K-11. TH BOOK OF REVELATION CHAPTER 11.

             Rev. 11:1 "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."

 

             Rev. 11:2 "But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under forty and two months."

 

             Rev. 11:3 "And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth."

 

             Rev. 11:4 "These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth."

 

             Rev. 11:5 "And if any man will hurt them, fire proceeds out of their mouth, and devours their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed."

 

              Rev. 11:6 "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 the plagues, as often as they will."

 

             Rev. 11:7 "And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them."

 

              Rev. 11:8 "And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified."

 

              Rev. 11:9 "And they of the people and kindred and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and a half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves."

 

             Rev. 11:10 "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 dwell on the earth."

 

              Rev. 11:11 "And after three and a half days the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.

 

             Rev. 11:12"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."

 

             Rev. 11:13 "And the same hour was a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain seven thousand: and the remnant were frightened, and gave glory to the God of heaven."

 

             Rev 11:14 "The second WOE is past; and, behold, the third WOE comes quickly."

 

             I wanted you to read these first 14 verses altogether because John was NOT yet finished PROPHESYING about the SECOND WOE. This is what the voice in heaven speaking to John meant when he said to JOHN that HE must prophesy AGAIN. And these 14 verses plus the REST of the book of Revelation is what John was still yet being shown to write down and PROPHESY to us for us to prophesy to the world. 

             So then, what just happened here in these verses beginning with the last verse of chapter 10 through verse 14 of chapter 11?

             Here is what I believe. As I previously stated I believe the little book is symbolically speaking of the word of God, or at least the part of God's word that the Holy Spirit reveals to us to PROPHESY in the last days. The angel tells John after eating up or devouring the word of God, the little book that he is to prophesy again to many people of all tongues. I believe John here is representing all believers, so therefore we as Christians are the ONE of the TWO WITNESSES that chapter 11 tells us about.

             The second witness of God in the earth other than the church is the 144,000 sealed Jews. So the TWO WITNESSES are the CHURCH, as in, true born-again faithful believers in Jesus and the JEWS, as in, the 144,000 sealed Jews. Now I myself do not see the 144,000 having the seal of God in the foreheads as yet. In other words, the 144,000 Jews will not be sealed until right before Jesus returns. Also, I do not see that that Messianic Jews, that is to say, Jews who have made Jesus their savior as being the second witness, because they are NEW creatures in Jesus Christ and thus they are a part of the church as well. So to me, the second witness will be the natural born JEWS in Israel and the rest of the JEWS scattered all over the world, who God will choose to seal in the fulness of time. In short, the TWO witnesses are the CHRISTIANS and the JEWS; two groups of people rather than just two individual people.

             Now I know this goes against what most of us have been taught, so if you would like further proof from the word of God that these are in fact the two witnesses please read the study called "THE TWO WITNESSES: WHO ARE THEY?"

 

              So then, in the first verse, we see the command given to MEASURE the TEMPLE and also to measure the ALTAR which I believe are SYMBOLIC and represent the two witnesses, the Chruch and the 144,000 sealed Jews. We are Christians are the TEMPLE of God and the ALTAR represents the Jewish people but more particularly the 144,000 Jews who will be sealed right before the rapture of the church just before the wrath of God is poured out. And obviously, the COURT represents the rest of the Gentile world.

             I also want you to notice that the RAPTURE of the church takes place in verse 12 of chapter 11. The believers in Jesus or Christians all over the world are killed for their testimony and so are the Jews because they are the only two groups of people in all the world who are the people of the one TRUE and only Almighty God who warn or prophesy to the world, or to people everywhere and then these prophecies come to pass. And when these prophecies come to pass, then we are blamed for these plagues that we tell the world will come to pass and will come upon them if they did not REPENT and follow the Lord. Then they kill us for the testimony we speak to them. Then we are resurrected right before their eyes.

              And at the very moment that we are resurrected, we are changed and we are caught up into heaven right before the eyes of those who persecuted and killed the two witnesses. Then there is a great earthquake, which is just prior to the blowing of the seventh and LAST trump, or precisely AT the time that SEVENTH trumpet shall BEGIN to sound. And when the seventh trumpet is sounded the WRATH of God is poured out. So then, Revelation 11:7-13 is the THIRD of SEVEN examples or types of the RAPTURE of the church found in the book of Revelation. We already saw in studying chapter 4 that Revelation 4:1 was the FIRST of seven examples of the rapture of the church. Then we saw that Revelation 7:9-17 was the SECOND example of the rapture of the church right BEFORE the opening of the SEVENTH seal where we saw SILENCE in heaven for the space of 1/2 an hour. 

             Then right here in chapter 11 verses 12-14 we see the THIRD example of the rapture of the church in the book of revelation again right BEFORE the SEVENTH, the SEVENTH trumpet, which is the WRATH of God. And in Revelation 7:9-17 the rapture is seen right BEFORE the SEVENTH, the SEVENTH SEAL which is the wrath of God that was announced at the end of the sixth seal. Remember we were told in Revelation 10:7 that WHEN the SEVENTH trumpet should BEGIN to sound the MYSTERY of God would be FINISHED or accomplished, as in, just taken place. All these verses agree with what Jesus teaches us in Matthew 24:29-31 where the rapture takes place immediately after the great tribulation but right before Jesus executes the wrath of God. We see the same SIGNS in the sun, moon, and stars in the opening of the SIXTH SEAL that we do in Matthew 24:29-31. Jesus is coming to first deliver his people and then pour out God's wrath and then set up his kingdom on the earth to rule and reign for a 1000 years.

 

             Rev. 11:15 "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."

 

              Rev. 11:16 "And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell on their faces, and worshiped God."

 

             Rev. 11:17 "Saying, We give you thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which are, which was, and are to come; because you have taken your great power, and have reigned."

 

              Rev. 11:18 "And the nations were angry, and your WRATH is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and you should give reward unto your servants the prophets, and to the saints, and to them that fear your name, small and great; and should destroy them that destroy the earth."

            Verse 18 clearly teaches us that AT the TIME when the WRATH of God is to be poured out is the TIME when the servants of God will be given their reward of ETERNAL LIFE, which is our CHANGE from mortal o being immortal, which is AT the LAST TRUMPET. And again, all of this AGREES perfectly with what Jesus teaches us in Matthew 24:29-31. Please read the study "The RAPTURE Occurs AT THE LAST TRUMPET!".

 

              Rev. 11:19 " 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 thundering, and an earthquake, and great hail."

 

              This great earthquake such as never has been before initiates the WRATH of God, the third WOE. Again, I basically cover each verse from Revelation 11:1 through verse 14 far more detail in the study on "THE TWO WITNESSES-WHO ARE THEY?", which I recommend you read seeing that the church will go THROUGH the entire period of great tribulation. The Bible teaches us that in the last days there will be scoffers mocking the faithful Christians saying WHERE is the promise of the coming of Jesus. So to me, the very last of the last days will SEEM like Jesus is not going to coming. Remember the words of Jesus saying, "Shall I find faith on the earth when I come?". Hold fast to the confidence of your faith which has great recompense of reward. Do not fear death, for whether we live or die we know that we shall be with our Lord to rule and reign with him in the world to come.

               This brings us to CHAPTER 12 of the book of Revelation.