Revelation Study 19: Chapter 11, Verses 1-19
“The LORD shall reign forever and ever.”
Cross references:
- Exodus 15:18 : Ps 10:16; 29:10; Is 57:15
Exodus 15:18
1 Then there was given me ameasuring rod like a staff;and someone said, “Get up and measure thetemple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it.
“Then there was given me”
who gave it to John?
“measuring rod”
- κάλαμος (kalamos)
- a reed, reed-pen
- refers to a reedlike plant that grew along the Jordan River
- had a stalk that was hollow and lightweight
- “reed” – bamboo-like cane that would often reach a height of 20 foot
- Idea for measuring rods
John was told to measure 1. the temple of God, 2. the alter, and 3. those who worship in it
Temple- just the inner temple made up of the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies
Altar- probably the brazen altar, located outside the inner sanctuary in the courtyard, where those who have gathered together would be at
“those who worship in it”
- Show there will be Jew alive during the Tribulation who are worshipping God
2Leave out the court which is outside thetemple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months.
“the court which is outside thetemple”
- court of the Gentiles (about 26 acres)
- “do not measure it”
WHY?
“for it has been given to the nations”
- “it has been… forty-two months”
- This is the length of the reign of the Anti-Christ
Israel will flee to a place prepared by God (Rev 12:6; Matt. 24:15-20)
At the end of this period Christ will return
3 And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
“And I will grant authority”
Shows that God is in control
This authority will be given to God’s “two witnesses”
- The Bible requires two people to confirm a fact or truth
The Two Witnesses
Who are they? (vs 4)
Their responsibility will be to prophesy (proclaim)
- Their ministry is three and one-half years
- “clothed in sackcloth”- rough, heavy, coarse cloth worn in ancient times as a symbol of mourning, distress, grief, and humility
- Shows sorrow and grief for world
- Also because of desecration of the Temple
- The world at this time is overrun by demons, and populated by wicked, sinful people who refuse to repent
4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.
- olive trees and lampstands- symbolize the light of revival (olive oil was used in lamps) connecting lamps to trees depicts a constant, spontaneous supply of oil
- Possibly Moses, Elijah, and Enoch
- Elijah
- Called down fire from heaven
- Pronounced a 3 and a half year drought on the land
- Malachi 4:5
- Never died
- Appeared at Transfiguration
- Moses
- Old Testament plagues
- God promised to raise up another prophet like Moses
- God supernaturally buried Moses
- Appeared at Transfiguration
- Enoch
- He walked with God and did not die
- Every man will die
- Their preaching will be a great influence in saving Israel (Romans 11:4-5; 26; Rev. 11:13)
5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way.
“And if anyone wants to harm them”
- They will be hated
“fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies”
- Many desire to harm them, but won’t
- Fire will flow out of their mouth
“if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way”
Anyone who comes to harm these two witnesses, will be killed
God does not want their preaching stopped until their ministry is complete
- God’s hand will be on them
6 These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.
These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying
Just like Elijah (1 Kings 17:1)
they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire
Just like Moses (Exodus 7-12)
The plagues
- These will be world-wide
- The third trumpet resulted in the poisoning of one-third of the earth’s fresh water supply (Rev. 8:10-11) as well as turning water into blood
- This Drought will result in starvation for many animals and humans
7 When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them.
“When they have finished their testimony”
- Stay until their purpose is complete
“the beast that comes up out of the abyss”
- First of 36 references to the beast
- Emphasis is on origin; not Satan
- God will allow him to “make war with them,”“overcome them,” and “kill them.”
8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city whichmystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.
“the great city”
- “mystically called Sodom and Egypt”
- “where their Lord was crucified”
“mystically”
- πνευματικῶς (pneumatikós)
- spiritually, in a spiritual way; from a spiritual point of view
Jerusalem- will be the seat of the Antichrist’s rule (2 Thess. 2:3-4)
- Tells the state of Jerusalem
9 Those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their deadbodies for three and a half days, andwill not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb.
Bodies left to rot in the streets
- In the Near East, not burying a body is considered a violation of decency
- Ultimate way of dishonoring the enemy
- Peoples and tribes and tongues and nations- all-inclusive phrase
- Will do this to gloat over their victory
10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
The Big celebration
Occasion: The death of the two prophets
Who is invited?
those who dwell on the earth
Must bring a gift
“they will send gifts to one another”
- Like Christmas
- Only one of four places that mention rejoicing in Revelation
11 But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them.
They are resurrected!
The reaction of the people
“great fear fell upon those who were watching them”
- Panic will hit
12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them.
They did not go back to preaching and performing miracles, they were called up
Signs and wonders (Luke 16:31)
13 And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell;seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
“People”
- ὄνομα (onoma)
- name, character, fame, reputation
Maybe leaders in the Antichrist government?
The rest (Romans 11:4-5; 26)
- Ends here on a positive note
14 The second woe is past; behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
- Leaves with a warning
“quickly”
- ταχύ (tachu)
- quickly, speedily
- without delay
15 Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,
“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of HisChrist; and He will reign forever and ever.”
- Proclamation is telling what will come with the seventh trumpet
- Jesus takes back what is His on His own terms and not Satan’s terms (Luke 4:5-8)
- “kingdom of the world”- right now under Satan
- “has become”- is so sure that it will happen that it is spoken as if it has already happened
- “will reign forever and ever”- once Christ’s reign begins, it will never end
16 And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God,
Response of the elders
Raptured church?
17 saying,
“We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who were, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign.
“O Lord God, the Almighty”
“who are and who were”- the character of God
“because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign”
This is the moment that they have been waiting for
18 And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time toreward Your bond-servants the prophets and thesaints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”
“And the nations were enraged”
- Reaction of the Satanic nations- rage
- “were enraged”- deep-seated, ongoing hostility; settled burning resentment against God
“Your wrath came”
- “came”- translated just like the coming of Christ’ kingdom; certain
The Judgment
“time for the dead to be judged”-
- “time”- season, era, occasion, or event
- Represents to time of all future judgments
- Other scripture (John 5:25, 28-29; Acts 17:31; 24:21)
The Reward
- “And the time to reward”- (1 Cor. 3:8; Matt. 5:12; 10:41-42; Mark 9:41; Col. 3:24; 2 John 8)
- “bond-servants the prophets”- all who have proclaim God’s truth
- “the saints” (“those who fear your name, the small and the great”) – common biblical description for the redeemed
The Condemnation
- “to destroy those who destroy the earth” – those who pollute the earth with their sin
- Maybe Satan, the Anti-Christ, and the Beast?
19 And thetemple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in Histemple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a greathailstorm.
“ark of His covenant”
- covenant that God has promised to men
- Ark- symbolic of God’s communion with His people
- Also judgment, anger, and wrath