Revelation 11 | The Two Witnesses

We trace Revelation 11 from the measuring of the temple to the seventh trumpet, weighing literal and symbolic readings of the temple, timeframes, and the identity of the two witnesses. The story moves from sackcloth and scorn to resurrection and reign, asking where our allegiance rests.

• symbolic versus literal readings of the temple
• meaning of measuring and the unmeasured outer court
• forty-two months, 1,260 days, and time, times, and half a time
• identities proposed for the two witnesses
• olive trees and lampstands as church imagery
• the beast’s war, public scorn, and refused burial
• resurrection, ascent, earthquake, and fear
• seventh trumpet, kingdom transfer, and eternal reign
• judgment of nations, reward for servants, small and great
• opened heavenly temple and unveiled ark

Intro music - Toby Mac

Outro music - Zach Williams

Catch On Fire Podcasts

This channel does a deep dive into the scriptures so as to teach what it means to be...

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Chapters

• 0:09 Framing Revelation 11’s Hardest Questions
• 1:41 Which Temple Is Measured And Why
• 5:56 Inner Courts, Outer Court, And Protection
• 9:12 Forty-Two Months Or Symbolic Time
• 14:21 Introducing The Two Witnesses
• 18:16 Who Are They: Elijah, Moses, Enoch, Or Church
• 19:18 [Ad] Catch On Fire Podcasts
• 20:00 (Cont.) Who Are They: Elijah, Moses, Enoch, Or Church
• 24:56 Symbolism Of Olive Trees And Lampstands
• 29:16 Beastly Opposition And Martyrdom
• 33:45 Sodom, Egypt, And The Great City
• 37:45 Celebration Over Death And Hard Hearts
• 40:44 Resurrection, Ascent, And Earthquake
• 45:44 Seventh Trumpet And The Kingdom Announced
• 48:49 Judgment, Reward, And The Opened Temple

Transcript

SPEAKER_01: 0:09

Well, thanks again for listening to this verse-by-verse Bible study podcast where we're getting ready to tackle Revelation chapter 11, which many commentators and scholars believe is the most difficult chapter in Revelation to interpret, because we're going to be talking about the two witnesses. Now, usually I'll do a quick recap of the last chapter, but we have so much to cover in this chapter that I'm going to forego that and just dive right in, except to say that remember, John took the scroll from the angel and was told that he must continue to prophesy. And so we pick that up here in chapter 11, beginning with the first two verses which read, Then I was given a measuring rod, like a staff, and I was told rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there. But do not measure the court outside the temple, leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. So John is given a measuring rod and told to go measure the temple. And right away, depending on how you view the end times, revelation, prophecy, and all of that, it's going to color how you interpret these verses. But we know that we probably aren't talking about the Jerusalem Temple in John's day, because that temple had already been destroyed when John is writing Revelation. It was destroyed in 70 AD by the Romans at the hands of Titus Vespasian and the fifth, tenth, twelfth, and fifteenth legions. The temple was destroyed and Jerusalem was burned, and the Jews suffered around a million deaths. And so if John isn't referring to that temple, then what temple is he referring to? Well, dispensationalists who I think we mentioned in an earlier episode, they believe that this means that the temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt. I mean, if it's not rebuilt, then how can John measure it? And furthermore, they argue, the temple has to be rebuilt in order for the prophecies about the Antichrist in places like 2 Thessalonians 2, where it says, Let no one deceive you in any way, for that day will not come, and he's speaking of the return of Jesus here, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, and we're talking about the Antichrist here, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called God or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. And so this is why they're all sort of all eyes on Israel and any news pertaining to the rebuilding of the temple, because they believe this can't happen until the temple is rebuilt. So that is one view of the temple here. But another view is that John's not talking about a literal temple, he's speaking of a spiritual temple, the temple being symbolic of God's people. And the word John uses for temple in the Greek here is Naos, which generally describes the most sacred parts of the temple and not the entire building complex. And so some people interpret this as the temple representing Israel, and the altar representing the faithful remnant who refused to assimilate with the world. But in various places in the New Testament, first and second Corinthians, Ephesians 2, 1 Peter 2, God's people are referred to as God's temple. For example, 1 Corinthians 3 16 says, Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him, for God's temple is holy, and you are that temple. And we also saw the temple as representing God's people back in Revelation 3, and we'll also see mention of it in chapter 13. And when we get to chapter 21, and we see the new heaven and the new earth and the new Jerusalem, John actually says in verse 22, and I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God, the Almighty, and the Lamb. And even the Dead Sea scrolls sometimes portrayed their community as being a temple or a house. Now this interpretation is the more common one helped by scholars today, although within many evangelical circles, this temple is most often viewed as a literal temple. But this interpretation sees the temple as the temple of God, meaning John isn't speaking of a literal temple. Believers are God's dwelling place, just as God inhabited the physical temple in the Old Testament. And this understanding of the temple, it has support in the rest of the New Testament as well, as Paul claims that the people of God, those who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, are God's temple. And so if the reference to the temple is symbolic, then the measuring of the temple means the measuring of God's people. And measuring means that those who belong to God are secure and protected. Now, as always, I'm not dogmatic about it either way because it's not a salvation issue. I just want to introduce you to the various interpretations and sort of lay out and help you understand why people have different thoughts on this and why they have them. And this temple we're referring to here, it may seem insignificant piece of this overall narrative, but it's important when people are discussing end times and prophecy and all the other signs. And so I wanted to spend an extra moment going over that. But getting back to the text, John is told to measure the temple, but do not measure the court outside the temple. Leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for 42 months. So a quick word about the temple and the court outside the temple. First off, if you think of the temple as just this church-like building, then get that image out of your head. The temple was a massive complex. The upgraded building of it by Herod, it took like 30, 40 years, and it covered 35 acres. The stones of the western wall are 40 ton blocks, and the temple had white marble with this gold overlay. I mean, this was no ordinary building, but as I mentioned, it was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD, and the only remaining part is what we now know as the Western Wall or the Wailing Wall. It's a national symbol of Israel and perhaps their holiest site. And it's where you see Jews praying and inserting prayer on paper within the cracks between the stones. But this temple had various courts. Now that Greek word naos that I mentioned, it referred to the area enclosed, where the holy place and the most holy place were located, where only priest or the high priest were allowed. And there were two other courts that were for Israel and women, and then beyond these inner courts was an outer court for Gentiles. And so why are all these details about the temple important? Because again, John is told, do not measure the court outside the temple and to leave it out. John's told that the outer court is not to be measured. It was outside of the sanctuary, and so it was to be disregarded and left out of consideration. The outer court will not be sheltered and protected by God. Now just like in other places in Revelation, there are different interpretations, there are differing views here as to what this means. In other words, who is the outer court referring to? Some people think that it's the unbelieving Jews who are cast out, and some argue that it's referring to unfaithful Christians. Another interesting reading of this suggests that the outer court's referring to the outward life of believers, maybe their physical bodies. And on this understanding, believers are spiritually protected by God. They're sealed and protected from the coming wrath of God. But believers are not spared from persecution and suffering in this age. But whoever we're talking about here, the reason the outer court's not protected is because it's been granted to the Gentiles. And that Greek word for granted here, edothe, refers to what God has given, what he has allowed or permitted. And even in our present age, God has allowed his people to suffer, just like Jesus suffered. Jesus was handed over to the Gentiles to suffer and die. Paul was handed over to the Romans for imprisonment. And here we see that God's people are handed over to the Gentiles. And that term Gentiles, it refers to pagans and unbelievers who mistreat the people of God. And it says that they will trample the holy city. In Revelation, the holy city refers to the New Jerusalem and it's closely associated with the people of God. And so most scholars today believe that the holy city, it's not talking about the literal city of Jerusalem, but to the people of God. In other words, it's the people of God who will be trampled for 42 months. And again, we're told that this trampling, it'll take place for 42 months, and this is the first place in Revelation where we come across this time period. And here again, we need to pause and discuss this because this is another place where there are differing opinions, and yet another example of why this chapter is so difficult. But we're going to see that this same period of time, it's described in three different ways. It's described as 42 months, 1260 days, and a time times and half a time, which many believe is three and a half years. And if we cling to a literal interpretation, then it makes sense that all of these are different ways to describe a three and a half year period. But the question is, is that the correct interpretation? And the reason it's important for us to talk about this now is because we're going to see these numbers again. And many people look at end times and prophecies through the lens of how they interpret these time periods. For example, they look at the Great Tribulation, a peace treaty made by the Antichrist, and the timing of potential rapture through the perspective that these are literal time periods. And so once again we see that your interpretation of certain aspects of the text will influence how you interpret other things. And so we read in verse 2, but do not measure the court outside the temple, leave that out. For it's given over to the nations and they will trample the holy city for 42 months. And so the question of interpretation here is, is that a literal 42 months, or is the forty-two month time period symbolic? Well, again, some argue that it is a literal time period. Dispensationalists firmly believe that the 42 months represents a literal three and a half year period during the future Great Tribulation, and that this time frame it aligns precisely with the time, times, and half a time prophesied by Daniel, which is three and a half years or exactly 1260 days. And so they would argue, and they view these periods as historical precedents for God's precise calendar in end times events, and that these numbers are not symbolic or figurative uses like we see elsewhere in Scripture. And they believe that this literal interval will mark the height of the Antichrist reign before Christ's second coming. But other people argue that, look, Revelation falls within this biblical apocalyptic type literature which consistently uses numbers symbolically, not literally. And so they argue that the 42 months is a number which symbolically represents the entire period between the resurrection and Jesus' return. Now in Revelation chapters 11, 12, and 13, we're going to see this time period described in three different ways. In chapter 13, we're going to see that the beast authority lasts 42 months. And here in a few moments we're going to read that the two witnesses will prophesy for 1260 days. And in chapter 12, we're going to see that the woman is nourished in the wilderness for a time times and half a time, or three and a half years. And so it's not difficult to see that the same period of time is intended, but the ways of describing it are significant. And so perhaps they should be distinguished from one another. So for example, 1260 days is used in a positive sense to denote the church's preservation and protection. And so the woman nourished in the wilderness and the two witnesses who prophesy are both protected by God, and so the twelve hundred and sixty days is used. As a contrast to that, the time period is expressed as forty-two months when it's speaking of the persecution and mistreatment of the church. That's why we see the holy city trampled for forty two months, and in chapter thirteen, when the beast exercises authority and persecutes the church for forty-two months. As a side note, it's interesting. John never uses the phrase three and a half years, even though all three of those expressions equal three and a half years. And as I've mentioned before, seven is the number of completion and perfection. Three and a half is a broken seven. Another interesting tidbit for you. According to Numbers chapter three, there were forty-two stations or stops in the wilderness for Israel. So forty-two months is comparable to Israel's time in the wilderness, to the suffering they experienced in the desert. And so some argue that considering all of this, that we should not read John's numbers as being literal but symbolic, pointing to an evil period of time. And so for example, one commentator refers to it as a broken seven or a fractured period in which the church, the believers, are in the wilderness. But if nothing else, I hope you're at least beginning to see why this chapter is so difficult. But we're going to shift gears now, shifting our focus from the temple and outer courts and measuring in forty-two months to the two witnesses, which is the main focus of this chapter. And so we continue now with verses three through six, which read, And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if any one would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If any one would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have the power over waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they desire. And so now we come to the heart of the chapter, the two witnesses. And we see that God has granted power to his two witnesses. They will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days. And this is why I wanted to go ahead and cover the whole twelve hundred and sixty days, forty-two months or three and a half years issue, because we're going to continue seeing these numbers. But first, why two witnesses? And it may be for other reasons, but maybe because biblical rules of evidence required a minimum of two witnesses for testimony to be valid. Deuteronomy 19 15 tells us that a single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses, or of three witnesses, shall a charge be established. And even early Christian witnesses were sent out in pairs whenever possible. But the two witnesses are clothed in sackcloth. Now we cover this in our Genesis study, but sackcloth was a coarse, sort of a rough cloth made from either goat or camel hair, and wearing it was an expression of repentance or humility or mourning. And so it makes sense that the two witnesses are wearing sackcloth as a sign of wickedness of the world and of God's pending judgment. But I want to spend some time discussing the potential identity of the two witnesses, because it's one of those controversial and much debated topics in Revelation. And just to be clear on the front end, there's no consensus on who the two witnesses are, but I want to make you aware of some of the possibilities and the reasons people have for suggesting who these two witnesses are. But to give you a flavor of possibilities, some believe that the two witnesses are Elijah and Enoch. Others think Elijah and Moses. Some say Jeremiah and Enoch, some say Peter and Paul, and others say that these aren't actually two people, but are symbolic of the witnessing church throughout history. Now there are others, of course, but let me take the more common ones and give you a brief summary of why people believe the way they do. So let's start with a possibility that these two witnesses are Enoch and Elijah. Now some of even the early church fathers like Hippolytus, Tullian, and Jerome, they believed that the two witnesses were Enoch and Elijah because neither one of them died, and they were both translated to heaven. If you remember back in Genesis 5, we're told that Enoch walked with God and he was not, for God took him. And as for Elijah in 2 Kings, as Elijah and Elisha were walking, we're told, and as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And so people will argue since neither of them died, they will return as the two witnesses, and when they return, they will suffer death which they escaped during their first time on earth. But another popular belief is that the two witnesses will be Elijah and Moses, and they believe Elijah because it tells us here in Revelation that fire pours from their mouths, and Elijah was able to rain down fire from heaven, defeating the prophets of Baal. And here in verse six we also read that they have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying. Well, Elijah was also able to bring drought for three and a half years, according to James. Verse 6 also tells us that they have the power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague. Well, that's exactly what Moses did during the captivity in Egypt. And there's something else that's interesting about Moses. When he died, do you know who buried him? God did. And where did he bury him? All we know is that according to Deuteronomy 34, God buried him in the valley of the land of Moab. But we're also told in Deuteronomy that to this day nobody knows where his grave is located. And it makes you wonder why. But you want to hear something else interesting? We're told in Jude 1.9 that there was a spiritual battle over the body of Moses. The archangel Michael disputed with Satan over the body of Moses, but we're never told why. Interesting. But wait, there's more. Remember the transfiguration when Jesus' appearance was transformed or transfigured on a mountain, revealing his divine glory. Peter, James, and John were eyewitnesses, and this scene is described in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. But do you remember who else was with Jesus when he appeared to them? Moses and Elijah. They both appeared talking with him. And so some people have joked that they were just having a staff meeting about the end times. And so again, this event, this transfiguration, along with the other considerations, is why some people argue that the two witnesses will be Moses and Elijah, bridging the Old Testament with Moses and the Law and Elijah and the prophets with the New Testament of Jesus. And Jesus told us in Matthew 5.17, do not think that I've come to abolish the law or the prophets. I've not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. And so in this transfiguration scene, we see a manifestation of the law, the prophets, and the gospel. And so those are just some high-level reasons why people believe the two witnesses could either be Enoch and Elijah or Elijah and Moses. And there are other pairs of people that are put forth and conjectured. But I want to also make you aware of a thought that's completely different, which is that the two witnesses don't actually refer to two individuals, but to the church that witnesses to the whole world during the entire period from Christ's ascension until his second coming. In other words, there's another perspective that seeds the two witnesses not as two individuals, but as the witnessing church all throughout history. And so to give you a perspective on why some believe this, let's go back and reread verses three and four, which told us, and I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And so we're told that the two witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before God. And so they argue that John is once again using symbolism here when he refers to olive trees and lampstands. And this harkens all the way back to the prophet Zechariah, who was shown a golden lampstand with seven lamps and two olive trees. And Zechariah asked the angel what they were, and the angel told him in Zechariah 4.14, these are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth. Now in Zechariah, the two anointed ones were most likely Zerubel the ruler and Joshua the high priest. And so in using this reference, John gives us a picture of the two witnesses. They are kings and priests. In Revelation 1 6 we're told to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priest to his God and Father. And first Peter 2 says that we are a royal priesthood, that we may proclaim the name of Jesus who called us out of darkness and into light. The church belongs to Jesus Christ. We have been anointed, we are kings and priests, and we're to share the gospel and God's blessing to the world. And then lastly, we're told explicitly in Revelation chapter 1 and verse 20 that the lampstands are the churches. And so again, that's why some people take the perspective that these two witnesses are not two individuals, but the church. And of course, when I say church, I mean all true believers, not any particular church or denomination. And so some people might ask, well, what about the 1260 days then? Does the church only witness for 1260 days? Well, you could view that in one of two ways. That may be referring to a specific in-time witnessing period, or you can view the twelve hundred and sixty days symbolically, not as a length of time, but as a kind of time. Meaning John here is using Daniel's number not to tell us the length of time, but of the kind of time. A kind of time where the era of the church will be characterized by much suffering. Now I don't know if this means anything, but I'm going to throw it out for those of you who might be interested and are into numbers. But 1260, it's the sum of all even numbers up to 70. And we see 70 show up in the 70 years in the Jewish Babylonian exile and the 70 weeks of Daniel. In Matthew, Peter asked Jesus, Lord, how often will my brother sin against me and I forgive him? As many as seven times? And what was Jesus' response? Jesus said to him, I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven times. So seventy appears to be a number that's associated with fullness or completion. Now in chapter thirteen, we'll be covering the infamous number of the beast, the six six six. But here's something interesting. Six plus six plus six equals eighteen. Guess what eighteen times seventy equals twelve hundred and sixty. And so is it possible that there's something deeper going on here with the twelve hundred and sixty days that maybe they're somehow symbolic rather than literal days? And so if you're someone who likes to dive down into rabbit holes, there you go. But the identity of the two witnesses has been debated for two thousand years now, and so I don't think we're going to settle that right here, but I wanted to take some time and at least introduce you to some different perspectives on the issue. And just know that as we move forward, your particular interpretation will influence how you interpret some of the other scenes that are going to play out here in Revelation. But we continue with verses seven through nine, which read, and when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them, and conquer them and kill them, and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom in Egypt, where their Lord was crucified. For three and a half days, some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb, and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth. And so what we see here is that regardless of who the two witnesses are, once they finish their testimony, that is, once they've completed the work of God, they will be killed. And we're told that the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war with them and conquer them and kill them. And I would point out again the fact that as Christians, we're not promised to be spared from suffering. This is just another example. And those who preach or teach anything different may want to read this verse again. Now, just a quick word on the beast here. Some people take the beast to be Satan. Some believe it's the Antichrist, and still others believe that the beast is a reference to an imperial power, meaning the state or the government or some other sort of authority, particularly a power that opposes the spreading of the good news, which is Jesus Christ, him crucified and then risen. And anywhere you see that happening, you will see the spirit of the Antichrist. And sadly, you don't have to look very far these days. And as much as I'd like to get into a discussion of the beast right here, I'm going to hold off on that until we get to chapter 13, where the whole chapter is about the beast and the second beast, the number 666 and all of that. But for those who take the two witnesses to be two individuals, then this is where they're going to be killed. This is where they will be martyred at the hands of the beast, and their ministry will come to an end. Now we've been talking about two witnesses, but what does that actually even mean to be a witness? Well in the Greek, the word for witness is martis, meaning someone who testifies to the truth. But by the time of Revelation, many Christian witnesses were persecuted and killed for their faith, and the word martis became associated with their death. As a result, martyr was adopted into English to describe a person who dies for their beliefs. And here's something important to consider. There may very well come a time when true witness will cost you your life. A lot of cultural Christians I'll say, they want the comfort of a saving relationship with Jesus, but they sometimes forget when he told us if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. And picking up a cross that's not a foreshadowing of an easy, comfortable path. But for those who view the two witnesses as the church, as believers, then we may be seeing the end of the witness of the church and the actual end of the age. But it's comforting to remember the last words of Jesus before he ascended when he said, And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age. But the beast will make war with the witnesses, he will conquer them, and he will kill them. Not only that, but we're told, and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom in Egypt, where their Lord was crucified. Now, as I mentioned, your interpretation earlier of who the two witnesses are will now impact how you interpret these verses. And here we can see why it makes sense that the two witnesses are two individual. Individuals, because it's not hard to imagine two corpses lying in the street. But when we read this, it's a bit more difficult to imagine the entire church lying dead in the city. But if this does represent the church, John's not saying that every believer will literally be put to death. He's portraying the church as a whole, as a martyr church, as a people who are despised and dishonored and hated by the world. I mean, Christians have been hated and martyred for the last 2,000 years. This is nothing new, but it will be intensified. And as I record this, we are literally seeing the murder of thousands of Christians in Nigeria simply because they're Christians. But it says that their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom in Egypt, where their Lord was crucified. Now, first of all, in the ancient world, leaving a body unburied was dishonorable and shameful. I mean it was the ultimate indignity, and it was normally reserved for the worst criminals. And again, it says that they'll lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom in Egypt. And so the first thing to notice is that the city is symbolically called Sodom in Egypt. Which means what? That we know it's not actually Sodom or Egypt. Those cities are being used symbolically. And we know this because it tells us they are symbolic, as well as the fact that Sodom no longer exists and Egypt isn't a city. But the city is like Sodom because of its wickedness and the fact that it will be destroyed in judgment. And it's like Egypt due to its oppression and persecution of God's people. I mean, even the prophet Isaiah referred to the leaders in Israel as rulers of Sodom, and he referred to the people as people of Gomorrah. And so Sodom becomes sort of this type or this model for end time judgment. But John also refers to Jerusalem here when referring to the city. He says, where their Lord was crucified. I mean, this was obviously Jerusalem, and the city could very well be Jerusalem. But when we get to Revelation chapter 16, we're going to see that Babylon the Great is also referred to as the great city. And so what we see here is that John is once again using symbolism to include any city that is opposed to God. Sodom and Egypt, they're obvious in their opposition to God. Jerusalem rejected and crucified the Messiah. And we'll read about Babylon the Great over the next few chapters. And so what it seems John is doing here is indicting every city that opposes God and persecutes his people. And I'm sure in John's day, many people thought that Rome was the great city. But Rome was just the latest embodiment of a long list of cities throughout history. The great city, it's the spiritual home of the people John calls the inhabitants of the earth. And so it doesn't matter whether it's Sodom or Egypt or Jerusalem or Babylon or Rome, the Tower of Babel or Washington, DC, or any other city of this world. As Augustine pointed out, it is simply the opposition between the city of God and the city of man. And I wonder where America falls right now. But the two witnesses have been killed. Their bodies will lay in the street and they refuse burial. But that's not even the worst of it, because in verse 10 we read, and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, and make merry and exchange presents, because the two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth. So not only do their oppressors not bury them and just let their bodies lay in the street, they actually celebrate their deaths. It tells us that those who dwell on the earth will rejoice. Now when it says those who dwell on the earth or the earth dwellers, every time that phrase is used in Revelation, it refers to unbelievers. And these unbelievers are thrilled. They're ecstatic. They're filled with joy over the death of the two witnesses. And you might be saying, look, it's just it's just hard to imagine people actually being full of joy over someone's death. But less than two months ago, Charlie Kirk was assassinated and social media was full of people celebrating his death. It's not as much of a stretch as you might think. But for Christians, this should come as no surprise, because the further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those who speak it. The world also rejoiced at the death of Jesus Christ, and he knew they would. He told the disciples in John 1620, Truly, truly I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. And that is exactly what we see here with the death of the two witnesses. Not only do they celebrate, but they actually celebrate like it was some holiday, exchanging gifts. I mean, unbelievers are so happy at the death of these two witnesses, these two believers, that they're actually giving gifts to one another, celebrating their joy and excitement. Make no mistake, John is communicating here about people opposed to God and the joy they experience at the suffering or death of God's people. And why are they so happy at the death of these two witnesses? Because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth. And notice how in verse 10 it doesn't refer to them as two witnesses, but two prophets. And so John is emphasizing here that their job was to proclaim and spread the word that salvation is through Christ Jesus alone, and the destiny for those who reject him is judgment. And the earth dwellers are tormented by that message. Now if you interpret the two witnesses as being the church, like we discussed earlier, then the earth dwellers, these unbelievers, are tormented by the message of the church, which is that there's only one way to heaven, and that is through Christ Jesus. The two witnesses have been trying to get them to repent, but the world doesn't want to hear that. It covers its ears and it hardens its heart to the truth, and they will have something akin to a satanic Christmas to celebrate the death of the two witnesses, celebrating that the truth they didn't want to hear has now been silenced. But we continue with verses eleven through fourteen, which tell us But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, Come up here, and they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them. And at 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. And so after the witnesses are killed, their bodies left in the street, the celebration of unbelievers, after three and a half days, the breath of life from God enters them, and they stand on their feet. They're resurrected. Now some people might associate those three and a half days with the resurrection of Jesus, but it doesn't really seem that way. First off, because Jesus was in the tomb for only three days, and this is three and a half days. But the three and a half days are more associated with and sort of parallel the forty-two months, the twelve hundred and sixty days, and the three and a half years that we discussed. And we see an allusion to the resurrection of the dead in Ezekiel 37 and the Valley of Dry Bones, which are restored and come back to life. Now for those who believe that these are not two individuals, but the church, remember, Ezekiel's vision of the valley of dry bones being resurrected was most likely a reference to the nation of Israel, not literal individuals who are resurrected. And so if we are talking about the church rather than two individuals, it seems that this is a picture of the church or believers who have been despised and dishonored and rejected by the world. They were overcome by the beast and his allies, and the world celebrated and rejoiced over the apparent defeat of the church. And so what John seems to be doing here is he's highlighting the mistreatment of believers, the persecution of the church, to the point the church is apparently eliminated. The church faithfully proclaims the message of God to the world, but in the process they are persecuted and they suffer. But the picture of resurrection represents the vindication of the witnesses by God. Just like the resurrection of Jesus validated his claims that he was indeed who he said he was, the resurrection of the church here in John's description validates that they were truly proclaiming his message to the world. And so if the two witnesses are a picture of the church, we see that the church is protected or preserved throughout the age for the sake of its proclaiming and spreading the truth of the gospel. But as this commission is fulfilled, the world finally appears to defeat and crush the church through mass martyrdoms. And so the church follows in the steps of its Lord Jesus Christ, and like Christ, Christians will be persecuted and many will die, but will ultimately be resurrected and vindicated by God. And you might think that after witnessing a miracle like this, the world would stop, that it would take notice and maybe turn to God. But we're told that great fear fell upon them, and this fear most likely stemmed from realizing and knowing that the day of judgment is at hand. Verse twelve tells us that then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, Come up here, and they went up to heaven in a cloud and their enemies watched them. But that phrase come up here, in the Greek, it's not an invitation or a suggestion, it's a command. And we're told that they ascended to heaven in a cloud. And remember, clouds often represent God's presence as we've discussed earlier. And Jesus also ascended into heaven in a cloud. And so just like Christ, we see that the two witnesses will follow a similar pattern where they preached, they suffered death, they're resurrected, and then they ascend into heaven, even though it seems they are defeated, just as the enemies of Jesus thought he was defeated, and were told that their enemies watched them, and at 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. So the unbelievers and the enemies of the two witnesses see all of this, and were told there was a great earthquake, a tenth of the city fell, seven thousand people are killed. Now earthquakes in the Old Testament, they often pointed to the end. In Ezekiel thirty eight, God speaks of a great earthquake that will take place so great that quote, all the people who were on the face of the earth shall quake at my presence, and the mountain shall be thrown down, and the cliff shall fall, and every wall shall tumble to the ground. Now the number of seven thousand who will be killed, again, most likely symbolic, meaning the full number of those who will be judged on the last day. And it stands in contrast to the seven thousand in Israel who refused to participate in Baal worship back in 1 Kings 19. And although 7,000 are killed, we're told that the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. And there are varying opinions as to exactly what that means. Some believe this means that they gave glory to God and they were saved. Others that they gave glory to God when they were judged, knowing that the judgment was just and true. And still others believe that this is just a reference to many who will repent and be saved through what they witness. I will mention though that we see in Exodus that after the signs and the plagues that God performed, the magicians of Egypt, they acknowledge God's work, but it doesn't mean that they turned to him or that they truly believed. I mean, even Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged God and gave him glory, but we're not told that he ever truly believed and repented. So what we see is that it's possible that their fear and astonishment, it doesn't necessarily stem from their salvation, but maybe from the dread of punishment. And it sort of reminds me actually of maybe people today who say they believe in God, but they never truly repent or have a relationship with Him. Or maybe others who say that they believe in some quote higher power or say that they're spiritual, but that they never trust in Jesus as their Savior and live a life as a true Christian. Because please understand this. Simply believing in God, that's not going to get you to heaven. The Bible tells us in James 2 19, you believe that God is one, you do well. Even the demons believe and shudder. James is there exposing the significance between the intellectual ascent and the life-surrendering faith. Demons know God exists, they've seen his power, and yet they shudder in this sort of a defiant terror rather than bow in repentant worship. And so the point is if your quote belief, if it leaves you unchanged, unrepentant, and uncommitted, then it's not really a saving faith. You must turn to Jesus Christ because heaven demands a heart that turns, not just a head that nods. Now we'll see the last five verses of this chapter sort of again shifting gears, and the focus turns to the seventh trumpet and what occurs next. And if you remember, we're going to see seven trumpets, and the last three are pretty ominous, but the last three trumpets are introduced by three woes. And we just saw the sixth trumpet and the second woe, and as verse fourteen tells us, the second woe has passed. Behold, the third woe is soon to come. And we have this long pause between the second and the third woes, because the third woe and the seventh trumpet represent the end of history. But John hears this seventh trumpet, and he begins to tell us about it in verses fifteen through seventeen, which read, Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying, The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever. And the twenty four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worship God, saying, We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. And so when the seventh trumpet sounds, loud voices ring out in heaven, signaling the end of history. All of God's plans and purposes will be realized. And we see in the Old Testament that trumpets were sounded at the accession of a king to his throne, and what we're seeing here is the final installation of a king. And we're told that the kingdom of this world, the kingdom of the ungodly, will now become the kingdom of Christ and that he will reign forever. The promise of a Davidic king, the Messiah, who would reign forever, is now being fulfilled. And it's the same kingdom that Daniel foretold of when interpreting the dreams of Nebuchadnezzar, where he also told him that various empires would rise and fall, but that ultimately God would establish a kingdom that will never end. And by the way, when you say the Lord's Prayer, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, this is what you're praying for, for God's kingdom to come, and for his will to be done on earth, just as it is in heaven. This is the answer to that prayer. Now it says that the twenty four elders who sit on their thrones before God fall on their faces and worship God and give him thanks. Now we've already discussed in an earlier chapter the possible identities of the twenty four elders, so I'm not going to get into that again here. But the main point I want to make is not who they are right now, but what they do. They were sitting on their thrones before God, and they got up, they fell on their faces, and worship God and gave him thanks. And that should show us that one of the main ways to worship God is to give him thanks. It's one of the fundamental sins people commit, as we read about in Romans 121, where it tells us, for although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him. But we finish now with the last two verses, verses 18 and 19, which read, The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth. Then God's temple in heaven was open, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and heavy hell. And so we see that the nations of the world opposed to God, they're filled with rage. Even at the close of history, people of the world are still angry, still in this rebellion against God and still infuriated at the reign of Jesus Christ. And it's just a picture of the stubborn, rebellious nature of man right up to the very end. But in response, God's wrath will descend upon them. And we see here a sort of example of Lex Telianus, which is the Latin phrase meaning law of retaliation, or what we know from the Bible as an eye for an eye, because the unrighteous wrath of the nations will be countered by the righteous wrath of God. And also, whereas the wicked are judged for their evil actions, rewards will be given to believers. And I love how John throws in the phrase to both small and great, emphasizing that God is not a respecter of persons. The rewards will be impartial, they'll be perfectly fair and just. And in that moment, no earthly title or role or status is going to carry any weight. Whether you were a president or a CEO, a custodian, teacher, doctor, politician, preacher, none of it is going to matter. God does not show favoritism. He sees the heart, not the resume. And that same standard of righteousness applies to every soul, and the same grace is offered to everyone. All you have to do is accept it. Recognize and confess that you have sinned, that your own efforts, no matter how sincere, can ever make you worthy to stand in the presence of a perfectly holy God. Place your full trust in Jesus Christ alone. Believe in his finished work on the cross, where he took your sins upon himself, he paid the penalty in full, and he rose victorious to offer you forgiveness and a new life. That's it. No rituals, no merit, just faith in what he's already accomplished. Now the last verse, verse 19, brings the seventh trumpet to an end. We see that God's temple is open in heaven, and the Ark of the Covenant is seen in the temple. Both of these things signal that the end has come. And the temple here, most likely, is symbolic of God's presence. In the Old Testament, entrance into the innermost sanctuary, the location of the Ark of the Covenant, was restricted to the high priest and to him only one time per year. The Ark represents God's holy and awesome nature, such that no one who is unholy can stand in his presence. And this unveiling of the ark symbolizes that all of the things which were previously hidden will come to light. And so these last few verses are showing us that the final judgment has arrived. God's glorious presence will be manifested. The kingdom has come, where the righteous are rewarded and the wicked are punished. And so as we close out this chapter, as the seventh trumpet sounds and heaven's temple is opened, it reminds us that history's final act, it's not chaos, but the fulfillment of covenant, every promise kept, every rebellion answered, and every hidden heart exposed. God's kingdom has come not to erase the world, but to reclaim it. And the question that should echo through your soul is when all of the dust settles and every knee finally bows, when the gifts are exchanged, where does your heart reside? In the city of the world or in the temple of God?