Revelation 11

Revelation 11 … We’re still in an explanatory paragraph and so we’re not advancing the end-time chronology. As you read these “backgrounder” paragraphs, it’s important to recognize that they’re not in chronological sequence. Therefore, the object is to read, internalize, and then apply the information to the end-time chronology as it resumes. Chapter 11 records three things of interest: first, the temple of the Great Tribulation time (v.2), then the two witnesses of the Tribulation (v.3-14), and finally the seventh angel’s trumpet, which represents the third of three woes announced earlier in Revelation 8:13.

In his apocalyptic vision, John is told to measure the temple of God and the altar (11:1-2). Although the reference here is obscure, it seems to indicate that there will be some kind of temple during the Tribulation that has diabolical purposes, but also that temple will be transformed at the end of the Tribulation when Christ comes to establish the millennial Kingdom. That interpretation is reinforced by the exclusion of the Gentile courts from the measurement (v.2) and the appearance of a “beast” in verse 11. The “beast,” which is first mentioned here in the book of The Revelation, will be mentioned numerous times and refers to an Antichrist who appears in the end times. There’s a reference to this kind of an anti-God and abominable influence in the book of Daniel and in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4. That “beast” will apparently promote false religion and every kind of opposition to God during the Tribulation. At the same time, despite the terrible time of the Tribulation, God will never leave the world without a witness to him. Apparently due to the martyrdom of Christians during the Tribulation (Revelation 7:9 & 14), few Christians will survive and God will defensively empower two witnesses to Him to bring the Gospel message. But after 3½ years (1260 days), the 2 witnesses are killed. The thoroughly depraved public will ghoulishly celebrate their deaths but be quickly silenced when God resurrects them and brings them to heaven. The final scene is the seventh angel, who signals the end of the Great Tribulation. But recall, these explanations are not in chronological sequence; we’ll have to put that together later.