Welcome to The MHB Podcast. This is Michael Baun. And welcome to my 156th episode. In this episode I’d like to continue our study of the book of Revelation. We are in chapter 11. In this chapter the apostle John is given a reed used to measure the temple of God. We also see God’s two witnesses who are empowered to prophesy to the public. The two witnesses are reviled and rejected by the wicked among humanity. And then the seventh trumpet is sounded. Let’s begin with verses 1-2:
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.
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.
The first thing we’ll notice is that John was not the only prophet instructed to measure the temple of God. This passage is also a direct reference to Ezekiel who was also given a vision of measuring the temple. Interpreting these visions of measurement is not a straightforward task, but it’s possible Ezekiel’s vision was designed for the rebuilding of the temple. John’s vision may have been for the preservation of the temple during tumultuous times. Or the vision could have been given to him so that the temple could be tested against the true standard. The Church engages in this process all the time when we compare ourselves against the model set down by Christ. It’s useful to have the true standard so that we can know when we are heading too far off the rails. It’s also possible that the measurement vision was given to John for the sake of reformation. Sometimes the Church becomes so corrupt and disobedient that there’s no option but to burn away the excesses and reform it.
We’re able to observe some of this process when we examine the particulars of John’s measurement vision. He is instructed to measure the temple which can be understood as the gospel church in general. This evaluation seeks to determine whether the Church is constructed according to gospel dictates or whether something has gone wrong. Is entry to the Church too wide or too narrow? An entry too wide looks something like moral relativism. An entry too wide seeks to diminish the distinct characteristics of God which separate Him from the panoply of humanity’s idols. An entry too narrow is one which is governed by religious hypocrites who burden those who wish to follow Christ with innumerable rules and regulations the likes of which they themselves do not follow. An entry too narrow seeks to eliminate your saving relationship with Jesus and replace it with your own performance at resisting sins and your own futile efforts to atone for your failures. The Church should have an entry which is neither too wide nor too narrow, rather it should be perfectly adjusted to the gospel truth given by Christ Himself.
The next object John is instructed to measure is the altar. Measuring the altar represents the question of whether the Church is actually worshiping Jesus. The crazy thing is there are many Christian churches in operation right now who are not worshiping Christ. It’s not uncommon for churches to construct cults of personality around whoever their current pastor is. The moment the congregation begins viewing the pastor as a surrogate for Christ then you know you have problems. Human beings have a fallen tendency toward this kind of idolatry so each pastor is responsible to ensure their congregation does not elevate him as their object of worship. John’s measurement of the altar also represents an inquiry into whether the congregation is laying down all their offerings there. Are you fully committed to Christ as you worship in your church? Are you invested in the efforts of your church to advance the kingdom of God on earth? Measuring the altar may also ask whether Christ is worshiped in the Spirit and in truth. Is your pastor a faithful expositor of the word of God or does he craft his own ideas and twist Scripture to support them?
John is similarly instructed to measure the body of believers itself. This is an evaluation of the health of your congregation. There are two questions you can ask yourself to determine whether or not your congregation rests on a stable foundation. First is do they make God’s glory the purpose of their work? Are their efforts motivated by their desire to glorify God or to glorify something or someone else? The second question is whether or not they make Scripture the rule of their spiritual formation. Are they allowing God’s word to purify their hearts and to sanctify their spirits? It’s tempting for Christians to build their spiritual foundation on cathartic emotions but this kind of foundation is both unreliable and deceptive. If you allow your emotions to govern your spiritual development then you will be vulnerable to clever people who seek to lead you astray. Instead you must defer to Scripture as the basis for your development. If you have the humility to adapt your worldview to God’s word – rather than adapting God’s word to your worldview – then you will be able to come before God with suitable affections and your conversations will be seasoned with gospel truth.
The angel prohibited John from measuring the court which was outside of the temple. This court was given to the Gentiles. It’s possible Herod had made additions to the temple and called this court the court of the Gentiles. This could also be a reference to the Roman emperor Hadrian who built an outer court, called it Aelia, and gave it to the Gentiles. The outer court of the Gentiles was not part of the original plans given to Solomon or Zerubbabel and this exclusion might explain why John was prevented from measuring it. But this prohibition could also be a reference to the Gentile’s proclivity to worship pagan gods. It’s likely the Gentiles carried out pagan ceremonies and customs in this outer court. This rampant idolatry would have excluded the court from divine preservation. It was abandoned to the Gentiles to be used as they pleased, and so both the court and the city would be trampled under foot for forty two months. This forty two month span could be a reference to the reign of Antichrist which would be the second three and a half years of the tribulation period. The people who would conduct ceremonies in the outer court were either idolaters or hypocritical religious elites – either way they are rejected by God and counted among His enemies.
We can discern from this passage that God will have a temple and an altar in the world until the end of time. He attends this temple with strict regard and observes our stewardship of it. You can consider this temple analogous to your own relationship with Christ. God desires that you commune with Him in Spirit and in truth. To make Christianity about condemning your neighbor for his or her trespasses makes you equivalent to those who worship in the outer court. If your religion is fundamentally about self-aggrandizement then your religion is not of Christ. God only accepts those who worship inside the veil of the temple and this means worshiping God through Jesus Christ. The court and the city outside of the temple are trampled upon by wicked people and by zealous idolaters. This description matches the treatment of the Church in this world. The Church is, and has always been, persecuted all over the world. But we can have peace in the knowledge that our own suffering and the desolation of the Church will not last beyond a short time. The Church as well as all who are found in Christ will be delivered from evil and from trouble. Let’s read verses 3-13:
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.
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.
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.
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.
So the outer court and the city itself was experiencing a great tribulation. But in this passage God preserves two faithful witnesses who steadfastly testify to the truth of His word. You might wonder why there were only two witnesses faithful enough to preach during these difficult times. It happens to be the case that many people readily follow Christ when following Christ is the popular and prosperous thing to do. But when the heat of persecution begins to increase you’ll notice many of these Christians fall away. It is one of the deepest expressions of faith to worship God during times of suffering and when things aren’t working out for you. The two witnesses Christ chose in this passage must have had the faith sufficient to speak about God in the midst of a godless and wicked city. It’s also useful to notice how having two witnesses brings much more validity to a claim than one witness. Christ sent out His disciples in pairs to preach the gospel. I think the modern church could learn from this idea of having multiple speakers. There’s good data to support what is called dialogical teaching. Dialogical teaching involves two teachers having a conversation with one another in front of an audience of people they are seeking to educate. One reason dialogical teaching is so effective has to do with your neuroanatomy. Your brain is structured with left and right hemispheres. The constant switching between speakers throughout the conversation helps your brain to stay engaged and interested. This is in part why conversational podcasts like the Joe Rogan Experience can hold the attention of millions of listeners for 3 to 4 hours at a time.
We can speculate about who God’s two witnesses are in this passage. Some interpreters think they are Enoch and Elijah because neither of them died in the Scriptures but instead were taken up by God. Others have suggested the two witnesses are the church of the believing Jews and the church of the Gentiles. The Bible doesn’t clearly identify who the two witnesses are, but suffice it to say these witnesses had the faith to testify about God in a godless society. God’s two witnesses will testify while wearing sackcloth. This is an indication of their humility as well as their sadness regarding the disaffected church and the wicked nature of things. We need to keep in mind that God is always in control and Christ has already captured ultimate victory over sin and death. But the problems of culture and the difficulties within the church throughout each generation should bother church leaders. As shepherds we should celebrate the victories of the church and mourn the losses.
Notice how the two witnesses were able to preach under very difficult circumstances for a prolonged period of time. This testimony was only possible because God supplied them with the power to do it. In your efforts to advance the kingdom of God it’s likely you will be faced with challenges which seem insurmountable. These are the moments where you must be faithful to depend on God’s grace and His providence to empower you to overcome. The greatest heroes in Scripture would have amounted to nothing had it not been for the Spirit of God giving them power. Jesus said apart from Him you can do nothing. God will comfort you. God will give you the zeal necessary to maintain your passion despite many hours spent in drudgery. Maybe most importantly, God will keep you centered on truth even when the culture spins out of control around you. The two witnesses were able to preach with authority because their authority was not vested in themselves or their own ideas. They relied on principles set down by God and the principles God establishes are the only ones which remain constant across time. If you’re struggling to keep this kind of stable foundation in your own life, it’s worth examining your habits. Immersing yourself in Scripture and maintaining closeness with God through prayer are two of the most effective ways to preserve the sobriety of your own worldview.
When the wicked people in the city tried to attack God’s two witnesses, fire proceeded from their mouths and devoured the attackers. Some interpreters think this is a reference to how Elijah fended off the captains and their soldiers from seizing him in 2 Kings. I think the fire from the two witnesses in Revelation is symbolic for how their preaching burned the consciences of the wicked. The two witnesses demonstrated the courage to speak the truth in the midst of suffering and this demonstration brought tremendous conviction onto their persecutors. I think this is in part why wicked people tend to call for censorship of speech. They’re terrified of the conviction which enters their hearts upon hearing the spoken truth. God will protect the two witnesses and He will protect His church as well. It’s true that Christians will face persecution at the hands of the principalities and powers of this world, but those who persecute the church will also face plagues of judgment and conviction which will ultimately result in their undoing.
Unfortunately the two witnesses would have to be killed in order for their testimony to take full effect. This is sometimes the case with Christian leaders. Dietrich Bonhoeffer has inspired tens of thousands of pastors to appreciate radical integrity after his death at the hands of Nazi prison guards. The two witnesses would be killed once their testimony was finished. Imagine the plethora of opportunities passersby had to hear their preaching and repent – yet after all this it appeared as though the wicked won the day. If you limit the scope of your faith to this life here and now, then it often seems like evil people get away with things and like there is no justice to be had. But what we learn from the story of the two witnesses, and indeed from the story of Christ, is that this life is not all there is. If the gospel accounts ended with Christ being crucified then there would be no justice in the world. But they don’t end with the crucifixion – they end with the resurrection. Such is the case for the two witnesses as well. The beast from the bottomless pit may have prevailed over them but this victory was only temporary.
The people’s disrespect for God’s witnesses extended beyond the death of them. Their bodies were not given a proper burial but were cast out into the open street. The wickedness of the city earned it the spiritual names Sodom and Egypt. Sodom because their wickedness resembles that pervasive evil which gripped the city of Sodom. Egypt because the citizens had embraced their own idolatry. The godless people of this city danced and reveled at the sight of the dead witnesses. They were rejoicing because the preaching of the witnesses had cut them deep in their consciences. People do not like to feel convicted for things they know are wrong about themselves. It brings a crushing sense of shame and guilt. The spoken doctrine of God’s two witnesses was like a spiritual weapon which cut its listeners to the heart. I think this shame and guilt is in part why godless people become so triggered when you speak to them about faith or even objective truth for that matter. It hurts them to hear it and so they’ll do almost anything to silence it.
The two witnesses laid dead for three and a half days, and then God raised them. It’s possible this timing is a reference to the resurrection of Christ as well. Because of Jesus each of us will experience resurrection someday. Setting aside the metaphysics of something like resurrection – it’s interesting to note how the testimony of God lives on even after His witnesses are killed. You could be a Christian ensconced in the worst of godless environments and if you are faithful to share the gospel you can be certain the impact of your efforts will outlast your natural life. The enemies of God might be able to slay the evangelist, but they can never snuff out of the word of God or His church. Just when we think Christianity is dead in the world God has a way of reviving it anew for the next generation. Such has been the case for 2,000 years. The two witnesses were resurrected when the spirit of life entered into them from God. Not only was life restored to them – but they were empowered with courage as well. There is no resurrection too difficult for God. God can restore the life of a person whose been dead for thousands of years. Scripture says God can restore life to dry bones. The Spirit of God is the power which accomplishes this miraculous work. The Spirit of God raised Jesus Christ from the dead and this same Spirit is going to raise you as well.
When the enemies of God saw the two witnesses raised to life again – a great fear fell over them. Imagine being among the godless people who stamped the life out of these witnesses. You thought you had won. You thought God’s word was made silent forever. But then there they stood and there His word remained unharmed by your malice. You have to imagine this sight brought the true meaning of omnipotence down upon them. They finally realized just how powerful God really is and this revelation terrified them. People who persecute the innocent are cruel but they’re not courageous. These kinds of people are cowards and the spirit of power is not in them. Herod was afraid of John the Baptist even though Herod had the power of life and death over him. Pontius Pilate was too much of a coward to stand up to the mob when they sought the life of Jesus.
After the two witnesses were raised to life they ascended into heaven. We can interpret this to be a literal ascension and we can also think of it metaphorically. For the purposes of this conversation I want to discuss it metaphorically. Part of God’s punishment against those who persecute His people is allowing them to see His faithful servants be advanced into positions of honor and esteem. Sometimes this elevation never takes place in this world – but it will certainly be the case that God’s faithful servants will be raised above those who persecuted them when they go to heaven and their persecutors descend into hell. But sometimes it even happens in this life. Reciprocity is one of the key ingredients to stable leadership. If a person ascends to leadership and becomes arrogant and nonreciprocating, their leadership will become untenable across time and they will fall back down the hierarchy.
The fact that human beings collectively appreciate reciprocity and self-sacrifice in leadership means that Christians often rise to positions of leadership. It’s extremely frustrating for a wicked, deceptive person to watch a good person be rewarded and elevated because of his or her own competence and good work. This was the same frustration which resulted in Cain killing his brother Abel. When God chooses to elevate Christians, it’s often Christians who do not seek out positions of power and influence – rather they are Christians who God called and appointed to these positions Himself. Such is the case with these two witnesses. They didn’t ascend until God called them to ascend. This is the frame of mind you need to keep in your own life of godly service. You must be patient as you await God’s reward for you. You must not grasp at leadership or influence until God determines you are ready for it. Once you are adequately prepared, God will raise you into such a position Himself.
When the witnesses were raised to life and ascended to God, all hell broke loose among the godless city. Fear and guilt struck the hearts of many and a tenth of the city fell. The resurrection of God’s work results in a detrimental blow to the work of the godless. It often means the sword of war is drawn and used as the truth reasserts itself over the lies. It also means the sword of the Spirit of God falls upon those once convinced of their own idolatry. They begin to doubt whether they had things right after all, and with this doubt often comes repentance and a clarity of sight so they can see the truth once more. In this way God uses the work of His enemies to advance His own cause all the more powerfully. Many people in the wicked city will repent once they see the two witnesses raised from the dead. But this repentance wouldn’t be possible had the witnesses not been killed by God’s enemies to begin with. I don’t think God directly causes evil people to do evil things, but He certainly uses their own actions against them. God is able to redeem light out of even the darkest situations and that should give you hope because He uses that same power to redeem your own spirit and to give you eternal life. Let’s read verses 14-19:
Rev 11:14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.
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.
This passage shows us the sounding of the seventh and final trumpet. Remember how the sounding of each trumpet was ushered in by a warning and a demand for attention? The same is true of this seventh trumpet. The second woe is past, and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. Then the seventh angel sounded. There would be a gap of time between the sounding of the first six and the seventh trumpet. This gap is on account of the fact that the apostle John needed additional revelation of intermediate events including that of the two witnesses. But now the time had come for the seventh angel to sound and this trumpet ushered in the following scene. First we see a joyful acclamation from the saints and angels in heaven. They rise from their seats and fall to the ground in worship of God. Falling to the ground before the presence of God is an expression of reverence and humility. This worship involves the thankful recognition that God our Savior is the rightful ruler of all the world. This recognition is what it means to say the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ.
Of course, the entire world has always belonged to God. He created it and it belongs to Him by title and by purchase. But the saints and the angels are expressing gratitude at the fact that God is finally taking up His great power and asserting His rightful reign. Part of their rejoice is the understanding that God’s reign will never end. His enemies will forever be under His feet and there are none who can remove the sceptre of Lordship from His hand. It’s part of God’s design to allow us the free will to defy Him. Obviously He could seize full control of this world in an instant if He wished to. But if we had no choice but to serve God then how could we serve Him out of our love for Him? This kind of worship wouldn’t be love and adoration – it would be coerced servitude. That’s not the kind of relationship God wants with you. So although your life and this world belong to God by title – He has willingly relinquished some of His control so that you can actualize the potential of your relationship with Him.
The angels and the saints will rejoice at God’s assertion of kingship – but the godless and the wicked will become angry and resentful. It’s a tragic reality that there are some evil people in this world who will attempt to challenge God’s wrath with that of their own. The enemies of God could not tolerate watching Him reward the cause of the faithful. Wicked people persecute Christians because they can’t stand seeing Christians prosper. The moments after the seventh trumpet are a time when God begins to deliver on His divine promises to His servants. He begins to provide for them, protect them, and comfort them – and this preferential treatment drives the godless people insane with rage. Instead of recognizing their own spiritual corruption, repenting from their sins and turning to God, these people attempt to wage war on Him. But seeking revenge against God only increases your guilt and hastens your own destruction.
After the seventh trumpet sounded we also see the temple of God opened in heaven. It’s possible to interpret this as meaning the path between heaven and earth was opened up so that prayer and praises could flow more freely. It would also mean that God’s blessings and His grace would descend in plentiful portions. We know this is true in societies which are more or less godly. I’m not saying there exists such a utopia on earth right now, but there certainly societies which are worse off than others. It happens to be the case that those societies which are predicated on the Judeo-Christian framework are much more stable and prosperous than those which aren’t. The principles of God lead to life while the principles of humanity lead only to death. This same idea applied during the time of the first temple in the Old Testament. When idolatrous and wicked kings rose to power the temple was closed up and neglected. When godly princes took over the nation the temple was opened and put back into service. God blesses those who are obedient to Him.
During the time of the power of the Antichrist it’s likely authentic Christians will have a hard time finding safe places to worship. But when the Antichrist is deposed and Jesus reasserts His reign, the proverbial temple will be opened and the ark of God’s testament will be seen once more. The ark of the testament was always kept in a place called the holy of holies inside the temple. Inside the ark were kept the tablets upon which the law was written. In the Old Testament there was a period of time before Josiah’s reign when wicked kings set aside God’s law and it was lost to the people. But Josiah found the law and brought great reforms. So in the days of Antichrist the Scriptures may be locked away from people or difficult to acquire – but when this corrupt leadership is over the word of God will flow into the hands of His people again.
We should count ourselves incredibly privileged to have the word of God be so accessible to us as it is today. It wasn’t always like this and it may not be like this in the future. To be deprived of Scripture would be like being deprived of the food which nourishes your spirit. The fact that God has revealed Himself to us in His word is a token of the immense value He places on our lives. The blood of Jesus Christ is the gospel which sanctifies us and seals our value in the sight of God. Observe how the seventh trumpet resulted in lightnings, voices, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail. These things convey the sense of severe turbulence and tribulation. That’s what it looks like when the truth reasserts itself over collective falsehood. Every reformation follows terrifying revolutions. As a people we can pretend to construct a society founded on our own deception – but eventually the truth will win the day. The more pervasive the lies, the more traumatic things are when the truth emerges to reestablish itself. This happens on both a personal level and a social level. You can continue to live a lie and put off what you need to do in your own life – but sooner or later the dragon you’re growing with the food of your deception is going to turn around and eat you. As a nation we can continue to sacrifice truth for power, but power is unstable in the hands of humanity and sooner or later the source of all power Himself is going to correct our course for us – and this will undoubtedly be a painful process.
But you don’t have to learn this the hard way. You can choose to give your life to Jesus today and allow His Spirit to sanctify you through your study of Scripture. If you do this for yourself then I can promise your spirit will begin to heal over time. If enough individuals choose to do this in our western society – then perhaps we can live up to our reputation for being the shining city on the hill. And that would be a better path to walk as each of us continues our journey through this life and into our eternal home in heaven with Jesus Christ.
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