Revelation 11:7-19 The Two Witnesses

[John Fok]

Revelation 11:4-19 The Two Witnesses

4.3 The Traits of the Two Witnesses (11:4-6)
4.3.1 Their character (11:4)
"These are two olive trees and two lampstands that stand before the Lord
of the earth." These two figures are taken from Zechariah 4:1-14 in
order to emphasize the truth of this Old Testament passage as it will
relate to these two witnesses of the Tribulation.
Likewise, in this Old Testament passage there were two witnesses to
God's people:
Joshua, the high priest (Zechariah 3); and
Zerubbabel, the civil leader (Zechariah 4).
Further, this Old Testament passage occurred in connection with the
rebuilding of the temple, which was small by comparison to the temple of
Solomon that had been destroyed. This smallness had become a matter of
reproach to the people who were looking at things as they appeared
(according to sight) rather than spiritually (according to faith) (cf.
Zechariah 4:10). When Zechariah saw the two olive trees and the
lampstand he asked, "What are these my Lord" (Zechariah 4:4)? The answer
given was a word of comfort and encouragement, but also a warning. In
verse 6 he is told "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel saying,
not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Hosts
(armies)."
So in the Tribulation, the temple will be an apostate one, Jerusalem
will be like Sodom and Egypt (Revelation 11:8), and the Beast will at
this time have set up his image in the temple, proclaiming himself as
God (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 13:2-8). Regardless, in times
of apostasy and "small things" (Zechariah 4:10), when things seem bad,
God has His witnesses who operate, not by the power and skill of men,
but by the power and might of the Lord of Armies.
The olive tree was a source of olive oil used to fuel lamps in ancient
times. The oil speaks of the ministry of the Holy Spirit who is God's
anointing bestowed upon men to enable them for service. The olive oil,
then, is the fuel used in the two lamps that enabled them to burn
brightly, to shed their light (witness) to a lost and needy world. So
likewise, the two witnesses of the Tribulation will operate in the power
and might of the Holy Spirit. Their power and effectiveness does not lie
in human ability or ingenuity, nor can it be hindered or stopped by the
nature of the circumstances. The Lord of Hosts (Armies) would be at work
within them.
Now remember, the Tribulation will be back under the Old Testament
economy and this includes the indwelling ministry of the Holy Spirit.
Indwelling will again be selective to certain believers, rather than
universal to all believers as it is today. The universal indwelling of
all believers will end at the removal of the church at the rapture and
will not happen again until the Millennium. The fulfillment of Joel 2 to
Israel is dependent on turning to Christ and faith (cf. John 14:16-17; 2
Thessalonians 2:6-7; Joel 2:12-18; 2:28, 32). Joel 2 has been partly
fulfilled in the church, but can't be completely fulfilled to Israel
until there has been repentance and restoration.

4.3.2 Their conduct (11:5-6)
Their ministry is characterized in conduct by four great miraculous
powers:
they can kill their enemies with fire;
withhold rain for three and a half years;
turn water into blood; and
bring plagues upon the earth (cf. 2 Kings 1:10-15; 1 Kings 17:1f; and
Exodus 7-11).
Why these specific miracles? First, they are a means of defense and
protection to the two witnesses until their ministry is over (Revelation
11:5). Second, these specific miracles occur because of their
significance to Israel. They will be used to turn the hearts of the Jews
to the Lord in preparation for the coming King.

4.4 The Martyrdom of the Two Witnesses (11:7-10)
4.4.1 The time of their martyrdom (11:7a)
"And when they have finished their testimony." The word "finished" is
the Greek telew and means "to finish in the sense of accomplish,
complete." The tense is a perfect which looks at their work as
accomplished, done, but with continuing results. The results are souls
saved and glory to God. They were invincible until their work was done,
and then, according to God's own timing and perfect plan, He allows
their termination.
This illustrates the Biblical truth, as with Job, Moses, Elijah, Peter,
Paul and John, that the believer who is in the will of God need fear no
man or system of the world or Satan; no one can shorten our life nor
stop our work for the Lord until He Himself is ready. Remember,
Revelation 3:7-8, He is the One "who opens and no one will shut, and who
shuts and no one opens." When He puts before us an open door, no one,
not even Satan himself can shut the door!

4.4.2 The means God uses (11:7b)
"The Beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and
overcome them and kill them." "The Beast" mentioned here is the first of
36 references to one called the Beast that will occur from this point on
in the book of Revelation. Since chapter 13 describes and develops the
Beast and his political-religious system in detail, we will wait until
then to discuss the Beast. Here we are simply told that he is the one
who makes war, overcomes, and kills the two witnesses. Their ministry
has been diametrically opposed to his purposes, so the Beast goes all
out to hush their testimony, which he is unable to do until the end.
"That comes up out of the abyss." The reference here to the abyss may
simply to draw attention to the character, nature and source of this
ruler's power and governmental system, i.e., Satan. It does not mean the
Beast is Satan or a demon, but that he is demon possessed and
Satanically inspired.
"Will make war." "War" is the Greek polemos and refers to a military
campaign. He will finally make all out warfare against these two
witnesses, but he is successful only by divine intervention, and only
then at the end of the 1,260 days when their work is finished.
"And overcome them." The verb "overcome" is the Greek nikaw meaning "to
conquer, overcome." John uses it of believers in 1 John 5:4-5 and in
Revelation 2:7, 17; 3:6, 13 of believers who are overcomers by faith.
Because the two witnesses are overcomers in Christ, this victory is only
temporary by divine design. It is only an apparent victory, not a real
one. God uses their death, as He so often does with believers, to His
own purposes and glory. Christ, our Victor and Overcomer, has removed
the sting of death. Their death is not the end of their testimony.

4.4.3 The display (11:8-9)
Verse 11:8
In these verses we see that their bodies will be put on public display
as a symbol and proof of the Beast's power who has at last been able to
kill these invincible witnesses. You might say it is a satanic object
lesson to the world, one designed to say, "evil has conquered, Satan has
won; Satan's man is the true God, worship Him."
"Their dead bodies" is the Greek ptoma, literally, their "fallen
corpses." This implies they are left right where they fall with no
burial as the Old Testament Law required or demanded for even the worst
of criminals (Deuteronomy 21: 22-23). Such an act reflects the total
degradation of man under the lawless system of the Beast, the man of
lawlessness (2 Thessalonians 2:9). Their fallen corpses lie in the
streets of the great city (Jerusalem) which is mystically called Sodom
and Egypt.
"Mystically" is the Greek pneumatikos meaning "spiritually, pertaining
to the Spirit, or "caused by the Spirit." Jerusalem is called such by
the Spirit of God. In Scripture, Egypt stands for the world, and Sodom
stands for the flesh. The point is the great city is dominated by the
world system, by the flesh, and by Satan through the Beast. The city has
spiritually become totally reprobate along with the rest of the world.

Verse 11:9
It is apparent that great throngs of people, people from all over the
world, come to view the bodies and see the victory of the Beast. Again
we see the rebellion of man in the hardness of his heart against God. I
am reminded of Psalm 2:1-6.
"Why are the nations in an uproar, And the peoples devising a vain
thing? The kings of the earth take their stand, And the rulers take
counsel together Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, Let
us tear their fetters apart, And cast away their cords from us! He who
sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak
to them in His anger And terrify them in His fury, saying, But as for
Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain."

4.4.4 The effect (11:10)
"And those who dwell on the earth." Literally, "those dwelling settled
down upon the earth, i.e., the earth dweller." In John this is
practically a technical term for unbelievers, for those totally at home
on the earth and devoid of any heavenly hope, concerns, or desires (cf.
Revelation 3:10, 6:10; 8:13; 11:10; 13:8, 14; 17:8).
"Dwell" is the Greek katoikew from kata meaning "down" and oikew "to
dwell." It means "to settle down, be at home, live permanently." It is
used of the Lord living in the believer in Ephesians 3:17.
"Will rejoice over them and make merry; and they will send gifts." Here
is a kind of hellish Christmas, giving gifts not in celebration of the
birth of Christ, but over the death of His two witnesses. "Rejoice" is
the Greek cairw meaning "to be glad, happy." "Make merry" is the Greek
eufrainw, "to make merry at a feast, have a party." They will have a
party and declare a holiday because of their death. John draw our
attention to the certainty and the continuous nature of the merry making
that will go on during the three and a half days.
Ironically this is the only mention of rejoicing on earth in the
Tribulation. But their rejoicing will quickly be turned into sorrow,
pain, and fear (11:13). Of course such action show they had rejected the
message of the two witnesses. This is also indicated by the fact their
message caused them much torment.
"Because these two prophets tormented." Here we see the reason for the
fiendish party. "Tormented" is the Greek basanizw, "to torment, torture,
to cause severe pain and distress, mentally or physically." The message
of the prophets that could have brought great joy and peace, brought the
opposite because they had hardened their hearts against God.
Does this not reminds us that if one continues to reject the Word of God
(that gives a peace that passes all understanding and a joy the world
can't give), that same Word, through the hardening of the heart, will
bring torture to the soul and joy only over the apparent defeat of God
and His people (Hebrews 3:7f). We need to realize that negative volition
to God's Word is dangerous. The consequences are appalling.

4.5 The Resurrection of the Two Witnesses (11:11-12)
4.5.1 Their resurrection (11:11)
"And after three and one half days." This is long enough for the bodies
to have begun to decay. As the Lord did with Lazarus, God waits until
there is no question about their death, then suddenly God intervenes.
"The breath of life from God." "From" is the Greek ek meaning "out of."
The very life-giving breath from God Himself is breathed into them
(Genesis 2:7) and "they stood on their feet." "Stood" is an aorist tense
and may stress suddenness. They are pictured lying there on the street
with the party going on, and then suddenly, they stand up like a man
waking up from a nap. What an effect this will have!
"And great fear fell . . . " "Fell" is also an aorist and stresses the
suddenness of the effect. From drunken merry making one moment to
soberness and great fear the next. Suddenly now, they begin to realize
God was not dead nor defeated; Satan would not be victorious and they
were doomed.

4.5.2 Their translation (11:12)
Not only are they resurrected from death, but now, God's voice from
Heaven is heard and they are taken up in a cloud, perhaps the Shekinah
glory of God. A crowd will be standing around past their bodies lying in
the street. Undoubtedly there will be television coverage. Suddenly they
will stand up, a voice (not the announcer's!) will be heard from Heaven;
the two witnesses will disappear out of sight in the cloud of glory.

4.5.3 The great earthquake (11:13)
Now as a further demonstration of God's power and sovereignty over the
Beast and his system, and with the effect of the preceding still vivid
in their minds, a great earthquake occurs in and around Jerusalem
killing 7,000 people. Those who are left become terrified and give glory
to God. Perhaps some are saved through this, but the others will simply
confess the glory and power of God without repentance, or faith. They
are like the fallen angels who believe and know the reality of God, and
yet tremble in their confirmed state of rebellion against God. Because
of the hardness of their hearts, these will have become confirmed in
their unrepentant condition. They have reached the point of no return.

4.6 The Seventh Trumpet and Third Woe (11:14-19)
4.6.1 The announcement of the third woe (11:14)
The parenthetical section (Revelation 10:1-11:13), which explained some
of the details of the Tribulation, is now completed. In 11:14 we have
the announcement that "the second woe is past." Literally, "has come"
with the idea "has come and gone." Here John again resumes the
sequential movement of the book. So the second woe, concluded in chapter
9, is now mentioned as an introduction to the third and final woe. Thus
John says, "behold, the third woe is coming quickly." In 9:13 John was
informed that the last three trumpet judgments would be more intense
because woe is pronounced upon the earthdwellers because of the
remaining three blasts of the trumpets. Now with 11:14 we are told the
third woe is coming and quickly.
This is the seventh trumpet that will take us up to the return of Christ
and the establishment of His kingdom. The picture here (11:15-19) is the
complete view of the rest of the Tribulation. The stress is on the
effects of the seventh trumpet: it ushers in the reign of Christ (cf.
11:15 with 11:17). This judgment becomes the greatest woe because it
includes the seven bowl judgments though they are not mentioned here.
Chapters 12-14 form the third parenthetical section filling in more
details of other key events and personages.
In verse 14 we are told the third woe "is coming quickly." The word
"quickly" is the Greek tacu and mean "in rapid succession" i.e., once
the seventh trumpet is blown, its judgments will come like trip hammer
blows in quick succession, the end will then be near.

4.6.2 The announcement of Christ's reign (11:15)
"And the seventh angel sounded." The seventh and final trumpet is blown
and immediately something happens in Heaven; there is an immediate
Heavenly response.
"And there arose loud voices in Heaven." In contrast to 10:8 and 11:1
where a single voice was heard, now a great choir in Heaven is heard
praising God for what is about to occur. Note that their voices are
"loud." This stresses the joy and extreme exuberance over what God is
going to do through the seventh trumpet.
"The kingdom of the world." Some manuscripts have kingdoms (plural). If
it were plural it would refer to all the kingdoms coming under the reign
and authority of Christ. But the best manuscript support is for the
singular, "kingdom."
"Kingdom" (singular) refers to the reign and rule of the entire earth
that God intended to be under man's authority and rule, but was wrested
from man by Satan (Hebrews 2:5-8). Satan became "the god of this world"
(2 Corinthians 4:4) and "the prince of the power of the air, of the
spirit that is now working [as a ruling king] in the sons of
disobedience" (Ephesians 2:2). There are really only two
kingdoms--Satan's and God's (cf. Colossians 1:13). But through this
trumpet and woe, Satan's kingdom will be totally destroyed and the world
will come under the lordship of Christ.
"Has become" is an aorist tense of the Greek verb ginomai and means, "to
come to be, become." The aorist is an ingressive aorist and looks
forward to the effects of the seventh trumpet, namely, the establishment
of God's kingdom on earth. At this point the seven bowl judgments have
yet to be poured out, but they make up the seventh trumpet and will now
fall in rapid succession. That they make up the seventh trumpet is clear
from the fact that it is the last trumpet that establishes the rule of
Christ on earth.
"Of our LORD and of His Christ." "LORD" is the Greek kurios and is here
used of Yahweh of the Old Testament and refers to God the Father. "Of
His Christ" refers to the Messiah of Old Testament promise and
expectation whom the Father would and has sent.
"And He will reign forever . . . " The millennial reign of Christ will
last for only 1,000 years, but the reign of Christ will continue on
throughout all eternity in the New Heavens and the New Earth. So here we
have the fulfillment of many Old Testament prophecies that look forward
to the eternal rule of God when God's will will be done on earth as it
is in Heaven (cf. Psalm 2:2-9; Daniel 2:35, 44; 6:26; 7:14, 26-27;
Zechariah 14:9; Matthew 6:10).

4.6.3 The actions of adoration (11:16)
True worship results in action befitting the attitudes of the heart. So
here, the 24 elders (the representatives of the church age saints who
have already received their crowns and cast them before God) now
recognize that it is time, or soon will be, for the reward of Old
Testament and Tribulation saints. The coming of the kingdom will be
connected with the giving of rewards to the faithful servants of God
(Matthew 24:42 -25:30). In recognition of God's faithfulness to His
people and the sovereign actions of God, they rise from their thrones
(wherein they reign with Christ) and fall on their faces in deep respect
and adoration of God. While they reign with Him they recognize that this
is all because of who and what God is and what He has accomplished
through the Lord Jesus.

4.6.4 The ascriptions and assignments of adoration (11:17-18)
In these verses thanksgiving is given for five things. Two are
ascriptions of praise to God regarding His person and three are
assignments to which God has committed Himself.
Verse 11:17
First, continual thanks (present tense) for God's person. "Almighty" is
the Greek pantokrator from pas "all" plus kratew, "to rule, be master,
to be strong, mighty." It means possessing all power and rule. It speaks
of God's sovereignty and omnipotence as the supreme ruler of the
universe. Next God is praised for His eternality. In the better
manuscripts "who is to come" is here left out. Why? Because, as John
looks forward to this point in history, God has come.
Second, thanks is given because at this point in history God will be
exercising His complete sovereignty. The elders say "because you have
taken your great power." "Have taken" is the perfect tense of lambanw
"to take hold of, possess." In His immutability God has always possessed
omnipotence, but He has not always exercised His absolute authority or
power over the earth. Here, at this point, He takes hold of it in the
sense that He begins to exercise it absolutely. The perfect tense points
to action accomplished with continual results. This stresses that once
God so acts it will be permanent and the world will begin to experience
the results.
Third, Thanks is given because now God truly, through the exercise of
His great power, begins to reign. The phrase "and have begun to reign"
is an ingressive aorist and denotes the entrance into a state or
condition. The Tribulation judgments, as shown previously in chapter 5,
represent the first steps of God in beginning to take the reigns of
government. This is especially true at this point in the Tribulation
because the return of Christ is now so near.
Verse 11:18
Fourth, thanks for the display of God's wrath. Here we have the
fulfillment of Psalm 2. Just before the return of Christ, as part of the
sixth bowl, the armies of the world will be gathered together in the
Plain of Esdraelon or the Valley of Decision (Revelation 16:16; Joel
3:14). At this point, as never before, the nations are enraged against
one another and against God (Revelation 19:19). But their wrath is
impotent against the omnipotence and the holy wrath of God. So John adds
"and Your wrath came." In this context especially, this refers to the
final phase of the Tribulation, the seventh trumpet and the seven bowl
judgments that are concluded by the personal return of the Lord. "Came"
is a culminative aorist and stresses an event or action from the
viewpoint of its results or effects. God's wrath when it comes will
overcome the rage of man. It will bring doom and judgment and an end to
rebellion.
Fifth, thanks is given for the judgment and reward of Old Testament
saints--including Tribulation saints. "And time came for the dead to be
judged . . . " Literally the Greek has "and the time of the dead to be
judged and to give the reward to Your bond servants . . . " This refers
to the resurrection, judgment, and reward of Old Testament saints at the
end of the Tribulation, Daniel's 70th week, just prior to the millennial
reign. This includes Tribulation saints as well because they are a part
of Daniel's 70th week, which concludes God's program for Israel before
the Millennium (cf. Daniel 9:24 with 12:1-3 and Revelation 20:4-5).
In looking back over verse 18, note that three things are said: (a) "The
nations were enraged." Here we have the reaction of the world in the
Tribulation, especially in the last portion at Armageddon. (b) and Your
wrath came." In the context this particularly speaks of the final out
pouring of divine judgment in the seventh trumpet. (c) Literally and the
time of the dead to be judged." This speaks of the resurrection of Old
Testament saints. Now all of these three areas are given further
elaboration in the last part of verse 8, but in inverted order.
First, the dead are not only judged, but they are rewarded. These are
only Old Testament and Tribulation saints who are resurrected. The
context makes this clear. They are "Your bondservants, the prophets,"
"saints," and "those that fear Your name, small and great." As mentioned
above, this fits precisely with Daniel 12:1-3 and Revelation 20:3-4.
Unbelievers await the Great White Throne Judgment and the church is
already in Heaven.
Second, God's wrath aimed at the enraged nations is taken up in the last
part of the verse in the words "to destroy those who destroy the earth."
This refers to the final judgments that are aimed at those living on
earth. These will be either killed outright or removed by Christ at the
judgments of the Jews and Gentiles that will occur at the end of the
Tribulation (Matthew 24:25; Revelation 19).

4.6.5 The Ark of the Covenant in the Heaven Temple (11:19)
That there is a temple of God in Heaven is not surprising, since the
tabernacle was constructed after a pattern of things in the Heavens
(Hebrews 9:23). We should note that this chapter began with the apostate
temple on earth, but closes triumphantly with the Heavenly temple in
view. This stresses, as in Isaiah 6, the holiness of God, the basic
cause of God's wrath. Remember, this earthly, apostate temple is
desecrated by the Beast, but he cannot touch the Heavenly temple which
reflects God's perfect righteousness, perfect justice and majesty.
The things seen in the temple are symbolical of:
The presence of God by the Shekinah glory which hovered over the mercy
seat.
The faithfulness of God as evidenced by the contents of the Ark--the Law
which guided God's people, Aaron's rod, a picture of resurrection, and
the pot of manna, a picture of the person of Christ and daily provision.
God's divine holiness which could not be approached without blood, and
spoke of the sacrifice of Christ. All this is seen in Heaven to remind
the Jews that God is going to fulfill His covenant promises. It is to
encourage faith in Christ.
Accompanying the sight of the Ark is lightning, peals of thunder, an
earthquake and a great hailstorm all of which are signs of doom and
judgment. God in His absolute holiness must deal with the sin and
rebellion of man. But before this judgment is poured out in the seven
bowls of judgments, the chronological sequence is again interrupted to
portray other events and situations that will be in existence during the
last half of the Tribulation. This will serve to highlight the dramatic
return of Christ as he comes back in the midst of such horrendous
conditions.

4.6.7 Background information of the Ark of the Covenant (Biblical Point
of View)
Read Exodus 25:10-16; 37:1-9; 16:11-31; 19; 20:1-17; Numbers 11:1-9; 16;
17; Psalm 78:24-25; Matthew 22:36-40; John 6:30-38; Revelation 2:7;
11:19.
"The Ark of the Covenant" has a rich Biblical history. It symbolizes
God's presence and the place of atonement (Leviticus 16:2; Hebrews 9:3;
10:20), but used wrongly, it becomes the source of the Philistines'
plagues (1 Samuel 4:8) and Jericho's fall (Joshua 6:1-20).
Its proper place was within the second veil of the tabernacle (Hebrews
9:4, 24) and in the inner chamber of Solomon's temple (1 Kings 8:6).
This scene is of the heavenly counterpart of that earthly Ark
(Revelation 11:19). John views heaven under the same ritual categories
as those found in the Old Testament, with the understanding that the
originals of those sacred things on earth exist in Heaven.
At some point during the Old Testament times the earthly Ark
disappeared, perhaps perishing when Nebuchadnezzar burned the temple (2
Kings 25:9; Jeremiah 3:16) or being removed by Shishak (1 Kings 14:26)
or Manasseh (2 Chronicles 33:1-20). A tradition has it that Jeremiah the
Prophet hid the Ark in a cave on Mount Sinai until the final restoration
of Israel (2 Maccabites 2:4-8). The disappearance of the Ark signified a
temporary setback that had to be corrected before the bliss of the final
consummation.

4.6.8 The Tendency to Re-build the Jewish Temple at the Temple Mountain
The Jewish Temple will be rebuilt with the permission of the Anti-Christ
who will seat on the throne in the temple and force the Jews to worship
him (Matthew 24:15, 24; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12; Revelation 13:1-15). The
recent re-opening of the second tunnel at the temple mountain in
Jerusalem and excavation of archaeological evidences under the Isalmic
Moslim Temple showing the tendency for the Jews to rebuild their Temple
and restore their daily Sacrifices.

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Yours in Christ,
John K.C. Fok
Hong Kong
1 July 1997