“Revelation 11:1-6”

Friday, December 22, 2017

“Then there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, ‘Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it. Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months. And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.’ These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way. These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.”

---End of Scripture verses---

Revelation chapter 11 poses some serious interpretative challenges, unless of course, we keep in mind (for the umpteenth time) that this book is written in the apocalyptic literary style with loads of vivid symbolism, AND we decipher the images in uniformity with previous symbols and visions. The “rod like a staff” (verse 1) that was given to John was a measuring instrument, and was an emblem for God’s written standard of truth by which all things religious and spiritual are measured against (1 Corinthians 4:6; 2 John 1:9). The word rendered “temple” is the inner sanctuary excluding “the court which is outside” (verse 2), and is a symbol for the church of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 2:21; 1 Peter 2:5)—those who “measure up” to God’s standard and keep His word in all truth and obedience.

The “measuring” of “the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it,” is the equivalent of “sealing” the 144,000 in Revelation 7:3-8. As was the case in the interlude when the saints received God’s seal of approval and protection before the breaking of the seventh seal and the sounding of the seven trumpets, in this interlude before the outpouring of the seven bowls of God’s wrath, the Lord once again comforts and assures His obedient followers that He knows them, that they belong to Him, and He will protect them from the wrath about to be cut loose.

Even though God’s church had been “sealed” and “measured,” He was not going to insulate them from persecution from the heathen “nations” that found the saints to be offensive and threatening. “The holy city” (another reference to God’s faithful people – Revelation 21:10) would be trampled “under foot” for “forty-two months,” the time corresponding with the period in which God’s “two witnesses” would “prophesy” (verse 3). 42 months, 1260 days and 3½ years (Revelation 12:14) are all equal durations of time, and are symbols for a limited, indefinite interval. As “seven” is God’s symbol of perfection, half of that (3½) represents that which is “imperfect” or “limited”.

But who are these “two witnesses”? These is certainly no shortage of wild speculation about who they might represent. But when we think in terms of biblical symbolism and methodology, it becomes clear that they stand for those who faithfully taught and preached God’s word during this period of persecution of God’s people. The number “two” represents reliable testimony by God’s standard, for “by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed” (Matthew 18:16; Deuteronomy 17:6; 2 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Timothy 5:19). Consider also that Jesus, in view of this truth, sent the “seventy” out in pairs of two to preach the word and prepare the way before Him in Luke 10:1.

It was the function of these two witnesses to “prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth” (verse 4) “because they lamented the world’s rejection of Christ and the workings of evil men who tread under foot God’s holy city.” (Harkrider) They also were empowered to perform miracles (verse 5-6), the very means by which the inspired, first-century apostles and prophets confirmed that their message (prophecy) was from God (Mark 16:20; Hebrews 2:3-4). This imagery was another form of bittersweet encouragement to God’s persecuted faithful that the Truth would not ceased to be preached during these dark and dreary hours, that God’s “lampstands” would continue radiate the true Light, that their (olive) oil would not burn out, that God’s enemies would not prevail, that God’s kingdom would reign triumphant!

Please read Revelation 11:7-10 for more on these two witnesses for tomorrow.

Have a great day!

-Louie Taylor

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