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.
This is from the commentary.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 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.
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)
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.
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.
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.
The commentary goes on to discuss who these two men might be. They talk about Elijah and Enoch.... from the Old Testament. I think the reason the commentary discusses those two... they didn't die in the Old Testament. God just took them up. So, I guess it would make sense if they were appointed to come back to earth and finish by dying and laying in the street for a few days.It says the people will have parties and exchange presents when the two witnesses are dead. Boy... those two guys must step on some toes while they preach.
This is a time marker.... they will preach for 3 1/2 years... and they will annoy everyone who hears them. Remember, the church is gone. The Christians have already been taken up to Heaven. The only ones left on earth are those who just refuse to believe Jesus is Lord.
The commentary talks about "public media" but there have already been two huge earthquakes. There are no cell towers. There is no electricity. There is no working power cord to use to power up our phones. Humans are back to surviving on a wild planet... There is no "social" let alone "social media" when this happens.
I hope I am not here... Everything I have read so far leads me to believe I will be taken up. I hope I am not here.
I hope I'm already at my Brother's place.
Two Witnesses.... There are always two witnesses to make it all very legal.
Two Witnesses...
