Revelation Chapter 11
The two principal objects of this vision is the city of Jerusalem with it holy temple and the two witnesses prophesying for twelve hundred and sixty days
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.
Rod – symbol of the revealed will of God
Measure the temple of God
Altar – atonement
How do the church and the worshipers measure up to God’s Word?
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.
Court – 42 months, 1260 days, 1260 years
Gentiles – unbelievers
The visible church was given over to false believers during this period
Began 270 runs until first Protestant creed in 1530 – Dark ages
Gradual – nominal Christians,
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.
Two witnesses, the Word and the Spirit
Zec 4:1 And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep, Zec 4:2 And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof: Zec 4:3 And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.
Zec 4:11 Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof? Zec 4:12 And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves? Zec 4:13 And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. Zec 4:14 Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.
Wesley – Christ and the Holy Spirit
Christ as the Word
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 power given to the 2 witnesses I believe confirms their divine appointment
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.
I believe this is best understood to be a different picture of the same period of time, although I uncomfortable that this goes against consistency in interpreting the symbols.
The 3 days and a half, best reference the same 3 and half years (42 months), although not of certainty. This follows the logic of Lillie McCutcheon, a renown teacher of Revelations.
(If this is not correct, I have not found a satisfactory explanation although I have seen several. All have the same problem with the time period. If we use consistent symbolism, then the time period is only a literal 3 1/2 years…I know of no historic event that fits such a shortened time frame)
The beast we will see in the next few chapters represents Papal Rome, the Roman Catholic church
Make war with them and kill them
Effectively removed them from any place of influence
Completely replaced them with church officers and creeds
Dead but not buried
Ignored but displayed
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.
With the great Reformation life returned to the witnesses
Accompanying political upheaval
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. 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. 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 great final judgment