In 2020, the Ecuadorian volcano Sangay erupted. The BBC described the “dark ash plume which reached a height of more than 39,000 feet.” The discharge covered four provinces (about 198,000 acres) in gray ash and grimy soot. The sky turned dingy and grim, and the air was thick—making it difficult to breathe. Farmer Feliciano Inga described the unnerving scene to El Comercio newspaper: “We didn’t know where all this dust was coming from. . . . We saw the sky go dark and grew afraid.”
Incredible circumstances will cause some people to change. And during the tribulation, God will raise up two very special witnesses during very dark days that will cause some people to change. God will orchestrate their ministry to bring glory to Himself.
The main idea that I hope that you see from our study is spiritual warfare. It is going on today, but it is not as visible as chapter 11. Today spiritual battle is best described by Ephesians 6:12 which says “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
Revelation 11:1-2 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, 2 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. (ESV)
Before we get too far in chapter 11, there is some key background information to know behind verses 1-2. This is about a literal Temple, literal worshipers and literal two witnesses. The temple area today is possessed by the Muslim world. It will take a great cause for the temple to be built on the mount. These events that we are reading in verses 1-2 require some dramatic changes and a great spiritual revival.
One question from verse 1 is, how did the Temple and these worshippers become prevalent in these last days? The answer is in Chapter 7. Remember there are 144,000 Jews sealed or marked by God. Revelation 7:3-4 “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed.”
I hold to the idea that it is the work of these 144,000 sealed Jews who together repossess the temple mount and rebuild the temple. This activity will cause a reaction from the nations of the world.
God will raise up two men who will protect the worshippers in verse 1 and proclaim His Word 42 months or 3½ years. Their message is about God’s nearing judgment. That’s why they are in sackcloth, or mourning clothes.
Revelation 11:3 “And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” (ESV)
Verse 3 helps us understand the message and where these two witnesses are from.:
1.) Their identity: “My” witnesses: They have God’s authority! Jews required vindication of God on a person. For example Luke 7:20-22 “When the men had come to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, ‘Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?’ “21 And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight. 22 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them.”
Today the Jews are still looking for persons like Elijah, John the Baptist, and The Messiah.
2.) Two witnesses: In Jewish law at least two witnesses were necessary to validate a message or person’s testimony in judicial proceedings. (cf. Deuteronomy 19:15).
3.) They prophesy: They have ability to prophesy: A major emphasis of Joel 2 is that prophetic ability will be active for Jews in the end times.
4.) Their time is marked: 1290 days. This is a prophetic promise of protection of God’s people in the tribulation. (see Daniel 9:25-27)
5.) Their clothing: They’re in Sackcloth. Indicating the content of their message. Sackcloth is a distinct Jewish cultural norm. When worn it is a sign of mourning and penitence. (Tel Aviv Air Port) Ultimately the two witnesses bring a call to repentance which is seen as an activity of the OT prophets. They wore such clothing while prophesying for repentance i.e. turn back to God! (cf. Daniel 9:3)
Now add verse 4…
Revelation 11:4 “These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.” (ESV)
These “two witnesses” in Revelation 11 are there to protect worshippers and proclaim God’s coming judgment.
6.) In verse 4 they are likened to two olive trees. In Zechariah 4:3, 14 the governor and high priest of Judah were involved in rebuilding the second temple in Jerusalem, about 500 years before Christ. They had just returned from captivity in Babylon, and they wanted to restore the worship of YHWH. In Zechariah chapter 4 the governor and high priest are also called “two olive trees,” who spearhead the effort to restore temple worship. That’s the same description we have in Revelation 11
7. They were also called the two lampstands: These prophet-witnesses have the fuel and the light to be faithful witnesses. (Like the account of Matthew 25:1-14 of ten virgins and their oil lamps symbolizing faithfulness to wait for the bridegroom)
These two witnesses will have incredible abilities like the prophets who came long ago. Many Bible scholars compare their abilities to that of Elijah and Moses, who had power to darken the sky and turning water into blood. In verse 5 and 6 they are invincible until their work is done.
Revelation 11:5-6 “And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone 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 power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire.” (ESV)
8.) Their distinct miracles: These two witnesses performed great miracles much like those done when God delivered the people from the bondage of Egypt. Their presence will be a vivid Scriptural reminder to any Jew of God’s hand as in the days of Israel’s deliverance. ( cf. Exodus 7:14-12:32).
All these specific descriptions should vindicate to the Jews that these messengers are from God.
And there was an end to their service. These two witnesses are silenced with the next powerful beings’ arrival.
Revelation 11:7 “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” (ESV)
It is a war on God, the worshippers of God and these two witnesses. There are some key descriptions of this beast.
1.) The beast: This is the first time the word “beast” is mentioned in Revelation. Notice where the beast is from. “the beast that comes up from the bottomless pit” – Revelation 11:7.
The truth of who is behind all the events is now revealed. Its a battle of spiritual forces between Satan and God. Yet, even then many people still don’t see it.
Revelation 11:8 “Their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified.” (ESV)
2.) The cities: Sodom, Egypt, and Jerusalem are bound into one symbolic place representing the entire world that resists God. The city is of course Jerusalem. She is called “Sodom” because of her immorality, and she is called “Egypt” because of her idolatry. It is the place where Jesus was crucified.
3.) The reaction: Notice what the people on earth do.
Revelation 11:9-10 “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.” (ESV)
In verses 9-10, the death of the witnesses will be as a victory celebration and it will seem that the beast is the victor.
One commentator that I read called this “A Satanic Christmas.” And said it is like the whole world will throw a big party and give gifts to each other when they see the dead bodies of these two witnesses. Another commentator said the only way the world could react this way is made possible from satellite and other technology that we already have in place today. Surely, we are closer than ever to the coming of the Lord.
How will the antichrist come to world power? I think that the ability to silence godly witnesses will have an impact. When the Antichrist kills these two and those who worship God, he certainly will have the world’s attention and fear because in verse 10 the world was fearful of the two witnesses!
Of course the celebration of wickedness will be short-lived, it only lasts “three and a half days” in verse 11.
Revelation 11:11-13 “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.” (ESV)
The command of a heavenly voice is significant for the two witnesses who ascend into heaven. Also noted is yet another significant sign of Jewish ideology. Notice “they ascended in a cloud.” These are signs of divine vindication. It was established with Moses when he went up on the mountain where “the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days” (Exodus. 24:16). The Israelites saw the cloud is a symbol of the Shekinah Glory of God and the Israelites felt the mountain shake from the voice of God.
The combination of the resurrection and the ascension of the two witnesses along with the devastating earthquake strikes fear in the people who survive. The Scriptures record that many people were afraid and “gave glory to the God of heaven.” – Revelation 11:13
Up until this point, the people thought they were dealing with just 2 witnesses. Now, they know they are dealing with the Living God, who empowered those witnesses and protected them until their work was done.
The phrase “gave glory to the God of heaven” has some theological implications.
I want to share four reasons why I think the some of the people came to repent and know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
First, the response was different from the earthquake in chapter 9:20-21 “But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. 21 And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.”
Second, the Bible declares God’s desire for everyone to repent. These great earthquakes and extra ordinary events are meant to lead more people to repentance.
Third, They had years of witnessing very incredible testimonies and events. Spiritually these events and testimonies should have started to add up in the minds of some of the people. As in the prodigal son account, it is possible to live like a fool for a while but not forever!
Fourth, one Bible scholar (Beasley- Murray) noted in Joshua 7:19 and in Jeremiah 13:16 that both texts support the idea that, ““to give glory to God” means to confess sin and repent of it.”
We shouldn’t be surprised that there will be people who will repent in the last days. It’s not the easiest time in history to come to know the Lord. It’s true that some people are brought to salvation through difficulty and some through ease, but all through the saving grace and mercy of Jesus Christ.
Since, “all of the Bible is written for our learning” and we are studying this passage. The point is that now is a great time to repent! By repent I mean to turn to Jesus Christ as your only way for salvation. Romans 10:9 “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Please, don’t be a person who says that I wish that I would have turned to the Lord earlier and did more for the Lord when I was able. “Today, if you hear His voice harden not your heart!” -Hebrews 3:15
The spiritual battle rages on today, but we have and we know the end of the story. We know ultimately everyone will bow before God, but many people will not be able to spend eternity with Him because when “His invisible attributes are clearly seen,… even His eternal power and Godhead…they did not glorify Him as God” (Romans 1:20,21)
There are only two groups of people in the world, those who accept and respond to the Revelation of God and those who refuse to repent. Whose side are you on?