Revelation Study 16. Revelation 11:1-19 (pgs 100-105)

 42 months (11:2). Three and a half years. Daniel 9:24-27 prophesied that the remainder of history would be divided into seventy "weeks" (lit. 'seventy sevens').  If the 'sevens' represent years (Da 9:27), this suggests that half of the 70th week (3 1/2 years) will be a time of tribulation (cf. Revelation 12:14, 1,260 days in Revelation 11:3 and 12:6). 

• A historicist view thinks 490 years pass. There are 7 weeks/years from decree to return to a prince, 62 weeks/years after rebuilding of the city, then the Messiah is cut off, then 'sacrifice and offering' will be put to an end for 3 1/2 weeks/years. The cleansing of the temple by Judas Maccabeus in 164BC OR the Crucifixion. But the dates do not match well.
• An idealist view ssees the 70 weeks as symboilc periods of time: ('70 s 7' = completeness)- 

- It may allude to 1 week (70 years) of Babylonian captivity x 7, n accordance with the covenantal curses (Lev. 26:18, 21, 24, 28).
- 7+62+1 may refer to 3 periods of history: decree to rebuilding of Temple, Temple to Christ, then from Christ to the end of time.
- Some thinik there is a gap after the 69th week/year, allowing the last week/year to occur near the end of time.

42 is the number of stations of the wilderness wandering in Nu 33. The times of the Gentiles are times of suffering of the church and times of wandering before entry into the Promised Land.

 

 

7. What do you think the measuring of the Temple but not the court of the Gentiles represents (11:1-2)? 

 "The temple of God" may be taken literally (i.e. a literal temple will be rebuilt) or symbolically (the Church is the temple, 1 Cor 3:16)

 

cf. Ez 40-42 where an angle measures a visionary temple: God determines the exact boundaries of worship, has promised restoration and is concerned for order and holy separation (Ez 42:20)

The measuring of temple, altar and worshippers indicates that God knows what belongs to Him and separates it from the unclean (Rev 11:2). In the physical Temple there was also a court of the women and court of the priests, which are omitted here, consistent with a symbolic and not a literal meaning.

 

 Like Ezekiel, John is told to measure the temple, but never actually does it. His instrument (a 'rod') may suggest authority (cf. 2:27, 12:5, 19:15, cf 11:3). The meaning of his being given the rod then is illustrated by the meaning of the 2 witnesses. 

The Holy Cty is also measured (21:15)

 

8. Why is it important for us to know that the Temple is measured before the city is given over to be trampled (11:1-2)? What do you think is the relevance for us? 

The city may be taken literally as Jerusalem, or as another picture of the Church. In the latter case there will be intensified persecution at the end, but certain protection.

 

So the measurement is equivalent to the sealing of 7:1-8. The emphasis is on exactness of God's knowledge of His people. 

 

John is a participant both in the tribulation and the ‘kingdom and the patient endurance that are with Jesus’ (1:9). This is reflected in the measuring of the temple, showing security in suffering. 

 

 

9. Recall how people responded to the first six trumpet-plagues (9:20-21). How does three and a half years of testimony from the two witnesses affect these people (11:3-12)?

The witnesses immediately judge and punish their enemies. As a result, their fall will be rejoiced in and their corpses, desecrated. Their resurrection will lead to fear and recognition of God's power.

  

Olive trees (11:4). In Zechariah 4:1-14, the two olive trees or olive branches are two anointed leaders who supply oil (the Holy Spirit) to the lampstand (probably the nation of Israel). The leaders are probably the king and the high priest who foreshadow the Priest-King, the Messiah (Zechariah 6:13). In Revelation, the two olive trees (bearers of the Spirit) are the two lampstands. Since in Revelation 1:20 lampstands equal churches, the two witnesses (11:3) are either the church, part of the church (the martyrs), or two individuals who as leaders fulfill the church's mission to be Christ's witnesses (Mark 13:10). Jewish law required two witnesses to confirm the guilt of a criminal (Deuteronomy 19:15). These two in Revelation have the power of Elijah to devour their enemies with fire and cause drought (Revelation 11:5-6, 1 Kings 17:1, 2 Kings 1:10-12). They have the power of Moses to turn water into blood and cause other plagues (Exodus 7:17-21). Like Moses and Elijah, they are prophets (Revelation 11:3); they declare God's word of judgment and urge repentance to the corrupt world. 

 

The witnesses are God's priests and kings (Rev  1:6, 5:10)

The beast from the 'abyss' is likely the beast from the sea (13:1) 

 
10. What encouragement for Christians even now does the story of the two witnesses offer? 

To what extent Is every Christian's responsibility and protection like those of the two witnesses? (See Luke 12:8-12, 21:12-19.)  

Their mourning/repentance ('clothed in sackcloth' 11:3) power (11:4-6), the assurance that their testimony will be completed (11:7), their suffering and humiliation (11:7-10) and their eventual triumpth and exaltation (11:12-13)  are models for us.

 

The conquest and martyrdom of the 2 witnesses recalls Antipas (2:13), the tribulation of the multitude (7:14) and is recapped in 13:7.

  

For Thought and Discussion: 

a. What does 11:1-14 tell us about God?

God sees and knows all. (v.1)

God separates His own from the world (v.2)

God grants authority to His witnesses. (v.3)

God's people stand before Him (v.4)

God is 'Lord of the earth' (v.4)

God restores the life of His Church (v.11) quickly at the end (3.5 days vs 1260 days), or the days may be synonymous with the years. The imagery is from Ez 37 and Gen 2:7)

b. What does It tell us about the world? 

It harms the church (v.5)

It is doomed to destruction (v.5)

It is a place of immoraiity (Sodom) as well as cruelty and oppression (Egypt) (v.8). 

    John likely merges Jerusalem, where Christ was crucified, and Rome. 

It gloats over death of God's people (v.9-10)

It sees to humiliate even their dead bodies. (v.9)

 

We are persecuted and protected, suffering and secure, we are journeying, we are prophets, kingdom and priests.

 

For Thought and Discussion: Earlier, God was called Him "who is, and who was, and who Is to come" (1:4,8; 4:8). Why do you suppose "who is to come" is dropped In 11:17? 

TIme has ended. God's reign is absolute.

 

11. We might have expected the seventh trumpet to usher in the third woe (8:13; 9:1,12-13; 11:14). Instead, we get a heavenly chorus of joy. What do you think this signifies? Why is Heaven singing when we still have six chapters before John describes the return of Christ?

The first woe comes with the 5th trumpet (9:1-11)

The second woe comes with the 6th trumpet (9:13-19) and may be reflected in the judgment following the ministry, death and resurrection of the 2 witnesses (11:14)

 

 The 7th trumpet heralds the Second Coming. The 7th seal resulted in silence in heaven (8:1). Now the trumpet results in 'loud voices' (11:15) in heaven.

God's temple is opened (11:19 cf. 4:1, a door open in heaven)

The ark is revealed - God's full glory, once concealed, is seen, in His justice, provision and His relationship with man. The ark of the covenant reappears (cf. heaven open 4:1). It was normally concealed from slight, but now God reveals His glory - the glory of His law, and His mercy and provision, and presence with His people.  

cf. Jer 3:16 "And when you have multiplied and been fruitful in the land, in those days, declares the Lord, they shall no more say, “The ark of the covenant of the Lord.” It shall not come to mind or be remembered or missed; it shall not be made again."

 

Heaven sings because Revelation is not in chronological sequence. What is to come is as certain as what is not yet.

12. Reflect on what the hosts of Heaven sing. How is it relevant to you that ...
"The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever" (11:15)? 

God's rule, not concealed, will be manifest.

His kingdom comes on earh 

 

For Thought and Discussion: How can the heavenly host speak of "our Lord and of his Christ" as "he" (11:15)? Does "he" refer to the Father, Christ, or both? 

The Father, or both.

"Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. ²⁵ For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. ²⁶ The last enemy to be destroyed is death. ²⁷ For “God  has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. ²⁸ When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all." (1 Cor 15:24-28)

 

 Square and cubed numbers may represent the people of God. (Cf. Da 7:10)

Triangular numbers numbers signify the forces of evil (e.g. 666)

Rectangular numbers (e.g. 6x7=42, 35x36=1260) are equal to twice of a triangular number (21, 630) and may signify the overlap of the people of God with suffering

 

The third woe would be expected with the 7th trumpet, but a woe is not mentioned until Satan is cast down from heaven in 12:12. So the whole time period from Jesus' death and resurrection to the New Jerusalem may be the 3rd woe.