THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION – Chapter 11 – The Two Witnesses –
Episode 13
(These Episodes are meant to not only ask and answer the questions, “When, Why, How and What?”, but also the question, “SO WHAT?”)
We are between the SIXTH Trumpet Judgement and the coming SEVENTH Trumpet Judgement of God. This is the point where no one will any longer repent of their murders nor of their sorceries, drugs, intoxications, nor of their sexual immorality nor of their thefts. It is now that God’s mercy to salvation is withdrawn, and He orders the release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates which is a great army of two hundred million soldiers who will now kill a third of mankind. We are entering the final three and one half years of the Great Tribulation, The Great and Terrible Day of The Lord and The final judgments, The Wrath of The Lamb are now at hand.
The Two Witnesses
Revelation 11:1, Then there was given to me a [footnote ‘a’] measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, “[footnote ‘b’] Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar [of incense], and [count] those who worship in it. Verse 2. But leave out the court [of the Gentiles] which is outside the temple and do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles (the nations); and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months (which is three and one-half years). Verse 3. And I will grant authority to My two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, (which is forty-two months, or, three and one-half years), dressed in [footnote ‘c’] sackcloth.”
(Commentary Break: We are now at the mid-point of the Great Tribulation, The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord. There are three and one half years of God’s Judgements, remaining, The Wrath of The Lamb.
John is given a measuring rod like a staff, an implement used to make measurements. In this case, to measure (number 1), the temple of God and (number 2), the altar, and (number 3), to count those who worship in it’. This will inventory, confirm, validate and verify that which has been established by God. The Hebrew language here, tells us that John is, in essence, to lay the facts of this matter to rest; i.e., to bring this message to closure, and to move to a conclusion. A more colloquial way of saying it would be, “we are taking inventory and closing up shop and moving on to bigger and better things”. The end has come and this is the first of the final acts.
The conclusion of ‘these things’ first of all, is that all of the saints of all the ages have now been Raptured, are standing before His Throne, and are eternally with God. (See Revelation chapter 7, Verses 9 and 10, “After these things I looked, and this is what I saw: a vast multitude which no one could count, [gathered] from every nation and from all the tribes and peoples and languages [of the earth], standing before the throne and before the Lamb (Christ), dressed in white robes, with, palm branches in their hands; and in a loud voice they cried out, saying, “Salvation [belongs] to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb [our salvation is the Trinity’s to give, and to God the Trinity we owe our deliverance].” – These are the Raptured Elect of God.)
Secondly, and conversely, John is told NOT to measure the outer court of the Gentiles because they are the ones bearing The Mark of The Beast and will join the Beast ‘to trample the holy city for forty-two months’, which is the remaining three and one half years of the Great Tribulation. All those who now remain on the earth are doomed to suffer the 7th Trumpet Judgement and the 7 Bowl Judgements of Tribulation, the Wrath of the Lamb and will be sentenced to the eternal lake of fire.
Additionally, God has given authority to His two witnesses to prophesy for three and one-half years. They are dressed in sackcloth which symbolizes a time of mourning. (End Commentary break).
Verse 4. These [witnesses] are the two olive trees and the two lampstands which stand before the Lord of the earth. Verse 5. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire comes out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way. Verse 6. These [two witnesses] have the power [from God] to shut up the sky, so that no rain will fall during the days of their prophesying [regarding judgment and salvation]; and they have power over the waters (seas, rivers) to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every [kind of] plague, as often as they wish.
Verse 7. When they have finished their testimony and given their evidence, the beast that comes up out of the abyss, (the bottomless pit), will wage war with them, and overcome them and kill them.
Verse 8. And their dead bodies will lie exposed in the open street of the great city (Jerusalem), which in a spiritual sense is called [by the symbolic and allegorical names of] Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.
Verse 9. Those from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations [footnote ‘d’] look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not allow their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. Verse 10. And those who live on the earth will gloat over them and rejoice; and they will send gifts [in celebration] to one another, because these two prophets tormented and troubled those who live on the earth.
(Commentary Break: Verses four through nine are pretty much self-evident, with the exception of the metaphors of the two olive trees and the two lampstands to describe the two Witnesses. The olive tree as used here, represents the people of God, indwelt by the Holy Spirit; The two lampstands represent the eminent prophets who will precede Christ’s appearing with His armies in heaven. His robe has been dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. His armies, which are also in heaven, are clothed in fine linen, following Him on white horses (see Revelation 19, verses 13 through 16).
Please Note: Many theologians and bible teachers say that this appearing of Jesus on a white horse, is His 2nd advent, whereupon He comes to the earth to wage this battle. THIS IS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND IN SCRIPTURES. (Only an Angel descends to the earth.)
It important to note that there is a 10 Nation Confederation identified in Ezekiel 38, also in Daniel chapters 7 and 9 and again in Revelation chapter 17, as the armies of Armageddon are from the nations of:
Gog, also known as Rosh, (which is Russia), and Rosh, (also known as Russia), Magog, also known as a region in Russia, Gomer, identified as an Eastern European and Southern area of Russia, Put, now named Libya, Cush, also known as Ethiopia, Persia, also known as Iran, Meshech, also known as Modern Day Turkey, and Tubal, also known as an area in central Turkey.
It is clearly stated in Revelation 19, verses 13 through 21, and Revelation 20 verses 1 through 3, that Jesus and His armies appear in the heavens. He does not come to earth and engage in a physical battle. Jesus supernaturally defeats the forces of the antichrist and of the Beast, then an angel is sent to the earth to complete the work of binding Satan. There are some theologians and bible teachers who suggest the angel may have been Jesus, but if the Bible is nothing else, IT IS ACCURATE AND COMPLETE IN ITS WORDING. It was an angel doing the bidding of The Lord.
Next, there is mention of Sodom and Egypt as a symbolism or an allegory for Jerusalem. See this link for a probable explanation.
Finally, the stage is set to lead the people on earth, who bear the Mark of the Beast, to believe they have been triumphant in the defeat of the two Witnesses. But this is merely a method to amplify their dismay, surprise and terror as the Witnesses to come back to life. (End Commentary Break).
Verse 11. But after three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear and panic fell on those who were watching them. Verse 12. And the two witnesses heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” Then they ascended into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them. Verse 13. And in that [very] hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell and was destroyed; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest [who survived] were overcome with terror, and they glorified the God of heaven [as they recognized His awesome power].
Verse 14. The second woe is past; behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
The Seventh Trumpet – Christ’s Reign Foreseen
Verse 15. Then the seventh angel sounded [his trumpet]; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom (dominion, rule) of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.” Verse 16. And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell face downward and worshiped God, verse 17, saying, “To You we give thanks, O Lord God Almighty [the Omnipotent, the Ruler of all], Who are and Who were, because You have taken Your great power and the sovereignty [which is rightly Yours] and have [now] begun to reign. Verse 18. And the nations (Gentiles) became enraged, and Your wrath and indignation came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and [the time came] to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints (God’s people) and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and [the time came] to destroy the destroyers of the earth.”
Verse 19. And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning, loud rumblings and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm. (End of chapter 11).
One might wonder, since the elect of God have been removed from earth, and these events will not affect them, why God is revealing these judgements and those yet to come. Perhaps this can be a deterrent for those who read these words and heed them, before this days comes.
Next, we will read in Revelation chapters 12 through 14 a recapitulation of events past and events yet to come, but this is more akin to a ‘backstory’ of sorts, given with great detail and symbolisms explained.
At any rate, those with wisdom and insight should prepare while there is time.
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young
PREVIOUS: The Book of The Revelation – Chapter 10 – The 5th & 6th Trumpets – Episode 12.
NEXT: (coming soon). THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION – Chapter 12 –The Woman, The Dragon, The Male Child, The Angel Michael – Episode 14.
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