There are quite a few things
to discuss in Revelation 11:1-13, which unfortunately, we just won’t have time
to discuss on Sunday since we lost a week to the dang-blasted ice. So, here’s
my take…and it’s in print so I can’t deny any of it.
Quick summary: The chapter
opens with John’s commission to measure “the temple of God and the altar and
those who worship there.” Following
this, John is expressly forbidden to measure the outer courts for that will be
given over to the nations who will trample the holy city for forty-two months.
Also, John introduces two figures – the two witnesses – who are given authority
and prophesy in sackcloth for 1,260 days. These two witnesses prophecy until
their mission is completed; then, the beast makes war on them and conquers
them. They lay dead for 3 ½ days while the world gloats over their bodies.
After this short time, God vivifies them and beckons them to heaven while the
world stands by in terror. Accompanying this resurrection is a great earthquake
that destroys a tenth of the city and kills 7,ooo people.
To unpack this chapter, we
need to ask and answer three big questions. First, is this temple a literal
temple reconstructed in Jerusalem at some future point in history or is it a
symbolic temple? Second, what’s the deal with the forty-two months and 1,260
days? And third, who are the two witnesses?
The Temple
There are some who take the
temple to be a literal, reconstructed temple in Jerusalem in which sacrifices
will once again be offered (based on Ezekiel 40-42). This is not my view. I
think the temple here is symbolic of the church from two perspectives – the
inner and the outer (or the spiritual and the physical) Here’s why:
Context within Revelation:
·
The language of the text indicates that something
symbolic is going on – John is to measure the temple, the altar AND those who
worship there.
·
Throughout the book of Revelation, usage of the
temple is never of a restored earthly temple. See 3:12; 7:15; 11:19; 14:15, 17;
16:1, 17; 21:22.
Broader New Testament Context
·
Jesus refers to himself as the true temple (John
2:19; Matt 12:6). It was he as the temple that would be destroyed and rebuilt
in three days.
·
NT writers refer to the church as God’s temple,
by virtue of their union with Christ (1 Cor. 3:16-17; 2 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 2:21;
also 1 Cor. 6:19, 1 Peter 2:5)
·
Hebrews 10:1-14 makes clear that Jesus puts an
end to all sacrifices (that are of any meaning to God). He is the final,
perfect sacrifice. To reinstitute animal sacrifices would be redemptive regression.
Looking at the prophecy
regarding a rebuilt temple in the book of Ezekiel, we ought to do so through
the lens of the New Testament and especially Jesus. With Jesus, the
eschatological temple Ezekiel saw has broken in and we are being built into it.
We go wrong when we read the NT in OT categories. We must read the OT in light
of the NT.
Moreover, if we read it
literally, then there are unbelievers and believers, holy and unholy, mixing
and profaning the temple (The outer courts were still a part of the temple and
were measured in the Ezekiel passage). This mixing seems contrary to what
Ezekiel pictures in his vision.
However, if we see this as a
symbolic representation of the church, the temple of God in Christ, then we do
not encounter this difficulty. But still, why measure the inner court and not
the outer? I believe it is to make the same point that has been made consistently
throughout the Apocalypse – the spiritual life of the church (inner courts) is
protected by God even while the outer/physical church may be persecuted and
killed.
42 Months/1260 Days
It is said in Revelation 11
that the outer court will be trampled for forty-two months. Also, the two
witnesses (discussed below) will prophesy in sackcloth for 1,260 days. What? Again, there are those who take this to
be a literal measurement of time. I’m not one of them.
This time measurement (42
months, 1,260 days, times + time + half a time = 3 ½ years) shows up here in
11:2, 11:3, 12:6, 12:14 as well as 13:5. Dispensationalists combine these in
various ways to fit the seven year tribulation (Daniel’s seventieth week),
asserting that some of them refer to the first half while other refer to the
second half of this tribulation period. I believe all the references in
Revelation to the 3 ½ years are parallel, referring to the same period of time,
namely the church age from the destruction of temple to the time of Christ’s
return. Here’s some background:
Israel’s Wanderings
It is likely that John is at
least alluding to the 42 years Israel spent wandering in the wilderness after
the Exodus (2 years of journey before the enforced 40 years of punishment for
refusing to go into the land). There is a strong Exodus theme going on in Seven
Trumpets, including this chapter (11:6-8).
Elijah’s Ministry
Also, in the background is
Elijah’s ministry of judgment in which he called for a drought in the days of
King Ahab that lasted for 3 ½ years (James 5:17). Obviously there are links in this chapter to
Elijah’s ministry and to the drought.
Daniel’s Seventy Weeks
This is the most important
OT background, and the most challenging. Daniel’s seventy weeks are broken down
into three blocks: seven weeks, sixty-two weeks, and one week. Basically, my
understanding is that the first sixty-nine weeks (7+62) take us up to the time
of Christ and the final week, the seventieth, is symbolic for the entire church
age leading up to Christ’s return (For more, see my long, confusing blog post here). The case for this is
strengthened when you look into the next chapter, specifically at 12:5. There,
the clock (1260 days) started ticking at Christ’s resurrection and ascension.
The Two Witnesses
Who are these two figures in Revelation 11?
Some have understood them to be, literally, Elijah and Moses. Their case hinges
upon the statement that Malachi 4:5 that Elijah will come before the Day of the
Lord. This, however, seems to have been fulfilled in the person of John the
Baptist (see Matt 17:10-13 and Mark 9:11-13). More typical of the
dispensationalist school are those who believe these are two individuals who
minister in the spirit of Moses and Elijah – prophesying, doing signs and
miracles, etc.
I think it is more likely
to see them as symbols for the church corporate. The role of the church as
witness (Greek word martus from which
we get ‘martyr’) is central to the book of Revelation. The two witnesses point
to the church’s prophetic role in the world, a role which will certainly give
rise to persecution. This corporate identification is warranted for the
following:
·
the reference to them as lampstands, which is
used elsewhere in Revelation to refer to the church (see Rev. 1:20)
·
they are also called olive trees, referring to Zechariah
4. In Zechariah, the olive trees pointed to Zerubbabel, the head of tribe of
Judah and to the priest Joshua. The emphasis was on the priestly and kingly
nature of Israel. Remember, the church now carries this distinction, being a
kingdom of priests who reign! (5:10)
·
11:7 says the beast makes war with them and conquers
them. This is connected to Daniel 7:21 where the last evil kingdom persecutes
Israel (now understood to be the church, the true Israel). Moreover, in 13:5-7
the beast is given authority ‘to make war on the saints and to conquer them.
The language in 11:7 and 13: 5 is nearly identical; hence, it is likely that
we’re intended to link the witnesses conquered and the saints conquered.
·
In v. 9-13 the entire world witnesses their
demise. While some think this refers to TV coverage of their murder and dead
bodies lying in the street (i.e. Hal Lindsey), it seems more reasonable to
conclude that the witnesses are visible throughout the world because the church
is everywhere present.
But why two witnesses? First, two witnesses
were needed to bear acceptable testimony. Also, disciples were sent out two by
two.
These two witnesses carry on
their prophetic activity during the forty-two months (1260 days or 3 ½ years,
referring to the second half of the last week of Daniel, the church age from
time of destruction of temple to the end of age – see appendix). They are
protected by God until their mission of bearing witness is complete. Then, and
only then, are they conquered and put to death. But the beast’s apparent
victory is short lived, only 3 ½ days (compare to the 3 ½ years of faithful witness).
After this, the text tells us that “a breath of life from God entered them, and
they stood up on their feet” (allusion to Ezekiel 37 and the valley of dry
bones). This causes a great fear among the people and then a loud voice calls
the two witnesses up into heaven in a cloud. The world is struck by a great
earthquake and a tenth of the city was destroyed and 7,000 killed (again,
alluding to Ezekiel, this time 38:19). The rest were terrified and gave glory
to God (though it’s doubtful this is a full account of conversion).
This, I believe, is a
picture of the final resurrection of all the faithful believers at the end of
history. They are resurrected and caught up (raptured) to heaven. The great
earthquake of judgment compels fear filled praise even from God’s enemies (see
Phil 2:9-11). This prepares us for the seventh trumpet, which is the end.
I know this is getting a
little ahead of ourselves, but the view of the beast’s conquering of the church
and the churches resurrection we are given in ch. 11 corresponds with what
we’ll read later in ch. 20. The beast makes war and kills the witnesses but
only after they’ve accomplished their mission and then only for a short time.
This corresponds to Revelation 20:3. The witnesses (the church) achieve missional
success while Satan is bound and prevented from deceiving the nations (as he is
now). Then, Satan is released for a “short time” – the 3 ½ days he appears to
have conquered the witnesses and gloats over them. Also, the witnesses
resurrection and vindication coincides with God’s deliverance of the saints and
destruction of the devil and his followers after the “short time” (Rev.
20-9-10).
Conclusion
This passage uses two images, the measurement
of the temple and the story of the witnesses, to encourage the Christian with
the same truths we’ve seen hammered home in other sections: God protects the
church spiritually even though it may be trampled and even killed physically.
In the end, God will destroy his enemies and vindicate the church through
resurrection and eternal glory.
