Revelation11

John is commanded to measure the temple of God, while the outer court is left for Gentile treading for forty-two months. Two witnesses prophesy for 1260 days, demonstrating great power, but are eventually slain by the beast. After three and a half days, they are resurrected and ascend to heaven, followed by an earthquake. The chapter concludes with the sounding of the seventh trumpet, declaring God's eternal reign and the opening of His heavenly temple.

Measuring the Temple and the Holy City

1
I was given a measuring rod like a stick and told, “Get up, and measure the Temple of God and the altar, and count how many people are worshipping there! ​
2
But the court outside the Temple, leave that out; don’t measure it; because it has been given to the Goyim, and they will trample over the holy city for forty-two months. ​

The Two Witnesses Prophesy

3
“Also I will give power to my two witnesses; and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, dressed in sackcloth.” ​
4
These are the two olive trees and the two menorahs standing before the Lord of the earth. ​
5
If anyone tries to do them harm, fire comes out of their mouth and consumes their enemies — yes, if anyone tries to harm them, that is how he must die. ​
6
They have the authority to shut up the sky, so that no rain falls during the period of their prophesying; also they have the authority to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want. ​
7
When they finish their witnessing, the beast coming up out of the Abyss will fight against them, overcome them and kill them; ​
8
and their dead bodies will lie in the main street of the great city whose name, to reflect its spiritual condition, is “S’dom” and “Egypt” — the city where their Lord was executed on a stake. ​
9
Some from the nations, tribes, languages and peoples see their bodies for three-and-a-half days and do not permit the corpses to be placed in a tomb.
10
The people living in the Land rejoice over them, they celebrate and send each other gifts, because these two prophets tormented them so. ​
11
But after the three-and-a-half days a breath of life from God entered them, they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. ​
12
Then the two heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here!” And they went up into heaven in a cloud, while their enemies watched them. ​
13
In that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were awestruck and gave glory to the God of heaven. ​
14
The second woe has passed; see, the third woe is coming quickly ​

The Seventh Trumpet Sounds

15
The seventh angel sounded his shofar; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and his Messiah, and he will rule forever and ever!” ​
16
The twenty-four elders sitting on their thrones in God’s presence fell on their faces and worshipped God,
17
saying, “We thank you, Adonai, God of heaven’s armies, the One who is and was, that you have taken your power and have begun to rule. ​
18
“The Goyim raged. But now your rage has come, the time for the dead to be judged, the time for rewarding your servants the prophets and your holy people, those who stand in awe of your name, both small and great. It is also the time for destroying those who destroy the earth.” ​
19
Then the Temple of God in heaven was opened, and the Ark of the Covenant was seen in his Temple; and there were flashes of lightning, voices, peals of thunder, an earthquake and violent hail. ​

Study Notes for Revelation 11

Verse 1

Measuring the temple symbolizes God’s protection and preservation of the true worshipers (the inner sanctuary) during the coming period of tribulation, contrasting with the outer court left exposed.

Verse 2

The duration of forty and two months (3.5 years, or 1260 days) is a symbolic period of persecution representing the time of the church’s tribulation before Christ’s return (cf. Daniel 7:25).

Verse 3

The two witnesses represent God’s faithful prophetic testimony maintained during the worst of the end-time persecution. Their sackcloth symbolizes mourning, repentance, and prophetic urgency.

Verse 4

This imagery, drawn from Zechariah 4:2-3, signifies that the witnesses are empowered by the Holy Spirit (the oil for the olive trees) and bear the light of God’s testimony (the candlesticks).

Verse 5

The power of fire proceeding from their mouths indicates the destructive power of their prophetic word against those who oppose God's message, reminiscent of Elijah's ministry (2 Kings 1:10).

Verse 6

The powers to shut heaven and turn water to blood evoke the famous miracles of Elijah (drought) and Moses (plagues), confirming the witnesses’ authentic prophetic authority.

Verse 7

This is the first explicit mention of 'the beast' in Revelation, an Antichrist figure who ascends from the abyss to wage war against the saints, setting up the central conflict of the latter half of the book (Rev 13).

Verse 8

The 'great city' is symbolically identified with Jerusalem (where Christ was crucified) but also universally with the entire wicked world system (Sodom and Egypt) that opposes God and persecutes His people.

Verse 10

The world’s celebration over the death of the witnesses highlights the intense hatred of the prophetic message, demonstrating that the world prefers darkness to the light of conviction.

Verse 11

The resurrection of the witnesses demonstrates God's ultimate power over death and serves as a powerful sign of vindication for the faithful martyrs, terrifying their enemies.

Verse 12

Their ascension mirrors Christ's own and confirms their status as divinely approved messengers, showing that their ministry was successful despite their apparent defeat.

Verse 13

The remnant giving glory to the God of heaven contrasts with the persistent impenitence of those judged earlier (9:20-21), showing that God’s judgments can still lead to repentance for some.

Verse 14

This verse is a crucial structural marker, closing the account of the sixth trumpet/second woe and preparing the reader for the final, climactic judgment.

Verse 15

The sounding of the seventh trumpet is the climax of the trumpet judgments. The announcement that the kingdoms of the world 'have become' Christ's indicates the certainty of the coming reign, even before its physical manifestation.

Verse 17

The elders’ worship affirms God’s sovereignty and eternal power, recognizing that the final stage of judgment and kingdom establishment has arrived.

Verse 18

This verse summarizes the final events: the wrath of God against the nations, the judgment of the dead, and the rewarding of all faithful believers, from the prophets to the common saints.

Verse 19

The opening of the heavenly temple reveals the Ark of the Covenant, symbolizing God’s covenant faithfulness and affirming that the final judgments proceed righteously from His holy presence.

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