Revelation 11
11
The Two Witnesses
1Then there was given to me a #11:1 John is describing a rod that is about six feet long.measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, “#11:1 The Greek corresponds to a Hebrew verb meaning “to stand” or “arise” which can be an instruction to prepare to fulfill a command, somewhat similar to the military command “attention.”Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar [of incense], and [count] those who worship in it. [Ezek 40-42] 2But leave out the court [of the Gentiles] which is outside the temple and do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles (the nations); and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months (three and one-half years). [Dan 8:9-14; Zech 12:3; Luke 21:24] 3And I will grant authority to My two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days (forty-two months; three and one-half years), dressed in #11:3 See note 6:12.sackcloth.” [Deut 18:18; Mal 4:5; Mark 9:4] 4These [witnesses] are the two olive trees and the two lampstands which stand before the Lord of the earth. [Zech 4:3, 11-14] 5And if anyone wants to harm them, fire comes out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way. [2 Kin 1:10-12; Jer 5:14] 6These [two witnesses] have the power [from God] to shut up the sky, so that no rain will fall during the days of their prophesying [regarding judgment and salvation]; and they have power over the waters (seas, rivers) to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every [kind of] plague, as often as they wish. [Ex 7:14-19; 1 Kin 17:1]
7When they have finished their testimony and given their evidence, the beast that comes up out of the abyss (bottomless pit) will wage war with them, and overcome them and kill them. [Dan 7:3, 7, 21] 8And their dead bodies will lie exposed in the open street of the great city (Jerusalem), which in a spiritual sense is called [by the symbolic and allegorical names of] Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. [Is 1:9] 9Those from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations #11:9 In Revelation John sometimes uses the present tense to refer vividly to the future.look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not allow their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. 10And those [non-believers] who live on the earth will gloat over them and rejoice; and they will send gifts [in celebration] to one another, because these two prophets tormented and troubled those who live on the earth.
11But after three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear and panic fell on those who were watching them. [Ezek 37:5, 10] 12And the two witnesses heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” Then they ascended into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them. [2 Kin 2:11] 13And in that [very] hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell and was destroyed; seven thousand #11:13 Lit names of people.people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest [who survived] were overcome with terror, and #11:13 These give glory out of servile fear, not worship from the heart.they glorified the God of heaven [as they recognized His awesome power].
14The second woe is past; behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
The Seventh Trumpet—Christ’s Reign Foreseen
15Then the seventh angel sounded [his trumpet]; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,
“The kingdom (dominion, rule) of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.” [Ps 22:28; Dan 2:31-45; 7:13, 14, 27; Zech 14:9] 16And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell face downward and worshiped God, 17saying,
“To You we give thanks, O Lord God Almighty [the Omnipotent, the Ruler of all], Who are and Who were, because You have taken Your great power and the sovereignty [which is rightly Yours] and have [now] begun to reign. 18And the nations (Gentiles) became enraged, and Your wrath and indignation came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and [the time came] to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints (God’s people) and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and [the time came] to destroy the destroyers of the earth.” [Ps 2:1; 2 Thess 1:3-12]
19And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning, loud rumblings and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm. [1 Kin 8:1-12]
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Revelation 11
11
The Two Witnesses
1I was given a long stick that looked like a measuring rod. I was told, “Go and measure the temple of God. And measure the altar where the people are worshiping. 2But do not measure the outer courtyard. That’s because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will take over the holy city for 42 months. 3I will appoint my two witnesses. And they will prophesy for 1,260 days. They will be dressed in the rough clothes people wear when they’re sad.” 4The witnesses are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands. And “they stand in front of the Lord of the earth.” (Zechariah 4:3,11,14) 5If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and eats up their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6These witnesses have power to close up the sky. Then it will not rain while they are prophesying. They also have power to turn the waters into blood. And they can strike the earth with every kind of plague. They can do this as often as they want to.
7When they have finished speaking, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them. He will overpower them and kill them. 8Their bodies will lie in the main street of the great city. It is also the city where their Lord was nailed to a cross. The city is sometimes compared to Sodom or Egypt. 9For three and a half days, people will stare at their bodies. These people will be from every tribe and nation, no matter what language they speak. They will refuse to bury them. 10Those who live on the earth will be happy about this. That’s because those two prophets had made them suffer. The people will celebrate by sending one another gifts.
11But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered the witnesses. They both stood up. Terror struck those who saw them. 12Then the two witnesses heard a loud voice from heaven. It said to them, “Come up here.” They went up to heaven in a cloud. Their enemies watched it happen.
13At that same time there was a powerful earthquake. A tenth of the city crumbled and fell. In the earthquake, 7,000 people were killed. Those who lived through it were terrified. They gave glory to the God of heaven.
14The second terrible judgment has passed. The third is coming soon.
The Seventh Trumpet
15The seventh angel blew his trumpet. There were loud voices in heaven. They said,
“The kingdom of the world has become
the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah.
He will rule for ever and ever.”
16The 24 elders were sitting on their thrones in front of God. They fell on their faces and worshiped God. 17They said,
“Lord God who rules over all, we give thanks to you.
You are the God who is and who was.
We give you thanks.
That’s because you have begun to rule with your great power.
18The nations were angry,
and the time for your anger has come.
The time has come to judge the dead.
It is time to reward your servants the prophets
and your people who honor you.
There is a reward for all your people,
both great and small.
It is time to destroy those who destroy the earth.”
19Then God’s temple in heaven was opened. Inside it the wooden chest called the ark of his covenant could be seen. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings and thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.
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