Dec 15. Revelation 11. Tim Rees
Persecution and Two Witnesses
Revelation opens with John being given a measuring rod and asked to measure the temple. This is interesting if you ascribe to the late date writing of Revelation, after the Temple in Jerusalem had already been destroyed by Rome. A different temple must be in view here. John is told not to measure the court outside the temple because it is “given over to the nations”. The idea of measuring the temple is likely an indication that God intends to preserve it and not preserve the outer court that belongs to the nations. In Zechariah 2 a man is sent to measure Jerusalem and this is followed by the rest of the chapter proclaiming God’s favor and blessings on Jerusalem.
Revelation 11:2 indicates that the nations will trample the temple for 42 months. In the Hebrew Solar calendar, 42 months is 1260 days or 3.5 years (the solar calendar was twelve 30 day months). 3.5 years is the amount of time referred to as “time times and a half” in Daniel 7:25 (“time” = 1 year, “times”(plural) = 2 years, “half” = half a year). Daniel 7:25 is talking about an enemy of God that will speak out against the most high and wear out the saints of God and “shall think to change the times and the law”. This enemy mentioned in Daniel 7 could very well refer to the Greek/Syrian ruler Antiochus who desecrated the temple by offering pig’s blood but also forced the Lunar Calendar on the Jews (change the times). The forcing of the calendar change was a big issue for intertestamental Jews that disrupted their holy festivals and is one the reasons the Essenes (Dead Sea Scrolls community) broke away from Jerusalem temple worship. So Revelation 11:1-3 is telling us of a time of persecution, distortion of faith, and desecration of the people of God but also that they will survive it if they hold faithful.
Chapter 11 then turns to the Two Witnesses who will prophecy during this time of persecution (1260 days). We are often enthralled by these characters and wonder who they are. Is one Elijah who can stop the rain (v.6)? Is one Moses who can turn water to blood like in the Egyptian plagues (v.7)? Who knows who they are? But perhaps the best thing for us to do is look again at Zechariah, this time in chapter 4 verse 3 we are told of a vision of “two olive trees” standing beside a lampstand. This looks a lot like what Revelation 11 says in describing its Two Witnesses (Rev 11:4). The passage in Zech 4 goes on to tell us in v.6 that “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts” that the people of Israel will be restored. These are words of great encouragement! Revelation tells us that we will see difficult times. That God’s ways will be profaned and that godless ways will be pushed upon us. We as his people will be under assault (spiritually for sure if not in other ways) by seemingly overwhelming forces. We may even be struck down in our witness like the two olive trees (Rev 11:7) but God’s Spirit is with us and He will prevail.
This chapter closes out powerfully starting in v.15 with a preview version of the reign of Christ on earth. We again see the holy ones bowing down to worship him like we did in Revelation 4. In verse 18 the nations rebel (‘rage’ as in Psalm 2 and Psalm 46) but this time their rage is stopped by God’s judgment on them. And at last the true Temple is revealed. Not one that can be destroyed by Babylonians like Solomon’s temple. Not one that can be defiled by Greco-Syrian rulers like the second temple. But the Heavenly Temple for which the earthly temple was only a copy (Hebrews 8:5). The Ark representing his covenant re-appears with thunder, earthquakes, and lightning which reminds us of Sinai and deliverance. At last we see in Revelation God’s full glory and sovereignty. And we realize that it is we who are the Two Witnesses called to prophecy, to defend the faith, to bear up against difficulties with our eyes fixed on Jesus who will revive us and invite us into the Heavenly Temple to worship among the holy ones.