Revelation Chapter 11

Rev 11:1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.

The temple of God. John is instructed to measure the temple, the altar and its worshippers. The concept of measuring is familiar in the Old Testament; it denotes ownership; implies protection and preservation. The identity of this temple is an important matter of interpretation. Many see this temple as a symbol of the church. Paul describes the church as a temple: Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. (Ephesians 2:19-21).

Peter describes the church as a temple: You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5). However, if this temple in Revelation 11 is a symbolic representation of the church, why should it be measured? What is the significance of the courts and the altar - and if the church itself is the temple, who are the worshippers? There is too much specific detail here for this to be using the generalized picture of the church as a temple unto God. It is more likely that this is the temple that must be on the earth for the fulfillment of what Daniel, Jesus, and Paul said about the abomination of desolation. The prophet Daniel told us that the Antichrist will break his covenant with the Jews and bring sacrifice and offerings to an end; that the Antichrist defiles the temple by setting something abominable there (Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11).

Jesus said to look for an abomination standing in the holy place, which would be the pivotal sign that the season of God's wrath was upon the earth (Matthew 24:15-16; 21). Paul told us that the Antichrist would sit in the temple as God (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). The concept of the abomination of desolation is often spiritualized by saying it is idolatrous worship established in the hearts of God's people (His "temple"); but certainly, this isn't the most plain or straightforward interpretation. And, in what sense can people be called God's temple if they worship the Antichrist - an emissary of Satan himself. In point of fact, today there are Jews very interested in rebuilding the temple and resuming sacrifice, and are making preparations to do that exact thing even now.

Orthodox Jews consider that the Messiah will rebuild the temple; however, the man they may initially embrace as their Messiah may in fact be the Antichrist: I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. (John 5:43). 

Rev 11:2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty [and] two months.

The outer court. The outer court need not be measured because it has been given to the Gentiles; perhaps this is because the outer courts of this rebuilt temple include the Islamic Mosque of Omar, which currently stands on the temple mount and is a point of great contention between Jews and Muslims. The holy city (Jerusalem) will be tread underfoot for a period of forty-two months; this equals 1260 days (three and one-half years); this "trampling" by Gentiles probably takes place in the last half of the final seven year period described by Daniel 11:26-27 - when the Antichrist pours out his fury on the people of Israel (as described in Revelation 12:13-17 and Matthew 24:15-28). Greek scholar A.T. Robertson says that to tread underfoot means "to trample with contempt".

Rev 11:3 And I will give [power] unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred [and] threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
Rev 11:4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
Rev 11:5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
Rev 11:6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.

The ministry of the two witnesses. The character of their ministry is prophetic (they will prophesy); they preach and demonstrate repentance (clothed in sackcloth). They have an unique, continual empowering from the Holy Spirit, as shown in Zechariah's olive trees and oil lamps picture (Zechariah 4:2-3; 14). They have a special protection from God (if anyone wants to harm them), protection similar to Elijah's in 2 Kings 1. They have the power to bring both drought and plague, similar to what Elijah (James 5:17-18) and Moses (Exodus 7-12) did. All the nouns used to speak of the two witnesses in this passage are in the masculine gender; the two witnesses are definitely two men.

Rev 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
Rev 11:8 And their dead bodies [shall lie] in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
Rev 11:9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
Rev 11:10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

The death of the two witnesses. They are killed by the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit (first introduced in Revelation 9:11, most likely Satan himself) but their ministry is not cut short, they fully accomplish their task (when they finish their testimony). This passage illustrates the difference between being a witness and giving testimony; witness is not something we do, it is something we are; giving testimony is what a witness does.

They are killed in the city of Jerusalem, which is described as Sodom (speaking of immorality), Egypt (speaking of oppression and slavery), and the great city (a term often applied to "Babylon," the headquarters of Antichrist [Revelation 16:19, 17:18; 18:10, 16, 18, 19, 21]). If, during the first three and one-half years, Jerusalem's leadership is in league with the Antichrist, it is easy to see how these titles apply. The earth sees and rejoices over the deaths of the two witnesses; the fact that this is seen by all people, tribes, tongues, and nations is perhaps an oblique prophecy of modern mass media.  "To have his dead body lie in view of all was the worst humiliation a person could suffer from his enemies".

Donald Grey Barnhouse tells of a Christmas card with Revelation 11:10 on its cover - a terrible misquoting of the Scriptures! The preaching of these two witnesses and their call to repentance was a torment for many, because they could not stand to hear the truth as they loved their lie.

Only celebration on the earth in Revelation! A "Satanic Christmas"?

Rev 11:11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
Rev 11:12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
Rev 11:13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
Rev 11:14 The second woe is past; [and], behold, the third woe cometh quickly.

The reviving of the two witnesses. As this happens before the eyes of the watching world, this is to the great horror and astonishment of their enemies. The earth is not worthy of these two witnesses; it is fitting that they go up to God in response to the call Come up here. An earthquake brings judgment, and moves many to give glory to God, but it remains to be seen if this will become true repentance unto salvation.

The identity of the two witnesses. Many interpreters see them as symbolic of the entire church in the tribulation period, or as symbols of the law and the prophets. But how can so many of the specific details of their ministry be reconciled with such a symbolic interpretation? The most plain and straightforward interpretation sees them as two real individuals, not symbolic representations. Who they are must not be terribly important, or we would have been told exactly who they are! Generally, if the two witnesses are identified with any two individuals from the past, the leading candidates are Elijah, Moses, or Enoch; or perhaps merely two believers ministering in the spirit and power of these great men, even as John the Baptist went forth in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:17; Matthew 7:12-13).

Some think one of them to be Enoch because he was carried up to heaven by God (Genesis 5:25). Some think one of them to be Elijah because his ministry seems like one of these two witnesses (2 Kings 1; James 5:17-18), because he was carried up to heaven (2 Kings 2:11), because it is specifically prophesied that Elijah would return before the end of the age (Malachi 4:5-6) and because he has a unique "conference" with Jesus at the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-6). Some think one of them to be Moses because his ministry seems like one of these two witnesses (Exodus 7:20-21), because God seemed to have a special purpose for the body of Moses that Satan wanted to defeat (Jude 9), and because he has a unique "conference" with Jesus at the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-6).

Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become [the kingdoms] of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

The seventh trumpet. The seventh trumpet finally sounds. The seventh seal brought forth a profound silence; the seventh trumpet initiates joy at the inevitable resolution. The verb tense of have become indicates absolute certainty about Jesus' coming and reign, even before the fact is accomplished. At the headquarters at a successful political campaign on election night, there is joy, even though it will be a while until their candidate is actually installed into office.

Rev 11:16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
Rev 11:17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
Rev 11:18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

The worship of the twenty-four elders. The thanksgiving isn't that God has already done this; but that the hour has come for it to take place, and that these things are permanently set in motion. "In their praise, impending events are set forth, to be more fully described later." Now comes the fitting time for judgment, reward, and destruction. God's punishment fits the crime; there is nothing arbitrary about it. The nations are angry with God and He responds with wrath; those that destroy the earth are themselves destroyed.

The world is angry because God comes to rule. The world wants anything but the reign of God! As they said, We will not have this man to reign over us (Luke 19:14).   "Religion is decent, but surrender to God is intolerable to the nations of this world." (Newell). The wrath of men is impotent; the wrath of God is omnipotent. The wrath of men is wicked; the wrath of God is holy.

Rev 11:19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

The opening of the temple in heaven. The ark refers to God's throne, the place where the previously mentioned resolution will come from. It is called the ark of the covenant (the earthly representation of God's throne) to emphasize God's faithfulness. The ark of the covenant is "The symbol of God's faithfulness in bestowing grace on His people, and inflicting vengeance on His people's enemies". The great and awesome phenomenon at the opening of the temple and the revelation of the ark show that the presence of the Lord is there; it is reminiscent of God's manifested presence at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:16-19). The chapter opened with an earthly temple; it closes with a heavenly temple.