Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

The Two Witnesses

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. 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. 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. 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. 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.

The Seventh Trumpet

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.

Introduction

Chapter 11 is a most interesting chapter. A careful reader will find it as difficult as it is interesting. The questions are often asked: Will the temple be rebuilt in Jerusalem again? Will the Jews go back to their former worship? The first two verses of this chapter would answer a positive “yes” to these questions.

After the Covenant goes into effect between the Anti-Christ and the Jews, they rapidly build the Temple and commence their temple worship. This moves along smoothly for the first 3½ years. Then the Antichrist breaks the Covenant, desecrates the Temple, and sets his own image therein. When this happens, Jerusalem will be in the hands of the Gentiles for 42 months or 3 ½ years. This time period is called: The Great Tribulation [The time of Jacob’s trouble]. Although Jerusalem is in the hands of the Jews at the moment, Revelation 11 tells us that it is only temporary and that the city and land of Palestine will revert back to the Gentiles for a short time (3½ years), until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

God’s Two Witnesses (Revelation 11:1-14)

In Revelation 11:1-2, John is seen measuring the temple for God. Like all man made systems, it falls far short of God’s standards. Israel’s previous temples were destroyed: Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Solomon’s temple in 586 BC. Zerubbabel rebuilt the temple after the Jews returned from the Babylonian captivity. Herod the Great enlarged and beautified it beginning about 20 B.C. This temple was destroyed in AD 70.

Questions for Reflection:

How does professing Christendom measure up to God’s standards? [Describe]

How do I measure up to God’s standards?

(Think about this in light of the following passages – Romans 3:23 “We all have sinned and come short of the glory of God,” and Daniel 5:27, “You are weighed in the balances and found wanting.” Think of the rich young ruler – “One thing you lack” – and the Pharisee and the Publican.)

[Describe the two witnesses] These two will prophesy for 3½ years. Fire from their mouth will destroy those who attempt to hurt them. They have power over the elements (i.e. stop the rain – turn water into blood). They can also smite the earth with plagues. When their work is finished, Satan (the Antichrist) kills them. Their bodies lie in the streets of Jerusalem for 3½ days. The whole world rejoices at their death. After 3½ days, they are resurrected, and then they ascend into heaven in a cloud. It is a miracle that they are able to stay alive for 3½ years. It will be practically impossible for a Christian to remain alive during the second half of the tribulation.

Draw your attention to Revelation 11:11, “And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them and kill them.” When the ministry of the true witnesses has finished, God permits their lives to be taken. It is comforting for all God’s people to know that their God will protect them as long as He has a ministry that needs to be finished. When Paul’s ministry was finished, he could say, though he was about to lose his life, that he had no fear of death (see 2 Timothy 4:7-8).

Our time on earth is appointed. See John 7:1 – “Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth?” Job 14:5 reads, “His days are determined – the number of months are with you. You have appointed his bounds, which he cannot pass.” Job realized that he had an appointed time. Job 14:14 says, “If a man die, shall he live again?” We also have an appointed time. “Set your house in order for you shall die and not live.” Those who do not realize this are like the rich fool of Luke 12 [describe]. Man not only has an appointment with death, but he has an appointment with God. Hebrews 9:27 says, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”

Those who die without Christ will stand before Him at the “Great White Throne,” (See Revelation 20). The whole world shall see the dead witnesses lying in the streets of Jerusalem for 3½ days (Revelation 11:9). In Revelation 11:11-12, we have the resurrection and ascension of the witnesses. Christ’s enemies were not permitted to see His ascension. Neither will they see the rapture of the Church. But they will see the ascension of the witnesses – they will know that this is of God. But alas, alas they do not repent and believe. God’s judgment on the city comes in the form of an earthquake. A tenth of the city is destroyed and 7,000 men are killed. The olive tree is testimony, the vine is fruitfulness, the fig tree is national Israel, and the two lamps are light in the darkness. The witnesses stand before the Lord of the earth. Thus, the testimony is one of power and light.

The Seventh Trumpet (Revelation 11:15-19)

Jubilee in Heaven

The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and then a great symphony of voices began to proclaim the ultimate and absolute triumph of Christ. This envisions God consummating His judgments on earth and bringing in everlasting righteousness. After the sounding of the seventh trumpet, heaven’s hosts announce what is coming. The seventh trumpet ushers in the period in which the seven bowls of God’s wrath will be poured out upon the earth (Revelation 16). These will bring an end to the Tribulation. At this point in the chapter, the Second coming of Christ to the earth with His heavenly armies is just ahead. The final battle of the campaign of Armageddon and the disposing of all earthly enemies, including Satan, will come to pass.

When the seventh seal was broken, there was silence in heaven for the space of half an hour (See Revelation 8:1). When the seventh trumpet is blown, there is great jubilation in heaven in anticipation of the termination of evil. The end is now in sight. God has allowed Satan to control the kingdoms of the world; now they are about to become the kingdom of our Lord. This causes the 24 elders to fall on their faces and worship God. They are representative of the Church (Revelation 11:16). They give thanks to the one who is – who was – and who is to come – the eternal God – the I AM.

The Wrath of God

Revelation 11:18 portrays the anger of the nations. Man is a rebel against God to the very end. Man’s wrath reaches a crescendo just prior to the Lord’s return (See Psalm 2). Man’s rebellion will be brought to an end when our Lord returns. Psalm 2:9 reads, “You shall break them with a rod of iron; you shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Thy wrath came (is come) – in the absolute and final defeat of the Gentile powers. [The Great White Throne – the giving of rewards to prophets and saints]

Revelation 11:18 emphasizes that the time has come for God to “destroy them which destroy the earth.” This includes both man and Satan. Satan’s two key instruments during the Tribulation are the beast and the false prophet. Their judgment comes when Christ returns to earth at the end of the Tribulation. They both were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with fire and brimstone.” See Revelation 19:20. Then Satan himself is bound for a thousand years and cast into the bottomless pit (Revelation 20:1-3).

After Christ’s millennial reign, Satan is released. He makes his final assault against God and is crushed and “cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. It is here, where the beast and the false prophet are, that he shall be tormented day and night forever and ever. See Revelation 20:10. Finally, the last enemy that will be destroyed is death, 1 Corinthians 15:25-26. After the great voices in heaven pronounce that the time of God’s wrath has come, John says, “And the temple of God was open in heaven and there was seen in His temple the ark of His testament.” (Revelation 11:19)