Blasts from the Past- Revelation 11:1-6

One of the interesting things about taking breaks is that they afford people with the opportunity to take notice of other things around them. The literary interlude/pause that John takes in Revelation 10-11 is no different. Last week, John made good use of the half-time break of Revelation by having a snack. This week, in Revelation 11:1-6, the apostle is going to describe some of the other phenomena he has seen in the vision God has given him. Though what will be shared in the introductions made in this passage are a bit complicated, the truth that they reveal is simple: God’s plans and promises will endure no matter what stands against it. Praise the Lord!    

1) INTRODUCTION #1: Concerning the Temple-11:1-2

As chapter 11 opens, John is still in the midst of the literary interlude/pause that began in 10:1. Nourished by the most unusual snack of chapter 10, John is then “given…a measuring rod like a staff,…” (11:1a). Again, the “divine passive” voice (“was given”) is used to demonstrate that God serves as the impetus behind all of these events taking place in this book. This measuring tool probably refers to a lightweight, hollow reed that was anywhere from 9-20 feet long. In Ezekiel, the prophet used a similar reed for measuring (Ezekiel 42:16-19).

After being handed this tool “someone said, ‘Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it,’…” (11:1b).  Some believe that several Old Testament passages provide some background for these instructions. For instance, Osborne points out that in Ezekiel 40-42, “the measuring of the temple signifies God’s ownership and protection of his people. God is present with his people, and they belong to him. Also, in Zech. 2:1-5 a man with a measuring line goes out to measure Jerusalem in order to indicate God’s protection of the Holy City” (Osborne, Revelation, 409). However, given what follows in this passage and the fact that John is the one measuring the temple, it is unlikely that God’s protection is the meaning of this activity. Others say that 11:3-14 suggests that “measuring” is equal to “forming an opinion.” Since the temple is measured and, according to verse 2, the outer court (of the Gentiles) isn’t, perhaps God is drawing a distinction between his people and that which pleases him and the lost people of a world that is deserving of judgment (Alford). While both of these options might provide some insight into this passage, the best interpretive choice is that this temple and the measurement thereof involves a literal temple that will exist during this future period (the seven-year tribulation). This temple will be erected at the beginning of this seven-year period following a peace agreement with Israel and the world’s leaders (Daniel 9:27).

Daniel 9:27-“And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week (an ancient way of referring to seven years),…”

Once erected, worship will be reestablished at the temple along with many of the rites and sacrifices. For more on this future temple see Daniel 12:11; 2 Thess. 2:4; Rev. 13:14-15.

While the apostle is called to measure the temple itself, John is not asked to include the outer court in his measurements of the complex—“Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it,” (11:2a). This indicates a differentiation between the people of God (who express worship in the temple) and the people of the world (symbolized by the outer unmeasured court of the Gentiles). In the ancient world, the outer court was for the Gentiles. They were not allowed near the center of the temple structure because, at the time, they were deemed ceremonially unclean. Here, that idea applies spiritually to the people of the coming new world order. On the whole, it will be an unbelieving Gentile world in rebellion against God who will oppress the people of God and wreak havoc in Jerusalem in the period just before Christ’s return” (Thomas, Revelation 8-22, 84).

This idea is reiterated by what is revealed in the rest of verse two. First, John reports that this outer court “has been give to the nations” (11:2b). “Has been given” is not an example of God’ grace (in the sense that God gives a good gift) but rather an example of God’s judgment (in the same what that God is said to “give people over to their sins” in Romans 1). God is allowing the outer court (unmeasured) to be run by the nations while God’s people, at least for a while, are provided refuge in the temple (which is measured).

Also, those worldly leaders and followers of the outer court “will” it says “tread underfoot the holy city for forty two months” (11:2c). If the first reference to the temple is literal (see verse 1) then this reference to the holy city should also be understood in kind. In fact, the New Jerusalem in heaven has no temple in it (Rev. 21:22). Therefore, this city and its temple actually refers to Jerusalem and a newly constructed worship space contained therein. Those left outside in the unmeasured court will tread underfoot this holy place for 42months (3.5years). This refers to the second half of the tribulation period (see Daniel 9:27). Halfway through the covenant that allowed for the building of this temple and relative peace between Israel and her worldly foes, the Antichrist will reveal his true colors as the abomination of desolation and sit in the place of God in this temple, demanding worship and bringing an end to worship of the one true God in this sacred space.

Daniel 9:27b-“but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”

That this passage refers to real structures in real places (and is more literal than figurative) is helped along by the advent of the nation of Israel and the emergence organizations like The Temple Institute. The mission statement of this group reads “The Temple Institute is dedicated to all aspects of the Divine commandment for Israel to build a house for G-d's presence, the Holy Temple, on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem. The range of the Institute's involvement with this concept includes education, research, activism, and actual preparation. Our goal is firstly, to restore Temple consciousness and reactivate these ‘forgotten’ commandments. We hope that by doing our part, we can participate in the process that will lead to the Holy Temple becoming a reality once more.” What is standing in their way? An Islamic shrine that was constructed in 691-92 AD directly on the site of the second Jewish temple. Many believe that once a peace treaty is signed with world leaders (under a new world government), part of that treaty will include the dismantling of this shrine and the reconstruction of this temple in its place. However, as this passage suggests, this peace is short-lived and interrupted only 3.5 years into the agreement as the Antichrist enters the complex and declares himself God on earth (more on this later).

2) INTRODUCTION #2: Concerning the Witnesses-11:3-6

During this same time the text reads “And I will grant authority to my two witnesses,…” (11:3). Before we delve into the introduction of these new characters, let me remind you of where we are in the unfolding saga of this book and how this pause of Revelation 10-11 fits into it. Earlier in our study I suggested that the mid-point of the tribulation period might fall at the sixth seal (Rev. 6:12ff, immediately before the first interlude of Revelation 7). Though this isn’t a hill to die on, this interpretation, especially in view of Matthew 24’s Olivet Discourse, seems possible. This means that the seven trumpets and the seven bowls all take place during the second three and a half years of the tribulation’s 7-year period. In the pause of Revelation 10-11, John (much as with the pause of Revelation 7) takes us out of the chronology and goes back to describe other things and characters he is seeing or has seen. Therefore, this description of the temple and the two witnesses is placed here as if to help catch the reader up on some of the other phenomena at work during the period of the trumpets and bowls. In other words, during the second half of the tribulation you have the trumpets we’ve already looked at, the bowls yet to come, the desecration of the temple and Jerusalem, and the ministry of these two witnesses.

These two witnesses, according to verse 3, “will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days” (11:3b). The duration is another way of saying 42 months and this time frame, once again, corresponds to the second three and a half year period of the seven year tribulation. The Old Testament required two witnesses as competent legal testimony to secure a conviction (Deut. 17:6; 19:15). Therefore, the prophesying ministry of this duo involves a legal ministry of indictment and conviction. In this case, the witnesses are proving the guilt of the world before God. As they are making this case, they are said to be “clothed in sackcloth” (11:3). This was a common way for prophets to dress (see Elijah in 2 Kings 1:8 and John the Baptist in Mark 1:6) when they were mourning for the sins of the nations and for the judgment that would result from such sin.

Though details concerning what the witnesses look like and what they will do are provided, their identity is left a mystery. The closest that the author comes to betraying their identity is saying, “these are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth” (11:4). These details appear to be drawn from Zechariah 4:2-6 where Zechariah is shown a vision of a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lights on it, with seven channels to the lights. Also, there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on the left. In this vision, the lampstand is the temple and the seven lights are the “eyes of the Lord, which range throughout the earth” (see 2 Chron. 16:9; Zech. 4:10). Earlier in Revelation “seven eyes” is used as a symbol for the Spirit of God (Rev. 5:6). The two olive trees, on the other hand, refer to “the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth (Zech. 4:14) which, in Zechariah, refers to Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel the governor (Osborne, Revelation, 420-21).  Because of the seven lights of the lamp (the eyes of the Lord representing the Spirit of God) and the “anointing” that Joshua and Zerubbabel are said to have received, these two were successful as they were used of overcome their opponents and rebuild the temple in their original context. Here, the same images are used to suggest that these two witnesses are also going to be spiritually empowered in their ministry in and around a future temple during this turbulent tribulation period. But who are these two?

Clues to their identity can be found in demonstrations of their supernatural power—“and if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way…” (11:5). The idea here is that until their prophetic ministry is complete, no one will be able to kill them. In fact, those who seek the death of these prophets will themselves be killed and they will meet their demise by fire. YIKES!  This sounds a lot like the scene of fire destroying God’s enemies in 2 Kings 1 and the conflict between Elijah and the soldiers of King Ahaziah. Ahaziah sent two companies of fifty soldiers each to bring Elijah, and Elijah called down fire from heaven each time to consume these legions.

Not only that, but these two witnesses also “…have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying” (11:6). This again appears to have connections with Elijah. In 1 Kings 17-18 God used Elijah to shut the heavens during the idolatrous reign of Ahab, causing a drought that extended, according to 1 Kings 18:1, three years. However, later, Jewish tradition symbolically represented this as three and a half years in keeping with the apocalyptic message of Daniel 9:27 (see Luke 4:25; James 5:17).

Luke 4:25-“But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months”

James 5:17-“Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on earth for three years and six months.”

Not only will these two witnesses be supernaturally protected for 3.5 years, they will cause a 3.5 year drought—it will not rain during their prophetic ministry (much like the case of Elijah in his ministry in the days of Ahab).

Additionally, the text reads that “they have power over the waters to turn them into blood” (11:6b). This special power is similar to how God used Moses in the first Egyptian plague (Exodus 7:20-21). Like the Egyptians of the Old Testament, the Romans in power during John’s day believed that water was a symbol of life. Therefore, this special ability of the two witnesses means that they can turn what the world believes is life-giving into a symbol for death.

Finally, if that wasn’t enough, these two witnesses also possess the power to “strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.” Given all of these clues—fire from heaven, drought, water into blood, and all “kinds of plagues”—the best guess concerning the identity of these two witnesses is probably Elijah and Moses. This makes the best sense given the context of Revelation and what these two men did in their past ministries. Not only that, but these two represent the Law and the Prophets (the Old Testament) and were also seen alongside a transfigured Jesus in Matt. 17:2ff; Mark 9:2ff; and Luke 9:28ff. Inasmuch as the Old Testament testifies to Christ and these two (Moses and Elijah) represent the Old Testament message, these two would make the best candidates available to make the case for Jesus in the tribulation period in and around the temple and judge those who would fight against it.

So What?

These two introductions that John makes in Revelation 11:1-6—of the temple and the witnesses—each illustrate the staying power of the presence of God on the world’s stage. For instance, though the temple was destroyed twice in biblical history and an Islamic shrine now sits where the temple was, this passage demonstrates that God’s presence hasn’t gone anywhere and one day, a very literal symbol of that presence will be reestablished on the world’s stage for God’s people. Also, though the Old Testament figures have been forgotten by many, ignored by others, and their message concerning the coming Christ has been denied by most, one day they will be unleashed again and no one will be able to silence their testimony. Ultimately, efforts to stand in the way of God’s plan are futile. Though many might believe that the world and her philosophies/leaders have the upper hand, God reveals that even in the worst of it, the truth will prevail and his plans will not be thwarted. After all, as 2 Corinthians says in 1:20–“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.” Also as Matthew 5:18 reminds us, “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” Do you know the enduring truth of God today? Are you living in accordance with the sovereign will of God? I hope so because these are the only things that last into eternity.