We, The Church, Are The Two Witnesses (Revelation 11:1-19) Series

This week, we have the privilege of working our way through Revelation 11. This is a rich, complex chapter. It's also a chapter where there's a lot of debate about how to read it. A friend of mine has a study Bible, and his notes told him that the chapter should be read literally. But the vast majority of scholars understand that a literal reading of this chapter completely falls apart. At the risk of spoiling the story, you end up thinking that the two witnesses we are about to hear about, are conjoined olive trees, with lamps on tops of their heads, who prophesy about Jesus, and who shoot fire out of their mouths. Picture the giant talking trees from Lord of the Rings, or Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy.

But what we are reading here, throughout, is symbolic language. Scholars disagree about what some of the symbols mean. There's often two or three different ways to understand different parts. But amusingly, those disagreements are a bit like a sideshow, and don't actually have much effect on the big picture, and the main point, of the chapter.

So you might find yourself unconvinced by some of the decisions I've taken, about what the chapter means. Especially if you're reading a commentary in parallel to this study, you'll be aware that there are other options. But if you find yourself in this boat, I'd encourage you to not get hung up on the differences, and disagreements. If we all make the main thing, the main thing, Revelation 11 has a powerful and important message for the church-- for us.

Before we jump in, I think it will help us to try to remember where we are in the book. In chapter 6, we saw six seals opened up, each of them unleashing God's judgment on the world. Then, in chapter 7, we read two interludes-- one, of the 144,000, and the other, of a vast multitude worshipping God in heaven. After these interludes, the seventh seal was opened, and this led to the trumpet judgments. Six of those seven trumpets are in chapters 8 and 9, and we expected the end. But what we found ourselves in, instead, is another two-part interlude. In chapter 10, John prophesies. In chapter 11, the two witnesses prophesy. And it's only on the other side of those interludes, that the seventh trumpet will blast.

What I've come to decide is that the interludes are at least one of the keys to understanding the point of the book of Revelation. It's in the interludes that we see ourselves, and the church. We see where we are in human history. Where we are in God's plan for the world. And the interludes show us what God wants from us. That's what today's sermon, ultimately, is about. We are living in the time between the sixth and seventh trumpet. The end could come at any moment-- there is no more delay. And in the meantime, what is our mission? That's the question we will be able to answer, by the end of today.

Now, last week, we learned John's mission. Even though humanity looks hopelessly wicked (Revelation 9:20-21), it's not. God is not yet ready to give up on the world. He's not yet ready to end it, like He did with the flood. Instead, we saw Jesus' personal angel descend from heaven, with a rainbow of mercy on his head. He straddles earth and sea, and swears by the One who created everything that there will be no more delay. He gives John an open scroll to eat-- God's secret plan-- and he commissions John to prophesy to the nations. And what we saw, is that in the book of Revelation, prophesy basically means testifying about Jesus, and God's plan. In essence, prophesy is evangelism. Understanding that, is critical for today. So let's turn to Revelation 19:10. I'm going to read from the NLT, because it's brilliant here:

10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said, “No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers and sisters[c] who testify about their faith in Jesus. Worship only God. For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus.

So that's where Revelation 10 left off. We saw John commissioned for a second time to prophesy. The first time, John was commissioned to prophesy to the seven churches (Revelation 1:11). This time, he's commissioned to prophesy to the world. John's doing so, again, in this time between the sixth and seventh trumpet call. That's his window of time, to prophesy.

And then, our story continues (with a prophetic sign-act). Revelation 11:1-2:

(11:1) and a measuring rod was given to me, similar to a rod, saying, [Ezekiel 40:3]