The Two Witnesses
October 23, 2019
Commentary
1. The Temple of God (vv. 1-2) – When the Rapture of the Church takes place (which could happen at any time (I Cor. 15:52) Israel will build a temple in Jerusalem (vv. 1-2) which may be referred to as the Tribulation Temple.
2. The two Witnesses (vv. 3-14)
a. Prophesying for 1260 Days (vv. 3-6) – Two witnesses will come on the scene (vv. 3-4). I believe that the 144,000 Jews will be converted through the preaching of these two witnesses during the first half of the tribulation. It is not known for sure who these two witnesses are, but many speculate Moses and Elijah. Merrill F. Unger says this is unlikely since both witnesses will be killed and resurrected, something which could not be true of these OT prophets as glorified men (Mt 17:3). John Walvoord suggests they will be raised up from among those who turn to Christ in the time following the rapture. The important thing is that God will give them power to perform miracles that will confirm their divine empowering (vv. 5-6).
b. Killed and Dead for Three and a Half Days (vv. 7-10) – When they have finished their testimony the beast will make war against them and kill them (v.7). Because of the anger against them their dead bodies will not be put in graves (vv. 8-9) but allowed to lay on the street 3-1/2 days. The people will celebrate with banquets and an exchange of gifts (v. 10).
c. Raised and Ascended to Heaven (vv. 11-14) – The witnesses will be resurrected (vv. 11-12), an earthquake will strike the city of Jerusalem, and seven thousand people will be killed as a tenth of the city is destroyed (v. 13). The people will be fearful, outwardly giving glory to God but inwardly not being genuinely touched, as future events will reveal (vv. 13-14).
Application
I need to make sure my praise to the Lord is not governed by circumstances but is genuine and coming from my heart.
Revelation 11:1– 14 (NET)
1 Then a measuring rod like a staff was given to me, and I was told, “Get up and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and the ones who worship there. 2 But do not measure the outer courtyard of the temple; leave it out, because it has been given to the Gentiles, and they will trample on the holy city for forty-two months. 3 And I will grant my two witnesses authority to prophesy for 1,260 days, dressed in sackcloth.” 4 (These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.) 5 If anyone wants to harm them, fire comes out of their mouths and completely consumes their enemies. If anyone wants to harm them, they must be killed this way. 6 These two have the power to close up the sky so that it does not rain during the time they are prophesying. They have power to turn the waters to blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague whenever they want. 7 When they have completed their testimony, the beast that comes up from the abyss will make war on them and conquer them and kill them. 8 Their corpses will lie in the street of the great city that is symbolically called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was also crucified. 9 For three and a half days those from every people, tribe, nation, and language will look at their corpses, because they will not permit them to be placed in a tomb. 10 And those who live on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate, even sending gifts to each other, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth. 11 But after three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and tremendous fear seized those who were watching them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them: “Come up here!” So the two prophets went up to heaven in a cloud while their enemies stared at them. 13 Just then a major earthquake took place and a tenth of the city collapsed; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe has come and gone; the third is coming quickly.