Post by Benjamin on Jun 25, 2017 1:38:17 GMT
It's been a long time since I've posted one of my sermons in here, and I'm a very long way behind...
so let me start fixing that.
This is Revelation 11 - sermon 1 of 2.
SCRIBD link: www.scribd.com/document/352172915/11-the-Two-Witnesses
DIRECT PDF Download: 11 The Two Witnesses.pdf (655.11 KB)
FULL TEXT BELOW:
Turn with me in your Bibles, if you would, to Revelation chapter 11. We’re going to be reading verses 1-14 today, though time will only allow us to engage with the first six verses. My sermon this morning will focus primarily on just two points: the temple, and the two witnesses.
Revelation 11, beginning at verse 1.
The Two Witnesses
11 Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. 2 But 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 for forty-two months. 3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. 6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
The Witnesses Killed
7 When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. 8 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. 9 Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. 10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
The Witnesses Resurrected
11 Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. 13 In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
Before we look at anything else this morning, we need to establish some context. Chapter 11 is the second interlude in the book of Revelation. The first of these was the sealing of the 144,000 and the great multitude out of the Tribulation – and there are several more to come in the subsequent chapters. At each of these points, The Holy Spirit takes the apostle John out of the narrative, and moves to a different timeline, or a different perspective, in order to highlight something new. In this instance, John is being shown a time period that ends with the declaration of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ on earth.
Skip ahead for a moment to verse 15.
“Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”
Jesus also outlines for us the duration of this time period: the ministry of the two witnesses will last forty two months, verse 2. Verse 1 of chapter 11, then, and the commencement of that ministry, occurs one thousand, two hundred and sixty days before that declaration. This is not entirely concurrent with the latter half of the Great Tribulation – though the length of time, three and a half years, is the same for each. We can see this because the seventh trumpet itself includes each of the seven bowl judgments that are yet to come, meaning that there remains yet a period (however brief) in which those judgments must occur.
So, that’s the timing of this passage. …but there’s more to the context than that.
Let’s look at the temple.
The Temple
Verse 1.
“Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.”
This is just a single sentence, but it’s absolutely packed with information – and we need to understand what is happening here before we can move on. The most obvious piece of information here is that there will indeed be standing, at the commencement of the ministry of the Two Witnesses, a temple in Jerusalem. We could go into great depth on this topic alone, and look at the historical and prophetic implications of this temple and its location, but for the sake of time today, we won’t. But what we do need to note is that it’s not just that there will be a temple standing in Israel, either – look at the term used here, verse 1. “Rise, and measure the temple of God”.
This is God’s temple; it is claimed and accepted by Him. Now, that might come as a surprise to many, but if we examine Scripture, we find that the Lord has accepted several iterations of the temple in Jerusalem, some of which are more surprising than others. If you’ve been paying attention throughout this series, you might even be able to guess how many. There are in fact seven. I won’t go into detail on each of these, but what I will do is give you the temple, and the Scriptural reference in which the Lord claims them as His. They are:
The Tabernacle Leviticus 15; Leviticus 26; Ezekiel 37
Solomon’s Temple 1 Kings 8:19; 2 Chronicles 23
Zerubabbel’s Temple Ezra 3-5; Zechariah 6
Herod’s Temple Luke 2:49
The Tribulation Temple Malachi 3:1; 2 Thessalonians 2:4, Matthew 24
The Millennial Temple Ezekiel 43:5; 44:4; Zechariah 6
The Temple in Heaven Revelation 7:15; Revelation 11:19
There is a singular distinction to this temple, however.
Where every other temple has had an acceptable sacrifice at one time or another, this one will not. The obvious reason for this is because the sacrifice of Jesus Christ was once, for all, forever. As a result, any sacrifices offered for sin within this temple will be abhorrent to the Lord.
Turn with me for a moment to the book of Malachi, chapter 3… beginning at verse 1.
“Behold, I send My messenger,
And he will prepare the way before Me.
And the Lord, whom you seek,
Will suddenly come to His temple,
Even the Messenger of the covenant,
In whom you delight.
Behold, He is coming,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
2 “But who can endure the day of His coming?
And who can stand when He appears?
For He is like a refiner’s fire
And like launderers’ soap.
3 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;
He will purify the sons of Levi,
And purge them as gold and silver,
That they may offer to the Lord
An offering in righteousness.
4 “Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem
Will be pleasant to the Lord,
As in the days of old,
As in former years.
What Habakkuk expresses here is the pattern that will occur regarding this temple. The Lord will indeed come to this temple – but the offerings brought forth by Israel will not be acceptable to Him, until He has judged them for their sin. This process of refinement is described in Zechariah 13, verses 8 and 9, which read:
And it shall come to pass in all the land,”
Says the Lord,
“That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die,
But one–third shall be left in it:
9 I will bring the one–third through the fire,
Will refine them as silver is refined,
And test them as gold is tested.
They will call on My name,
And I will answer them.
I will say, ‘This is My people’;
And each one will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’”
I’m sure you can see here the similarity in the language used.
What the Lord is saying here, then, is that while He will accept the temple that is built during the Tribulation, He does so on the grounds that it will be a shame, and a judgment to the children of Israel.
...but how does this fit with Revelation 11?
Look at verse 1 again.
“Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.”
The majority of the scholars I consulted on this chapter argued that the measurement of the temple was a sign of its preservation throughout the Tribulation period. I’d like to suggest to you that that view is entirely false.
The image of the rod that is used here is also employed as a symbol of chastisement on several occasions in the book of Revelation alone (2:27, 12:5, 19:15), while the Old Testament prophets used the rod symbolically to imply impending judgment (Jeremiah 31:38-39, Zechariah 2). In an even more ominous sense, the prophets also viewed the rod as a preamble to destruction (Lamentations 2:8, 2 Kings 21:13, Isaiah 34:11, Amos 7:8) – which may be indicative of the desolation that is to come to the temple shortly after the Two Witnesses commence this ministry. So, far from being a sign of preservation, the measurement of the temple is a sign of judgment.
There is more depth to this image, however. We’ve seen throughout the book of Revelation that the temple was created as a shadow and a copy of those things that are in heaven, and is a picture of Jesus Christ Himself. What Revelation 11 is implying, then, is that the very act of measuring the temple indicates that the Lord is taking full measure of Israel against the standard of His own Messiah, Jesus Christ.
There is a precedent for this, too – and we can see it clearly in the book of Ezekiel, where the prophet tells us what Israel’s response will be during the Millennial Kingdom.
This is Ezekiel 40, verses 10 and 11:
“Son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern. 11 And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple and its arrangement, its exits and its entrances, its entire design and all its ordinances, all its forms and all its laws. Write it down in their sight, so that they may keep its whole design and all its ordinances, and perform them.”
Do you see what’s happening here? The house of Israel will be ashamed when they consider the temple and its design, as they realize that every instrument, every device, every door and altar and lampstand and angel had pointed to Jesus Christ all along; and, by comparison, they will realize their own iniquity, their own sin, before the Lord of all the earth. This realization will spur the children of Israel to repentance, and to the acceptance of the Lord as their Messiah and King.
But here, in Revelation 11, the blindness of the children of Israel is such that when the apostle John measures the length and breadth of the temple, the altar, and the worshippers, that there is no repentance, and no sorrow. And in fact, as we’ll see as we continue, Israel will carry on in rebellion and sin, even to the point of rejoicing in the rejection, exclusion and murder of two prophets they’ve been waiting for, for millennia.
… Israel’s denial of the Messiah continues, and so judgment must come.
But there’s a wrinkle here, isn’t there. There is a portion that John is told not to measure. Look at verse 2.
“But 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 for forty-two months.”
It’s important here that we understand what the outer court was. The temple itself is what is being referred to here in verse 1: the physical, brick and mortar temple, as opposed to the temple complex. Outside of that building stood the inner court, which housed the brazen altar and the laver for ritual cleansing. The outer court was beyond that still, and it was only there that Gentiles were permitted to enter.
That might give you a hint, then, as to why this area is excluded, but let me break that down for you. There’s an additional hint given here in verse 2, but unfortunately our translations don’t do it justice. When John is told to “leave out” the outer court, the Greek word used is ‘ekbalo’, and it means literally “cast out”, “banish”, or “expel by force”. Jesus Himself allows us to clarify the severity of this act: he used the word repeatedly to describe the exorcism of demons. Likewise, He said that the unbelievers of Israel would be “cast out into utter darkness”. There is a violence to this act.
Why? Well, I believe that there are two reasons.
First, the temple of God represents the character of God and the Revelation of Jesus Christ; and as we know from Colossians 3:11:
“there is now neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free… but Christ is all, and in all.”
In Jesus Christ, there is no outer court, and there is neither Jew nor Gentile: all are One in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28). This is the view taken by most scholars, and while I agree with it, I think it is perhaps a minor point.
What I believe is happening here is that the Lord, coming in judgment against rebellious Israel, violently thrusts the Gentile world aside as He focuses in upon His chosen people. The judgment upon the nations will come, but for now, the focus is firmly upon Jerusalem; and God will allow nothing to stand in His way.
But as always, and as we’ve seen so often throughout this book, God’s judgment is always preceded by mercy, and by the opportunity for repentance.
…and this brings us to the Two Witnesses. Look at verse 3.
The Two Witnesses
“And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. 6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.”
Before we delve into this any further, allow me to define my terms. The word “witnesses” here in greek is “martus”, which is where we get out word “martyr” from in English. This word has come to infer, though it does not necessarily require the death of the one who is providing testimony. It’s worth noting, though, that throughout the history of the church, it often did. The term “witness” is used primarily in Scripture as a legal term – and invariably refers to one who bears witness to a legal proceeding, for the purpose of ensuring that the law is adhered to by both parties. That’s precisely what we’re seeing here. The Two Witnesses are an expression of God’s perfect grace, preceded by God’s perfect, and terrible judgment. God’s chosen people have broken the legally binding covenant that they made with Him; they have persecuted the prophets, cut off the life of the Messiah, and refuse to repent… and so judgment must come.
…but here is the grace.
Look at verse 3.
“And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand, two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
Now, I’m sure most of you are familiar with what sackcloth is, and what its purpose is in Scripture, but allow me to clarify it for those who don’t. Jeremiah, chapter 4 and verse 8 states:
“clothe yourself with sackcloth, lament and wail. For the fierce anger of the Lord has not turned back from us.”
Sackcloth, then, is the clothing of mourning, worn as a sign of humility and repentance, that the Lord might turn back His anger. The two witnesses wear this clothing and preach the gospel for three and a half years, calling Israel to repentance, that as many as possible might be spared the righteous anger of the King. For as Scripture states, “God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) Even now, even here, God is willing to accept the repentance of rebellious Israel. But He doesn’t stop there – He goes to incredible lengths to demonstrate His love for His people; His desire that they might come back to Him.
Look at verse 5.
“If anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.”
Each of the miracles outlined here has a parallel in the ministries of either Moses, or Elijah. You would expect, wouldn’t you, that the children of Israel would readily, happily, joyously accept two prophets in the vein of these two men, wouldn’t you! God has sent them the highlights of their own history, the Lawgiver, and the greatest of the prophets, as witnesses! Surely, if anyone could call Israel to repent, it would be them! Surely all Israel would humble themselves, in sackcloth and ashes, and weep, and wail, and repent! That Moses and Elijah should come, and should testify to the glory of the Lord and the majesty of Jesus Christ!
…right?
Perhaps not.
Nonetheless, let’s look at these two witnesses. I’d like to engage with the question of their identity, but I only want to do so very briefly, because I actually don’t consider this question to be particularly relevant in many respects. It does, however, deserve to be addressed, and there are some wonderful truths to glean from this study.
I think it would be fair to say that most scholars would tend toward viewing the Witnesses as Moses and Elijah, though there have been other suggestions, such as Enoch, or John the Baptist.
I’d like to explain to you why I think these views, and in fact this question as a whole, misses the point – but to do so, I need to take a bit of a detour. Bear with me.
We can see from Scripture that the Jews were expecting two people that would precede the Messiah. Again, this becomes a real indictment upon Israel – that God should send them the very people they are expecting to precede the Messiah, and that they should reject them! The first prophesied to return was Elijah, as we find in the book of Malachi:
“See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord” (Malachi 4:5).
The second was a prophet who would come after Moses, as the Lord promised in Deuteronomy:
“I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.”
Christians generally interpret this verse to refer to Jesus Himself, but the book of John demonstrates for us that the Jews were looking for an entirely separate prophet before the coming of the King – and we can find that evidence in John chapter 1. Turn with me to that passage, if you would. John, chapter 1, beginning at verse 19.
Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”
21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
And he answered, “No.”
22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”
23 He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord”’.
This fits with the picture presented to us here in Revelation 11, and the description of the Witnesses’ powers: after all, it was Elijah who called down fire from heaven to devour his enemies (2 Kings 1) and shut the heavens so that it did not rain (1 Kings 17), and Moses who turned water to blood and struck the earth with plagues (Exodus 3, 7-12).
...but here’s the catch:
Where many scholars would suggest to you that Revelation 11 describes Moses and Elijah, the gospel of John has just shown us that the Jews were not looking for Moses himself. They were looking for a prophet like him from among their brethren. Moses, as we know, died upon Mount Nebo after breaking the Lord’s command to speak to a rock and elicit water from it for the children of Israel. As such, it does seem unlikely that the Lord would send Moses to prophesy to Israel once again. Elijah, of course, was lifted up to heaven in a whirlwind, and never tasted death.
So is it possible that these two men in Revelation 11 are indeed the prophet of Deuteronomy and the prophet Elijah?
I’ll leave you to study that one for yourselves. Beyond that, what we do know is that regardless of their identities, these are two men anointed by God, and set aside to testify to His name and His Kingship, in the Last Days. More than that, they are precisely the two figures that Israel is expecting to precede the coming of the Messiah.
Let’s move on. Look at verse 4.
“these are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth.”
The image that John employs here is one that his readership will already be familiar with, and it’s found in Zechariah chapter 4. Turn to that chapter with me, if you would.
Zechariah, chapter 4, beginning at verse 1.
Now the angel who talked with me came back and wakened me, as a man who is wakened out of his sleep. 2 And he said to me, “What do you see?”
So I said, “I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps. 3 Two olive trees are by it, one at the right of the bowl and the other at its left.” 4 So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, “What are these, my lord?”
5 Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?”
And I said, “No, my lord.”
6 So he answered and said to me:
“This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:
‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’
Says the Lord of hosts.
…and verse 11:
11 Then I answered and said to him, “What are these two olive trees—at the right of the lampstand and at its left?” 12 And I further answered and said to him, “What are these two olive branches that drip into the receptacles of the two gold pipes from which the golden oil drains?”
13 Then he answered me and said, “Do you not know what these are?”
And I said, “No, my lord.”
14 So he said, “These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth.”
While some of the imagery in this passage might vary slightly from what we’ve seen in Revelation, the principal elements are the same. Two olive trees stand before the Lord. From those olive trees flows oil, which continually fills and renews the receptacles that feed into two lampstands.
Many of these images should be familiar to us already: the trees here, as the angel clarifies, represent the two witnesses themselves. Likewise Olive trees produce oil, which throughout Scripture represents the anointing of The Holy Spirit. We can see this picture unfold throughout the Old Testament. Prophets were anointed by oil, such as Elisha, in 1 Kings 19:16. Priests, and most notably the High Priest, were also anointed (Exodus 29:29, Leviticus 16:32), while Kings also received this anointing, as Saul did in 1 Samuel 9:16.
But there is a distinction here, and I think it’s worth noting. These Two Witnesses are anointed not by an external prophet or priest, but internally, with a continually flowing oil that stems from the very fabric of their being. Everything about these two men is separated to the glory of Jesus Christ. This is in keeping with what we’ve just read from Zechariah:
“This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:
‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’
Says the Lord of hosts.”
These two witnesses are literally saturated with the Holy Spirit; producing miracles not by their own power or strength, but by the indwelling presence of God Himself. It is from Jesus Christ that their power stems – look at verse 3 again.
“…and I will give my power to my two witnesses… and they will prophesy one thousand, two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
If I didn’t press my case enough in the last sermon I preached, that verse alone is compelling evidence that the angel of Revelation 10 is Jesus Christ. It is He who empowers these witnesses, and it is He who takes ownership over them. In fact, the Greek here is even more compelling than the English; this verse literally reads, “I will give power to My two witnesses of Me”. That is, the implication here is not only that the Witnesses belong to the beautiful angel of Revelation 10, but it is also Him that they bear witness to. Their ministry, then, is not only to call a sinful world – and primarily Israel - to repentance (though it certainly is that), but to declare the impending arrival of a King who will judge the nations and pour out the bowls of His wrath.
…but what do we do with all of this? What conclusions can we draw, and what should our understanding be?
From the beginning of this chapter to the end, there really are the same two threads that we’ve seen throughout this book. Judgment is coming. “Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near.” (Isaiah 55:6)
As ever, though, when we put those two things together, we see the ever-present, overflowing grace of God. Here, we see that the Lord has gone to extreme measures to open Israel’s eyes, and to call her to repent before the coming of Messiah. And for us, the conclusion is no different.
The same temple pictured here, that attests to the purity and holiness of the one great God, likewise attests to our own sin; our own need to be purified and made whole in order to approach. It points to our shame, as lawbreakers, as those who have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God. It points to the overwhelming futility of seeking cleanliness before a holy God by human means, and our absolute need for a savior – one who could pay the price for sin once, for all, forever.
Two Witnesses testify to the provision of God in Jesus Christ, that God’s great grace should be found even at a time when the darkness of this world is deep and oppressive: two bright lampstands in a black and broken world.
It is that message, that great truth, that bears the promise of redemption for all who come. There is a redeemer: a redeemer of whom even the very blueprints of the temple cry out; a redeemer who loved the world so much that He died for us, while we were still dead in sin and rebellion… and over and over and over, this book paints the picture of a holy God who has done all that could ever be done to reconcile us to Himself.
There is another message here, though – another reminder. Time is short.
The preparations for the temple in Israel have begun, and the scene is being set for Tribulation, even now. These events will soon unfold upon a world entirely unprepared for the coming of the King. And if you’re not ready this morning, you have a witness here before you. You have one in your hands. Scripture says “your sins have separated you from God”. You’re under wrath; you’re under condemnation. But the spotless Lamb of God took the sin of the world so that you might have life – and life abundant.
so let me start fixing that.
This is Revelation 11 - sermon 1 of 2.
SCRIBD link: www.scribd.com/document/352172915/11-the-Two-Witnesses
DIRECT PDF Download: 11 The Two Witnesses.pdf (655.11 KB)
FULL TEXT BELOW:
Turn with me in your Bibles, if you would, to Revelation chapter 11. We’re going to be reading verses 1-14 today, though time will only allow us to engage with the first six verses. My sermon this morning will focus primarily on just two points: the temple, and the two witnesses.
Revelation 11, beginning at verse 1.
The Two Witnesses
11 Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. 2 But 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 for forty-two months. 3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. 6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
The Witnesses Killed
7 When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. 8 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. 9 Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. 10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
The Witnesses Resurrected
11 Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. 13 In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
Before we look at anything else this morning, we need to establish some context. Chapter 11 is the second interlude in the book of Revelation. The first of these was the sealing of the 144,000 and the great multitude out of the Tribulation – and there are several more to come in the subsequent chapters. At each of these points, The Holy Spirit takes the apostle John out of the narrative, and moves to a different timeline, or a different perspective, in order to highlight something new. In this instance, John is being shown a time period that ends with the declaration of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ on earth.
Skip ahead for a moment to verse 15.
“Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”
Jesus also outlines for us the duration of this time period: the ministry of the two witnesses will last forty two months, verse 2. Verse 1 of chapter 11, then, and the commencement of that ministry, occurs one thousand, two hundred and sixty days before that declaration. This is not entirely concurrent with the latter half of the Great Tribulation – though the length of time, three and a half years, is the same for each. We can see this because the seventh trumpet itself includes each of the seven bowl judgments that are yet to come, meaning that there remains yet a period (however brief) in which those judgments must occur.
So, that’s the timing of this passage. …but there’s more to the context than that.
Let’s look at the temple.
The Temple
Verse 1.
“Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.”
This is just a single sentence, but it’s absolutely packed with information – and we need to understand what is happening here before we can move on. The most obvious piece of information here is that there will indeed be standing, at the commencement of the ministry of the Two Witnesses, a temple in Jerusalem. We could go into great depth on this topic alone, and look at the historical and prophetic implications of this temple and its location, but for the sake of time today, we won’t. But what we do need to note is that it’s not just that there will be a temple standing in Israel, either – look at the term used here, verse 1. “Rise, and measure the temple of God”.
This is God’s temple; it is claimed and accepted by Him. Now, that might come as a surprise to many, but if we examine Scripture, we find that the Lord has accepted several iterations of the temple in Jerusalem, some of which are more surprising than others. If you’ve been paying attention throughout this series, you might even be able to guess how many. There are in fact seven. I won’t go into detail on each of these, but what I will do is give you the temple, and the Scriptural reference in which the Lord claims them as His. They are:
The Tabernacle Leviticus 15; Leviticus 26; Ezekiel 37
Solomon’s Temple 1 Kings 8:19; 2 Chronicles 23
Zerubabbel’s Temple Ezra 3-5; Zechariah 6
Herod’s Temple Luke 2:49
The Tribulation Temple Malachi 3:1; 2 Thessalonians 2:4, Matthew 24
The Millennial Temple Ezekiel 43:5; 44:4; Zechariah 6
The Temple in Heaven Revelation 7:15; Revelation 11:19
There is a singular distinction to this temple, however.
Where every other temple has had an acceptable sacrifice at one time or another, this one will not. The obvious reason for this is because the sacrifice of Jesus Christ was once, for all, forever. As a result, any sacrifices offered for sin within this temple will be abhorrent to the Lord.
Turn with me for a moment to the book of Malachi, chapter 3… beginning at verse 1.
“Behold, I send My messenger,
And he will prepare the way before Me.
And the Lord, whom you seek,
Will suddenly come to His temple,
Even the Messenger of the covenant,
In whom you delight.
Behold, He is coming,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
2 “But who can endure the day of His coming?
And who can stand when He appears?
For He is like a refiner’s fire
And like launderers’ soap.
3 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;
He will purify the sons of Levi,
And purge them as gold and silver,
That they may offer to the Lord
An offering in righteousness.
4 “Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem
Will be pleasant to the Lord,
As in the days of old,
As in former years.
What Habakkuk expresses here is the pattern that will occur regarding this temple. The Lord will indeed come to this temple – but the offerings brought forth by Israel will not be acceptable to Him, until He has judged them for their sin. This process of refinement is described in Zechariah 13, verses 8 and 9, which read:
And it shall come to pass in all the land,”
Says the Lord,
“That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die,
But one–third shall be left in it:
9 I will bring the one–third through the fire,
Will refine them as silver is refined,
And test them as gold is tested.
They will call on My name,
And I will answer them.
I will say, ‘This is My people’;
And each one will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’”
I’m sure you can see here the similarity in the language used.
What the Lord is saying here, then, is that while He will accept the temple that is built during the Tribulation, He does so on the grounds that it will be a shame, and a judgment to the children of Israel.
...but how does this fit with Revelation 11?
Look at verse 1 again.
“Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.”
The majority of the scholars I consulted on this chapter argued that the measurement of the temple was a sign of its preservation throughout the Tribulation period. I’d like to suggest to you that that view is entirely false.
The image of the rod that is used here is also employed as a symbol of chastisement on several occasions in the book of Revelation alone (2:27, 12:5, 19:15), while the Old Testament prophets used the rod symbolically to imply impending judgment (Jeremiah 31:38-39, Zechariah 2). In an even more ominous sense, the prophets also viewed the rod as a preamble to destruction (Lamentations 2:8, 2 Kings 21:13, Isaiah 34:11, Amos 7:8) – which may be indicative of the desolation that is to come to the temple shortly after the Two Witnesses commence this ministry. So, far from being a sign of preservation, the measurement of the temple is a sign of judgment.
There is more depth to this image, however. We’ve seen throughout the book of Revelation that the temple was created as a shadow and a copy of those things that are in heaven, and is a picture of Jesus Christ Himself. What Revelation 11 is implying, then, is that the very act of measuring the temple indicates that the Lord is taking full measure of Israel against the standard of His own Messiah, Jesus Christ.
There is a precedent for this, too – and we can see it clearly in the book of Ezekiel, where the prophet tells us what Israel’s response will be during the Millennial Kingdom.
This is Ezekiel 40, verses 10 and 11:
“Son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern. 11 And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple and its arrangement, its exits and its entrances, its entire design and all its ordinances, all its forms and all its laws. Write it down in their sight, so that they may keep its whole design and all its ordinances, and perform them.”
Do you see what’s happening here? The house of Israel will be ashamed when they consider the temple and its design, as they realize that every instrument, every device, every door and altar and lampstand and angel had pointed to Jesus Christ all along; and, by comparison, they will realize their own iniquity, their own sin, before the Lord of all the earth. This realization will spur the children of Israel to repentance, and to the acceptance of the Lord as their Messiah and King.
But here, in Revelation 11, the blindness of the children of Israel is such that when the apostle John measures the length and breadth of the temple, the altar, and the worshippers, that there is no repentance, and no sorrow. And in fact, as we’ll see as we continue, Israel will carry on in rebellion and sin, even to the point of rejoicing in the rejection, exclusion and murder of two prophets they’ve been waiting for, for millennia.
… Israel’s denial of the Messiah continues, and so judgment must come.
But there’s a wrinkle here, isn’t there. There is a portion that John is told not to measure. Look at verse 2.
“But 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 for forty-two months.”
It’s important here that we understand what the outer court was. The temple itself is what is being referred to here in verse 1: the physical, brick and mortar temple, as opposed to the temple complex. Outside of that building stood the inner court, which housed the brazen altar and the laver for ritual cleansing. The outer court was beyond that still, and it was only there that Gentiles were permitted to enter.
That might give you a hint, then, as to why this area is excluded, but let me break that down for you. There’s an additional hint given here in verse 2, but unfortunately our translations don’t do it justice. When John is told to “leave out” the outer court, the Greek word used is ‘ekbalo’, and it means literally “cast out”, “banish”, or “expel by force”. Jesus Himself allows us to clarify the severity of this act: he used the word repeatedly to describe the exorcism of demons. Likewise, He said that the unbelievers of Israel would be “cast out into utter darkness”. There is a violence to this act.
Why? Well, I believe that there are two reasons.
First, the temple of God represents the character of God and the Revelation of Jesus Christ; and as we know from Colossians 3:11:
“there is now neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free… but Christ is all, and in all.”
In Jesus Christ, there is no outer court, and there is neither Jew nor Gentile: all are One in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28). This is the view taken by most scholars, and while I agree with it, I think it is perhaps a minor point.
What I believe is happening here is that the Lord, coming in judgment against rebellious Israel, violently thrusts the Gentile world aside as He focuses in upon His chosen people. The judgment upon the nations will come, but for now, the focus is firmly upon Jerusalem; and God will allow nothing to stand in His way.
But as always, and as we’ve seen so often throughout this book, God’s judgment is always preceded by mercy, and by the opportunity for repentance.
…and this brings us to the Two Witnesses. Look at verse 3.
The Two Witnesses
“And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. 6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.”
Before we delve into this any further, allow me to define my terms. The word “witnesses” here in greek is “martus”, which is where we get out word “martyr” from in English. This word has come to infer, though it does not necessarily require the death of the one who is providing testimony. It’s worth noting, though, that throughout the history of the church, it often did. The term “witness” is used primarily in Scripture as a legal term – and invariably refers to one who bears witness to a legal proceeding, for the purpose of ensuring that the law is adhered to by both parties. That’s precisely what we’re seeing here. The Two Witnesses are an expression of God’s perfect grace, preceded by God’s perfect, and terrible judgment. God’s chosen people have broken the legally binding covenant that they made with Him; they have persecuted the prophets, cut off the life of the Messiah, and refuse to repent… and so judgment must come.
…but here is the grace.
Look at verse 3.
“And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand, two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
Now, I’m sure most of you are familiar with what sackcloth is, and what its purpose is in Scripture, but allow me to clarify it for those who don’t. Jeremiah, chapter 4 and verse 8 states:
“clothe yourself with sackcloth, lament and wail. For the fierce anger of the Lord has not turned back from us.”
Sackcloth, then, is the clothing of mourning, worn as a sign of humility and repentance, that the Lord might turn back His anger. The two witnesses wear this clothing and preach the gospel for three and a half years, calling Israel to repentance, that as many as possible might be spared the righteous anger of the King. For as Scripture states, “God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) Even now, even here, God is willing to accept the repentance of rebellious Israel. But He doesn’t stop there – He goes to incredible lengths to demonstrate His love for His people; His desire that they might come back to Him.
Look at verse 5.
“If anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.”
Each of the miracles outlined here has a parallel in the ministries of either Moses, or Elijah. You would expect, wouldn’t you, that the children of Israel would readily, happily, joyously accept two prophets in the vein of these two men, wouldn’t you! God has sent them the highlights of their own history, the Lawgiver, and the greatest of the prophets, as witnesses! Surely, if anyone could call Israel to repent, it would be them! Surely all Israel would humble themselves, in sackcloth and ashes, and weep, and wail, and repent! That Moses and Elijah should come, and should testify to the glory of the Lord and the majesty of Jesus Christ!
…right?
Perhaps not.
Nonetheless, let’s look at these two witnesses. I’d like to engage with the question of their identity, but I only want to do so very briefly, because I actually don’t consider this question to be particularly relevant in many respects. It does, however, deserve to be addressed, and there are some wonderful truths to glean from this study.
I think it would be fair to say that most scholars would tend toward viewing the Witnesses as Moses and Elijah, though there have been other suggestions, such as Enoch, or John the Baptist.
I’d like to explain to you why I think these views, and in fact this question as a whole, misses the point – but to do so, I need to take a bit of a detour. Bear with me.
We can see from Scripture that the Jews were expecting two people that would precede the Messiah. Again, this becomes a real indictment upon Israel – that God should send them the very people they are expecting to precede the Messiah, and that they should reject them! The first prophesied to return was Elijah, as we find in the book of Malachi:
“See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord” (Malachi 4:5).
The second was a prophet who would come after Moses, as the Lord promised in Deuteronomy:
“I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.”
Christians generally interpret this verse to refer to Jesus Himself, but the book of John demonstrates for us that the Jews were looking for an entirely separate prophet before the coming of the King – and we can find that evidence in John chapter 1. Turn with me to that passage, if you would. John, chapter 1, beginning at verse 19.
Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”
21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
And he answered, “No.”
22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”
23 He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord”’.
This fits with the picture presented to us here in Revelation 11, and the description of the Witnesses’ powers: after all, it was Elijah who called down fire from heaven to devour his enemies (2 Kings 1) and shut the heavens so that it did not rain (1 Kings 17), and Moses who turned water to blood and struck the earth with plagues (Exodus 3, 7-12).
...but here’s the catch:
Where many scholars would suggest to you that Revelation 11 describes Moses and Elijah, the gospel of John has just shown us that the Jews were not looking for Moses himself. They were looking for a prophet like him from among their brethren. Moses, as we know, died upon Mount Nebo after breaking the Lord’s command to speak to a rock and elicit water from it for the children of Israel. As such, it does seem unlikely that the Lord would send Moses to prophesy to Israel once again. Elijah, of course, was lifted up to heaven in a whirlwind, and never tasted death.
So is it possible that these two men in Revelation 11 are indeed the prophet of Deuteronomy and the prophet Elijah?
I’ll leave you to study that one for yourselves. Beyond that, what we do know is that regardless of their identities, these are two men anointed by God, and set aside to testify to His name and His Kingship, in the Last Days. More than that, they are precisely the two figures that Israel is expecting to precede the coming of the Messiah.
Let’s move on. Look at verse 4.
“these are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth.”
The image that John employs here is one that his readership will already be familiar with, and it’s found in Zechariah chapter 4. Turn to that chapter with me, if you would.
Zechariah, chapter 4, beginning at verse 1.
Now the angel who talked with me came back and wakened me, as a man who is wakened out of his sleep. 2 And he said to me, “What do you see?”
So I said, “I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps. 3 Two olive trees are by it, one at the right of the bowl and the other at its left.” 4 So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, “What are these, my lord?”
5 Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?”
And I said, “No, my lord.”
6 So he answered and said to me:
“This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:
‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’
Says the Lord of hosts.
…and verse 11:
11 Then I answered and said to him, “What are these two olive trees—at the right of the lampstand and at its left?” 12 And I further answered and said to him, “What are these two olive branches that drip into the receptacles of the two gold pipes from which the golden oil drains?”
13 Then he answered me and said, “Do you not know what these are?”
And I said, “No, my lord.”
14 So he said, “These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth.”
While some of the imagery in this passage might vary slightly from what we’ve seen in Revelation, the principal elements are the same. Two olive trees stand before the Lord. From those olive trees flows oil, which continually fills and renews the receptacles that feed into two lampstands.
Many of these images should be familiar to us already: the trees here, as the angel clarifies, represent the two witnesses themselves. Likewise Olive trees produce oil, which throughout Scripture represents the anointing of The Holy Spirit. We can see this picture unfold throughout the Old Testament. Prophets were anointed by oil, such as Elisha, in 1 Kings 19:16. Priests, and most notably the High Priest, were also anointed (Exodus 29:29, Leviticus 16:32), while Kings also received this anointing, as Saul did in 1 Samuel 9:16.
But there is a distinction here, and I think it’s worth noting. These Two Witnesses are anointed not by an external prophet or priest, but internally, with a continually flowing oil that stems from the very fabric of their being. Everything about these two men is separated to the glory of Jesus Christ. This is in keeping with what we’ve just read from Zechariah:
“This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:
‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’
Says the Lord of hosts.”
These two witnesses are literally saturated with the Holy Spirit; producing miracles not by their own power or strength, but by the indwelling presence of God Himself. It is from Jesus Christ that their power stems – look at verse 3 again.
“…and I will give my power to my two witnesses… and they will prophesy one thousand, two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
If I didn’t press my case enough in the last sermon I preached, that verse alone is compelling evidence that the angel of Revelation 10 is Jesus Christ. It is He who empowers these witnesses, and it is He who takes ownership over them. In fact, the Greek here is even more compelling than the English; this verse literally reads, “I will give power to My two witnesses of Me”. That is, the implication here is not only that the Witnesses belong to the beautiful angel of Revelation 10, but it is also Him that they bear witness to. Their ministry, then, is not only to call a sinful world – and primarily Israel - to repentance (though it certainly is that), but to declare the impending arrival of a King who will judge the nations and pour out the bowls of His wrath.
…but what do we do with all of this? What conclusions can we draw, and what should our understanding be?
From the beginning of this chapter to the end, there really are the same two threads that we’ve seen throughout this book. Judgment is coming. “Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near.” (Isaiah 55:6)
As ever, though, when we put those two things together, we see the ever-present, overflowing grace of God. Here, we see that the Lord has gone to extreme measures to open Israel’s eyes, and to call her to repent before the coming of Messiah. And for us, the conclusion is no different.
The same temple pictured here, that attests to the purity and holiness of the one great God, likewise attests to our own sin; our own need to be purified and made whole in order to approach. It points to our shame, as lawbreakers, as those who have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God. It points to the overwhelming futility of seeking cleanliness before a holy God by human means, and our absolute need for a savior – one who could pay the price for sin once, for all, forever.
Two Witnesses testify to the provision of God in Jesus Christ, that God’s great grace should be found even at a time when the darkness of this world is deep and oppressive: two bright lampstands in a black and broken world.
It is that message, that great truth, that bears the promise of redemption for all who come. There is a redeemer: a redeemer of whom even the very blueprints of the temple cry out; a redeemer who loved the world so much that He died for us, while we were still dead in sin and rebellion… and over and over and over, this book paints the picture of a holy God who has done all that could ever be done to reconcile us to Himself.
There is another message here, though – another reminder. Time is short.
The preparations for the temple in Israel have begun, and the scene is being set for Tribulation, even now. These events will soon unfold upon a world entirely unprepared for the coming of the King. And if you’re not ready this morning, you have a witness here before you. You have one in your hands. Scripture says “your sins have separated you from God”. You’re under wrath; you’re under condemnation. But the spotless Lamb of God took the sin of the world so that you might have life – and life abundant.
