John’s vision of the two witnesses that seemed to be invincible, ends with them killed by the beast. However, after 3 1/2 days they are raised from dead and called up to meet the Lord in the air. The meaning is probably that the church will be able to propagate the gospel throughout the world, but when their work is finished, the antichristian world powers will persecute the church and silence it by driving it underground. However, God will have the last say by vindicating the church, raising it from the dead and rapturing it at the second coming of Christ.
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The Two Witnesses – Pt. 2
Revelation 11:7-13
Last Sunday we began a study of the two witnesses in Revelation 11. We sought to identify who those two witnesses are, and what they do.
The Futurist believes these are two individuals who will appear at the end of human history. Most believe they are Moses and Elijah, although some believe it will be Enoch and Elijah.
The Preterist believes these two witnesses represent the Old Testament prophets who were persecuted and in some cases martyred for boldly proclaiming the word of God. They believe that the destruction of Jerusalem came as a judgment from God partly because of Israel’s harsh treatment of the prophets He had sent to her.
The Idealist (which is my own position on chapters 11-13) believe that these two witnesses symbolize the church during the age from the first to the second coming of Christ. These two witnesses prophesy and give testimony, which is what the church has been charged to do these last 2,000 years. We speak forth the word of God and bear witness to who Christ is and what He has done. We are also told that they do miracles so that none can harm them or stop them in their work. Similarly the Church has been advancing the kingdom and the gospel into all parts of the world ever since Christ ascended to heaven. Satan and the world have not been able to defeat the church. In fact, Jesus said that the gates of Hades will not prevail against the church.
This is my understanding of Revelation 11. If I am right, then these two witnesses are not the only metaphors for the church. They are also represented by the temple of God, the holy city, the two olive trees, and the two lampstands. This chapter is full of metaphors for the church of Jesus Christ.
Now, Revelation 11:1-6 shows the church in a vision of two witnesses that are invincible. Although some want to harm them, they can’t stop them or permanently defeat them, because they have been given authority by God for their task. If any try to harm them fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies. They can shut up the sky so that it will not rain, and they can turn waters into blood and bring plagues upon the earth. Interestingly, these are the kinds of things that Moses and Elijah did when others tried to harm them or stop them in their work.
So, the picture we get from Revelation 11:1-6 is that of an advancing, invincible church, taking the gospel to the ends of the world.
All of that changes when we get to Revelation 11:7-13.
- The Measuring of the Temple: (11:1-2) The Preservation of the Church
- The Proclamation of the Witnesses (11:3-6) The Ministry of the Church
- The Conquest of the Beast (11:7-10) The Persecution of the Church
- The Resurrection of the Witnesses (11:11-13) The Vindication of the Church
Last Sunday we looked at the first two. We saw the measuring of the temple as a symbolic vision of God identifying the true church in order to preserve it. We also saw the proclamation of the witnesses as the ministry of the church carrying out the Great Commission for the last 2,000 years.
This morning we are going to look at the Conquest of the Beast (the persecution of the church), and the Resurrection of the Witnesses (the vindication of the church).
1. The Conquest Of The Beast (11:7-10)
1:7. When they have finished their testimony. When the church’s work is completed, God will grant Satan permission to make war upon the church. But notice, He only does that when they have finished their testimony. The church is immortal and invincible until she has completed her work.
The Beast that comes up out of the abyss. This is said in anticipation of chapter 13. In Revelation 13 the Beast is formally introduced into the story. Futurists believe the Beast is the Antichrist, an individual who rules over a one world government at the end of human history. I don’t think there is anything in the book of Revelation that would lead us to that conclusion. The Beast is said to have 10 horns and 7 heads, and all of those are said to be kings. The beast then must be some kind of political system that is opposed to God and to Christianity.
The abyss is first mentioned in chapter 9 as the place where demons are incarcerated, and sometimes let loose to do their mischief on the earth. That tells us that this Beast is satanically empowered and inspired. He is linked with the demonic.
Will make war with them. That gives more evidence that these two witnesses are not two individuals. You don’t make war against two individuals. You send out the police to arrest them. You make war against an enemy army. The church is an army of people determined to bear witness to the truth of Jesus Christ, and they are Satan’s enemies.
And overcome them and kill them. Up until this period of time the two witnesses have been invincible. Finally, the Beast is able to overcome and kill them. I believe this must point to a brief period of time at the end of human history where persecution becomes intense and worldwide, that it looks like the church has been exterminated. I looks like it is dead. Of course it is not. The true church will never die. However, it may be much smaller than at other periods in history. The church may be driven underground worldwide. The church was driven underground in communist countries of Eastern Europe in the 1980’s. The same has taken place in China and North Korea and in many Muslim countries. If I am understanding this vision correctly, it points to a time at the end of earth’s history when there is worldwide persecution of the church to the point where there is no longer any public, official, unhindered proclamation of the gospel. True Christians are silenced or driven underground.
1:8. Their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city…
The Greek literally says, “Their dead body (singular) will lie in the street…” Now that makes no sense at all, if these two witnesses are two individuals like Moses and Elijah. But it makes perfect sense if these two witnesses represent the one church of Jesus Christ, the one body of Christ.
Now, of course, if these two witnesses symbolize the church, then this vision of their dead bodies lying in the street of Jerusalem is not intended to be taken literally. In fact, Jerusalem is mystically called Sodom and Egypt. Sodom is famous for her sexual immorality, and Egypt is famous for its persecution. Jerusalem is linked with Sodom and Egypt to point out that the enemies of Christianity are seeking to slay and exterminate the church. Notice, this was were their Lord was crucified. In the minds of the persecutors, the church is connected to Jesus Christ. They see the connection and therefore want to destroy it.
1:9. Look at their dead bodies for three and a half days. Peoples, tribes, tongues and nations are all ways of speaking of the Gentiles (those without God). Three and a half days is set in contrast to the three and a half years the two witnesses prophesy. It is a relatively brief time period. Even so, this intense time of persecution will be relatively brief compared with the entire Church Age.
Will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. In the mind of a person from the ancient Middle East, the greatest indignity would be to forbid burial after death. These bodies are not permitted burial. This is the ultimate in shame and humiliation. This is contempt being poured out upon the church of Jesus Christ.
1:10. Those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate. “Those who dwell on the earth” is a code phrase in Revelation for the unregenerate world, the world of lost sinners. When the world has finally silenced and destroyed the public witness of the Church, the world rejoices. It is like Christmas all over again. They send gifts to one another. What is the joy and celebration all about?
Because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. How did they torment them? Through their prophesying (11:3) and testimony (11:7). It is through their preaching, witnessing, and teaching. This torments the world, because true preaching always deals with sin and its consequences. It calls lost people to turn from their sin and idols and to devote their lives to Jesus Christ as Lord. That is the very thing the world does not want to do! Their consciences are tormented by their witness. The Church declares what is sin in the eyes of God and what must be forsaken. The lost world doesn’t want to hear that! They want to go on with their fornicating and adultery, homosexuality and gay marriages, transgenderism, witchcraft, theft, lies and deceptions. But the world calls the world to repent of these things and bow the knee to the Lord Jesus. This is torment to the world! They do not want to hear that the things they love are evil and that God will judge them.
2. The Resurrection of the Witnesses (11:11-13)
The breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet… And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” What is being described in this vision? I believe we are seeing the Rapture of the Church! When Jesus returns, He is going to resurrect all men, and rapture His living saints. When this wicked world has done its best to shame, humiliate and exterminate the Church, Jesus will return.
1 Thess. 4:16-17 “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice o the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.”
I know it has become popular to believe in a “secret rapture.” Many believe that when the rapture happens, believes will disappear from the earth, while the world just continues on. Believers flying airplanes will just vanish. Believers driving cars will vanish. The rest of the world wonder where everyone went. That is the doctrine taught in the Left Behind series of books, and movie. It is based upon popular dispensational teaching. I have come to reject all of that. Notice when these two witnesses stand on their feet. “Great fear fell upon those who were watching!” Notice verse 12. What happened when the two witnesses went up into heaven in the cloud? Their enemies watched them! There is no secret rapture here. When the church is raptured the world sees it. They can’t help see it. Jesus said in Matthew 24:27 “For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Every eye will see Him. And every eye will see the Church resurrected, glorified, and raptured.
Great earthquake. Earthquakes are common in the book of Revelation. In fact they appear 5 different times: 6:12; 8:5; 11:13; 11:19; 16:18. These earthquakes represent the judgment of God to come upon unbelievers. A tenth of the city fell… seven thousand people were killed. This is a portend of the awesome judgment of God about to fall upon a wicked world that has rejected Christ and sought to destroy His church.
Conclusion
What does the Holy Spirit want us to learn from this passage of Scripture?
1. The Church will be persecuted.
1 John 3:13, “Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you.”
1 Peter 4:12, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you.”
2 Timothy 3:12 “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
Instead of being surprised when we are persecuted, we ought to be surprised that we are not being persecuted. Perhaps it is because we are not being bold in our witness. Perhaps it is because we have become silent on issues that the world disagrees with us on. Perhaps it is because we have compromised.
2. God Will Vindicate The Church.
That’s what we see in this chapter. The world hates these two witnesses, makes war on them, and kills them. They heap shame and degradation on them by refusing to bury them. They are seen as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things (1 Cor. 4:13). But God will not allow them to remain in this state of shame and humiliation. In the presence of all, as they watched, He causes them to stand on their feet and He calls them up into heaven in the cloud. The whole world sees it. The whole world realizes that these despised, persecuted believers are the favorites of God! He loves them. They are precious to Him. And they realize they are in deep trouble, because of the shameful way they have treated God’s people! Never despair when you are treated cruelly and shamefully. God will take up your cause and reveal you as one of the sons of God on that final day!
3. The Church will get the gospel to all the nations.
Notice in 11:7, “When they have finished their testimony, the beast…” The Lord will enable the church to finish her testimony.
Jesus said in Matthew 24:14, “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
This final massive persecution of the Church will not happen until she has finished her testimony, preached the gospel to all the nations, made disciples of all the nations.
Saints, that’s the part of the story that we are living in right now – the part where we bear testimony to the nations. That’s why we support missionaries. That’s why we send money to Bibles For Asia and HeartCry. We are seeking to be obedient to the command of Jesus Christ.
Continue to work and pray to get the gospel to all the nations. And continue to work and pray to get the gospel to your own nation, your own city, your own neighborhood.
Let’s redouble our efforts to get the gospel to the lost, both here and around the world! Let’s pray.
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By Brian Anderson. © The Bridge Church.
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