2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 – See you in Heaven

Revelation 13 – Part 5

“Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.” Revelation 13:18

Chuck Swindoll writes, “Imagine that you live in an oppressive regime in which professing to be a Christian is outlawed and punishable by death. You cower in a small apartment at night while the heavy boots of soldiers can be heard on sidewalks and streets and people in the neighborhood are arrested, suspected of being Christians. As you pray that the soldiers will pass you by, they force themselves through the door. Lights flash around the room, boots stomp across the floor, and you suddenly find yourself looking into the barrels of automatic weapons.

“’Tell me,’ barks the man pointing his rifle at you, ‘are you a Christian?’

“You have a choice to make. Either deny Christ and live, or confess Him and die on the spot.

“Chances are, most believers reading this would think, ‘I’d confess Christ. Of course I would. That soldier can’t threaten my faith in Jesus as my Lord!’

“Now let’s intensify that scene.

“Imagine that you aren’t alone. Instead, when the soldiers barge through the door they point their weapons not at you but at your spouse and your three small children. ‘Reject Christ or they die!’

“Dying for your faith is one thing. Letting others die for your faith is quite another. Yet this is just the kind of sickening scenario Satan will inspire in the dreadful future John is describing. Because of the impact of earthly disaster, food will be scarce. Yet people will still need to buy and sell food to provide for their families. The alternative to participation in the Antichrist’s economy is a long, slow death by starvation. The book of Revelation tells us that the Antichrist’s regime will force believing parents to choose between feeding their families and defending their faith! As a father and grandfather, I can’t imagine a crueler test of faith than this.” ¹

Let’s look at the last three verses of Revelation 13 in detail. In addition to the False Prophet using his persuasive words and profound works to deceive people to worship the first Beast out of the sea (Antichrist) during the last half of the Tribulation period (13:11-15), he will also require people to receive an identifying mark to signify allegiance to the Beast. “He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads.” (Revelation 13:16). This second beast “causes all” unbelievers from various social (“small and great”), economic (“rich and poor”), and cultural (“free and slave”) groups “to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads.”

What exactly is this “mark”? This “mark” will be a brand-like logo, possibly like a tattoo, that will identify beast-worshippers. ²The word “mark” occurs throughout the Bible. “For example, it is used many times in Leviticus as a reference to a mark that renders the subject ceremonially unclean, usually related to leprosy. Clearly, in these cases the ‘mark’ is external and visible.

“Interestingly, Ezekiel 9:4 uses mark similarly to the way Revelation uses it: “He said to him, ‘Walk through the streets of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of all who weep and sigh because of the detestable sins being committed in their city.’” Here the mark preserved the righteous, similar to the way the blood on the doorposts spared the Hebrews from the death angel in the Exodus. In Ezekiel, the mark is placed visibly on the forehead, which anticipates the practice described in Revelation.” ³

The Greek word translated “mark” (charagma) in Revelation 13:16-17, means “a mark that is engraved, etched, branded, cut, imprinted, mark, stamp.” ⁴The same Greek word is used to refer to a brand left by a branding iron. It also described the seal attached to legal documents, the logo of which bore the name of the emperor and the date. ⁵ Sometimes Roman soldiers branded themselves with the “mark” of their general if they were particularly fond of him. ⁶

Some believe this could be an implanted radio “microchip” under the skin of the person that can be used to track billions of people worldwide. But the text says it is “on” their hand or forehead, not “in” (en) their hand or forehead to identify the person as a beast-worshipper. The Greek word for “on” (epi)means “upon” in this context. ⁷ It will be on the outside of the skin, where it can be seen. Its placement on the skin will make it easy to identify those who are loyal to the Antichrist.

Without this mark of allegiance to the Beast or Antichrist, a person will not be able to buy or sell: “And that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” (Revelation 13:17). Without this “mark” upon one’s right hand or forehead, a person will not be able to participate in commerce (“buy or sell”) of any kind during the last half of the Tribulation period.So, there will be a penalty if a person chooses not to receive the “mark of the beast.” There will be no buying or selling for that person. That means no groceries, clothing, medicines, or shelter for you and your family.

In the day of the apostle John, Roman coins bore the stamped “image” of the head, and the inscription of, the emperor. Likewise, those who bear the “stamped image,” or “mark of the beast,” will show by this that they belong to him. When a person burned a smidgeon of incense to “worship” Caesar, he received a certificate attesting that he had done so. This certificate protected him from death by persecution and enabled him to buy and sell. ⁸

Please understand that it will be far better to refuse the mark of the beast and starve or be beheaded (cf. 20:4) than to receive it and receive eternal condemnation. The Bible tells us, “⁹ Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, ¹⁰ he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. ¹¹ And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.’” (Revelation 14:9-11). God will only allow unbelievers to take the mark and those who do will be hardened in their unbelief. Though they may live during the entire Tribulation period, their eternal destiny will be in the lake of fire because of their continued unbelief. ⁹

However, believers in Jesus will not face eternal judgment because they have been guaranteed not to come into judgment (John 5:24). They possess eternal life which can never be lost (John 10:28-29). God’s grace will enable believers in the Tribulation not to take the mark or worship the beast. But some unfaithful believers will succumb to the worldwide lawlessness and not be delivered from the Tribulation judgments (cf. Matthew 24:10-12). But those believers who faithfully endure for Christ during the Tribulation will be saved from physical death, except for those whom God allows to be martyred (cf. Revelation 20:4).

Notice in Matthew 24:22, that if the Tribulation period had lasted any longer, no human flesh would have been saved physically. “But for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.” The implication of these verses is that some of the elect will die during the Tribulation because they will fail to persevere. This is supported further by Revelation 16:15: “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” “The garments” refer to the “righteous acts” of believers (cf. Revelation 19:7-8; cf. 3:4-5, 18; 4:4). The consequence of failing to be watchful for Christ’s return is a lack of righteous acts (loss of garments) and “shame.” This verse teaches that believers can be unfaithful, especially if they have lost sight of Christ’s return. The idea of this verse is that the saints have the garments (faithfulness) but can lose them if they lose their hope of the Lord’s coming.

We learn from Jesus’ judgment of the sheep and goats at the end of the Tribulation period (Matthew 25:31-46), that some Gentile believers (“sheep”) during the last half of the Tribulation period will find ways to help Christ’s Jewish “brethren,” the 144,000 Jewish evangelists. These evangelists will preach the gospel during the last half of the Tribulation period resulting in large numbers of Gentiles getting saved (Revelation 7:1-14). These believing Gentiles in turn will minister to these evangelists by giving them “food, drink,” shelter, clothing, medical care, and comfort when they are in prison (Matthew 25:35-36). Jesus will reward them at this judgment of the sheep and goats for risking their lives to help these faithful Jewish evangelists who will not be able to buy or sell. Christ says they “inherit” the kingdom which refers to reigning with Christ in His Millennial Kingdom on earth (Matthew 25:34; cf. 19:27-29; 2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 2:25-27; 3:21).

John informs us that the “mark of the beast” will consist of “name of the beast, or the number of his name” (13:17b). “The interchangeability of the beast’s ‘name’ and the ‘number of his name’ evidently indicates that the name, written in Greek letters, has a numerical equivalent.” ¹⁰

“Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.” (Revelation 13:18). Believers will need “wisdom” during the last half of the Tribulation period to understand and “calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man,” not God: “His number is 666.” Believers during the Tribulation will understand the connection between the mark of the beast and the beast himself and will refuse to worship the beast and take his mark by the grace of God since those who do take the mark will experience eternal damnation (cf. 14:9-11).

The number “666” is one of the most familiar numbers even among the most biblically illiterate people in the world. “In the 1976 horror movie The Omen, Damien is born on June 6, at six o’clock (666) to symbolize his identification as the coming Antichrist.” ¹¹

Throughout history, people have tried to calculate the identity of the man behind this number. “In Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, letters stand for numbers, so anyone with a calculator and a good dose of creativity can slap the ‘666’ label on a number of prominent personalities.” ¹²

The following people have been proposed to be the Antichrist by the misapplication of numerical calculations: Nero Caesar, the emperor Constantine, Mohammed, the popes, Martin Luther, Napoleon, Abraham Lincoln, Adolf Hitler, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Mikhail Gorbachev, Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden, ¹³Henry Kissinger, Ronald Reagan, and Barack Obama. ¹⁴

Figuring the identity of the Antichrist by calculating the numbers of his name is not to be applied by those of us living today. It is to be applied by believers who will be living during the Tribulation period. The Bible tells us that the Man of Sin or Antichrist will not be revealed until the middle of the Tribulation period when he takes his place in the rebuilt Jewish temple: “³Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, ⁴who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). It is at this time that believers in Jesus will be able to identify the Man of Sin or Antichrist because the number of his name will be 666. It is quite possible that the Two Witnesses will have disclosed the identity of this first Beast through their teachings before they ascend to heaven (cf. Revelation 11:1-12). So, believers will wisely make the connection between the Beast and the number 666 and avoid taking his mark and worshiping him. ¹⁵

We may wonder why God planned for the Antichrist’s name to equal 666? Several Bible prophecy students have taught that the triple six equals man’s number, which is the number six or one short of God’s perfect number, seven. After all, man was created on the sixth day (Genesis 1:26-31). ¹⁶

Hitchcock quotes M. R. DeHaan, the founder of the Radio Bible Class: “Six is the number of man. Three is the number of divinity. Here is the interpretation. The beast will be a man who claims to be God. Three sixes imply that he is a false god and a deceiver, but he is nevertheless merely a man, regardless of his claims. Seven is the number of divine perfection, and 666 is one numeral short of seven. This man of sin will reach the highest peak of power and wisdom, but he will still be merely a man.” ¹⁷

Adam, the first man, was created on the sixth day, while Jesus, the Second Adam, “was raised from the dead on Sunday, the ‘eighth day’ of the week (the second first day of the week).” ¹⁸Interestingly, “the number of the name Jesus in Greek is 888, and each of His eight names in the New Testament (Lord, Jesus, Christ, Lord Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus, Lord Christ, and Lord Jesus Christ) all have numerical values that are multiples of eight.” ¹⁹

Jesus Christ is complete perfection because He is God (John 1:1; I John 5:20), while man is a complete failure. The number 666 is God’s way of showing that Satan’s masterpiece, the Antichrist, is a fallen man who is completely inferior to God and is under God’s sovereign control. ²⁰

The technology is available today to accomplish the purposes of the mark of the beast by regulating world commerce and controlling people’s transactions. There are also many remarkable new means of locating, identifying, and tracking people’s lives that foreshadow the global scenario depicted in Revelation 13. This is one more indicator pointing toward the nearness of end time events. ²¹

Instead of the world getting better and better as some argue, the world will get much worse before Jesus returns to earth. As Christians observe world events today moving rapidly toward a one world government and economic system which will enable the rapid rise of the first Beast and his False Prophet to take place, they are to be motivated to make the most of their time before the Rapture of the Church or death brings an end to their ministry on earth.

Prayer: Loving Father, thank You for revealing Satan’s future strategies for deception and destruction regarding the first and second beasts who will seek to mislead people away from the true and holy triune God to worship a false and unholy triune god. Although the Antichrist and False Prophet will manifest themselves during the future Tribulation period, we know that the spirit of the antichrist is already at work to deceive and destroy people in the present. Please equip each of us who believe in Jesus for spiritual battle today with accurate knowledge, acute discernment, and heavenly wisdom. Empower us to make the most of our time on earth to reach lost people with the gospel of grace and train believers to multiply disciples of Jesus Christ. In the name of the King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

ENDNOTES:

1. Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on Revelation (Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary Book 15, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2014 Kindle Edition), pg. 254.

2. Tom Constable, Notes on Revelation, 2017 Edition, pg. 150.

3. Mark Hitchcock, The End: A Complete Overview of Bible Prophecy and the End of Days (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2012 Kindle Edition), pg. 336.

4. See Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature: Third Edition (BDAG) revised and edited by Frederick William Danker (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000 Kindle Edition), pg. 1077.

5. Constable, pg. 150.

6. Ibid., cites Plutarch, Pericles, 26; Herodotus, 7.233.

7. Hitchcock, pg. 342.

8. Constable, pg. 151 cites William Barclay, The Revelation of John, 2^nd Ed., Vol. 2 (Edinburgh: Saint Andrew Press, 1964), pg. 130.

9. Bob Vacendak; Robert Wilkin; J. Bond; Gary Derickson; Brad Doskocil; Zane Hodges; Dwight Hunt; Shawn Leach, The Grace New Testament Commentary: Revised Edition (Grace Evangelical Society, Kindle Edition, 2019), pg. 1548.

10. Constable, pg. 151 cites R. H. Charles, Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Revelation of St. John, International Critical Commentary series, Vol 2 (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1920), pg. 364; Archibald Thomas Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Vol. 6 (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1931), pg. 406.

11. Hitchcock, pg. 337.

12. Swindoll, pg. 255.

13. Ibid.

14. Hitchcock, pg. 338.

15. Vacendak, pg. 1549.

16. Hitchcock, pg. 339.

17. Ibid., pp. 339-340.

18. Ibid., pg. 340 cites Henry M. Morris, The Revelation Record (Wheaton, Tyndale; and San Diego: Creation-Life, 1983), pg. 256.

19. Ibid.

20. Hitchcock, pg. 340.

21. Ibid., pg. 342.

Revelation 12 – Part 5

“But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.” Revelation 12:14

Following Satan’s defeat and his eviction from heaven to earth (12:7-12), he directs all his rage at the nation of Israel knowing he has a short time left. Satan can read the book of Revelation too and he knows he is going to be bound in the bottomless pit for a thousand years after Jesus’ return to earth (Revelation 12:13-17; 20:1-3). ¹ The apostle John writes, “Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child.” (Revelation 12:13). Since Satan (dragon) could not get to the Christ Child or His church who ascended victoriously to heaven (12:5; cf. 4:1-4), he will persecute “the woman,” which represents the nation of Israel (12:1-2; cf. Genesis 37:9-11), “who gave birth to the male Child.” Satan’s goal during the last half of the Tribulation period will be to destroy Israel and thus render God’s promises to Israel false, making God a liar. ²

Hitchcock writes, “Satan focuses his fury on the woman and tries to wipe out the Jewish people once and for all to thwart the promises of God. He will embark on an all-out, worldwide campaign of anti-Semitism. This will mark the culmination of Satan’s agelong war against the Jewish people. But his attempts always backfire. Have you ever noticed that every time Satan tries to wipe out the Jews, they end up with a holiday? After Pharaoh’s brutal enslavement, they got Passover. After Haman’s plot in Esther to wipe them out, they got the Festival of Purim. After the atrocities of Antiochus Epiphanes in the intertestamental period, they got Hanukkah, or the Feast of Lights. And after Hitler’s holocaust, they got May 14, 1948—the rebirth of the modern state of Israel. Satan’s final assault against Israel will also fail. It will result in the repentance of Israel, the second coming of Jesus, and the establishment of the Messianic kingdom.” ³

Swindoll says, “Satan has inspired countless attempts at destroying God’s special covenant people. Throughout history, the Jews have been the special object of hatred, ridicule, and persecution. During the Middle Ages, they were looked on with suspicion and treated as outcasts in a world dominated by a form of political Christianity that viewed all Jews as Christ-killers. During World War II, the Nazis attempted to obliterate the Jewish people in a horrific holocaust driven by absolute evil. Even after the birth of the modern nation of Israel in 1948, its neighboring nations in the Middle East have often talked of driving the Jews into the sea and retaking the land. Anti-Semitism has a long and sordid history. Yet God has continued to fulfill His promise to preserve Israel, even in their spiritually blind condition of rejecting Jesus as their Messiah (Rom. 11:28-29).” ⁴

Just as God has preserved the nation of Israel since her birth over four thousand years ago (Genesis 12:1-3), so He will continue to sustain them during the last half of the Tribulation when all of hell’s fury is directed against them. “But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.” (Revelation 12:14). During the last half of the Tribulation period, many believing Jews will obey Jesus’ command to flee Judea when the Man of Sin takes his place in the rebuilt Jewish temple in Jerusalem (Matthew 24:15-16; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4) and God will give them supernatural speed (“two wings of a great eagle”) that they may quickly take refuge in the “wilderness to her place” of total security. “The comparison between a powerful “eagle,” that can “fly” very fast overhead, going wherever it chooses, and an earth-bound “serpent,” implies the superior protection of God.” ⁵

“This hiding place was not clearly identified. Some suggest that it might be Petra, fortress capital of the Nabateans in Edom, south of the Dead Sea. This city has a narrow access which could easily be blocked but which opens up into a large canyon capable of caring for many thousands of people. Though Scripture is not specific, some believe the 144,000 of chapter 7 are to be preserved here. The Scriptures themselves speak of God’s seal of protection on them.

“The two wings probably do not refer to modern airplanes but rather to God’s delivering power, and are a figure of speech taken from such Old Testament passages as Exodus 19:4 and Deuteronomy 32:11-12. The flight of Israel to a place of safety was also indicated in Matthew 24:16; Mark 13:14; and Luke 21:21.” ⁶

It is at this place in the wilderness “where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time.” “This refers to the three and one-half years of the Great Tribulation with ‘a time’ equaling one year, ‘times’ equaling two years, and ‘half a time’ indicating 6 months (cf. Daniel 7:25; 12:7 with the 42 months referred to in Revelation 11:2; 13:5). References to these specific time periods show that the Great Tribulation is not the entire present Age but the three and one-half years preceding the second coming of Christ.” ⁷

God would supernaturally feed and protect the Israelites in this place of refuge much like He fed the Israelites in the wilderness and Elijah by the brook Cherith. ⁸This would take place away “from the presence of the serpent” (Satan – 12:14) who will try to destroy them by means of the armies of the Man of Sin. ⁹“¹⁵So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. ¹⁶ But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.” (Revelation 12:15-16). When Satan (“the serpent”) realizes his enemies, the believing Jews (“the woman”), have obediently fled Judea, he sends a “flood” of armies after them who will be miraculously “swallowed up” by “the earth.”

In the Old Testament, overflowing waters and floods are sometimes used symbolically to represent military attack (cf. Isaiah 8:7-8; Jeremiah 47:2-3). ¹⁰ For example, this image of a flood overtaking Israel is also seen in Daniel 9:26, a prophetic reference to the Roman invasion that destroyed Jerusalem and the temple in AD 70: “And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined.” ¹¹Soon after the Man of Sin sits in the rebuilt Jewish temple, declaring himself to be God (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4), he will discover that his enemies (the believing Jewish remnant) are escaping and will send a flood of soldiers after them. However, just as He did in the past on behalf of His people (cf. Exodus 15:12; Psalm 106:17), God will miraculously open an enormous crevice in the earth that will swallow the soldiers of the Man of Sin alive. ¹² Two thirds of these Israelites will die, and one third will escape (Zechariah 13:8-9). ¹³

We learn an important principle from this particular prophecy: “We discover God most powerfully in the context of being overwhelmed. When believers are flooded with opposition, often they are able to watch God supernaturally suck up the flood of despair and avert Satan’s plan for destruction.” (Emphasis mine). ¹⁴

Enraged by the escape of all these Israelites, Satan will now focus his attack on the 144,000 Jewish evangelists who are sharing the gospel around the world (cf. 7:1-8; 14:1-5; Matthew 24:14). “And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Revelation 12:17). These evangelists are described as those “who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus.” The 144,000 are more than believers in Jesus. They are committed followers of Christ who are supernaturally protected by God so they can make Jesus Christ known during an unprecedented time of deception and persecution throughout the world.

“Revelation 12 teaches us that Israel may be blind and disobedient as a nation, but God has never forgotten them. He never will. His reputation as a promise keeper is at stake. God will remember His people and preserve them. He will protect them when persecution arises, and He will ultimately fulfill His promise to return them to their own land under the Messiah. Although most ethnic Jews have not accepted Jesus as their Messiah, God has still preserved them as a distinct people over the last two thousand years. In Romans 11:1 Paul wrote, ‘God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be!’ The fact of God’s faithfulness even to faithless Israel should give us hope, too! The same God who stands by His promises to Israel stands by His promise to each of us: ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you’ (Heb. 13:5).”¹⁵

We also learn from Revelation 12, that the dragon still comes after children of God, and sometimes he gets them (12:13-17). You and I might face the dragon in different ways, but we still face him daily. For John, that is part of the true meaning of the story of Christ’s birth. The message of the coming of Christ into the world is not peace and joy for all. The world has churned on for two thousand years since the pronouncement of the angels, and there has never been lasting peace on earth or good will toward men. But then, that was never the promise, was it? Notice what it was the angels really promised to the shepherds, “Give glory to God in heaven, and on earth let there be peace among the people who please God” (Luke 2:14 NCV). The promise of peace is for those who please God, those who follow the Lamb. The dragon will continue to attack, but the battle belongs to the Lord. Do you belong to Him?

Prayer: Lord God Almighty, we thank You for our verses in Revelation 12 today which emphasize Your supernatural protection and provision of Your people Israel despite all the fury of hell directed against them. We are reminded that during times when we are most overwhelmed, we discover You in the most powerful ways when You seem to supernaturally suck up the flood of our despair and turn away Satan’s plan for destruction. Your faithfulness to faithless Israel gives us hope because we too can be faithless especially when we are overwhelmed. You are the same God Who keeps His promises to Israel Who stands by His promises to us. When You say, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5), we can be confident You will never abandon us no matter what hardships we face. Thank You for the security this gives us. Thank You for the peace You give to us when we make it our aim to please You. In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

ENDNOTES:

1. Tony Evans, CSB Bibles by Holman, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (B & H Publishing Group, Kindle Edition, 2019), pg. 2398.

2. Ibid.

3. Mark Hitchcock, The End: A Complete Overview of Bible Prophecy and the End of Days (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2012 Kindle Edition), pp. 314-315.

4. Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on Revelation (Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary Book 15, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2014 Kindle Edition), pg. 240.

5. Tom Constable, Notes on Revelation, 2017 Edition, pg. 138.

6. John F. Walvoord, The Bible Knowledge Commentary Epistles and Prophecy, Editors John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, (David C Cook, 2018 Kindle Edition), location 5718 to 5724.

7. Ibid., location 5724 to 5729.

8. Constable, pg. 138.

9. Bob Vacendak; Robert Wilkin; J. Bond; Gary Derickson; Brad Doskocil; Zane Hodges; Dwight Hunt; Shawn Leach. The Grace New Testament Commentary: Revised Edition (Grace Evangelical Society, Kindle Edition, 2019), pg. 1544.

10. Ibid.

11. Swindoll, pg. 240.

12. Vacendak, pg. 1544.

13. Constable, pg. 138.

14. Evans, pg. 2399.

15. Swindoll, pg. 241.

Revelation 11 – Part 1

“And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” Revelation 11:3

To introduce this next part of the parenthesis between the sixth and seventh trumpet judgments in Revelation 10:1-11:14, I want to quote Christian author and speaker, Chuck Swindoll:

“When they come to us in the form of bestselling novels, prime-time television, epic poems, or blockbuster movies, the heroes in classic stories tend to follow a common formula. They often are average individuals who endure and conquer overwhelming adversity at the cost of tremendous personal sacrifice in order to accomplish seemingly impossible goals. Think about some of the great films of the last couple of generations—Star Wars, Rocky, Titanic, Braveheart—and you get the picture. Such tales motivate us to overcome our weaknesses and accomplish great objectives. Enemies attack, obstacles are hurled into their path, and tragedies strike; but the heroes of great stories find a secret source of strength beyond themselves. Such strength enables them to vanquish even the most potent adversaries.

“When the people are real and the events are true, such stories inspire us all the more. Consider the brave men and women of the “Greatest Generation” who sacrificed their comfort and even their lives to defeat the overwhelming forces of evil during World War II. We remember individuals like Corrie ten Boom, who risked her life to help Jews escape the clutches of the Nazis. In fact, history—especially church history—is filled with moving stories of saints, mere men and women like you and me, who took a stand for Christ and paid the ultimate price for their courageous convictions. Though their flames were extinguished in their own dark generations, the light of their valor continues to burn brightly.

“The book of Revelation also presents us with the story of underdogs who stand against overpowering and intimidating forces. John himself stood strong under the persecution of the emperor Domitian (Revelation 1:9). Members of the early church courageously stood against trials and temptations (2:9-11). Now, in Revelation 11:3-14, we’ll encounter two end-times prophets, simply called the ‘two witnesses,’ who take a stand in the midst of the worst generation in human history.” ¹

The apostle John was instructed to “prophesy again,” a second time regarding the seven-year Tribulation “about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings” (10:11). This second survey of the seven-years Tribulation would focus on specific characters, including the two witnesses of Revelation 11 and their people, the Jews.To establish the context in which these two witnesses will minister, John writes, “Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, ‘Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.’” (Revelation 11:1). John was instructed to use a “a reed like a measuring rod,” much like a modern yardstick, to “measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.”

This is a reference to the rebuilt temple of God by the Jews during the first half of the Tribulation period when God resumes dealing directly with the nation of Israel (11:1; cf. Daniel 9:27; 2 Thessalonians 2:4). This is important to understand from John’s perspective. After all, John had this vision around the year AD 96. Twenty-five years earlier, the Roman army had leveled the Jerusalem temple under the command of the Roman general, Titus. When John heard this angelic voice tell him to measure the temple, his first thought may have been, “Temple? What temple?” ²

However, John also knew that Old Testament prophecies, the Lord Jesus, and the apostle Paul all pointed to a future temple that would stand during the seventieth week of years known as the Tribulation (Daniel 9:27). Daniel 9:26-27 mentioned both the destruction of the “city and the sanctuary” which took place in 70 A.D. when the Roman army invaded Jerusalem (Daniel 9:26), and the ceasing (“He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering”) of reestablished temple worship in Jerusalem at the midpoint of the seventieth “week” of years (Daniel 9:27; 12:11). ³

Jesus quoted Daniel’s prophetic words when He spoke of “the abomination of desolation” being set up in “the holy place” or temple in Judea (Matthew 24:15-16). The apostle Paul shared more details about the same future event when he described the coming of the Beast or Antichrist as “³the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, ⁴ who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). ⁴What this means is that the Jewish temple will be rebuilt before the midpoint of the seven-years Tribulation when the Beast of Revelation or Antichrist will enter the temple and become the focal point of worship.

“Bible scholar Charles Ryrie suggests that the temple mentioned in Revelation 11:1-2 is ‘the temple that will be built during the Tribulation, in which Jewish worship will be carried on during the first part of that seven-year period and in which, at the midpoint, the man of sin will exalt himself to be worshiped.’” ⁵

Christian author and pastor Tony Evans writes, “To measure a structure or piece of property in Scripture is a means of laying claim to it. You measure it because you own it. In this case, then, God is laying claim to the Jewish temple in Jerusalem that will be rebuilt during the tribulation. Today a Muslim mosque known as the Dome of the Rock sits on the temple site. Orthodox Jews, however, pray daily for the return of the temple at the Western Wall—the one remaining structure from the ancient Jewish temple complex that sits beneath the Dome of the Rock.” ⁶

The angel told John to leave something out of his measurement. “But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months.” (Revelation 11:2). John is told to “leave out the court which is outside the temple” because it will be “given to the Gentiles” who “will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months” during the last 3 ½ years of the Tribulation period after the Beast or Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel in the middle of the seventieth week of years and controls the temple court and the rest of Jerusalem (cf. Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15-22; Revelation 13:5).

This explains in part why John’s “stomach became bitter” when he received this revelation of future judgment from God (10:10). His own people, the Jews, would be under the oppressive direction of the Man of Sin who would severely persecute God’s people in Jerusalem during the last half of the seven-years Tribulation (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4; Daniel 7:25). Jerusalem had to be judged because it became spiritually corrupt like Sodom and Egypt in Old Testament days (cf. Revelation 11:8). ⁷

We learn two things from Revelation 11:1-2: “First, the worshipers at the temple will be far fewer in number than those left out. John was able to quickly measure those within, but those on the outside were too numerous to count. This serves as an important reminder that God can and does work out His plan through a remnant.

“Second, we see that God has set in advance a limit on the time during which the nations will be permitted to ‘tread under foot the holy city.’ The ‘forty-two months’ here likely refers to the second half of the Tribulation period, during which the future Antichrist and his false prophet will reign (see 13:5). As we’ll see in a moment, the end-times regime of that diabolical duo won’t come to full power until God has first delivered His last prophetic words through His own duo of divine spokesmen—the two witnesses.” ⁸

We also learn from verse 2 that God gives the Gentiles only what is “outside” while the inner reality of Israel’s worship and worshippers is protected by Him (this protection is symbolized by the measurement of the temple in verse 1). The true worship of God is protected at the same time the city (and by implication the temple), falls under the oppressive dominion of the Gentiles. ⁹

In contrast to the the “forty-two months” of Gentile domination during the last 3 ½ years of the Tribulation (11:2), John writes, “And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” (Revelation 11:3).

Who are these two witnesses? Many commentators believe they will be “Moses” and “Elijah” restored to life, since these men were prophets and performed the kinds of miracles these witnesses will perform (11:6). ¹⁰In addition, they refer to Moses and Elijah appearing with Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration in a preview of His Second Coming to earth (Matthew 16:27-17:7; 2 Peter 1:16-18). ¹¹Other students of the Bible believe they will be “Enoch” and “Elijah,” since God took these men to heaven without dying. ¹² Another reason some believe one of these witnesses will be Elijah is Malachi 4:5, which predicts that Elijah will return before the Messiah. ¹³Some interpreters “who believe that this particular part of Revelation refers not to future events but to events that occurred in the first century have identified the two witnesses as Peter and Paul, James and John, or even two high priests killed by the Romans in AD 68!” ¹⁴

The bottom line is God does not reveal the identity of these two witnesses in the biblical text. What God does tell us is these “two witnesses…will prophesy” or communicate revealed truth from God “one thousand two hundred and sixty days” which would be 3 ½ years during the first half of the Tribulation period, resulting in the conversion of the 144,000 Jewish evangelists who will spread the “gospel of the kingdom” during the last half of the Tribulation period (11:3; cf. 7:1-10) to “all the nations” (cf. Matthew 24:14). The gospel of the kingdom refers to the good news of King Jesus returning to earth to set up His kingdom at the end of the Tribulation period (Revelation 19:11-21). Only those who believe in Christ will be able to enter His kingdom on earth (Matthew 18:3; 21:31-32; John 3:3-16).

The two witnesses “do not neglect the preaching of the cross, for Revelation 7:14 and Zechariah 13:7-9 indicate that the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom in the seventieth week is accompanied by the preaching of the cross. The message committed to the church is the message of grace. The church has no other message. The fact that the message announced is one of judgment, repentance, and preparation in view of the coming of the King indicates that the church must no longer be present, for no such message is committed to her.” ¹⁵

That this refers to the first half of the Tribulation period ¹⁶is seen by comparing these two witnesses to “the two olive trees” of Zechariah 4:1-14, namely Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel, the Jewish governor, who returned from captivity in Babylon to re-establish worship in Jerusalem (11:4; cf. Zechariah 3:1; 4:1-14). These two witnesses will not be able to re-establish worship in Jerusalem during the last half of the Tribulation because the Beast or Antichrist will put an end to sacrifices and persecute God’s people so that they will have to flee from Jerusalem (Matthew 24:15-22), so their ministry must take place during the first half of the Tribulation.

Keep in mind that after Jesus removes His church from the earth via the Rapture (Revelation 4:1-4; cf. I Thessalonians 1:10; 4:13-5:11), “not one saved person will be left on the earth. But this will change the very day it becomes true. Two men in Israel will be converted to Christ—apparently by direct, supernatural revelation (similar to Samuel in 1 Samuel 3 or Saul of Tarsus in Acts 9). They will become the first prophets of Israel (outside those of the early church) since John the Baptist and will be given power to perform miracles that will torment (cf. Rev 11:10) earth’s inhabitants. Their clothing of sackcloth will match their message that the Day of Judgment spoken of by the OT prophets (the Day of the Lord; cf. Isa 13:9; 34:8; Zeph 1:14-18; Zechariah 14) has arrived. They will also share the good news of the gospel so that the firstfruits of the Lamb—the 144,000—will be converted, and spread the gospel to the ends of the earth (Matt 24:14). However, the primary role of the two witnesses is clear: they will testify about the Creator who has begun to pour out His wrath on rebellious mankind.” ¹⁷

John gives us a few more details about these two men. “These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the Lord of the earth.” (Revelation 11:4). These two witnesses are compared to “two olive trees and… lampstands” because they are dependent on the oil of God’s Spirit to be the Lord’s light in a dark world as they speak the truth of God, Who controls the entire “earth.”

“And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner.” (Revelation 11:5). “If anyone wants to harm” these two witnesses, and they will because of the judgments these witnesses bring upon the earth (cf. 11:6), the witnesses will be able to protect themselves with “fire” that “proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies,” like what Elijah did (cf. 2 Kings 1:10-14).

Like Elijah (cf. I Kings 17:1, 7; 18:1), these two witnesses “have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy” (Revelation 11:6a). Also, the length of their ministry(“days of their prophesying”) will be the same as the drought that God sent during Elijah’s day (three and a half years – I Kings 17:1; 18:1; cf. Luke 4:25; James 5:17). Like Moses (Exodus 7:14-12:30), “they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.” (Revelation 11:6b). The supernatural power of these two witnesses will exceed what Moses possessed in that they will be able “to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.” God used Moses to destroy Egypt with plagues (cf. Exodus 10:7), but these two servants of the Lord will be used to inflict devastation on the whole earth. ¹⁸

This will be the fifth period in history when God will enable a few people to do unusually spectacular signs and wonders in connection with delivering great amounts of new revelation. ¹⁹The first four periods were:

1. The times of Moses and Joshua.

2. Of Elijah and Elisha.

3. Of Daniel and his three friends.

4. The times of Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry and that of His apostles.

Do you ever feel like you are the only person in your community that cares about the things of God? Do you think you are helpless to see transformation in your own life or in the lives of others? What Revelation 11:1-6 teaches us is that no matter how hopeless or helpless a situation may seem, God can change things for the better.

Even though there will be no believers remaining on the earth after the removal of the church at the time of the Rapture, God’s grace is seen when He provides His life-giving message during the most wicked time in human history. Through two witnesses He brings directly to faith in Christ, God will proclaim the gospel during the first half of the Tribulation period, resulting in the salvation of the 144,000 Jewish evangelists who will then evangelize all the nations during the last half of the Tribulation period (11:1-6; cf. 7:1-17; Matthew 24:14).

The “power” these two witnesses will receive from God comes from the same Holy Spirit Who indwells and empowers all who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead will empower God’s two witnesses during the first half of the Tribulation and is the same Holy Spirit that indwells all who believe in Jesus today. Just as God gave supernatural “power” to these two witnesses to proclaim His message to a wicked world (Revelation 11:3), so God gives Christians today the supernatural ability through His Holy Spirit to proclaim His truth to a secular and pluralistic world that does not want to hear the gospel of grace which exposes their sin and their need for a Savior (Acts 1:8). The key for Christians is to depend upon the Holy Spirit, not themselves. When we do that, all the glory belongs to God, not ourselves.

Swindoll writes, “The Bible is filled with examples of God using outcasts and underdogs to accomplish His will: David versus Goliath, Elijah versus the prophets of Baal, Gideon’s three hundred men versus thousands of Midianites, Esther versus Haman. Our God delights in turning the tables on the world’s mindset of ‘bigger is better’ and ‘only the strong survive.’ In a world that sees success and accomplishments as the ultimate standard for determining a person’s worth, it’s easy to forget that God often chooses the small over the large and a remnant over the masses.” ²¹

God will take two men during the darkest time in human history and use them to change the lives of 144,000 Jews whom God will use to spread the gospel around the world. Since God will do that, never underestimate what He can do through you at a time when you may feel all alone and unable to make a difference. God is able to provide for you and protect you as He did the two witnesses.

Prayer: Gracious Father, thank You for giving us a glimpse of Your magnificent grace during a time when the world deserved Your devastating judgments. After removing Your church from the earth, You could have wiped out every human being on earth with the outpouring of Your wrath. But because of Your grace, You directly brought two men to faith whose prophetic ministry would result in the salvation of 144,000 Jews who would preach the gospel to all the nations during the last half of the Tribulation period. When we feel alone and unable to make a difference in our declining world, Your Word reminds us that nothing is impossible with You, Lord. If You can use two men to change thousands of lives during the worst time in human history, You can use us to make a difference for Christ in our world today so all the glory belongs to You. Please help us never to forget that our strength comes from You alone. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

ENDNOTES:

1. Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on Revelation (Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary Book 15, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2014 Kindle Edition), pg. 213.

2. Ibid., pg. 214.

3. Ibid.

4. Ibid.

5. Ibid.

6. Tony Evans, CSB Bibles by Holman, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (B & H Publishing Group, Kindle Edition, 2019), pg. 2392.

7. Bob Vacendak; Robert Wilkin; J. Bond; Gary Derickson; Brad Doskocil; Zane Hodges; Dwight Hunt; Shawn Leach. The Grace New Testament Commentary: Revised Edition (Grace Evangelical Society, Kindle Edition, 2019), pg. 1536.

8. Swindoll, pg. 215.

9. Vacendak, pg. 1536.

10. Tom Constable, Notes on Revelation, 2017 Edition, pg. 125 cites J. B. Smith, A Revelation of Jesus Christ Edited by J. Otis Yoder (Scottdale, Pa: Herald Press, 1971), pg. 169; Merrill C. Tenney, Interpreting Revelation (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1959), pg. 191 and William Barclay, The Revelation of John Vol. 2, The Daily Study Bible series, 2nd ed. (Edinburgh: Saint Andrew Press, 1964), pp. 86-87. 11. Mark Hitchcock, The End: A Complete Overview of Bible Prophecy and the End of Days (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2012 Kindle Edition), pg. 348.

12. Constable, pg. 125 cites Joseph A. Seiss, The Apocalypse Charles C. Cook, 1900; reprint ed., (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1973), pg. 244; and Thomas W. Mackay, “Early Christian Millenarianist Interpretation of the Two Witnesses in John’s Apoclaypse, 11:3-13.” In By Study and Also by Faith, pp. 252-65, 310. Edited by John M. Lundquist and Stephen D. Ricks. Salt Lake City: Deseret, 1990.

13. Constable, pg. 125 cites Robert H. Gundry, The Church and the Tribulation, Contemporary Evangelical Perspectives series (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, Academic Books, 1973), pg. 94.

14. Swindoll, pg. 216 cites Gregory K. Beale, The Book of Revelation: A Commentary on the Greek Text, The New International Greek Testament Commentary series (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., and Carlisle, England: Paternoster Press, 1999), pp. 572-573 and Grant R. Osborne, Revelation Verse by Verse, Osborne New Testament Commentaries (Bellingham WA: Lexham Press, 2016), pp. 417-418.

15. J. Dwight Pentecost, Things to Come (Zondervan Academic, 2010 Kindle Edition), pg. 217.

16. Swindoll, pg. 216 cites Charles C. Ryrie, The Ryrie Study Bible (1961), cf. Vacendak, pg. 1536.

17. Vacendak, pp. 1536-1537.

18. Ibid., pg. 1537.

19. Constable, pg. 127; Swindoll, pg. 217.

20. Swindoll, pg. 217. 21. Ibid., pg. 219.