CHAPTER 11

(A.D. 96)

THE TWO WITNESSES

¹And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the Angel (Christ) stood, saying, Rise, and measure the Temple of God, and the Altar, and them who worship therein (refers to the literal Temple which will be rebuilt in Jerusalem, with Israel once again instituting the Sacrifices; in fact, plans are being made at this moment for the rebuilding of this structure; as well, Daniel prophesied of this event some 500 years before Christ [Dan. 9:27]).

²But the Court which is without the Temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles (refers to the Court of the Gentiles, which was the furthest Court from the Temple; this measurement is for Judgment): and the Holy City (Jerusalem) shall they tread under foot forty and two months. (This refers to the period that will end the times of the Gentiles [Lk. 21:24]. At the midpoint of the Great Tribulation, the Antichrist will turn on Israel, actually attacking her and she will be temporarily defeated. He will occupy the Temple, making it his religious headquarters [II Thess. 2:4]. He will occupy it for three and one half years.)

³And I will give power unto My two witnesses (Enoch and Elijah, two men who have not yet died, actually being translated before they saw death [Gen. 5:21-24; Mal. 4:5-6]), and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. (This refers to three and one half years, the last half of the Great Tribulation. The clothing and sackcloth suggests that the witnessing includes the Preaching of Repentance [Isa. 37:1-2; Dan. 9:3-5].)

⁴These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the Earth. (Both represent the two witnesses, and refer to the vision given by the Lord to the Prophet Zechariah [Zech., Chpt. 4].)

⁵And if any man will hurt them, fire proceeds out of their mouth, and devours their enemies (pertains to Judgment and not literal fire): and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. (This proclaims the protection of the Lord, and in whatever manner it is needed. No doubt, the Antichrist will seek to kill them in many ways.)

⁶These have power to shut Heaven, that it rain not in the days of their Prophecy (doesnt mean that there will be no rain for three and one half years, but that they can shut up Heaven as often as they so desire; no doubt, there will be months without rain): and have power over waters to turn them to blood (at that time, what this miracle will be ascribed to is anyones guess), and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will (refers to sicknesses and diseases of every nature, along with plagues of insects, such as flies, frogs, etc.).

⁷And when they shall have finished their testimony (will be at the conclusion of the three and one half years of Great Tribulation; ironically, this is the same period of time of Christs earthly Ministry), the Beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. (The Beast out of the Abyss is a Satanic Angel, not the human spirit of some dead man. It is the one described by John in Rev. 17:8. He is a fallen Angel who will be invisible, but will greatly help the Antichrist. And with the help of this fallen Angel, the Antichrist will kill the two witnesses, but not until their Ministry is completed).

⁸And 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. (As is obvious, it is Jerusalem. Satan will turn this city into the capital of homosexuality [Sodom] and worldliness [Egypt].)

⁹And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and a half (no doubt, by Television, which will be beamed all over the world), and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves (proclaims the spectacle lasting three and one half days).

¹⁰And they who dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another (proclaims a worldwide celebration because the two witnesses who have caused so many problems for the Antichrist have now been killed); because these two Prophets tormented them who dwell on the earth. (This proclaims that which true Prophets have a tendency to do.)

¹¹And after three days and a half the Spirit of Life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet (refers to these two men being raised from the dead; this will, no doubt, be Televised all over the world as well); and great fear fell upon them which saw them. (It will be a miracle, as is obvious, of astounding proportions.)

¹²And they heard a great voice from Heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. (These will be Raptured at the very conclusion of the Great Tribulation. They will be among the last of those included in the First Resurrection of Life.) And they ascended up to Heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. (As stated, Television will portray this miraculous scene, with it being observed all over the world.)

¹³And the same hour was there a great earthquake (this is one of five times that earthquakes are mentioned; it is the last one that will take place and happens under the seventh Vial, which is at the very conclusion of the Great Tribulation), and the tenth part of the city fell (refers to Jerusalem), and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave Glory to the God of Heaven. (There is some indication in the Greek Text that some of these people gave their hearts to Christ.)

THE SEVENTH TRUMPET

¹⁴The second woe is past (this woe took place under the Sixth Trumpet Judgment [Rev. 9:12-21]); and, behold, the third woe comes quickly. (It is not the earthquake of Verse 13, but rather the casting out of Satan under the Seventh Trumpet [Rev. 12:12].)

¹⁵And the seventh Angel sounded (marks the beginning of the last three and one half years of the Great Tribulation); 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 forever and ever. (This is said in anticipation, and will definitely come to pass at the conclusion of this three and one half year period at the Second Coming of the Lord.)

¹⁶And the four and twenty Elders, which sat before God on their seats (thrones), fell upon their faces, and worshipped God (these Elders are human beings, possibly some of the Prophets and Apostles of the Bible, and represent the entirety of the Plan of God as it refers to Redemption),

¹⁷Saying, We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which are, and was, and are to come (pronounces Him as the Eternal One); because You have taken to Yourself Your great power, and have reigned. (This once again speaks of anticipation, in other words what the Lord is going to do, and which He most definitely will do.)

¹⁸And the nations were angry, and Your wrath is come (has to do with the coming battle of Armageddon [Ps., Chpt. 2]), and the time of the dead, that they should be Judged, and that You should give reward unto Your servants the Prophets, and to the Saints, and them who fear Your Name, small and great (refers to the coming Judgment Seat of Christ, not the Great White Throne Judgment); and should destroy them which destroy the earth. (Once again speaks of the Battle of Armageddon, in which Christ will engage at the Second Coming [Rev., Chpt. 19].)

¹⁹And the Temple of God was opened in Heaven (in some way it might be similar to Solomons Temple, for which the Heavenly Temple was the pattern), and there was seen in His temple the Ark of His Testament (refers to the Ark of the Covenant, which again served as the pattern for the Ark of the Covenant in the Tabernacle and Temple on Earth during the time of the Law): and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail. (This presents that which is symbolic of the awful Presence of God and His Majesty and Glory.)