“Then I was given a measuring reed like a rod, with these words: “Go and measure God’s sanctuary and the altar, and count those who worship there. But exclude the courtyard outside the sanctuary. Don’t measure it, because it is given to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for 42 months. I will empower my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, dressed in sackcloth.” These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. If anyone wants to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and consumes their enemies; if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way. These men have the power to close up the sky so that it does not rain during the days of their prophecy. They also have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every plague whenever they want. When they finish their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, conquer them, and kill them. Their dead bodies will lie in the public square of the great city, which prophetically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. And representatives from the peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will view their bodies for three and a half days and not permit their bodies to be put into a tomb. Those who live on the earth will gloat over them and celebrate and send gifts to one another because these two prophets brought judgment to those who live on the earth. But after 3 1/2 days, the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet. So great fear fell on those who saw them. Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” They went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies watched them. At that moment a violent earthquake took place, a tenth of the city fell, and 7,000 people were killed in the earthquake. The survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe has passed. Take note: The third woe is coming quickly!” (Revelation 11:1-14 HCSB)
The dreams, visions, symbolism, and numbers that you experience are always easier to understand as they occur than trying to explain them to someone later. There’s just something about being in the midst of that visual story that makes it rich, colorful, and clear, but it always loses something when you try to retell it. Seriously, haven’t you ever had a dream that was just so real and vivid while it was occurring but when you tried to relate it to someone else, you just couldn’t get them to “feel it”? With that idea in mind, it might be best if you were to listen to the passage above with your eyes closed, envisioning the scene in your head.
Let the images of these scenes wash over you. Picture John taking the rod and measuring the Temple structure, but he doesn’t include the courtyard because it has been given to the nations. Then we see two witnesses who are dressed in sackcloth who are proclaiming the truth of God’s Word or prophesying. Who are they? They’re the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before God (see Ez. 40-48 and Zech. 4). These mental images, symbols, and numbers are representations of what we see with our physical eyes. John is relating his vision, but the vision only makes sense if you understand the context and the background. Not ours, his…
We want to take these images and translate them into modern-day events so we can make sense of them. We try to transcribe our understanding onto John’s vision, but it’s just not quite right. Many modern commentators love to take these images and try to make them fit into a 21st-century mindset, but the images never quite fit. They were never meant to. I noted a couple of Old Testament passages above, Ezekiel 40-48 and Zechariah 4. You should go read those passages; then you’ll begin to grasp some of John’s background and mindset. Then you should go read John’s gospel and his epistles; that will add some additional clarity to your understanding because you’ll begin to grasp his personal history. All of those things are relevant if you want to understand his vision.
John’s vision is shaped by what he is seeing and hearing, but it is also shaped by what he knows and has experienced. John has walked the dusty backroads of Judea with the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, learning how all of the Old Testament prophecies are fulfilled by the Lamb. He stood at the foot of a Roman cross as the Lamb’s body and blood were offered up to God for mankind’s rebellion. He stood in wonder and amazement at the entrance to the empty tomb as he heard the roar of the Lion of Judah and he humbly obeyed his Lord’s call to him and his fellow Apostles to GO and make disciples of all peoples. Now, John is being shown and told about the challenges his “little children” will face in their walk with the Lamb of God, and his vision is intended to strengthen and encourage them in that walk. If we listen and believe, we will be strengthened and encouraged, too.
First, notice that John is given a measuring reed and told to measure God’s sanctuary, and the altar, and to count those worshiping there. But he’s to exclude the outer courtyard because it has been given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for 42 months. In addition, God will empower His two witnesses, who will be dressed in sackcloth, to prophesy to the nations for 1,260 days.
I don’t believe John’s “measuring” is a literal reference to the Jerusalem Temple, though many do. The word used here is the Greek “naon” and literally means “dwelling place”. One of the questions that swirls around this book and, especially, this reference is whether these words were written before or after the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD. Is it referencing the Holy of Holies in the Jerusalem Temple or is it referencing the “dwelling place” of God’s Holy Spirit after Pentecost, within each believer? I think it’s clear, these words are written after the Temple’s destruction and is a clear reference to the power and presence of God’s Spirit in the life of every believer. God’s not asking John to literally measure the Temple, He’s telling John this so that the recipients of this letter will realize that God KNOWS about each and every one of them, intimately.
“If you love Me, you will keep My commands. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive Him because it doesn’t see Him or know Him. But you do know Him, because He remains with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you.” (John 14:15-18 HCSB)
If you’re a believer, you’ve been measured, you’ve been counted, and you can rest in the promise that you ARE His sanctuary/dwelling place (see also 1 Jn 4:13, Rom 8:8-35, 1 Cor 6:19, 2 Cor 6:16).
The two witnesses are often identified as Moses and Isaiah due to the references regarding stopping the rain, turning the water into blood, and striking the earth with plagues whenever they want. While I agree that these references are certainly reminiscent of Moses in Pharaoh’s court and Isaiah facing off against the prophets of Baal, the clearest reference for these two witnesses comes out of Zechariah 4.
John describes them as “the two olive trees and the two lamp-stands” that are before the Lord of the earth. When Zechariah was unable to identify them, he’s told: ‘Not by strength or by might, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of Hosts. Then Zechariah asks about the two olive trees, “Don’t you know what these are?”, he’s asked. “No, my lord,” he replies. Then the angel responds to Zechariah with the same thing John is told, “These are the two anointed ones, who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”
We’ve already been introduced to the lamp-stands back in chapter one. They are the churches to which John writes these words of encouragement and promise. So, let me be clear. A lampstand has no light on its own. For the lamp to glow, it must burn olive oil. The lamp is able to give light but only when it has olive oil, the power source. Not by strength or by might, but by MY Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts. You and I are nothing in and of ourselves. We have no strength, power, or ability to make any difference in this cosmic spiritual battle for this world. We are NOT the two anointed ones who stand by the LORD of the whole earth. Consider the cosmic math: 2 olive trees standing near PLUS the LORD = 3 (holy Trinity: Father, Son, Holy Spirit)! If you need, go back up a few paragraphs and read that John 14 passage, again.
Ok, but just WHO are the two witnesses? I believe the two witnesses are the two faithful lamp-stands or churches from chapter one and the two faithful lamp-stands are empowered and providing light by their faith in Jesus and their infilling by the Holy Spirit. Not by [your own] strength, not by [your own] might, but by My Spirit says the LORD of Hosts! But, we’re not finished. Not just yet.
The witnesses are to present their testimony to the people of the earth, or to unbelievers. When they have done so, the beast from the abyss comes up, makes war against them, conquers them, and kills them. The words for witness and testimony are from the Greek martyrsin (witnesses) and martyrian (testimony). You can clearly see where we get our English word martyr. This is both WHO they are and WHAT they do. They are witnesses of the truth and they testify faithfully and honestly about what they have seen and what they know regarding the Jesus. They testify of all that He said, and did and is still saying, and doing and they’re killed by the beast because of it.
Wait, the witnesses DIE because they’ve been faithful to the God and to the truth? They’re killed because of their allegiance to and obedience to Jesus? Yes, and watch what happens: their dead bodies lie in the public square of Jerusalem and everyone gloats over the beast’s victory and celebrates the witnesses’ death for three and a half days. At first, it might be a bit shocking to realize that they are left lying in the public square of Jerusalem for three and a half days. In fact, some scholars reject the idea that John is referencing Jerusalem for that very reason. But I really think that’s the point. The very place and people who were chosen by God to be witnesses of His covenantal love, have rejected His rule and reign over their lives.
Ah, but God is NOT done. He’s keeping His word and fulfilling His promises, just not through them. After those three and a half days, the breath of life from God enters into the two witnesses and they STAND UP! I love this part: “So great fear fell on those who saw them.” Can you imagine?! These unbelievers are standing around gloating, and chiding the dead men while laughing, and celebrating their apparent victory. Then the lungs of these dead men suddenly expand with the breath of God, their hearts begin beating, their eyes blink and then open, and they stand up. SURPRISE!
But we aren’t done, yet. No? Not by a long shot.
Some see the resurrection of the two witnesses as the rapture of the church. Based on what transpires next, I don’t agree. I think this is the end and the last trumpet is about to sound and bring an end to everything. If anything, this could simply be the resurrection of the righteous. But it is possible this reference to “resurrection” is what has happened to every believer over the past two thousand years when they are martyred for their faith or die naturally in the faith. When our physical bodies die, the breath of God gives our spirits life and we hear the call, “Come up here!”
The primary point is not that we understand what specific events this vision represents, but that we KNOW that we are among those who have been measured, numbered and we are KNOWN by Him! We must see that our task is to be faithful witnesses in the midst of these challenges and to remember that nothing is accomplished in our own strength. Church is pointless without the strength of Christ and the powerful presence of His Spirit. We have no light except Jesus and we are empty vessels without the Holy Spirit.
When we give our lives in obedient service to His purpose, He is able to breathe life back into our dead bodies and to call us home. We are not given this insight to cause us to fall into fear and attempt to identify each event, person, or map out each moment of that struggle. We’re to trust His goodness, love and sovereignty as we give ourselves completely to His purpose, for to live is Christ. If it means we die in the process, then to die is gain.
“For me, living is Christ and dying is gain.” (Philippians 1:21 HCSB)
Our calling is be lights (lamps on stands) in a world full of darkness. Not because we’re morally good people, but because we are redeemed sinners who have found life in Jesus. We’re not light because we’ve got it all figured out, we’re light because we are faithfully and closely following the Light of the World. Not by [your own] strength, not by [your own] might, but by MY Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts!
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