The Two Witnesses
Chapter 11: 1-19
THE TWO WITNESSES
1 And a reed like a staff was given to me, and the angel stood, saying, Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those worshiping in it. 2 And cast aside the outside court of the temple, and do not measure it. For it was given to the nations, and they will trample the holy city forty two months. 3 And I will give to My two witnesses, and they will prophesy a thousand, two hundred and sixty days, dressed in sackcloth.
4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks, standing before the God of the earth. 5 And if anyone desires to harm them, fire comes out of their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone desires to harm them, so it is right for him to be killed. 6 These have the authority to shut up the heaven, that no rain may rain in the days of their prophecy. And they have authority over the waters, to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.
7 And when they complete their witness, the beast coming up out of the abyss will make war with them, and will overcome them, and will kill them. 8 And their bodies will be on the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom, and Egypt, where our Lord was crucified.
9 And some from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will see their dead bodies three days and a half; and they do not allow their dead bodies to be put in tombs. 10 And those living on the earth will rejoice over them, and will make merry. And they will send one another gifts, because these two prophets tormented those living on the earth.
11 And after three days and a half, a spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood on their feet. And great fear fell on the ones beholding them. 12 And they heard a great voice out of Heaven saying to them, Come up here. And they went up into the heaven in the cloud. And their enemies saw them.
13 And in that hour a great earthquake occurred, and the tenth part of the city fell. And there were killed in the earthquake seven thousand names of men. And the rest became terrified, and gave glory to the God of Heaven. 14 The second woe departed. And, behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
15 And the seventh angel trumpeted. And there were great voices in Heaven, saying, the kingdoms of the world became our Lord’s, even of His Christ; and He shall reign forever and ever. 16 And the twenty four elders sitting before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying, We thank You, Lord God Almighty, the One who is, and who was, and who is coming, because You took Your great power and reigned.
18 And the nations were full of wrath; and Your wrath came, and the time of the judging of the dead, and to give the reward to Your slaves, to the prophets, and to the saints, and to the ones fearing Your name, to the small and to the great, and to destroy those destroying the earth. 19 And the temple of God in Heaven was opened, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple, and lightning, and voices, and thunders, and earthquake, and a great hail occurred.
Review Chapter 11
A. John was told to measure the temple of God and those worshiping in it.
B. John was told to cast aside the outside of the temple, it was given to the nations and they will trample the holy city 3 ½ years.
C. Two Witnesses – Power was given to them and they had authority to shut heaven and earth and to strike with every plague. They would prophesy for 3 ½ years.
D. The beast of the Abyss will kill the two witnesses when they are finished.
E. Witnesses lay dead for 3 ½ days and the entire earth rejoices.
F. The witnesses resurrected and went up to heaven.
G. 7,000 were killed instantly after a massive earthquake and everyone became frightened. THIS WAS THE SECOND WOE
H. 7TH Trumpet Sounded – Christ Reigns – Temple of God opened and the Ark of the Covenant
LESSON:
In this lesson, we learn that the nations will suffer 3 ½ years until all is fulfilled as written in the scriptures. There will be two witnesses who stand by God and they will have the power of God behind them. They have the power to shut heaven, and God will give them great power. These witnesses are described as Olive trees. The world will hate the two witnesses because of the power they will have. Christ returns at the 7th trumpet and all of Heaven will rejoice.
Zechariah Chapter four gives us a better understanding of the two witnesses: The Candlestick and the Olive Trees 1And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep, 2and said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof: 3and two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.
4So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord? 5Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. 6Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerub’babel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. 7Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerub’babel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.
8Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 9The hands of Zerub’babel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. 10For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerub’babel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.
11Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof? 12And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches, which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves? 13And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
14Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth. After the two witnesses are killed, they will lay in the street for 3 ½ days in great city in the place that is spiritually the same place as Jesus was crucified which is called Sodom and Egypt.
They will not be allowed to be put in graves and after 3 ½ days, the spirit of life from God will enter in them and they will ascend putting fear into everyone celebrating their death. The hardest thing for men to accept is truth, and these two witnesses will carry God’s truth and the world will hate them just like they did Jesus. After this, the seventh trumpet sounded, and when the seventh trumpet sounds, Christ returns and judgment is about to begin.
Chapter 11 Test
- What was John given and what instruction was given
to him? - What was given to the two witnesses?
- What was the second woe?
- What will happen to the two witnesses?
- What is the name of the street where the two witnesses
are killed? - What did the voice from Heaven tell the two witnesses?
- What happens in the third woe?
- What did the great voices in Heaven say at the 7th
trumpet? - At the return of Christ what will happen?
- What was seen in the temple when Heaven was
opened?