Words in italic type have been added for clarity. They are not found in the original Hebrew or Aramaic.

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Revelation 11

The Two Witnesses

Revelation 11:1 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.

• A third Jewish temple is built during the seven year tribulation and sacrifices will begin.

• The first temple was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC and the second temple was destroyed by Titus in 70 AD but both were destroyed on the exact same Jewish day: the 9^th of Av.

• In the middle of the seven years the Antichrist will betray the Jews and cause the sacrifices to cease. He will declare that he is their god.

• ^{Daniel 9:27 Then he (the Antichrist) shall confirm a covenant (peace treaty) with many (nations) for one week (seven days/years); But in the middle of the week (after 3/2 years) He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering (in the third temple which is a betrayal of the Jews. And on the wing (edge) of abominations shall be one who makes desolate (empty-void-forsaken by God), Even until the consummation (end), which is (has been pre-) determined, Is poured out on the desolate (forsaken by God).”}

Revelation 11:2 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.  (the last half of the tribulation)

• Forty two months is 3-1/2 years. In the middle of the seven year tribulation the Antichrist will desecrate the holy of holies, betray the Jews, and the temple will be given to the Gentiles. This event occurs during the second half of the tribulation.

• PERTINENT VERSES:
  • The desecration of the holy of holies:
    • ^{Daniel 9:27b But in the middle (3-1/2 years) of the week (of 7 years) He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation (fulfillment or end), which is determined, is poured out on the desolate (Jews).”}
    • ^{Mark 13:14 [The Great Tribulation] “So when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not” (let the reader understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.}
  • The betrayal:
    • ^{Daniel 9:27a Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week (seven years: see Rev 11:3); But in the middle of the week (in the middle of the tribulation) He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.}
    • ^{Psalm 55:21 The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, But war was in his heart; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.}

• Genesis begins with “man’s sin”. Revelation ends with the “man of sin”.
  • ^{1 John 3:8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.}
  • ^{2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let 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,}

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

• 1,260 days = 3-1/2 years on the Jewish calendar.

• How do we know that the upcoming seven year tribulation will last seven years?
  • FIRST HALF
    • ^{Rev 11:3 (above) 1,260 days is 3-1/2 years on the Jewish calendar. The two witnesses are killed after 1,260 days. The two witness prophecy the first half of the tribulation or 3-1/2 years.}
    • ^{Rev 11:7 When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.}
  • LAST HALF
    • ^{Rev 12:6 gives the days for the second half of the tribulation: Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there 1,260 days.}
  • ^{1,260 days plus 1,260 days is 2,520 days or seven years.}

The purpose of the tribulation is to bring the Jews to the recognition of their Messiah.

2,520 days is significant:
3 is the number of Divine perfection.
7 is the number of Spiritual perfection.
10 is the number of Ordinal perfection.
12 is the number of Governmental perfection.
2,520 is the number of Chronological perfection:
3 x 7 x 10 x 12 = 2,520 days

It takes 2,520 days to bring the Jews to the recognition of their Messiah.

Revelation 11:4 These (two men) are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God (Lord) of the earth.

• Deuteronomy 19:¹⁵ “One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.

• An olive tree is symbolic of a spiritual anointing. The lampstand is the light of the Word of God. They preach, pronounce, and condemn. It takes two witnesses to verify a truth.

• A witness is sworn to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. They spread the gospel of truth; Jesus is the embodiment of TRUTH.
  
• Zechariah 4:¹¹ Then I answered and said to him, “What are these two olive trees—at the right of the lampstand and at its left?” ¹² And I further answered and said to him, “What are these two olive branches that drip into the receptacles of the two gold pipes from which the golden oil drains?”
  ¹³ Then he answered me and said, “Do you not know what these are?”
  And I said, “No, my lord.”
  ¹⁴ So he said, “These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth.”

Revelation 11:5 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 11:6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.

• These two witnesses are supernaturally human. They stand on the steps of the 3^rd temple witnessing to every Jew and others who pass by for three and a half years. Because of their words 144,000 young Jewish men are convinced that Jesus was and is the Jewish Messiah. God seals the 144,000, protecting them from harm as they travel the world spreading the truth of God.

• It appears the two witnesses have power over the plagues listed in Revelation including turning the water to blood which is the third bowl.

• Middle of the Seven Year Tribulation: The Two Witnesses Killed: The Abomination of Desolation

• ^{Daniel 9:27 Then he shall confirm a covenant (a 7 year peace treaty) with many for one week (7 years); But in the middle of the week (at 3-1/2 years) He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate (The Antichrist), Even until the consummation (the end fate), which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.”}

• In order for the Antichrist to bring an end to sacrifice and offering, there must be a temple, specifically a third temple. Where is Israel today in regard to a third temple?
  See: https://www.templeinstitute.org/

Revelation 11:7 When they finish their testimony (after 3-1/2 years, in the middle of the tribulation), the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.

Revelation 11:8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city (Jerusalem) which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

• The great city is Jerusalem. It is called Sodom for its debauchery and Egypt for its worldliness. It is also called a Harlot labeled Babylon for its idolatry (of setting up a one world religion, and its worship of finances.)
• Jeremiah 23:¹⁴ Also I have seen a horrible thing in the prophets of Jerusalem: They commit adultery and walk in lies; They also strengthen the hands of evildoers, So that no one turns back from his wickedness. All of them are like Sodom to Me, and her inhabitants like Gomorrah.

Revelation 11:9 Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves.

• Note: The Antichrist is a global leader. He is using their dead bodies to deliver a message of terror.

• The meaning of the name Haman from the book of Esther is “tumult”, “noise”. Haman is a type of the Antichrist and is the Antichrist’s ancestor.
• “Behold, voices and a noise, thunders and earthquake, tumult upon the earth…” ~The vision of Mordecai – Esther chapter 1 in the Greek Septuagint.

Revelation 11:10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

Truth is a Torment to Those Who Do not Want to Hear It

The Witnesses Resurrected

Revelation 11:11 Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.

Revelation 11:12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.

Revelation 11:13 In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.

• ^{From: THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
  After tremors, experts warn a huge quake is the greatest threat facing Israel
  Scientists say thousands could die because Israel, which sits on a major fault line, has ignored warnings to strengthen homes and schools
  By TOI staff 14 July 2018, 6:03 am}

• ^{After a series of minor tremors rattled northern Israel over the last two weeks, experts warned that the country is negligently unprepared for a major earthquake that would likely kill thousands of people, including many children.}
• ^{“The threat of an earthquake, is in my eyes, the greatest threat facing the state of Israel,” geologist Ariel Heimann told Hadashot news on Friday. “It is definitely a greater threat than the Qassam [rockets] fired from Gaza, and it is a far greater danger than the Iranian threat.”}
• ^{Israel sits on the Syrian-African rift, a tear in the earth’s crust running the length of the border separating Israel and Jordan, and is part of the Great Rift Valley, which extends from northern Syria to Mozambique.}
• ^{The last major earthquake to hit the region was in 1927 — a 6.2-magnitude tremor that killed 500 people and injured another 700. And experts have warned Israel is due for a major quake in the near future.}
• ^{“If, God forbid, we have an earthquake like this, it will leave thousands dead and hundreds of thousands of people will have to leave their homes. Houses will be destroyed, there will be massive economic damage that will set the country back dozens of years,” Heimann warned.}
• Col. Itzik Bar from the IDF’s Home Front Command, put expected casualties from a major quake at 7,000 dead and 200,000 homeless. Reread Revelation 11:13
• ^{“Apparently it will unfortunately take a mid-sized quake with 100-200 casualties to make this country wake up and seriously prepare,” he told Hadashot.}
• ^{A minor earthquake hit northern Israel on Monday evening, bringing the number of tremors in the area in recent days to more than 40, further fueling fears that a major earthquake could be on its way.}
• ^{https://www.timesofisrael.com/after-tremors-experts-warn-a-huge-quake-is-the-greatest-threat-facing-israel/}

Revelation 11:14 The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.

Seventh Trumpet: The Kingdom Proclaimed

Revelation 11:15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”

^{Matt 6:9-13 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.}

^{Luke 22:18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.}

^{Luke 23:42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”}

Revelation 11:16 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God,

Revelation 11:17 saying:
“We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty,
The One who is and who was and who is to come,
Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.

Revelation 11:18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath (anger) has come,
And the time of the dead, that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,
And those who fear Your name, small and great,
And should destroy those who destroy the earth.”

• The Great White Throne Judgment is on the horizon.

Revelation 11:19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant (the covenant of the Lord) was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.

In essence, Thunder, Lightning, Noises, Hail and an Earthquake are all the same event repeated three times signifying the end of the tribulation at the 7th seal, 7th trumpet and 7th bowl all ending simultaneously.

Barbara Grover

HOW TO READ THE BOOK OF REVELATION:
“VOICES, NOISE, THUNDERS AND EARTHQUAKE” is mentioned in Revelation three times:
Revelation 8:5, Revelation 11:19, and Revelation 16:18
NOTE: EACH TIME IT MARKS JESUS’ RETURN!
Each chapter has either reached the 7th seal, the 7th trumpet or the 7th bowl.
In each instance the story of the seven year tribulation begins over again from a different vantage point. The first vantage point is the seals, the second vantage point is the trumpets and the third vantage point is the bowls.
Isaiah 29: 6 NIV “the LORD Almighty will come with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with windstorm and tempest and flames of a devouring fire.”
“Behold, voices and a noise, thunders and earthquake, tumult upon the earth…”
The vision of Mordecai – Esther 1 in the Greek Septuagint.

BELOW: A Combined Chart Of: The Jewish Feasts of the High Holy Days and Hanukah, The Days in Daniel and Revelation, and the Prophecies.