Revelation Review Chapter 11
Weekly Wednesday writings on Revelation one chapter at a time.
In the previous chapter we were introduced to John the Baptist, the prophet who prepared the Israelites for the coming Messiah and baptized Jesus when He began His earthly ministry. Also in Chapter 10 is John accepting the truth of Old Testament as he goes to proclaim Jesus as Lord to all people of the world. Chapter 11 begins with the continuation of the second interlude.
“Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” Revelation 1:1-3
The beginning of this chapter is the image of the temple of God in the Old Testament, we are reminded of its exact measurements (Exodus 26), to reserve a space on earth for God to dwell with the Israelites. Notice that this area of God’s is not touched by “the nations”. God will not change, He will not be trampled, His presence is with His believers on earth and nothing can change Him or hinder His will.
After this introduction into the holiness of God’s temple, and the truth that God’s presence on earth can never be destroyed or removed. John reveals an image of the work of Jesus and the Holy Spirit during the earthly ministry of Jesus. When looking at verse 7 “And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them,” and verse 11 “But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.” This “bottomless pit” is referred to in chapter 9 with the image the destruction of Jerusalem. The old testimony is over, it must be brought to a complete end before a new testimony can begin. It is then with the “life from God” that in the resurrection of Jesus there is a new testimony.
Two Olive Trees
The passages that help define the two olive trees and two lampstand are found in the book of Zechariah. Here is God’s message to the prophet on how God is going to rebuild the 2nd temple. This is the same temple that stood during Jesus ministry and was completely destroyed in AD 70. When these images are used in Revelation it is a reminder that God’s temple is alive and present within all believers, through all the ages. This temple that lives in the lives of believers is the heart of the true believer and it is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that a believer is renewed and by the grace of Jesus that a believer is redeemed.
“And a second time I answered and said to him, “What are these two branches of the olive trees….Then he said to me, these are the two anointed ones, who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.” Zechariah 4:12 & 14
The two olive trees are what fuels the lampstand. John has defined in Revelation 1 that the lampstand is the church. Then in using a reference from Zechariah, the two anointed ones are the Holy Spirit and Jesus, as they are anointed for the work on earth, first in the temple then in the church. It is in the heart of a believer and in the unity of all believers, through the Holy Spirit and Jesus that God’s will is done on earth.
Two Lampstands
“And he said to me, “What do you see?” I said, “I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold…Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts” Zechariah 4:2 & 6
In Revelation 2 & 3 there were seven lampstands representing the complete church. In Revelation 11 we have two lampstand representing the unified church. The church, is the heart of the believer unified to all believers. It is not all God’s children believing the same theology, it is all God’s children unified in God’s will. In Zechariah we learn that the work of building the temple is not by might or by power but by the Holy Spirit. In Revelation we learn that the renewal of all the earth, all people, all nations and all creation is by Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
“The second woe has passed” Revelation 11:14
The death of Jesus is the second woe.
“Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, 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.” Revelation 11:15
All people of the world can become a true believer and a citizen of the kingdom of heaven. In this is the praise of the 24 elders, 12 tribes of Israel and 12 disciples representing the old and new testimony, together in worship to the Lord God Almighty.
I have found in studying chapter 10 & 11 that my notes from my previous studies were not as complete as my studies in writing this review. There is so much in John’s images I cannot even begin to convey all my thoughts or understand the image completely. This review is simply a few thoughts that that find there way to paper. So I will simply repeat what I wrote at the end the review on the first chapter: This is what I see today, tomorrow it may be different. What do you see today in the picture of Jesus?