Revelation 11:7-14
To recap from last week, we looked at verses 1-6 and the two witnesses who were brought to the world to prophesy and give testimony. These two great witnesses brought with them a task from God and God would not let anything happen to them until their task was completed. We call this the sovereignty of God which just means that God being who He is, is always in control of His will being fulfilled.
We will see here though with these two witnesses that when God's will is finished he allows them to be killed. God removes His protection from the two witnesses allowing their enemies to kill them. Why would God do this?
God's will and our freewill work hand in hand at times. The more we know scripture and know His will, our freewill works then in conjunction with God's will and with guidance from the Holy Spirit we are able to accomplish the tasks He has for us. Nothing can overpower God's will at any time, His will is mightier than any others will and He will insure His success.
7 And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, 8 and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb, 10 and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth. 11 But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here!” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them.
13 And at that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe has passed; behold, the third woe is soon to come.
The Witnesses Death
Revelation 11:7-8 ~ 7 And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, 8 and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified.
War is always an ugly thing. It can be a part of God's plan though which we will see here in these verses. The fact that it says that the beast made war on them means that these two witnesses didn't go easily but rather fought the beast. They didn't just lay down and give up their lives without a fight. They for sure didn't turn the other cheek which means that turning a cheek isn't always the thing to do in every situation.
These witnesses were fighting against evil for the glory of God which is something worthy to fight for.
8 and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified.
During wars at times it's common to let your great enemy or at least its leaders lay in the streets dead or hang them in the center of town on display as a symbol of sorts, and also out of contempt and disgust for them and what they had done. It is also a reminder to people what can happen to them as well. It shows a lack of humility and is more a thing of pride and power.
In this verse the word “symbolically” is used which means it isn't the actual place but for some reason it stands in a way for that place, which is Jerusalem it seems.
9-10 ~ For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb, 10 and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth.
This obviously is talking about the non believers worldwide who are doing this in rejection to God. It gives you a good indication of the effect these two witnesses had worldwide that everyone knew of them and the war against them and their death. The people celebrated because they thought in a way it was a defeat against God Himself. But it wasn't, it was a part of God's plan and will.
Verses 11-13 ~ But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here!” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them. 13 And at that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
Through death, destruction and the raising to life of the two dead witnesses God is glorified. God is glorified in the good and God is glorified in the evil. We may not always understand it, and we are not called to, we are just called to have faith and know God is in control.
The moment God is not in control is the moment God ceases to be God.
