A large portion of what transpires in Revelation 11 occurs at the midway point of the Tribulation – with pertinent information for both the first and second halves of the Tribulation dispersed throughout – and offers the student of Scripture many important pieces of the prophetic puzzle to incorporate into a proper eschatological chronology.
Within this study article are many links to previous articles that will enhance the Bible student’s understanding of some of the material presented in Revelation 11.
Underlined Scripture passages are my own emphasis.
Revelation 11:1-2 is essentially a brief summary of Jerusalem through the entire seven-year tribulation that includes The Third Tribulation Temple during the first half of the Tribulation, the Gentiles – represented by the Muslims and their Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount that will reside in “the court which is without the Temple” – and the second half of the Tribulation when “the holy city shall” be “treaded under foot forty and two months” by the Gentiles.
“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.” – Revelation 11:1
John is commanded to measure The Third Tribulation Temple that will be built to accommodate Israel’s fervent ambition to return to temple sacrificial service during the first half of the Tribulation.
“But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles:” – Revelation 11:2a
The Dome of the Rock currently resides on the Temple Mount, and it appears the Mosque will remain where it stands today. The Dome of the Rock will evidently reside, once The Third Tribulation Temple is erected, within “the court which is without the Temple.”
There is also the prospect that through the covenant between the Antichrist, the many, and Israel, which will pave the way for The Third Tribulation Temple, that the Dome of the Rock could be redeployed to another position on the Temple Mount, which will still reside within “the court which is without the Temple,” though this is just speculation.
Thus, either way, the imagery suggests that both Israel’s Third Tribulation Temple and the Dome of the Rock will be positioned on the Temple Mount side by side with the Dome of the Rock within “the court which is without the Temple.”
“and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.” – Revelation 11:2b
With both the Dome of the Rock and The Third Tribulation Temple sitting side by side during the first half of the Tribulation, the angel notes that “the holy city” shall be “treaded under foot forty and two months” by the Gentiles, which will occur in the last half of the Tribulation, also known as The Great Tribulation.
After the Antichrist signs the covenant with Israel and the many (Daniel 9:27) and allows the Jews to rebuild their Temple, the armies of Antichrist will be within and surround the city, seemingly protecting Israel from her enemies and enforcing the covenant. This, of course, will only last for the first half of the Tribulation.
Who are these Gentiles who shall tread under foot Jerusalem for forty-two months during the last half of the Tribulation?
Antichrist, with his armies already stationed in Jerusalem to protect and enforce the covenant (Daniel 9:27), will come against Jerusalem, as well as Judea, at the event known as the Abomination of Desolation. We discussed this situation in A Study of Zechariah 14:1-11, and here is a portion of what we said:
Some may ask, “How is it that ‘all nations’ will be coming against Jerusalem when it appears that only Antichrist and whoever his forces will be are attacking the city?”
I suggest that the Antichrist’s military wing will be the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces (or whatever they may call these troops in that day) that will represent all the nations of the earth.
Therefore, these same armies of Antichrist – the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces (or whatever they may call these troops in that day) – will be protecting Jerusalem and safeguarding the treaty, or covenant, against the other signers of the covenant, most likely including the Muslim nations who participated in the Gog/Magog invasion of Israel, until the Antichrist is ready to pull the trigger of the Abomination of Desolation.
Thus, these armies will already be stationed in and around Jerusalem when the Antichrist makes his move. How convenient! From the Abomination of Desolation, when Israelis from Judah and Jerusalem are destroyed and a remnant flee to the wilderness mountains of Petra/Mt. Sier, the Gentiles who are left in Jerusalem will indeed “tread under foot [the Holy City] forty and two months” in the last half of the Tribulation.
The Two Witnesses
Since the foundation of Revelation 11 has been laid, God, through John, then discusses the first half of the Tribulation and the remarkable Two Witnesses.
“And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.” – Revelation 11:3
This “thousand two hundred and threescore days” – 1,260 days (equal in duration to the “forty and two months” in Revelation 11:2b for the last half of the Tribulation) – is the first half of the Tribulation when the Two Witnesses, along with the ministry of the 144,000 Israeli Witnesses, will be serving our Lord.
The sackcloth the Two Witnesses will be wearing represents both their humility in their service to God and their sorrow for what Israel and the world are undertaking regarding the deceptive covenant, along with Israel’s rejection of Messiah Yeshua and the reinstated animal sacrificial system within the Third Tribulation Temple during the first half of the Tribulation.
“These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. 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.” – Revelation 11:4-5
For the connection of the Two Witnesses of whom are said that “if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies,” and to “the two olive trees and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth,” please see Can We Know the Identity of the Two Witnesses?
“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.” – Revelation 11:6
The Two Witnesses and their ability to “shut heaven that it rain not… and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with plagues” will bring to Israel’s remembrance – or at least they should – of both Elijah and Moses. One would think that Israel at that time would be very interested in their ministry, heeding their warnings and honoring their words, especially if the Two Witnesses are actually Elijah and Moses, as so many conjecture today. This is one of many strong evidences that the Two Witnesses are not Elijah and Moses or any other past Biblical characters.
When the Two Witnesses have their ministry in Jerusalem, even the Israelites will be offended by them and their message. After all, we can be certain that the Two Witnesses will condemn Israel for her alliance with Antichrist, their rebuilding of the Third Tribulation Temple and animal sacrifices, and their rejection of Messiah Yeshua!
Yet there is no doubt that the exploits of Elijah and Moses were prototypes of what would occur in the end times during the Tribulation, as so many other Old Testament types, from persons to events, so often do.
The power of the Two Witnesses “over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues” is in prophetic fulfillment of the first through fourth (and possibly the fifth and sixth) Trumpet Judgments of Revelation chapters 8 and 9. In fact, here is the connection we made in The 144,000 Israeli Witnesses:
The 144,000 Israeli Witnesses and The Two Witnesses
During the first half of the Tribulation, when the 144,000 Israeli Witnesses will minister on Earth, the Two Witnesses will also simultaneously have their unique ministries in Jerusalem.
Fascinatingly, the “four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree” seems to have their parallel with the Two Witnesses in Jerusalem as they “have the power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy” with the ensuing drought from the lack of a hydrologic cycle from no wind currents or evaporation from the seas.
“And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth… 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.” – Revelation 11:3, 6
Though we see angels symbolically carrying out the judgments in John’s visions by sounding Trumpets, these same judgments are seemingly given power by God to the Two Witnesses to carry them out on His behalf. This would be just one more indication for our findings in our investigative article, Can We Know the Identity of the Two Witnesses?
“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.” – Revelation 11:7
This, for me, is confirmation that the Antichrist will be killed and then “resurrected” at some point during the first half of the Tribulation – more than likely, toward the middle of the Tribulation – and God will allow his spirit to come back into his body from “the bottomless pit” in Sheol to deceive the whole world during the Great Tribulation.
Additionally, we can presume quite confidently that Antichrist will be energized by – and probably possessed by – Satan himself. This would primarily be the reason that Antichrist will be allowed to kill the Two Witnesses.
For why the Antichrist is the only one who is able to kill the Two Witnesses, again, I would point the reader to Can We Know the Identity of the Two Witnesses? When one understands where the evidence points to who these Two Witnesses are, they will comprehend why it is that a Satanically energized Antichrist will be allowed by God to defeat these two holy entities, but only for three and a half days!
“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.” – Revelation 11:8
Because of Israel’s rejection of Messiah Yeshua, and the fact that Israel is one of the most secular and worldly nations on earth – even promoting sexual perversity with some of the largest pride parades in the world in Tel Aviv and the holy city of Jerusalem – God’s city is referenced by John as that “which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.”
“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.” – Revelation 11:9
Certainly, those United Nations forces under Antichrist’s command that will surround the Holy City in keeping the covenant of Daniel 9:27, as well as the numerous representatives of other nations that live in and around Jerusalem, will be “they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations” that “shall see their dead bodies three days and an half.” Undoubtedly, this is how all past generations would have interpreted this verse.
Today, however, we also understand how every nation on earth will be able to visually see the dead bodies of the Two Witnesses in Jerusalem through satellite images and other technological means.
[Please see Daniel 8: Antiochus or Antichrist? for more on what may very well happen to these bodies that are not “put in graves” during those “three days and an half.”]
“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.” – Revelation 11:10
Similar to the interpretive elucidation of past generations concerning Revelation 11:9, above – and that this Greek word, 1093 γῆ “gē,” just as the Hebrew word, 776 אֶרֶץ “erets,” can mean either the Earth or land – those generations before us would have interpreted this verse as those forces enforcing the covenant and other Gentiles that will dwell in Judea and Jerusalem who have thus far survived the horrors of the first half of the Tribulation would be giving “gifts one to another.”
Again, however, we now know that this could very well be a worldwide phenomenon of people from every nation on Earth who have thus far survived the first half of the Tribulation sending “gifts one to another,” as we see so abundantly today.
Sadly, even God’s people, Israel, will join in on the demonically inspired celebrations – but not for long, as the Abomination of Desolation is forthcoming!
“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.” – Revelation 11:11
God sends back the spirits of the Two Witnesses to inhabit their bodies.
This “resurrection” of the Two Witnesses is one reason I have offered the supposition that there will be a resurrection of those Saints who die in between the rapture of the church and this midway point of the Tribulation, along with the Old Testament Saints, that they may all be the distinguished guests who “are called unto” The Marriage Supper of the Lamb in heaven in the presence of the Father (Revelation 19:6-9). Please see Resurrections and The Marriage Supper of The Lamb for more information on this possibility.
I imagine that “great fear” will indeed fall upon their enemies when the Two Witnesses stand upon their feet after being dead for three and a half days, to be sure!
“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.” – Revelation 11:12
This command from heaven, saying to the Two Witnesses, “Come up hither,” should bring one’s mind to the rapture of the church, represented by the calling of John up to heaven to receive his revelation of what will transpire after the rapture:
“After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.”– Revelation 4:1-2
The same Greek words are used in both accounts!
This “resurrection” of the Two Witnesses, in my eschatological view, will take place on the same day as the Abomination of Desolation, which we will discuss below.
“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.” – Revelation 11:13
We should not think that the Antichrist, his forces, and the remnant of Arabs and other Gentile nationals who will live in Jerusalem at this time will give “glory to the God of heaven” as we would naturally think when we read this phrase. Rather, God’s enemies will acknowledge that the God of heaven was behind this divinely timed earthquake, which occurs in “the same hour” as the “resurrection” of the Two Witnesses when they heard the “great voice from heaven.”
We see this theme play out consistently in the Scriptures: that of Israel’s enemies having no choice but to acknowledge that the God of Israel was fighting for His chosen people and, by doing so, giving God the glory through their confession. Anytime anyone gives credit due to God and God alone for what He has done, this would necessarily give Him glory.
However, I have an alternative interpretation and a theory that I would like to share with the reader regarding Revelation 11:13 , along with verse 12.
“And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they [The Two Witnesses] ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies [The Antichrist, his UN forces, and the people from many other nations already living in Jerusalem] beheld them. 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 [the remnant of frightened fleeing Israelites that would witness this event as they were escaping to the mountain wilderness following the Abomination of Desolation].” – Revelation 11:12-13
This fear from the fleeing Israelite “remnant,” following the Abomination of Desolation, would be quite understandable, and they would certainly give “glory to the God of heaven” as they would all recognize at this time that they were deceived by Antichrist and Yeshua was truly their once rejected Messiah!
It appears that the Antichrist’s UN forces will attack Jerusalem the same day that the Two Witnesses are resurrected. This attack, of course, would be subsequent to Antichrist going into the Temple, a few days after he kills the Two Witnesses, declares himself God, and sets up his image as he commits the Abomination of Desolation.
No doubt confusion will reign supreme, and many events will take place in those three and one-half days, including – but not limited to – Antichrist’s killing of the Two Witnesses, the celebration of the world because of the deaths of the Two Witnesses, celebrating Antichrist for defeating the Two Witnesses (probably with a parade and a magnificent speech), media interviews, visiting delegations of leaders from other nations, televising the Antichrist going into the Temple with pomp and circumstance along with the events that will inaugurate his newfound worldwide reign as the new and undisputed leader of the world, and then Antichrist will commit the Abomination of Desolation on that third and a half day when the Two Witnesses are “resurrected” and taken to heaven.
As the remnant of Israel discovers that their “Messiah” is not the man they thought him to be, Israel will have no choice but to flee into the wilderness as the Antichrist forces begin to attack the Israelites in the city immediately following the Abomination of Desolation [A Study of Zechariah 14:1-11 and The Abomination of Desolation: A Unique Link]. And as she flees, the UN forces will naturally pursue her. This will be at “the same hour” the Two Witnesses are resurrected and called up to heaven.
Then we read, concerning the earthquake, that “the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand” (Revelation 11:13).
The Greek word for “fell” is 4098 πίπτω “piptō” and its fundamental definition is to descend from a higher place to a lower.
I am going to try and link Revelation 11:13 to Revelation 12:13-17 and highlight verse 16, which reads:
“And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
“And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
“And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” – Revelation 12:13-17
When Satan is thrown out of his access to heaven and cast to earth toward the midway point of the Tribulation, the focus of his wrath is on Israel as he more than likely takes possession of the Antichrist at this point. This should happen just before the Antichrist kills the Two Witnesses and ultimately commits the Abomination of Desolation and begins his assault through his UN forces on the Israelites in Jerusalem and Judaea on the third and one-half day.
The “flood” in Revelation 12 seems to equate with the UN forces that will rape, kill, and then pursue the remnant of Israel as they in the process of escaping the holy city. As the Two Witnesses are resurrected and taken up into heaven, and the UN forces are beginning their pursuit of Israel, the earthquake hits, and the 10th part of Jerusalem, splitting up the earth and forming a long cavern – probably on the east/southeast side toward the Valley of Jehoshaphat – that will swallow up the 7,000 men pursuing them. I suspect the earth will then close upon those 7,000 men, trapping them and the structures that fell with them within the earth.
This helps to explain why Jesus Christ warned the Israelis that:
“When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.” – Matthew 24:15-18
There is an obvious sense of urgency in Messiah’s Words!
This opening up of the earth harkens back to God’s judgment on Korah, Dathan, and Abiram in Numbers 16 and the deliverance of Israel from the pursuing Egyptians at the Red Sea.
“And it came to pass, as he [Moses] had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
“They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation. And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.” – Numbers 16:31-34
When we consider God’s deliverance of Israel at the Red Sea with the earth swallowing up Satan’s flood in Revelation 12:15-16, one cannot help but see the parallel with the following stanza in the victory song of Moses and Israel:
“Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them. Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.” – Exodus 15:12-13
I find this hypothesis very plausible, and I wanted to share my thoughts on this with the reader.
“The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.” – Revelation 11:14
The seventh Trumpet judgment in the very next verse introduces the Vial judgements, which is “the third woe,” that should occur – as far as my eschatological understanding is concerned – toward the end of the Tribulation when the chronological narrative of God’s judgments is picked up again in chapter 15 with the Vial Judgments delineated in chapter 16.
“And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.” – Revelation 15:1
It is my belief and understanding that the Lord will allow Satan, along with the Antichrist and False Prophet, full reign on Earth for the majority of the last half of the Tribulation – the Great Tribulation – before He begins to pour out His Vial judgments in rapid succession just before Messiah’s Second Coming. This will be the beginning of “the third woe” of the Great Tribulation.
“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.” – Revelation 11:15
Here is another clue that Revelation 11 and Revelation 12 are to be considered a whole as far as sequential order goes – that the midway point of the Tribulation is primarily in view with both chapters – because we have a very similar statement in Revelation 12 glorifying the Lord and the Kingdom of God, and after this “third woe” Messiah’s Kingdom will be inaugurated:
“And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.” – Revelation 12:10
And of course, when Satan is “cast down” to the earth, literal hell on earth will commence with the beginning of the Great Tribulation with Antichrist’s Abomination of Desolation and the institution of his Mark of The Beast economic and worship system.
“And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, 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.” – Revelation 11:16-17
The church, represented by the 24 Elders, is praising God for everything He has done, is doing, and will do!
They continue:
“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.” – Revelation 11:18
Here is another reason why I believe there is a resurrection of those who died between the rapture and the midway point of the Tribulation as God will “give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy Name” – both Old Testament and Tribulation Saints up to the midway point of the Tribulation – to be those distinguished guests who “are called unto” the soon coming Marriage Supper of The Lamb.
Again, I cover this in Resurrections and The Marriage Supper of The Lamb, but another article, Revelation 6: Our Marriage and The Gap, really helps to put this all into perspective on the timing and location of the Marriage Supper of The Lamb.
“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.” – Revelation 11:19
As Satan is thrown down to Earth, heaven and Earth are preparing for the most intense time in history that the world or man has ever known – or will ever know – The Great Tribulation!
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May we all keep Answering the Call of The Great Commission, and giving an answer to every man and woman who so desperately needs Jesus and asks us, “Why Am I Here and What Is It All About?”
Love, grace, mercy, and shalom in Messiah Yeshua, and Maranatha!
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