[Revelation 11]

Counting and measuring are the brushstrokes of the scientists and mathematicians to illustrate and colour the world into a comprehensible picture. I am in awe of the astrophysicists, the astronomers, the geologists, archaeologists and numerous other disciplines that count, name and number our universe. 

Our sciences are expressed in the results of the measuring rods of our time, becoming more sophisticated as technology develops into more accurate measuring devices and computers.

In the garden of Eden it all started as God commanded Adam to name creation.  Our earth and universe are constantly being discovered over thousands of years. For all the years and complexity of our sciences, most of the academic world would agree that there remains so much to learn, and so the measuring and calculating continue. 

The call of our universe from the ruins to the stars is so strong that the brightest minds devote their entire lives to the discovery of a part of the incalculable whole and find fullest satisfaction therein. 

Measuring was common in the prophets of the Old Testament. It is no surprise that we find a command to measure in the first verses of Chapter 11. 

Revelation 11:1-13 is all about the Church of Jesus – sealed to endure the trials of being a loyal witness to the Gospel.

Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. ² But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months. ³ And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”

⁴ These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. ⁵ And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. ⁶ These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.

The Witnesses Killed

⁷ When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. ⁸ And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. ⁹ Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. ¹⁰ And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

The Witnesses Resurrected

¹¹ Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. ¹² And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. ¹³ In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.

¹⁴ The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.

John’s focus is on the prophetic message for the Church.  Judgment comes to the persecutors of the Church – God heard their cry from the altar.

The Church throughout history had a professing part as well as an apostate part.  Last mentioned were the deceived ones that often aligned with the world in persecuting the true Israel.

The measuring rod to measure and seal was for the protection from demonic powers. God knows exactly the extent of His own. Every heart that whispers and flutters towards Him is measured. Nothing slips; none is lost. It is always exact and precise.

Measuring is used metaphorically for a decree of protection.

A measuring rod was a reed marked in cubits (elbow to tip of middle finger).

He took me there, and behold, there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze. He had a line of flax and a measuring rod in his hand, and he stood in the gateway. And the man said to me, “Son of man, look with your eyes and hear with your ears, and fix your mind on everything I show you; for you were brought here so that I might show them to you. Declare to the house of Israel everything you see.” Now there was a wall all around the outside of the temple. In the man’s hand was a measuring rod six cubits long, each being a cubit and a handbreadth; and he measured the width of the wall structure, one rod; and the height, one rod. (Ezekiel 40:3-5)

To Ezekiel comes the command to measure and declare the magnificent Temple of the Lord. More probably Zechariah’s description was in John’s mind when he describes the measuring in this part of the vision.

Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand. So I said, “Where are you going?”

And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.”(Zechariah 2:1,2)

A few verses further God promises His presence in the midst of what is measured. This is the core quality of the true church.

For I,’ says the Lord, ‘will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.’ (Zechariah 2:5)

Amos (7:7-9) also saw the Lord with a plumb line in his hand. Measuring takes place in preparation for building but also for destruction. Here it means preservation and protection. It is the sealing of the servants of God as described in Revelation 7:2-4. The seal is for the Temple, a symbol of the invisible church of Jesus.  In Hebrews 10:1-12 it is confirmed that the old-style sacrificial system would never be revived as the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross was the ultimate sacrifice required.

The Temple in Jerusalem had FOUR courts before the Holy of Holies. A balustrade to the rest of the space where only Jews were allowed divided the Court of the Gentiles. Transgression meant death. The Court of the Women was also restricted. The Court of the Israelite for ordinary Jewish men and then the Court of the Priests, where we found the Altar of the Burnt Offering made of brass and the water bowl for cleansing.

The Temple described here in Revelation, is the Church of Jesus – universally, where God dwells.  We are the living stones (1 Peter 2:5). Jesus is the cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20-21). 

According to 1 Corinthians 3:16,17 and 2 Corinthians 6:16, we are the Temple.

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

Elsewhere in Revelation the Temple denotes a spiritual dwelling place and not a physical building. (3:12; 21:22)  The New Jerusalem has no Temple for the Lord and the Lamb dwells in the city.  The city itself is the Holy of Holies.  The altar refers to worship – the sacrifice of praise amidst trials and troubles.

A time, times and half a time is mentioned in Daniel 7:25 and 12:7. It is 42 months, which is 1260 days – a 3,5-year limited period of suffering.

As far as the Jews were concerned, the peak of the manifestation of evil was connected with one terrible episode in their history. 

This is commemorated in Daniel’s picture of the little horn. The little horn was Antiochus Epiphanes [215BC – 164BC], a Hellenistic Greek king of the Seleucid Empire who reigned over Syria. His name means “God Manifest”. His original name was Mithradates, but he assumed the name Antiochus, after he ascended the throne. He was determined to introduce Greek ways, language and Greek worship into Palestine. He regarded himself as the most important missionary of Greek culture. The Jews resisted. Antiochus Epiphanes invaded Palestine and captured Jerusalem. It was said that eighty thousand Jews were either slaughtered or sold into slavery.

To circumcise a child or to possess a copy of the Law was a crime punishable by death. It was a deliberate attempt to wipe out the religion of a whole people. He desecrated the Temple. He erected an altar to Olympian Zeus in the Holy Place and on it sacrificed swine’s flesh. He turned the rooms of the Temple into public brothels. 

The gallantry of the Jewish commander, Maccabees with his five sons, leads to the first religious war in history. The Maccabean revolt restored the Temple and conquered Antiochus. Antiochus was the incarnation of all evil. The Jews called him “Epimanes,” which means “mad one.” His persecution of the Jews lasted exactly 1260 days (42 months or 3,5 years). 

The victory of Maccabees is the source of the Jewish feast Hanukkah, which is celebrated around Christmas. When the lamp was lit in the Temple after the victory, there was only oil enough for one day. This little oil lasted eight days, enough to give the priests a chance to restore the oil supply.

The significance of 42 months has an important background in the Word.  Israel wandered in the wilderness for 42 years. (They were in the wilderness for two years before the “penalty” was incurred to stay 40 years.)  In the wilderness they had 42 encampments. (Numbers 33:5-49)  The reminder of the trumpet-plagues to Egypt’s plagues alludes to the fact that the people of God were under his protection in the wilderness. The ministries of Elijah and Jesus were measured in the same way.

The Daniel – times are 3,5 years, 42 months or 1260 / 1335 days, which John interprets as the Church Age. For God a thousand years are as one day. (2 Peter 3:8-9)

The two witnesses have various interpretations. Many scholars are of the opinion that they are the Law and Prophets of which Moses and Elijah are the symbolic figures.   They werethe two figures on the Mount of Transfiguration (Mark 9:4) and associated with many miracles.  

Moses and Elijah are symbolic of Israel – the Law and the Prophets and therefore the true Israel, the Church which is a revelation of Jesus.

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. (Matthew 5:17)

And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”  (Revelation 19:10)

Fire proceeded from Elijah’s mouth and burnt his enemies (2 Kings 1:9-10). He also commanded that no rain would fall in the time of Ahab. Moses is associated with the miracle of the staff turning into a snake and the plagues of Egypt as described in Exodus.

Deuteronomy (17:6; 19:5; Numbers 35:30) states that in the mouth of two or three witnesses the truth shall be established. This principle emphasizes the importance of multiple sources of evidence to ensure accuracy and reliability. (2 Corinthians 13:1)

It could be safely said that the two witnesses are symbolic of the universal church.

Jerusalem was a great city, but called by terrible names like Sodom (gross spiritual perversity) and Egypt (opposing God’s plans and purposes) in Isaiah 1:9,10. The symbols of sin present in the city were to make slaves of people. The wickedness of Jerusalem culminated in the crucifixion of Jesus. The name is taken away because there is a New Jerusalem – the church. The church of Jesus is the New Jerusalem

In ancient times it was a terrible thing not to be buried.

 Their blood they have shed like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them. (Psalm 79:3)

…your corpse shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.’” (1 Kings 13:22)

Trampled by nations – the persecutors are not part of the true covenant community.  

Your holy people have possessed it but a little while;
Our adversaries have trodden down Your sanctuary.  (Isaiah 63:18)

The descriptions: measuring (like Ezekiel’s temple), altar, outer court and holy city, are all figurative and applicable to the believing community.  The believers dwell in the tabernacling Presence of the Most High.  God and Christ are the true Temple and the believers are the pillars.

Will grant authority – not future time – rather divine determination – to stand against the enemy.  Often the statements in Revelation are made in the “prophetic perfect tense” – a future event as if it is taking place already.  This timing is a reality in the Kingdom of God.

The witnesses are not two persons but symbolic of the Church:

• Lampstands (11:4) – see (1:12-2:5)  Joel (2:28-32) prophesied for the eschatological community to receive the Holy Spirit.
• The beast will make war on them – Daniel  7:21 – a whole nation.
• The whole world will see the apparent defeat (11:9-13)
• The witnesses prophesy for 42 months – same as the holy city is trampled, the woman (seen as the church – 12:6) is oppressed and the oppression of those dwelling in heaven (13:6)
• The entire community of believers the source of testifying (6:9;12:11,17; 19:10; 20:4)
• The powers of Moses and Elijah are not divided – they are attributed to both at the same time.

Jesus sent the 70 two by two (Matthew 18:16; Luke 10:1-24; John 8:17)  Two churches are the faithful ones – Smyrna and Philadelphia.

Zechariah saw two lampstands and two olive trees. (4:1-14)

Witness is a legal term used in the NT. The witnesses stand before the Lord of the earth. (11:4)  They are on earth but in the Presence of God in the heavenly courtroom.

The witnesses devour their enemies by fire – the Holy Spirit fights for them.  They may suffer harm but their covenantal status is not affected.  The fire comes out of their mouth – speaking the Word.

Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts:

“Because you speak this word,
Behold, I will make My words in your mouth fire,
And this people wood,
And it shall devour them.  (Jeremiah 5:14)

Elijah called down fire on his enemies. (2 Kings 1:10-12)

The witnesses are judging the enemy by an onslaught on their conscience.

11:7 – when they have finished their testimony – at the end of the age  they would appear defeated.  The full number of the saints have been counted.  There is an appointed time in history.

The witnesses are killed and their deaths are celebrated, just as the prophets who warned the people of their sins and Jesus were killed, as with all the martyrs over the centuries.  

The beast comes out of the abyss – he will be exposed at the end of the age.  He will manifest himself to openly come against the church.  (The devil always goes too far, overplays his hand.)  Daniel 7 – persecution comes from antagonistic earthly authorities.

Their bodies in the street – treated with indignity.  Only a small remnant of the church will exist at the end of the age.  The great city where the bodies are is identified as Babylon – the God-hating world.

Those who dwell on earth – technical phrase – earth-dwellers = unbelieving community.  Their trust is in many things except God.

Celebration over their deaths – (Acts 17:30-31; 1 Thessalonians 1:8-10)

Like Jesus the witnesses are resurrected. The victory of the anti-Christ is brief.  Taken from Ezekiel 37:5,10 where the breath represents God’s Spirit and the physical resurrection (of the dead bones) represents a spiritual resurrection.  (Ezekiel 36:26,27)

Death has no power over truth. The witnesses, like the church, proclaim the truth. 

A natural disaster, a great earthquake, is the consequence. The earth shook when Jesus died, but still most of the people did not see and realize. Those who gave glory to God, were saved. (Ezekiel 38:19)

A tenth of the city fell and seven thousand were killed – a partial judgment, not all and not final.  Seven thousand is a figurative number to avenge the faithful. God gave Elijah seven thousand who have not bowed down to Ba’al. (1 Kings 19:18; 20:15)  

[In 1 Kings 20:15 he says he mustered all the children of Israel – 7 000 – by which the great multitude of Ben-Hadad’s Syrian army was defeated. By saying all he means the real courageous fighters – not all of Israel – just as there are only a limited number of effective warriors, powerful Christians (spiritual Israel) within the Church.]

Repentance is the way to give glory to God. Here the story of the Cross and resurrection of Jesus is emphasized and confirmed. Life is sacrificed and then given again in resurrection.

Evil is conquered in the process, not by force but by sacrifice and suffering.

Ezekiel 37:10-13 – restoration of Israel as a great army – the faithful nation in other words in the context of Revelation, the faithful Church.

A great fear – not fear of God but a fear of what God can do  – i.e. the plagues and disasters.

For the witnesses there is a call to heaven – Come up here and they went to heaven in a cloud.  This is a rapture to be with God.  John is raptured through the door in 4:1 – the door of revelation knowledge or vision – to be shown in order to speak prophetically.  John states that he was “in the Spirit”.

If this is a final physical rapture, it will be before the final judgment and the end of all things.  For John it was a spiritual rapture just like those of Ezekiel who describes several.  (Ezekiel 1:28-2:2; 3:12-14,23-24; 11:1-5; 43:5)  He was “carried away” into the spiritual realm, the unseen spiritual dimension.  Paul was “raptured” to the third heaven.  (2 Corinthians 12:1-4)

There is, in other words, an invisible dimension of reality not seen by the eyes of the world to where they were transported.  The rapture of the witnesses is comparable to John’s experience because of the loud voice of the angel descending on the earth in 10:3.  Both John (10:11) and the witnesses (11:3,10,18) exercise a prophetic commission in announcing judgement on “peoples, nations, tongues and kings”. 

¹⁵ Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” ¹⁶ And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, ¹⁷ saying:

“We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty,
The One who is and who was and who is to come,
Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
¹⁸ The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,
And the time of the dead, that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,
And those who fear Your name, small and great,
And should destroy those who destroy the earth.”

¹⁹ Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.

The seventh trumpet is a summary of the Kingdom of God with a song of worship. It seems like the end, but so much more detail is given in following chapters. The announcement of the Kingdom came with the beginning of the ministry of John the Baptist and Jesus.  (Matthew 3:2, 17; Luke 10:19)

Jesus said on the Cross – It is finished.  It is the announcement of God’s finished Plan for mankind.  We live in the “it is finished” – dispensation.  The Kingdom of God is in itself a judgment on sin and therefore a woe.  Christ died for the whole world.  The world is now his Kingdom – therefore the end-times are calculated from 70AD till the end of history.

It is all mentioned in the worship song at the end of the chapter:

Victory of the Anointed One – Psalm 2:2.

God’s supreme authority and the Millennium – 11:17.  God is addressed three times in Revelation as the One who was and is and is to come, but here is a variation: the One who has taken up his great power and begun to reign.  The Church is the judgment on the world throughout the Church age.

Attack of hostile powers and their final defeat and judgment -11:18.

“Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain,
Who destroys all the earth,” says the Lord.
“And I will stretch out My hand against you,
Roll you down from the rocks,
And make you a burnt mountain.  (Jeremiah 51:25)

In verse 19 we are with John back in the vision as he is describing his experiences. The heavenly Temple is a mirror image of the Church on earth. The Ark of the Covenant is a symbol of God’s presence and covenant relationship to everyone who believes in Jesus. 

It is a picture of the Kingdom.  The reward for the saints is to be in the Holy habitation of God himself in the midst of the Kingdom while Babylon is destroyed.  God brings his people into his dwelling.  (John 14:1)

It is the picture of the full glory of God, defeating His enemies and an uplifting promise to the people of the Covenant.

The seventh trumpet concludes with the images of the entry of Israel into the Promised Land and the defeat of Jericho with trumpets and an earthquake.  

The Ark represents not just God’s judgment but also a place of forgiveness and the Presence of God with his people.

Revelation 11:19 is expanded upon in 20:3,22 where the establishment of the end-time Temple is interpreted as God’s special revelatory presence in the midst of His people.  The veil is torn and the Ark is in full view and accessible.  The Ark is the Presence of God, the New Jerusalem, not in a physical Temple.

Here is the link to the podcast on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/567wCzCj6q9ck7Lss2IgV0?si=l2iYxOe8SXeE2srQ65oAfg