Chapter 11

Revelation 11
Bi 622
Mark E. Hardgrove, Ph.D., D.Min., M.Div.

Chapters 11-13:The Four Views
Historicist Approach:
• The measuring of the temple represents
the determining of the true remnant church
in the midst of the papal church at the time
of the Reformation.
• The 1260 days is actually 1260 years,
being the duration of the power of papal
Rome.

Historicist Approach:
• The two witnesses represent the Waldenses,
Albigenses, and others who resisted the
papacy in the years before the Reformation.
• The woman is the visible church persecuted
by imperial Rome prior to A. D. 313, and her
male child is the true church within her,
vindicated by the enthronement of
Constantine.
• The beasts each represent different aspects
of the papacy.

Preterist Approach:
• The 1260 days is the period of the Jewish
War, of Nero’s persecution, or both.
• The two witnesses are either historic
prophetic witnesses against the Jews prior
to the downfall of Jerusalem or a
representation of the civil and religious
authority of Israel.

Preterist Approach:
• The woman (Israel), gives birth to a child
(the church), which flees Jerusalem
(during the Jewish War) and is afterward
persecuted by the devil.
• The first beast is Rome (or possibly Nero,
or both), persecuting the church.
• The second beast is either the cult of
emperor worship, some zealous Roman
procurator, or false prophets in Israel.

Futurist Approach:
• The 1260 days refer either to a period of
literal three and one-half years at the end
of the Tribulation or to two different
periods of that length totaling seven years.
• The two witnesses are two individual
prophets yet to appear in Jerusalem—
possibly Moses and Elijah, or Enoch and
Elijah. Alternatively, they may represent a
larger witnessing body.

Futurist Approach:
• The woman (faithful Israel) will be forced
by persecution from the Antichrist to flee
into the wilderness during the Tribulation.
• The first beast is a political world-leader,
and the second beast is his religious
counterpart, who enforces universal
worship of the first beast. (Some futurists
take an approach to this section more like
that of the spiritual approach.)

Spiritual Approach:
• The 1260 days symbolize the entire
church age.
• The two witnesses are the church
throughout the church age.
• The woman sustained in the wilderness
represents the same.

Spiritual Approach:
• The first beast signifies political power that
persecutes the church at any time in
history.
• The second beast is false religion and
especially that which venerates political
power.

Revelation 11 ~ Measuring the Temple
1 Then I was given a reed like a measuring
rod. And the angel stood, saying, "Rise and
measure the temple of God, the altar, and
those who worship there.
For the second time John becomes an active
participant in the vision, and not merely an
observer. John actively participates in the vision a
total of seven times (cf. 1:12; 5:4; 7:14; 10:9-11;
11:1-2; 19:10; 22:8). Similar instructions are given
to Ezekiel (40-43) and Zechariah (2:4). It is usually
a prelude to restoration.

Which Temple is Measured?
OPTIONS
1. The Temple of Herod is still standing, that
is, before AD 70. However, John is on the
Isle of Patmos, so it is not the literal
Temple in Jerusalem that he is measuring
unless he had been spiritually transported
to that location. This option seems
unlikely.

OPTIONS
2. The Temple is symbolic of something else
besides the Temple. Some have argued
that it symbolizes the church, which is
protected and preserved. Others take it to
represent the Jews who are still upon the
earth. However, the text includes the altar
and the worshippers in the task. This
option is not very appealing.

OPTIONS
3. The Temple is a Temple that is yet to be
built. If, as has been the case in the vision,
John is addressing future events, then this
Temple is placed in the future and may
well be a literal Temple that is going to be
built. This position fits well with other
references to the Temple that are yet to
come.

Revelation 11 ~ Measuring the Temple
2 But leave out the court which is outside
the temple, and do not measure it, for it
has been given to the Gentiles. And they
will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two
months.
John was told not to measure the Court of the
Gentiles for it had been given to them to be trod
underfoot for 42 months, that is, three and a half
years.

Revelation 11 ~ The Outer Court
• The area not measured represents those outside
of the promise of protection that the act of
measuring represented, i.e., Gentiles.
• If the church has been raptured then the focus of
the evangelistic ministry of the 144,000 will be
other Jews. Jewish converts will be saved, but not
through the Temple, they will have to accept Jesus
as the Messiah, as their Redeemer and Savior.
Given that the focus is on the Jews during the
Tribulation Period (the time of Jacob's trouble),
there will probably not be many Gentiles come to
faith in Christ during this time.

Revelation 11 ~ The Two Witnesses
3 And I will give power to my two
witnesses, and they will prophesy one
thousand two hundred and sixty days,
clothed in sackcloth." 4 These are the
two olive trees and the two lampstands
standing before the God.
The “two witnesses”: 1) symbolic figures
representing the church--believing Jews and
Gentiles; 2) literal men who are witnesses upon
the earth during this time; 3) the Old and New
Testaments.

5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire
proceeds from their mouth and devours
their enemies. And if anyone wants to
harm them, he must be killed in this
manner. 6 These have power to shut
heaven, so that no rain falls in the days
of their prophecy; and they have power
over waters to turn them to blood, and to
strike the earth with all plagues, as often
as they desire.

These witnesses are powerful agents of
God. Like Elijah on Mount Carmel (1 Kings
18), they have the power to use fire as a
witness that their ministry is ordained of
God, and to call a famine upon the earth
(James 5:17). The reference to the olive
trees and lampstands in verse 4 indicates
that these men are empowered by the
Holy Spirit to fulfill their ministry.

7 Now when they finish their testimony,
the beast that ascends out of the
bottomless pit will make war against
them, overcome them, and kill them. 8
And their dead bodies will lie in the street
of the great city which spiritually is called
Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord
was crucified.
It is interesting that Jerusalem is now called
“spiritually”, Sodom and Egypt—sin and captivity.

Notice that while Jesus descended from
heaven (from above) to earth, and then
ascended from earth to heaven, the beast
ascends from the pit (or from below) to earth.
This represents the fact that the beast is the
antithesis of Jesus.
The beast comes to make war against the
two witnesses, overcomes and kills them and
their bodies lie in the street of Jerusalem.

Revelation 11 ~The Two Witnesses
9 Then those from the peoples, tribes,
tongues, and nations will see their dead
bodies three-and-a-half days, and not
allow their dead bodies to be put into
graves. 10 And those who dwell on the
earth will rejoice over them, make merry,
and send gifts to one another, because
these two prophets tormented those who
dwell on the earth.

Revelation 11 ~The Two Witnesses
Their death results in a worldwide party as
sinful humanity rejoices over the death of
these whose words and ministry brought
judgment upon the earth. These witnesses,
like all witnesses, come with the intent of
turning the heart of humanity to God, but
they are rejected and killed and their death
is hailed as an occasion for celebration.

Revelation 11~ The Two Witnesses
11 Now after the three-and-a-half days
the breath of life from God entered them,
and they stood on their feet, and great
fear fell on those who saw them. 12 And
they heard a loud voice from heaven
saying to them, "Come up here." And
they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and
their enemies saw them.

Revelation 11~ The Two Witnesses
Hindson asks the following questions to
those who see everything as symbolic
concerning the witnesses:
If the Church is meant by “Israel,” what is meant by
“Jerusalem”? If the two witnesses symbolize the
ministry of the churches, why are they killing
people with fire out of their mouths? If the 1,260
days are not literal, what in the world do they
symbolize? If the witnesses are killed and raptured
to heaven, does that mean all true Christians will
by martyred?

Revelation 11 ~ The Second Woe
13 In the same hour there was a great
earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In
the earthquake seven thousand men
were killed, and the rest were afraid and
gave glory to the God of heaven. 14 The
second woe is past. Behold, the third
woe is coming quickly.

The second “woe” is the sixth trumpet. The
two witnesses ascend into heaven and an
earthquake follows destroying a tenth of the
city (Jerusalem) and kills seven thousand
men. The remaining inhabitants of the city
are afraid and begin to give glory to the God
of heaven. What the witness of the two
martyrs did not do, the power of God in
judgment was able to do.

The second “woe” is the sixth trumpet. The
two witnesses ascend into heaven and an
earthquake follows destroying a tenth of the
city (Jerusalem) and kills seven thousand
men. The remaining inhabitants of the city
are afraid and begin to give glory to the God
of heaven. What the witness of the two
martyrs did not do, the power of God in
judgment will do.

Revelation 11 ~ The Seventh Seal
15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And
there were loud voices in heaven, saying,
"The kingdoms of this world have
become the kingdoms of our Lord and of
His Christ, and He shall reign forever and
ever!"
If one takes the words of praise to God as a
massive worldwide repentance, then the
message of the voices is easy enough to
understand. However, the third woe has not yet
passed, more judgment is coming.

Revelation 11 ~ The Seventh Seal
The grammar does not necessarily mean an
historical fact at this point in the vision, but
may mean to convey an absolute certainty.
Hindson observes, “One cannot read these
verses without realizing that we have come
to some great conclusion. It is all over
except the shouting!” Horton “Those in
heaven see the victory as good as won.”

Revelation 11 ~ The 24 Elders
16 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on
their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17
saying:
"We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One
who is and who was and who is to come, Because You
have taken Your great power and reigned.
18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,
And the time of the dead, that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the
prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your
name, small and great, and should destroy those who
destroy the earth."

Revelation 11~ The 24 Elders
This is the song that the twenty-four elders
(the Church-believing Jews and Gentiles-12
tribes and 12 apostles) sing as the end is in
sight and the culmination of God’s plan is in
view. This is a bittersweet song that
promises rewards for the saints and
punishment for the wicked. This song is a
summation of the vision itself. It calls
attention to the fact that God has a plan and
God’s plan is on track.

Revelation 11 ~ The Open Temple
19 “Then the temple of God was opened
in heaven, and the ark of His covenant
was seen in His temple. And there were
lightnings, noises, thunderings, an
earthquake, and great hail.
Chapter 11 ends with opening of the Temple of
God in heaven. As the temple is opened and the
ark comes into view heaven is filled with
lightening, thunder, and earthquake and large
hail. There is a sense that something else,
something very awesome, is about to happen.

Chapter 11

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Chapter 11