seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Revelation 11:1 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4 They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.”[a] 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6 They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. 8 Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. 10 The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.
11 But after the three and a half days the breath[b] of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.
13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.
a. Revelation 11:4 See Zech. 4:3,11,14.
b. Revelation 11:11 Or Spirit (see Ezek. 37:5,14)
Before going to the commentary.... I always look up any verses mentioned in the various footnotes for the verses. This morning it was two really cool parts of the Old Testament. Zechariah and Ezekiel, who were prophets in the Old Testament.... are mentioned by John.... almost word for word. In a court of law... well that's a matching testimony. Zechariah was talking about two olive trees.... which poured a golden olive oil to anoint two prophets. Ezekiel was talking about dry bones gathering up to form an army. Both were talking about the two witnesses and both were writing about the dead church too.
This is from the easy English site.
There is now no temple in Jerusalem. The Roman army destroyed it in the year AD 70 (that is, about 70 years after Jesus’ birth). But maybe there will be a new temple in Jerusalem. John must measure that temple.
The outer area of the temple was for the nations. The nations were those who did not worship God. They will have control of the outer area. And they will control Jerusalem (called the ‘holy city’) for 42 months. For that time, God would allow them to do this. He would not protect the city or the outer area.
The rule of the nations over Jerusalem lasts for 42 months. At the end of that period, they will not rule Jerusalem. Daniel speaks about a 7-year period (Daniel 9:27). These 42 months are the second half of that 7-year period. After the end of this time the Lord Jesus will come. He will rescue the city and he will rule over it.
Like Elijah, these men could stop the rain (1 Kings 17:1). They did this for the period of 42 months. Like Moses, they could turn water into blood (Exodus 7:14-18). God had given to them more power than he gave to any of the prophets. They could use this power as often as they wanted. They had the power to hurt people and to cause damage on the earth.
The two men had worked in the city called Jerusalem. It was there that the Lord Jesus died. When Satan killed the two men, their bodies remained in the street.
Sodom was a very evil place. Egypt was the place where God’s people were slaves. So, the great city had become like Sodom and Egypt.
The bodies were in the street for three and a half days. Crowds of people came to see them. People came from all over the world. Nobody could remove the bodies to bury them.
The people had been afraid of the two men. They did not like what these men had said. What they had done caused so much trouble.
Now the men were dead. News of their death went all round the earth. The news made the people happy. They had parties and they sent presents to each other.
The people were only happy for a short time. After three and a half days, God raised the two men from death. He breathed new life into them. They stood up on their feet. All who saw it were afraid.
A loud voice from heaven called to the two witnesses. ‘Come up here’, the voice said. The two men rose up from the ground. They disappeared from view in a cloud. And they went up to heaven.
Their enemies saw this happen. They had been happy but now they were afraid. They saw the men come alive again. They saw them go up into heaven.
The two witnesses went up to heaven. At the same time, there was a great earthquake. A tenth (10th) part of the city called Jerusalem fell. As a result 7000 people died.
There was a connection between the earthquake and the two men as they went up to heaven. By this God showed that they were his servants. He had sent them and he rescued them. The people could see that this was so. They knew that both events showed the power of God. They had to give glory to God.
This does not mean that the people turned from their sin. It does not mean that they turned to God for him to save them. But they had to recognise that he is the God of heaven.
A lot has happened since I last read this chapter. One thing for sure.... the trumpets have not started. I can say that with confidence because we haven't had the earthquake that will level mountains or bring the ocean floor to the surface. We haven't seen something that looked like a mountain hit the earth. We've had some fires, earthquakes, eruptions, melting, draughts, plagues and pandemics.... but that first earthquake hasn't hit. So there is time for us all to prove the Bible wrong by everyone becoming a Believer.... and that way the measurements John took in the first couple of verses would never have to happen and Jerusalem can stay sort of in tact.... and all the people of the whole world could bow to the real King of kings.... but that doesn't look likely judging on this morning's news.I've been retired by cancer and my days have lately been devoted to making ragdolls and crochet dolls in front of the TV for lack of anything better to do. I use to watch the news.... it was very exciting.... but now.... it's too hateful. Yesterday there was a shooting in Colorado.... 10 souls lost... were they Christians? Anyway.... now I'm watching westerns in the morning and basketball in the afternoons. The westerns.... that's why I'm telling you all this boring junk about me... the old lady with an online Bible and some commentary..... the westerns were always so "right and wrong".
If this chapter were part of a western..... no doubt I would know that the heroes were going to get up.... because after all.... there is a new show tomorrow and those heroes have to buckle on their gun holsters and fight another bad guy. The good guys in the westerns would always live to fight another day.... but these two heroes in this chapter of the Bible won't get up to fight another day.... they will get up to leave.... and Jesus... the King of Kings will take over.
There is some talk, in this chapter, about Sodom and Egypt. These were two very evil places. In Sodom... there were no rules... humans did whatever they wanted... like there is no god. In Egypt pharaoh thought he was god. Jerusalem will be much much much more evil after that first earthquake. Those who do survive that horrid event will have been given a "last chance" to Believe. Humans who survived the earthquake.... will probably be angry.... like a dog that has been hit by a car.... in pain... working on instinct... and dangerous.
I don't know where they will get the "presents" they will give when the two prophets are laying in the streets.... all the stores will probably be destroyed.... but maybe just a drink of water might be a present after wormwood has bittered up the the drinking water.
I don't want to be here when those two witnesses are preaching. I'll be happy to meet them in Heaven when they step off their cloud.
