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.” 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 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,
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Here's a link to the commentary I read. Please go to the link and read the whole thing for yourself. I left a lot out.
Rise and measure the temple of God: Sometimes in the Old Testament, the idea of measuring communicates ownership, protection, and preservation. When Habakkuk prophesied, He stood and measured the earth (Habakkuk 3:6), the idea was that the Lord owned the earth and could do with it as He pleased. When this temple is measured, it shows that God knows its every dimension, and He is in charge.
The temple of God: In point of fact, today there are Jewish people very interested in rebuilding the temple and resuming sacrifice, and are making preparations to do that exact thing even now.
But leave out the court which is outside the temple: The outer court need not be measured because it has been given to the Gentiles. Perhaps this is because the outer courts of this rebuilt temple include the Islamic Dome of the Rock shrine, which currently stands on the temple mount and is a point of great contention between Jews and Muslims.
When the Romans conquered Jerusalem in a.d. 70 they destroyed the city so completely that the foundations of the old temple are not easily found. Most have long assumed that the Dome of the Rock shrine stands on the place of the old temple. But new research gives some evidence that the temple may have stood to the north of where the Dome of the Rock shrine is today, and that if the temple were to be rebuilt at its old place, the Dome of the Rock shrine would be in its outer courts. If this is the case (and the research is by no means settled), then it would explain why the angel told John 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 underfoot: Greek scholar A.T. Robertson said that to tread underfoot means “to trample with contempt.”
My two witnesses: This introduces two of the more interesting characters of Revelation, the two witnesses. The character of their ministry is prophetic (they will prophesy); they preach and demonstrate repentance (clothed in sackcloth), and they have an effective ministry (I will give power).
The two witnesses indeed served with power. “Such power, in fact, that they are able to witness for 1,260 days in spite of the antagonism of the world.” (Walvoord)
These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands: The witnesses have an unique, continual empowering from the Holy Spirit, as shown in Zechariah’s olive trees and oil lamps picture (Zechariah 4:2-3 and 4:14).
And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies: The two witnesses have special protection from God, similar to Elijah’s in 2 Kings 1.
These have power to shut heaven… 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 have the power to bring both drought and plague, similar to the power Elijah (James 5:17-18) and Moses (Exodus 7-12) had.
They… These… Them: In the ancient Greek grammar, all the nouns used to speak of the two witnesses in this passage are in the masculine gender. The two witnesses are definitely two men.
Make war against them, overcome them, and kill them: The two witnesses are killed by the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit (first introduced in Revelation 9:11, and who is most likely Satan himself) but their ministry is not cut short. They fully accomplish their task (when they finish their testimony).
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: The two witnesses are killed in the city of Jerusalem, which is described in three illustrative terms.
Those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another: The earth saw and rejoiced over the deaths of the two witnesses. The fact that this is seen by all people, tribes, tongues, and nations is perhaps an oblique prophecy of modern mass media.
It is amazing — and not far-fetched at all — to think of a live, worldwide broadcast on news channels and over the internet, “Live from Jerusalem,” and seeing the amazing scene described here taking place.
The idea is also that the world treats these two witnesses in a humiliating manner. “To have his dead body lie in view of all was the worst humiliation a person could suffer from his enemies.” (Johnson)
Make merry, and send gifts to one another: Donald Grey Barnhouse told of a Christmas card with Revelation 11:10 on its cover — a terrible misquoting of the Scriptures!
Because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth: The preaching of these two witnesses and their call to repentance was a torment for many, because they could not stand to hear the truth while they loved their lie.
They stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them: As this happens before the eyes of the watching world, the enemies of these two witnesses are horrified and astonished.
Come up here: The earth was not worthy of these two witnesses, so God simply calls them home, and they ascended to heaven in a cloud.
In the same hour there was a great earthquake: An earthquake brings judgment, and moves many to give glory to God. But it remains to be seen if this will become true repentance unto salvation.
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The Two Witnesses are two odd men. They breathe fire! If you mess with them, they can breathe fire! That's in verse 5.
Look at verse 6. These Two Witnesses can hold back the rain! With no rain, there are no crops. If there are no crops, there is no food. With no rain, the water on earth continues to evaporate, leaving only nasty salty water to drink. Instead of rain storms there would be sandstorms. People will be parched and thirsty for three and a half days. Is that human time or God's time? I figure it's God's time because three "human days" would be a relief to some in Southern Maryland, if it were to happen today! For three and a half years, they will preach "Repentance" and annoy the fire out of everyone left on earth.
Thanks to the Romans, the destruction in Jerusalem after the Romans were done in 70AD, must have been worse than the destruction in Gaza today. The Romans did such a thorough job, the Temple of God was almost completely wiped away. Archeologists today still don't have a clue where the real cornerstones of the Temple in Rome used to be.
The Two Witnesses are charged, by God, to teach the Gospel to anyone who has ears. It doesn't matter if the Gospel they will teach is the only one that is really true. It doesn't matter that they can breathe fire [or say some really over the top rancorous things]. The people absolutely hate them. The people who hate the Witnesses are un-believers and non-believers.
These two guys are dressed in sackcloth and they are testifying "The end is coming, Repent".
In fact, the people hate the Two Witnesses so much, when the people finally figured out how to kill them... They displayed the bodies for three and a half days!
I wonder... were the Two Witnesses put in coffins to be "viewed" by the people, like the pope or were they left lying in the street with a handmade sign over their bodies. Do the people spit on them as they walk by?
Does that tell you the people on earth, when the Two Witnesses appear on earth, were really what we would call "Beyond Salvation"?
Sure, God could be merciful and save everyone, but look at them... they're hating the Two Godly Prophets!!!! Are they spitting on the Prophets of God?
And then... Verse 9 says they will lay in the square "unburied" for three and a half days.
Wait... is that three and a half days human time or three and a half days Gods time? Those Two Witnesses must be dried to the bones after three and a half days, if it was God's time as opposed to a couple days of human time.
It says the people will buy presents for each other in order to celebrate the death of the Two Witnesses. I guess the economy will be booming, right?
And then all the people on earth will have their minds blown! God will call the Two Witnesses and they [though they are dead] will stand up... hop on a cloud and leave.
That should blow peoples' minds, right? When the dead get up, hop on a cloud, and leave.... Everyone should be terrified!
Oh look, no time for terror! As soon as the Two Witnesses have left on their cloud, an earthquake will shake things up!!!
The Two Witnesses will teach...
"The End is Near! Repent! Repent!"
