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Introduction to the 11^th Chapter:

This chapter actually begins at the middle of the Tribulation period. This will last 3 ½ years. This shown to us by the length of time that the two witnesses in this chapter will preach their message.

This chapter will end with Christ returning to reign over the nations and to defeat the Antichrist at Armageddon. The events at the end of this chapter will end with the seventh trumpet, seventh vial of wrath and the seventh seal all being fulfilled at one time. At the beginning of the sounding of the seventh trumpet the mystery of God which is the rapture will occur followed by the marriage supper of the Lamb and the return of Christ to reign and rule from the seat of David in Jerusalem for a thousand years.

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.
The angel stood and told John to rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and them that worship there. This is speaking of the Church, one body, we are the temple of God. This means all who are born again by the Spirit of the living God.

The reed that is in appearance as a rod is speaking of Christ and his fullness. Christ is the measuring rod that we as individuals should measure ourselves with.

Ephesians 4: 13: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

But in this scripture the temple is Christ himself with us in him. There is no doubt that the temple itself will measure up to the rod because the rod is himself in all his fullness, grace and purity.

But he also said to measure the altar. This to represent the dedication of the church. Believe me if the church isn’t dedicated at the middle of the Tribulation, after the Antichrist goes into the temple and declares himself to be God, they will be.

He also said to measure those that worshipped in the temple. This is the congregation, both Jew and Gentile alike, the one nation of God’s people who are washed in the blood of Jesus. When John measures this group of people they will be found to measure up to the rod, not because of their righteousness which is as filthy rags, but by the imputed righteousness of Christ given to all of those who trust him.

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.
Today Christ is the temple and court is the world that we live in. There is no reason to measure the court without since it belongs to the Gentiles who have not been born again. It would be a ridiculous idea to measure the sinner with this measuring rod for there is none righteous no, not one. There is only one thing that is going to make a difference with these people and that is to be born again.

The holy city in this scripture is often believed by some to be speaking of the church. We know that the Church is going persecuted severely by the Antichrist during the last 3 ½ years, but the Church also has a promise of power and strength and that this last period will be the greatest period for reaching souls than ever given to man.

I believe that the holy city in this scripture is speaking about the natural city of Jerusalem that will later be called spiritual Sodom and Egypt in this same chapter. The reason I believe that this is what this is speaking of is because of the events of the last 3 ½ years. According to what we are given Gentile forces that are struggling over this city during the last 3 ½ years will occupy it. The Antichrist will occupy it at the middle of the Tribulation and move into the temple but will be driven out by seven nations that God raises up to defend Israel. They will then drive the Antichrist and his armies out of Israel all the way back to the gates of Nimrod that is the area of the old city of Babylon. At the time of Armageddon the kings of the east come to help the Antichrist re-invade the city of Jerusalem again. This time they will capture a third part of the city, but they will arrive just in time for Christ to come and defeat them in the valley of Megiddo.

3: And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
The two witnesses of this scripture are two men. They are a special witness against the evils of the Antichrist and his nations. They are given the authority by the Lord to prophesy for 3 ½ years. The fact that these are clothed in sackcloth shows that they are in subjection to God and have nothing to do with this world.

4: These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
These two men are described here as being the two olive trees and the two candlesticks before the God of the earth.This is speaking of the same two olive trees from Zechariah 4: 14 ,which speaks of the great anointing and authority that God gives to these two men. The have the same type of authority that Moses and Elijah possessed.

They are important in God’s mission to restoring the lost sheep of Israel, as John the Baptist was important to the mission of Christ. These will serve a major role in God’s dealings with the Antichrist in a similar fashion that Moses and Aaron stood before Pharaoh and made demands of him.

They probably either represent Jew and Gentile or since Israel is still seen as being divided by God, they could represent Ephraim (Israel) and Judah.

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.
This scripture is saying that if any man desires to do harm to these two witnesses that they will be killed by the fire that comes out of the mouth of these prophets. This is not speaking of a literal fire but that of fiery judgment that would immediately come to pass on the enemies of these prophets who are attempting to do them harm. This would come from the mouths of the prophets as they speak judgment upon them.

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 two witnesses have the authority from God to command that it not rain during the days of their prophecy. It is not for certain that this is saying that it will not rain for 3 ½ years or they will simply shut off the rain any time during the last 3 ½ years. They are also given the power to turn water into blood and to speak plagues on parts of the earth as often as they wish. Because of these things many people believe that these two witnesses are Elijah and Moses, some believe that that it is Elijah and Enoch. However even when God spoke concerning John the Baptist as being the prophet Elijah, the scriptures are clear that he came in the spirit and power of Elijah. So it more probable that these two men will be operating in the spirit and power of all of the great prophets that God has sent to Israel in the past.

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.
At the end of the 3 ½ years of the preaching and prophecies of these two men God will allow the Antichrist who is the beast from the abyss to kill these two great men.

The beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit is a spirit. The Beast as a nation is the spirit of anti-Christ. It is the curse of Abraham. When it comes to the curse or the blessing of Abraham it depends on peoples attitude toward God’s people Israel. The blessing of Abraham, which is salvation through Jesus Christ is given to all men who want to receive it. But, it comes as a special blessing to those who are good to the children of Israel. The spirit of God will draw those who are good to Israel to Jesus Christ.

On the other hand those who are mean spirited toward the Jews will find themselves, after a long period of time that God gives for repentance, facing the Abomination of Desolation which is the curse of Abraham. The curse of Abraham or the Abomination that maketh desolate is this: God will raise up a man who is admired among those people who hate Israel. God will do this as a judgment of wrath. This man will prevent people from coming to Christ to be saved. It is like a woman who becomes barren and unable to bear children. Then these wicked people follow their wicked leader to their death, the same as the soldiers in Egypt followed Pharaoh into the sea. It is God’s judgment on the wicked to raise up such a spirit, however just as Pharaoh hated the Jews the Antichrist will hate all of God’s people, Jews and Christians alike. He will wage war on them. But this will only come to those nations who hate Israel. However it will affect the whole world because nations will go to war against the Antichrist and his evils.

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.
Their dead bodies will lie in a street in Jerusalem as identified as the place the Lord was crucified. Here Jerusalem is given a spiritual name because of her pollution. She is compared to Sodom and Egypt, Sodom for her wicked sexual sins and Egypt for her slavery. She is guilty of holding people captive to their sins. Such as the Pharisee who refused to go into the Kingdom of God and stood in the way of others who would have.

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.
The death of these two prophets will come after the Antichrist has re-invaded Israel. Zechariah says that he will capture a third of the city. Thise prophets will be probably be captured around the time of this invasion which places the armies of the Antichrist in the valley of Megiddo.

This does not say that everyone in world will see the dead bodies of these prophets. It says they of the people which means that some of the people from different nations shall see the bodies of these prophets in the streets of Jerusalem. This could possibly be shown through satellite TV to the other nations. This could be the way many will see it. The people who kill these prophets will be proud of killing the prophets, the same as some of our soldiers being dragged through the streets of Mogadishu in Somalia.

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.
They that dwell upon the earth is not speaking of every human being that exist. This is speaking of the Antichrist and his people who are worldly and who are earth dwellers not heaven dwellers. In the same fashion as Abraham who was a pilgrim passing through this world. All of God’s children can identify with this. We are looking for a city whose builder and maker is God.

The Antichrist and his evil people will rejoice that the Prophets are killed, probably because they have attempted to kill them in the past and have failed. These prophets have pronounced judgments on them and they are hated because of this. They are so happy that they send gifts to one another to celebrate.

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.
After 3 ½ actual days, God will raise these two prophets from the dead. The people that see this happen will be overcome by fear. This moment will be the beginning of the catching up or Rapture of the Church. It will occur only moments before the rest of the dead are raised. These prophets will be the beginning of the resurrection. Just as the dead in Christ shall be raised first, these two witness will be raised just minutes before the rest.

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.
A voice calls from heaven commanding them to come up. When this happens they will ascend into the sky the same way that Jesus ascended at his ascension, everyone who is there will see this happen. Their enemies will see them go up. This is a sound rebuke from God as he prepares to bring swift justice to these evil men.

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.
Immediately after they ascend into heaven a great earthquake will occur. This is the same earthquake that we see in Revelation 6: 12, 16: 19. This is the great earthquake that happens at the time of the Rapture. As the graves are opened and the Church is caught up to meet Jesus this great earthquake will come. Mountains will be shaken out into a plain and islands will disappear into the sea at the exact moment the Church leaves the earth. This is the same earthquake that Isaiah spoke of when he said that the earth would be shaken out of its place. It will leave it’s orbit and God will have to put it back in order to finish the following judgments that are to take place. The Second woe is actually the Rapture. This is the reason that the angel said that at the beginning of the sounding of the seventh trumpet the mystery of God would be finished.

14: The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.
The second woe was the Rapture or catching away of the Church, this is why there is a great earthquake. It also explains why the third woe will come so quick. Remember that Paul said that it would happen in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye. The Church will be caught up to be with Jesus before the earthquake is finished shaking. The third woe will take place quickly which is the coming of Jesus to destroy the Antichrist and to rule the earth for a thousand years. Remember the angel told John in Revelation 10: 7: But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

This is the mystery that Paul was speaking of in I Corinthians 15: 51: Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52: In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

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.
The seventh trumpet and the earthquake in verse 13 happen simultaneously, the one does not follow the other. This is the last trumpet and Paul said at the last trump, the trumpet would sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed. Not all the dead are raised at this trumpet in fact the resurrection of the unjust dead will not occur for a thousand years at the second resurrection. But we see that this is the time of the dead to receive their rewards for service to their God found in verse 18.

16: And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
At this time we see the twenty four elders fall on their faces to worship God.

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.
The elders are worshipping and praising God because he is finally bringing an end to the evil works of man and the Devil. It is time for Jesus to reign from Jerusalem from the throne of David just as he promised that he would do.

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.
It is not surprising that the nations will be angry. The wickedness of man is rooted in his rebellion to God. Many in this world would like a world without God, without restriction, without having to feel the condemnation that they feel for their sins. But this will bring reality to everyone that it is over and they are going to have to face God for their evil deeds. Those who have taken the mark of the beasts are sealed off from repentance because of taking the mark, they will have a combination of fear and anger. The rest of the world will tremble before him at his appearance.

At this time the sun will be turned to darkness, the moon into blood and the stars shall fall from heaven. The heavens will roll back like a scroll as Christ comes back in the heavens. Every eye will see him and every tongue will confess that he is Lord.

After the battle of Armageddon where he will destroy all of them that are trying to destroy the earth. He will give reward to all of his people that have served him down through the centuries and even now.

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 is a solemn conclusion to the seventh trumpet, but it is also the end of the seventh vial of wrath and the seventh seal. The events of these three will occur during the same time frame, parallel to each other ending in the same consummation.

God Bless You
Tommie Spurgeon

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