is God.
The antichrist will put an idol in it and proclaim himself to be God. This concept of the abomination of desolation is often spiritualized and explained as idolatrous worship established in the hearts of God’s people (His temple). In what sense can people be God’s temple if they worship the antichrist? The simplest explanation is to see a real Jewish temple on the temple mount, not yet there but coming soon.
Having visited Israel there is a Temple Institute very interested in rebuilding the temple and resuming sacrifice and they are training and making preparations now. They have everything either located and stored or replicated.
Christians tend to get excited when they see or know of the efforts to rebuild the temple. Understand however that the impulse to rebuild the temple does not come from God at all - its the desire to have a place for sacrifice for sin. All sacrifice for sin was completed at the cross anything added denies the finished work of Jesus at the cross.
Orthodox Jews consider that the Messiah will rebuild the temple - however this person may be the antichrist.
43 I have come in my Father’s name, and yet you don’t accept me. If someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.
John is instructed to leave out the courtyard outside the temple, perhaps because the outer courts of the rebuilt temple will include the Dome of the Rock? The outer courts of the temple are the court of the Gentiles in which this was given over to the nations. Everything outside the temple and the people were given over for the Gentiles to trample and conquer over. The holy city of Jerusalem for 42 months.
There is no reason to spiritualize this time frame of 42 months and verse 3 even gives specific counting of the days 1260 - 42 x 30 = 1260 days or 3 1/2 years.
The Jews mostly possess Jerusalem temporarily, in the Great Tribulation they will lose possession totally.
The Last Warning
The Last Warning
3 I will grant my two witnesses authority to prophesy for 1,260 days, dressed in sackcloth.” 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5 If anyone wants to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and consumes their enemies; if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way.
6 They have authority to close up the sky so that it does not rain during the days of their prophecy. They also have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every plague whenever they want. 7 When they finish their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war on them, conquer them, and kill them.
8 Their dead bodies will lie in the main street of the great city, which figuratively is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. 9 And some of the peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will view their bodies for three and a half days and not permit their bodies to be put into a tomb.
10 Those who live on the earth will gloat over them and celebrate and send gifts to one another because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth. 11 But after three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet. Great fear fell on those who saw them.
12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” They went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies watched them. 13 At that moment a violent earthquake took place, a tenth of the city fell, and seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake. The survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe has passed. Take note: The third woe is coming soon!
During this we see that God grants His two witnesses authority to prophesy for 1260 (literal days 3 1/2 years). In that authority they have a specified time frame for which they will prophesy. God will give them what is necessary to complete their mission and calling. God always provides what is necessary to complete one’s mission and calling. We see that God will provide protection, power, effective and authoritative testimony and deliverance. Instead of wondering if we have what is necessary, we can instead be fully occupied with the Lord and obey Him.
These are not just witnesses but God is saying - MY two witnesses indicating relationship and fellowship and also ownership. We all belong to Him and are here for His pleasure and use.
20 Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also those of wood and clay; some for honorable use and some for dishonorable. 21 So if anyone purifies himself from anything dishonorable, he will be a special instrument, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.
Effective representation of Christ only occurs when men walk in close fellowship with the Lord.
The ministry of these two witnesses is to prophesy as witnesses dressed in sackcloth. As witnesses they provide testimony. Witness is something you “ARE” and not something you “DO”. They share the divine truth of God. Prophesy speaks of preaching or speaking forth. Being clothed in sackcloth which are course dark clothing made of hair and worn like a sack. It is an expression of mourning, repentance and judgment. These witnesses will essentially prophesy the message of John the Baptist - coming judgment and the need to repent. They preach and prophesy this message for 1260 days.
During these 1260 days if anyone wants to harm these witnesses - and many will for they preach an unpopular message - they have the power to make fire come their mouth and consume their enemies. They also have the power to seal up the sky so it will not rain, as well as turning the waters to blood. Along with those things they can also strike the earth with every plague whenever they want.
When they finish their testimony the beast will come out of the abyss make war on them and kill them. This beast is the antichrist. Notice that the witnesses lives are not cut short and neither is their ministry for they accomplish their task. Until they finish their work they are impossible to harm. All who are in Christ are invincible until God calls them home, for the devil does not have power over our lives, only God does.
Their bodies will be left in the street as a spectacle. The people sick of their message and tired of their tormenting them will gloat and be glad over their death - perhaps even praising the antichrist for “SAVING” them from these two. They will have a demonic Christmas like celebration.
After 3 and a half days all those who are viewing and gloating over the dead bodies will see the power of God over death. The breath of life will enter them after 3 1/2 days and they will stand on their feet causing fear to fall on everyone watching. A loud voice audibly will be heard from heaven “Come Up Here!” The witnesses will rise on a cloud while their enemies watch.
Who are these witnesses? For one thing their life, death and resurrection indicates that they are in fact real and literal people. There are many guesses as to who they are but the main theories settle around 3 people - Elijah, Moses or Enoch. The strongest evidence points to Moses and Elijah - Enoch is considered only because he never died but was walking and then suddenly carried up to heaven by God - a picture of the Rapture.
The judgments inflicted by the witnesses mirror those which Elijah and Moses had power in the Old Testament.
Malachi 4:5 says Elijah will appear before the great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. Jesus said this prophecy was partially fulfilled in His lifetime (Matt 17:10-13)
Both Moses and Elijah were involved in the transfiguration which anticipated the Second Coming (Matthew 17:1-6)
God seems to have had a special purpose for the body of Moses which Satan wanted to spoil - Jude 9
Interesting to consider but remember this - if the identity was that important it would have been revealed here. The main thing is that God will send two witnesses to prophesy and warn and call for the people to repent and turn to God during the time of Tribulation. These witnesses are the last warning.
This event will be followed by a violent earthquake in which a tenth of the city will fall and 7000 will die. The survivors for the first time will glorify God in heaven. This is the second woe - the 6th trumpet and the third woe is coming.
The Last Trumpet
The Last Trumpet
15 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 will reign forever and ever. 16 The twenty-four elders, who were seated before God on their thrones, fell facedown and worshiped God,
17 saying, We give you thanks, Lord God, the Almighty, who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. 18 The nations were angry, but your wrath has come. The time has come for the dead to be judged and to give the reward to your servants the prophets, to the saints, and to those who fear your name, both small and great, and the time has come to destroy those who destroy the earth.
19 Then the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant appeared in his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder, an earthquake, and severe hail.
The seventh angel blew his trumpet, and while the seventh seal brought profound silence the seventh trumpet elicits praise and joy at the coming resolution. What better declaration can be made than verse 15? The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever. This of course will be fulfilled in the Second Coming and the Millennial Kingdom that He will establish. The trumpet announces its coming because its imminent and inevitable. But we also see it must be preceded.
The 24 elders fall down facedown and worship God and they are saying and declaring
Thanks Lord God almighty - which acknowledges that God is in charge. Thanks because now God is taking the reign
Thanking God that now the time has come for judgment and reward
the time has come to destroy those who destroy the earth.
The third woe is coming - it will come with the bowl judgments which are next to be poured out bringing destruction to those who destroy and culminating in the appearing of our Lord and Savior Jesus.
We see the temple of God in heaven opened and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple.
The ark is the throne of God, the place where the resolution will come from. The ark of His covenant. The earthly representation of God’s throne emphasizing His faithfulness. His faithfulness in fulfilling His word and promises involving His grace being bestowed on His people and His judgment being inflicted in vengeance on His enemies.
the earthly, apostate temple is desecrated by the beast, but he cannot touch the heavenly temple which reflects God’s perfect righteousness, perfect justice and majesty.
All this is seen in heaven to remind the Jews that God is going to fulfill His covenant promises. It is to encourage faith in Christ.
Conclusion
Conclusion
What a privilege God has given us to be able to read the last chapters of the history of the earth! You can read ahead and see where it is all going to end. The time is coming, this book teaches us, when Jesus shall reign over all the earth. Righteousness shall be the characteristic of the times, not unrighteousness as now.
In the beautiful words of Scripture: "Righteousness will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea!"
9 They will not harm or destroy each other on my entire holy mountain, for the land will be as full of the knowledge of the Lord as the sea is filled with water.
14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord’s glory, as the water covers the sea.
Let us not lose hope, but encourage one another with the certainty of the glory to come.