Fire-Breathing Prophets and a Global Dance Party ... Digging into Revelations 11.3-13

Fire breathing prophets, two Olive Trees, The Beast that arises from the abyss, and a global dance party... wow, what else can we find in Revelation Chapter 11?! No wonder scholars declare this chapter to be one of the most important and complex chapters in Revelations!

So how about we approach this chapter as if we are going to see a play. The drama of Revelations Chapter 11 has only a few main characters who appear on this stage. 

Act 1 provides the two witnesses -who resemble Moses and Elijah. They testify about the power of Christ until God deems that their time is up. Some assume that these two witnesses are meant to describe The Church; while others believe that they are two literal figures who are yet to appear.

Act 2 introduces us to The Beast, who stands in opposition to God. The Beast kills the two witnesses and leaves their bodies out in the open. A global party occurs, with people celebrating the death of the two witnesses. Universally seen as The Antichrist, the Beast appears again in Chapter 13.

Act 3 unexpectedly tells us that the two witnesses are brought back to life and ascend into heaven. This amazing twist of fate is accompanied by a disastrous earthquake which causes people to turn to God.

What does this all mean?  If we believe that the two witnesses describe The Church then we can see that this is a play that shows the unfolding drama of God's Plan for the World.  God's people will testify about Him, they will do so with power and great effort.  However Evil will win; at least evil appears to win.  In the end God will vindicate and rescue His followers.

This drama of obedience, followed by suffering, and concluded by God's vindication... is the Story of Jesus, is the Story of His Church, and is the Story of His Followers!  This complex play informs us that we too must be obedient and will suffer, but that ultimately God will vindicate us.  God did this with Jesus, He's done this to His Church, and He will do this with each one of us!

Holy Tape Measures ... Digging into Revelation Chapter 11.1-2

Many scholars consider Revelation Chapter 11 one of the most challenging sections in the Book of Revelation. It is packed not only with Old Testament images and allusions, but with people and actions that require the reader to make clear interpretative positions.

Keep in mind that Chapters 10 and 11 are considered interludes (between the sixth and seventh trumpets) in the drama of Revelation. In Chapter 10, John is instructed to eat the scroll, which would initially taste like honey, but would be sour in his stomach. Chapter 11 shows us why the scroll was both sweet and sour.

God orders John to measure the temple, specifically those inside the temple; and to exclude the outer courts of the temple. This measuring is reminiscent of God's command to Ezekiel (600BC) to go and measure the temple (Ezekiel 40-42). The measuring action is a dramatic way of showing who belongs to God. Some will be counted as part of God's family, others will be counted as outside of God's family. In Revelations, the word ‘Temple’ always refers to the heavenly Temple vs. an actual Temple.

In Revelation 11.2 we are told that the enemies will ‘trample on the Holy City for 42 months.’ There are different possibilities for this specific time designation:

1. 3 1/2 year length of time is found in Daniel 7 and 9.

2. 3 1/2 year drought in the time of Elijah - I Kings 17.1

3. 42 months is the length of the wilderness wanderings -Numbers 33

4. Reference to Jewish suffering under Syrian King Antiochus Epiphanes in 167-164 BC.

Noted Revelations scholar Robert Mounce, declares that the period of 42 months, ‘...became a standard symbol for a limited period of time during which evil would be allowed free reign.’  NICNT: Revelations, pg. 215.  This means that the 42 months represents a general period of suffering vs. a specific length of time...

John is asked to replicate the prophet Ezekiel’s actions of measuring the Temple. The point of this measuring of God’s People and those who oppose God, is to show that God divides people according to their relationship with Him. This isn’t politically correct and goes against our American zeitgeist, but it is the Truth.