11
The two witnesses
1 I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood* saying: “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship there. 2 But leave out the outer court of the temple and do not measure it, because it has been given to the nations; and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months.† 3 And I‡ will give authority 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, even the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.* 5 And if anyone wants to harm them fire comes out of their mouths and consumes their enemies. So if anyone wants to harm them he must be killed in this way. 6 They have authority to shut up the sky so that no rain falls during the days of their prophecy; and they have authority over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they wish.†
7 When they finish their witness, the Beast of prey that comes up out of the Abyss‡ will make war with them, overcome them and kill them 8 —and leave their corpses in the street of the great city! (which is called Sodom and Egypt, spiritually speaking), even where their§ Lord was crucified.*
9 And those from the peoples, tribes, languages and ethnic nations look at their corpses three and a half days, and will not allow their corpses to be buried.† 10 And those who dwell on the earth rejoice over them, and they will enjoy themselves and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.‡
11 And after three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them and they stood on their feet, and a great fear fell on those who were watching them. 12 And I heard a loud voice from the heaven saying to them, “Come up here!” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them. 13 And in that day there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city fell, and seven thousand individuals were killed in the earthquake. And the rest became fearful and gave glory to the God of heaven.§)
14 The second woe is past. Look out, here comes the third woe!
The seventh trumpet
15 So the seventh angel trumpeted, and there were loud voices in heaven saying:
“The kingdom of the world has become
the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ,
and He shall reign forever and ever!”
16 And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones in God's presence, fell on their faces and worshiped God 17 saying:
“We thank You, O Lord God Almighty,
He who is and who was and who is coming,
because You have taken up your great power
and begun to reign.
18 The nations were angry and your wrath came,
even the time for the dead to be judged
and to give the reward to Your slaves the prophets,
and to the saints* and those who fear your name,
small and great,
and to destroy those who have corrupted the earth.”†
19 And the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of the covenant‡ of the Lord was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings and huge hail.§
* 11:1 I get the impression that the angel shifted position, probably with both feet on land—his legs had been spread or straddled, now he stands normally. † 11:2 Comparing forty-two months with 1,260 days we get 30-day months. A year computed on the basis of these ‘prophetic’ months, as they are sometimes called, is five days shorter than a calendar year. Forty-two calendar months would give 1,277/8 days. ‡ 11:3 Presumably the angel is still speaking—might He be God the Son? Could a mere angel say “my two witnesses”? § 11:3 Note that their ‘ministry’ covers 3½ years; the Text does not actually say that it will be simultaneous with the trampling of the holy city, but I imagine that it will come close. When I see the perversity in the world I am sometimes tempted to wish I could do what they are going to do, until I get to the ‘sackcloth’—walking around in sackcloth for 3½ years does not sound like much fun. * 11:4 See Zechariah 4:3,14. † 11:6 They have the authority to do these things, but it is discretionary; it is up to them to decide when, where, and how much. ‡ 11:7 This would seem to confirm that the “locusts” and their king, in chapter nine, are on Satan's side. That is also where Satan will be confined during the Millennium (20:3). If this beast is not Abbaddon he is presumably another high ranking demon, or so I thought until I got to 13:1 and 17:8, which see. § 11:8 Over 99% of the Greek manuscripts have “their” Lord, not ‘our’ as in KJV and NKJV. If these two “olive trees” are the ones in Zechariah 4:3 and 14, then the “Lord of the whole earth” there is Jehovah the Son. * 11:8 We might expect “Sodom and Egypt” to apply to Rome, rather than Jerusalem, but the Lord was crucified in Jerusalem. † 11:9 People in past generations had trouble imagining how this could happen, but with modern technology people around the world will watch those corpses. ‡ 11:10 They will celebrate, but not for long! § 11:13 At least they are no longer pretending that God does not exist. * 11:18 “Slaves” and “saints”—again we seem to have two distinct categories. † 11:18 One gets the impression that the elders had been waiting for this day. I think I know how they feel—the destruction of “those who have corrupted the earth” cannot come too soon to suit me. ‡ 11:19 Presumably this is the original ark of which the one made under Moses' supervision was a copy (Hebrews 8:5, Exodus 25:9, 40, Hebrews 9:23). § 11:19 If this were all there was to the seventh trumpet it would be anti climactic, ‘small potatoes’. I take it that the seven ‘bowls’ (see chapter 16) give the full content of the third woe.