Welcome back to our End Times Bible study! I hope you’ve had a great summer and are ready to dive back into the events of the coming Parousia! The last thing we studied together in the spring was the parenthetical section of Revelation 10 (the little book) through Revelation 11:3-6 (the ministry of the Two Witnesses). Let’s continue to track our way through the book, starting with Revelation 11:7.
Our study begins with events happening in the middle of the tribulation as we turn our attention back to the Two Witnesses in Revelation 11. Although we don’t know who they are, we know they are prophets of God in every sense of the word.
“When they complete their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the bottomless pit will declare war against them, and he will conquer and kill them. And their bodies will lie in the main street of Jerusalem, the city that is figuratively called ‘Sodom’ and Egypt,’ the city where their Lord was crucified. And for three and a half days, all peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will stare at their bodies. No one will be allowed to bury them. All the people who belong to this world will gloat over them and give presents to each other to celebrate the death of the two prophets who had tormented them” (Revelation 11:7-10 NLT).
“As is in the case of many other great prophets of God, when their ministry is finished, God permits their enemies to overcome them. According to verse 7, the beast from the bottomless pit, which is none other than Satan himself, makes war against them and overcomes them and kills them” (Walvoord, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, p. 181). How does Satan kill them? Their death might be the result of the Antichrist, possessed by Satan. More on that when we get to chapter 13!
The Two Witnesses are despised for speaking the truth and judging the earth. God will give them the power to shut up the heavens and the ability to breathe fire from their mouths. I love how God has a specific time for their ministry, and no one can harm them until they have finished the work they were called to do. It is no wonder the unbelieving world will rejoice when they are killed. They will be hated so much that no one will be allowed to bury them, and their bodies will lay on the street for three and a half days. During this time, “all peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will stare at their bodies. No one will be allowed to bury them” (Rev. 11:9 NLT).
“But after three and a half days, God breathed life into them, and they stood up! Terror struck all who were staring at them. Then a loud voice from heaven called to the two prophets, ‘Come up here!’ And they rose to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched” (Rev. 11:11-12 NLT). As stated in another post, I believe the Two Witnesses testify for the first 1260 days of the tribulation. Many Jews will be saved because of their testimony, including (I believe) some of the 144,000 witnesses. Once the 1260 days are complete, God allows them to be killed, but God will not be mocked! He will literally breathe life into their lifeless bodies, and they will stand up again to be taken into heaven. What a sight that will be.
According to Revelation 11:13, a terrible earthquake occurs, destroying a tenth of the city at the very hour of their resurrection. Seven thousand people will die in that earthquake, and everyone will be terrified and give glory to the God of heaven. The timing of these events can be found in verse 14 which says, “The second woe is past; behold, the third woe is coming quickly” (Rev. 11:14, NASB1995).
“With this event, the second woe is brought to its completion and is evidently regarded as the final phase of the sixth trumpet. The third woe contained in the seventh trumpet is announced as coming quickly. The end of the age is rapidly approaching” (Walvoord, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, p. 183). The parenthetical section of chapters 10-11:14 ends here.
The sounding of the seventh trumpet in verse 15 connects chronologically back to chapter 9. “Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven: ‘The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever” (NLT).
The 24 elders fell on their faces before God and worshiped Him saying, ‘We give thanks to You Lord God, the Almighty, the One who is and who always was, for now You have assumed Your great power and have begun to reign. The nations were filled with wrath, but now the time of Your wrath has come. It is time to judge the dead and reward Your servants the prophets, as well as Your holy people, and all who fear Your name, from the least to the greatest. It is time to destroy all who have caused destruction on the earth.’ Then, in heaven, the Temple of God was opened and the Ark of the Covenant could be seen inside the Temple. Lightning flashed, thunder crashed and roared, and there was an earthquake and a terrible hailstorm” (Rev. 11:15 NLT).
You might be thinking, “How can the kingdoms of the world become at this point the kingdoms of Christ when, as a matter of fact, the seven vials seemingly are still to be poured out? The answer as indicated previously seems to be that just as the seven trumpets are comprehended in the seventh seal, so the seven vials are comprehended in the seventh trumpet” (Walvoord, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, p. 184). In other words, we can be confident that when everything seems to be falling apart, God is bringing all things together to the glory of the Lamb and His Kingdom forever!
Week One Homework Reflections
Days 1-3: God’s Power Revealed
- Read through Revelation 11:7-14. How do you know that the great city is referring to Jerusalem in verse 8?
- What stands out to you about the death and resurrection of the Two Witnesses? Did you learn anything you never knew before?
- Read Revelation 11:15-19.
- What happened in heaven when the seventh angel blew his trumpet (v. 15)? How does that reaction compare or contrast with the reaction in Revelation 8:1?
- What were the voices shouting in heaven according to verse 15?
Day 4: God is in Control
- What specific things did the 24 elders thank God for in Revelation 11:7?
- What did they say it is time for in verse 18?
- Read Psalm 96. How does that compare with Revelation 11:18? How does it bring you comfort to know that one day God will bring everything into submission to His authority?
Day 5: The Heavenly Tabernacle Revealed
- What was opened in heaven according to Revelation 11:19? What could be seen in it?
- What other weather events occur in verse 19?
- Read Hebrews 9 and describe how the earthly tabernacle pointed to a greater and more perfect tabernacle. Pay close attention to what you learn about the Ark of the Covenant in verses 4-5.
- Read Isaiah 6:1-4 and list everything you learn about the heavenly temple.
Simply Persuaded 