Revelation 11 verses 1-14
We come this morning to one of the most difficult passages in the book of Revelation. Is this passage to be understood literally? Symbolically? I think it is fair to say that the majority of bible scholars take, at least part of, this passage, to be symbolical. So this morning I want you to really concentrate as we go through the passage because it has important things to teach us, as all God’s Word does. This passage has at its heart the fate of the witnessing Church of God during its final period of opposition and persecution. Some scholars see this chapter as a summary of the rest of the book of Revelation. This chapter helps us to know what are the duties of the Church during the period prior to the return of Christ. This passage is set in the period before the final judgment - remember that as we go through the passage.
Verses 1-2 - John is now commissioned to another task and his participation in the Revelation continues. Most commentators state that what follows is in fact the content of the little scroll which John has taken from the hand of the mighty angel and swallowed. John is given a measuring rod, a cane, with the instructions to go and measure the Temple, the altar and the people who worship there. In the ANE such measuring rods were common. They would be 6 to 8 feet in length, usually stalks of bamboo. They would have been 6 cubits in length of the day. A cubit was the length from the elbow to the end of your middle finger - approximately 18 inches or so. However, the measuring here is not physical but symbolical. Often we encounter prophets in Scripture ho are called to do something visible to accompany their words. Symbol laden action which accompanied their words to make a point. Hence we meet Isaiah who walked about barefoot and naked as a sign of impending captivity to Assyria or Ezekiel who dug through the wall of his home and carried out his belongings as a sign to Israel that they were about to be taken into exile. Even in the NT such symbolic acts occur - Acts 21 - Agabus, the prophet, binds Paul’s hands and feet as a sign of what will happen to Paul at the hand of the Jews in Jerusalem.
So what is the meaning behind this measuring of the temple, the altar and the people who worship there? Firstly, it is to show their preservation. In Ezekiel 40-48 every part of the temple was measured with painstaking care in order to restore it. So we have here a parallel to chapter 7 where the people of God are sealed - not against physical death, as we shall see, but against spiritual danger. The Temple is the Church - the living stones built by God - Ephesians 2.20-2, I corinthians 6. It is taking the measure of the people of God.
Herod - the court of women, the court of the Israelites, the court of the priests - beyond that there was the court of the Gentiles beyond which they were not allowed to venture.
However, John is told not to measure the outer court, the court of the Gentiles because it will be trampled by the gentiles. There is a division happening here. There is a definite distinction between the sanctuary and the outer court. Some see this as symbolically referring to the nature of the Church - the inner sanctuary being the invisible church, visible only to God - the people who are truly His and the outer court - the visible church - nominal members, those who attend but are not born again. However, the problem with this is that this court gets trampled and in chapter 13-14 it is the people of God who gets trampled. So in my view making this distinction does not work in the theology of the book as a whole. I think what this is saying is that part of the people of God do get trampled. They do suffer. They do experience persecution.
42 months = 1260 days, a time, and times and half a time - these are all the same. You know the way there are certain dates in history that stand out in people’s minds. So for some people it is the day President Kennedy got shot in November 1963, which happens to be the same day that C S Lewis died. Or for this generation it may well have been 9/11. For some it may be the day of some atrocity in Northern Ireland. I have no doubt the events of earlier this week in Paris will prove to be one of those dates in France. It is a defining moment for a people, a nation.
For the Jews this time period relates to an incident in the life of Israel when they suffered under Antiochus Epiphanes, who was Syrian, (167-164BC). Antiochus imposed the Greek language, culture and worship on the Jewish people and this period came to symbolically represent persecution, suffering and oppression. A period when it was considered that evil and wickedness is given a free hand. The Festival of Hanukkah celebrates the rebellion of Judas Maccabees which restored Judaism and worship in the Temple. The rebellion which was victorious lasted only 3.5 years. It is a defined period of time of terrible suffering which is finally brought to an end.
So what we have here in verse 2 is a time of oppression, persecution and suffering that is about to come upon the Church of God prior to the final judgment. Yet, and this is really important, even this time of suffering and oppression is limited and under God’s sovereignty. It is not open ended but limited and if you look at verse 9 you will see a stark contrast - 3.5 years compared to 3.5 days, but we will come to that in a moment.
Then we are told they will trample the holy city - a time of trouble, strife, persecution, and oppression is coming warns John. So we seemed to have moved from the temple’s outer court to the holy city - but if you take it in the context of the whole of Revelation - we have in the final vision - the new heaven and the new earth, a new Jerusalem, the holy city coming down from heaven. There is no temple there because it is all the temple. It is all the same thing - where God dwells with His people. The whole thing is the presence of God, you are never outside the presence of God. So I would conclude here that the Temple - which if you were in John’s day was the whole complex, outer court and all, refers to the people of God. However, the outer court is not to be measured because part of the people of God will suffer, will be oppressed and will die for the faith. I think that is what we are being told here.
Verse 3 - without any warning or introduction 2 witnesses appear on the scene. There are many different views on who these are. The opening words of the verse tell us that they are given a divine gift, authority to prophesy for 1260 days. Do you notice how the voice from heaven refers to them ‘my witnesses.’ These witnesses belong to God, are sent by God and given authority from God to prophesy, preach, proclaim for a limited period of time. Despite the trampling of His church God will send forth His witnesses. The period of their ministry is the same as that allotted to the trampling of the holy city. They are dressed in sackcloth - the attire of those in mourning, repentance and penitence.
Verse 4 - we are then given two more descriptions of these witnesses - two lamp stands and two olive trees standing before the Lord. We have encountered lamp stands before in the opening chapters - representing the Church, the people of God. Only in Revelation is such a description applied to the Church and if you can recall the earlier letters to the 7 churches there are only two that are spoken of as being faithful - so there is a link here between these two witnesses and the truly faithful church of God.
The two olive trees have their parallel in Ezekiel 4 and there is a clear connection between the Spirit of God and oil. If you think about it - lamp stands need oil - hence the connection between the two here.
Verses 5-6 The parallels between the two witnesses and Moses and on Elijah are pretty clear - the ability to shut up the heavens and to call down plagues. The Law and the Prophets, the two who appeared with Christ at the Transfiguration. There was a common expectation that Elijah and Moses would return before the end of the world - Malachi 4.5, Mark 9.11 and Matthew 11.14. They echo events in the life of Elijah and Moses - namely fire from heaven, shutting the skies from rain and the plagues. However, I think from the passage that the two witnesses go beyond referring only to Moses and Elijah but to the whole witnessing Church of God. Do you notice that whilst part of the city is being trampled they are bearing witness for the same period of time? There is persecution and the church witnesses. The whole church does not die - part of it is persecuted and martyred whilst other parts are witnessing and calling down judgment. If you read any good missionary biographies you will read of times of persecution and witnessing and God’s judgment being brought down - fire comes from their mouths and destroys their foes - the power of the words of their testimony.
These witnesses are protected during this period - the fire comes from their mouths to consume those who would harm them - 2 Kings 1. What this is saying is that there is a divine protection on them as they witness and that they have great resources available to them as did Moses and Elijah when they are doing the will of God. No one can harm God’s witnesses until their mission is accomplished.
Verse 7 however, this verse makes very sobering reading. When their testimony is concluded their invulnerability goes. The greek actually says that their testimony had reached its goal. When this period is accomplished they are opposed by the beast - the first time we meet this beast in Revelation but he will become prominent in the rest of Revelation. He will make war with them (the plural them - the people of God). This beast emerges from the abyss, showing that he is of satan, evil and wicked, and he will be the major antagonist of the Church in the last days. Daniel 7.7 lays some background to this figure. The fact that he makes war on the 2 witnesses shows that the witnesses are a large group of people rather than two individuals. This is the scene of the last epic struggle between the kingdoms of this earth and the witnessing Church. The very phrase ‘witness’ carries with it the grim flavour of martyr. It will appear that the beast has been victorious and that the Church is defeated.
Verses 8-10 - now we read something quite shocking. The final indignity for the witnessing church - the body of it’s martyrs will lie in the street for all to see and her oppressors and persecutors will gloat and rejoice over them. In the ANE to deprive a body of burial was the last great indignity you could do to your enemies. Ps. 79.3 says that to leave a body unburied is a terrible thing. OT illustration - When Saul and his sons died there bodies were strung up and not buried. David thanked the men of Jadesh Gilead go at night and take down the bodies and bury them. It is still worth you reading Foxes book of martyrs - it is an old book but worth reading of the persecution of the people of God. It is the inhabitants of the earth that do this - not just the city but the whole earth - the Revelation gives you hints. They have a party and celebrate because they see these preachers of the Word of God as their tormentors. Is that not how the world views christian preachers? Is that not the media and media personalities etc respond when Christians are oppressed, persecuted and martyred. You know I was reading this week about little children in Iraq who were martyred because they would not deny Jesus - and their bodies were left in the street for all to see. Little children - would not deny Jesus - their words to their oppressors - we love Yeshua!
We then read of Sodom and Egypt, and the city where Christ was crucified. Some commentators reckon this speaks of Jerusalem but I think it is not limited to a geographical location. Let me explain:
Sodom - is the picture of immorality and debauchery. It speaks of the depths of moral degradation of mankind. Egypt speaks of oppression and slavery. So we have here great wickedness, moral degradation and slavery/oppression. The city where Christ was crucified we know was Jerusalem and there is no doubt about that but in this context if we take it along with Sodom and Egypt - it is speaking of the opposition to the revelation of God - in Christ, by His witnessing Church. All that is opposed to righteousness and truth. The great city is every city and no city in particular - it is so called civilised man - who will be shown to be the persecutor, the oppressor and murderer of God’s witnessing people. Who will be so pleased at his actions at killing or thinking he has silenced the people of God -that he will gloat and rejoice, call a national holiday and celebrate - but his celebration will be short lived.
Verse 11 - 3.5 days - not 3.5 years as the church has been witnessing. 3.5 days their bodies lie in the street with the world gloating. They seem defeated, defiled and insignificant but the world forgets Her Lord is risen, ascended and Sovereign. Here it comes - here comes the victory - hallelujah. You know in the 18th Century Voltaire said that within a 100 years the Bible would be obsolete - you know the irony is that today his home in Paris is a bible depot. The world may think it has silenced the church. It may gloat and rejoice at the persecution of the people of God but resurrection victory is coming.
After 3.5 days God breathes life, resurrection life, into those who lie martyred in the streets. They stand up on their feet - there are echoes of ezekiel 37 here and God bringing life to dead bones - you know where you get that little song - them bones, them bones...
The immediate impact of this resurrection is fear and trembling in the hearts of those who had persecuted, oppressed and murdered the people of God. Think about it for a moment - if murder is the last resort of man against those whom he hates - what can be done about those who rise from the dead? What can he do, even filled with murderous hate, against those whom he has murdered and whom he left lying in the street whilst he celebrate, who now, before his eyes, stand up.
Verse 12 - then they are called home. The voice of God calls them to “Come up here” and they ascend, like their Lord Jesus, in a cloud. John tells us that this all takes place before the face of their enemies, before those who persecuted, killed them and rejoiced as their bodies lay in the street. This is no secret rapture - but visible before the eyes of the world. This generation of the Church that will be oppressed, suffer, killed and left for 3.5 days in the street will be raised to life and taken up to heaven before the eyes of the world.
Verse 13 - and as with the resurrection of Christ - a great earthquake will accompany this event. A tenth of the city will be destroyed resulting in 7000 deaths. It is significant but not crippling.
Is it any wonder they are afraid and give glory to God - it will be clear to them, to all who have persecuted and oppressed the people of God that this is a work of God. There will be no doubt who has done this. In 6.15 they had not repented but sought escape but here there is a change in attitude. It is not that they become christians but is as we find it at the end of Philippians 2 - one day every knee shall bow. For the enemies of the people of God there is only destruction and wrath - it is the end of chapter 6 where they cry out for death than face the wrath of God.
So what are we to make of this passage this morning? There is no doubt that it is a very difficult passage to understand, interpret and the application is equally difficult. However, I think there are some very simple lessons for us as individuals and as a congregation this morning.
Make sure you are part of the Temple - make sure you are sealed by the blood of Christ. Are you part of the living temple of God?
Persecution - is real, it is happening to our brothers and sisters in Christ. We know nothing really about persecution and oppression. Seriously read Foxes Book of Martyrs or listen to Canon Andrew White - the vicar of Baghdad and the plight of christians in Iraq. Take a moment and read Open Doors or Solidarity or Barnabas magazine - your eyes will moisten with tears as you read about our brothers and sisters facing real persecution.
What are to do - two things - pray for these our brothers and sisters and secondly - keep on witnessing. Keep witnessing the good news of Jesus Christ.
One day we may well be part of the body of Christ that will be martyred for the faith - but we will be raised to life -resurrection life. One day we will be raised to life and called to heaven with Christ. The world will stand and gaze in fear and trembling because they will have witnessed the power of the living God.
It is time to stand up and be counted for Christ. It is time to stop playing at church and following Christ. Are you following Christ or are you not? You ready and willing to sacrifice all for Christ? Let me say this, as humbly as I can, some claim to follow Jesus but you wouldn’t know it from their lives or their words. Some are saying they are followers of Christ but they neglect the fellowship of God’s people, they rarely read their bibles, pray or serve. Follow Christ and compromise on morality! Follow Christ and break their vows! Follow Christ and live like the world! When I was a young man there was s sticker that was doing the rounds and it said this: If following Christ was a crime - Would there be enough evidence to convict you? I will leave you to ponder that this morning.
Finally, in this passage there is a call for the people of God to keep on being faithful witnesses - no matter what comes our way. Keep on being the faithful people of God - because no matter what, even if it means physical death, He will raise us to life and take us to heaven.
Amen.
