Revelation 11:1-6
The Two Witnesses -
part 1
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Introduction
√ Details
Chapter 11 continues to give us more details that help us understand the total prophetic picture of the events going on during the Tribulation period…
…specifically during the first half of the Great Tribulation.
√ The Two Witnesses
In this section we are introduced to 2 special prophets of God called "the two witnesses" who minister during the first half of the Tribulation period.
There's a ton of speculation as to who they are...but the interesting thing is that their identity is not revealed in scripture.
Human nature of course wants to know the one thing that isn't revealed! J
While we cannot be 100% sure who they are there is a lot that the Bible does tell us about these guys.
So this morning we'll focus on what we are told about them and their ministry.
For the inquiring minds out there we will look at some of the possible people who might fit the role of the two witnesses in our study next week!
The place of their ministry (vs. 1-2)
Rev 11:1 Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, "Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.
Rev 11:2 "But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city under foot for forty-two months.
√ A New
John becomes part of the action as he's given a measuring rod and instructions from an angel to measure the...
Altar
Those who worship there
What's a "measuring rod"!? It’s a reed.
Common to the
A big yardstick used for construction measurements.
√ John's instructions
Measure the...
Altar
Those who worship there
But don't measure...
The court outside the
Interesting!
Reveals a couple of
interesting truths.
1) The
An amazing prophecy because there is no
Nor was there when John penned the Revelation! The
So, John cannot measure what isn't there – therefore a
√ Additional
evidence for a new
The prophecy of Daniel…
Dan 9:27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. and on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate."
Jesus validates the prophecy as a yet future event…
Mt 24:15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand),
The only place that the Jewish faith allows for sacrifice
and offering is at the
This is why today the Jewish people so desperately want a
It is the one thing missing in the Jewish Religious experience.
Ex. The Day of Atonement is an empty holiday and religious experience for the Jew. They cannot offer the Lamb of Atonement, therefore, they are according to the Law still living under sin!
Paul speaks of a new
2Th 2:3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,
2Th 2:4 who
opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the
The Antichrist cannot sit in the
√ Literal or spiritual?
Some people try to spiritualize the
“Do you not know that you are the
But this section of Revelation doesn't support anything except a literal interpretation.
• How could John
measure an invisible
• The court given over to the Gentiles makes no sense except in a literal interpretation.
• We're told that the
Therefore, it is best to interpret John’s prophecy as a
reference to a real
√ A very interesting clue in vs. 2...
"But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles."
For years the problem of rebuilding the Jewish Temple has not been resources, but location.
That is, God told David where to build the
The problem is that the real estate is currently occupied by the Doom of the Rock - 3rd most holy place of Islam.
So, Bible students have pondered how it would be possible for
To do so would be considered an act of war by Moslems around the world.
However, recent archaeology suggests that the Jewish Temple
did not actually sit where the Doom of the Rock is now, but at the opposite end
of the
Therefore, if an peace accord was reached between Israel and the Moslem nations, brokered by the Antichrist, the Jewish Temple could be rebuilt sharing the Temple Mount with the Dome of the Rock.
What better “picture” of peace than to have these bitter enemies sharing the Temple Mount and worshipping side by side!
Thus, vs. 2 takes on special significance because what would be the Outer Court of the Temple would be the place occupied by the Dome of the Rock!
2) What is the significance of the measuring rod?
Other examples:
Zechariah 2 - measuring Jerusalem for judgment
Ezekiel 40 - Millennial Temple
Rev. 21 - New Jerusalem
The act of measuring seems to communicate that the area belongs to God in some special way - it's an evaluation of His property!
Ex. A house - you can't go in and measure the bedroom to see if your custom bed frame will fit unless you've purchased the house or are in negotiations for it!
Here God is declaring that this property belongs to Him - it is the place He chose for His Name to dwell forever.
Ap. We are currently living at a time in which there is great effort being exerted to rebuild the Temple!
Reminding us how close we are to the End of Time!
So, the place where
the Two Witnesses will minister is the rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem.
The ministry of the two witnesses (vs. 3-6)
Rev 11:3 "And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth."
Rev 11:4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth.
Rev 11:5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner.
Rev 11:6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
√ The Two Witnesses
Who are these guys? Lot's of speculation as to their exact identity - let's look at what we do know:
1) Length of their ministry; 3 and a half years.
"and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days" - vs. 2
That's 42 months (30 days - Hebrew calendar) - exactly 3 and a half years.
Probably the first half of the Tribulation - as they prophecy against the reign of Antichrist and warn the world of coming of the End.
2) Location of ministry - Jerusalem
Rev 11:8 And
their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually
is called Sodom and Egypt, where also
our Lord was crucified.
Note that the Lord is careful to tell us when He's speaking symbolically...
"which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt"
...and the interpretation of the symbolism.
"where also our Lord was crucified."
The reference to Jesus' crucifixion clearly identifies Jerusalem as the place of the Two Witnesses ministry.
Interesting to note that the world and God have different opinions about Jerusalem.
To the World it is…
"the great city" Vs. 8
…home of 3 of the world's major religions. The place the Vatican hopes to make the spiritual center of the earth.
To God it is…
"which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt" Vs. 8
Sodom = morally polluted and worldly
Egypt = rebellious and proud
The condition and characteristic of the World Religion of the Antichrist during the Tribulation!
3) Type of ministry (job description) - prophets of doom!
They wear functional
fashions!
Rev 11:3 "And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth."
Sackcloth = judgment, mourning, sign of impending doom.
They "prophesy" (fore tell, tell forth for God).
While the world enjoys the lie of Satan and worship the Antichrist these prophets make themselves unpopular by unmasking the Antichrist.
They perform signs
and wonders
Rev 11:5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner.
Rev 11:6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
Fire
No one is able to hurt these guys! And if someone tries - they're killed by fire!
Ex. Like Elijah - II Kings 1 where two companies of men are killed by fire from heaven at the word of Elijah (proceeds from their mouth.)
And Moses - Num. 16:35 (250 killed by fire).
Rain
They stop the rain for the entire length of the ministry (3 and a half years) just like Elijah (I Kings 17).
Water
Turn water into blood and strike the earth with plagues!
Ex. Like Moses - Exo. 7 - 12
God confirms their message with His power - a direct challenge to the false prophet who deceives the world with false signs and wonders.
4) Impact of their ministry - world wide!
Rev 11:6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
and...
Rev 11:10 And those
who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to
one another, because these two prophets
tormented those who dwell on the earth.
While they are based out of Jerusalem their power extends to the whole earth. Unique of all of God's prophets of old whose ministries focused on a single nation, or people.
These guys have power
over the whole earth!
5) Power of their ministry
Rev 11:4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth.
The two witnesses are here described in what is obviously symbolic language;
Two olive trees
Two lampstands
What does that mean?
Seems to be a reference to Zechariah 4 where identical language is used to describe the two faithful witness...
Joshua the high priest
Zerubbabel a servant of God
Zec 4:1 Now the angel who talked with me came back and wakened me, as a man who is wakened out of his sleep.
Zec 4:2 And he said to me, "What do you see?" So I said, "I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps.
Zec 4:3 "Two olive trees are by it, one at the right of the bowl and the other at its left."
Zec 4:4 So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, "What are these, my lord?"
Zec 4:5 Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, "Do you not know what these are?" And I said, "No, my lord."
Zec 4:6 So he
answered and 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.
The symbols explained…
Like lampstands = bright witness of the Lord
Two olive trees = the source of the oil for the lamps - the Holy Spirit.
So the Two Witnesses are going to be two of the most powerful prophets that God has ever sent to the World!
What is interesting to note, however, is that these mighty prophets of God conduct their ministry the same way we do - by the anointing and power of God by His Holy Spirit!
Close
√ Power to be a witness
The two witnesses will be effective in their ministry because they are…
Empowered by the Holy Spirit
Faithful to the Lord
Uncompromising in a polluted and Godless world
God has granted us that same power!
Acts 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
If we submit ourselves to the Lord and are faithful to Him, and uncompromising regarding the practice of our faith we too can be used for Jesus’ glory even as…
Peter
John
Priscilla
…and the Two Witnesses have been used!
Let’s allow the Lord to accomplish His purposes in us!