Revelation 11 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Rev 11:1-6

1 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, ‘Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshippers. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.’ 4 They are ‘the two olive trees’ and the two lampstands, and ‘they stand before the Lord of the earth.’ 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6 They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.

A. Find Out:

1. What was John told to do? v.1
2. How long will the “Gentiles” trample the city? v.2
3. How long will the two witnesses prophesy? v.3
4. How are they described? v.4
5. What power do they have to defend themselves? v.5
6. What other powers do they have? (threefold) v.6

B. Think:

1. Why do we ever measure anything?
2. What do witnesses do?
3. How would you summarise the authority of these two witnesses?

C. Comment:

     We measure something when we want to become aware of the size or extent of it. We are not told of John doing this or the result of it so, what we have here therefore is, at least, God’s first requirement that He wants John to be fully aware of the greatness and beauty of God’s dwelling place and the people there. Then comes indication of what is coming: Gentiles (non-believers) “trampling” on the dwelling place of God’s people. But note while they are doing that God has two witnesses prophesying out of weakness (sackcloth). They have the ability to speak God’s devastating word to deal with the enemies of God. This ability is to bring the judgement of God to earth.

     The period that keeps being mentioned is 3 years. Seven is the number of perfection or completion in the Bible, therefore this period is a specific period that is just part of the total period that God has set for the fulfilment of His purposes. Whatever else we have in this passage, we have an indication again of the sovereign purposes of God whereby for a controlled set period, the Lord allows unbelievers free reign but in the midst of that, He maintains a powerful witness to Himself!

D. Application?

1. God IS in control, even when the enemy appears to have free reign!
2. God IS in control of the times & seasons for things to happen!

Passage: Rev 11:7-14

7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. 8 Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city – which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt – where also their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. 10 The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

11 But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, ‘Come up here.’ And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.

13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

14 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.

A. Find Out:

1. What will happen to these 2 witnesses? v.7
2. Where will it happen? v.8
3. How long will they be there? v.9
4. What will the people feel about them? v.10
5. What will then happen to them? v.11,12
6. What also will happen? v.13

B. Think:

1. What effect had the two witnesses had previously on the earth?
2. What power does the enemy have?
3. Yet what greater power is available?

C. Comment:

      Commentators speculate whether these two witnesses are two individual men or whether they represent the church and Israel. The latter is unlikely in that the remnant believers of Israel ARE part of the church and not distinct from it. Here therefore it appears God has two prophets who clearly speak His word to the world and make the world feel thoroughly uncomfortable.

      Next comes reference, for the first time, to the “beast of the Abyss”, without further explanation. The only reference previously to the Abyss was in chapter 9. Whatever else it might mean, we have a creature (which may be a single creature or many) that has demonic origins who is permitted to kill these two prophets.

      Even as God permitted Jesus to be killed, so He permits these two to be killed, and similarly raises them up again, so miraculously they come to life and ascend into heaven in full public view, just like their Master. This appears to happen in Jerusalem (v.8) which is now referred to as an ungodly and unrighteous place. Three and a half days seem to indicate half of the time of God’s determining for His plans and purposes. Over all this we still see sovereign God ruling and working out His purposes in the world.

D. Application?

1. Death is not the end. God brings life after death, here or in eternity!
2. God is still sovereign!

Passage: Rev 11:15-19

15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said:

‘The kingdom of the world has become
    the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah,
    and he will reign for ever and ever.’

16 And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshipped God, 17 saying:

‘We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,
    the One who is and who was,
because you have taken your great power
    and have begun to reign.
18 The nations were angry,
    and your wrath has come.
The time has come for judging the dead,
    and for rewarding your servants the prophets
and your people who revere your name,
    both great and small –
and for destroying those who destroy the earth.’

19 Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.

A. Find Out:

1. What was said to have happened after the 7th trumpet sounded? v.15
2. Why did the elders say they worshipped God? v.16,17
3. What thing would He now do in respect of the world? v.18a,c
4. What would He do in respect of His followers? v.18b
5. What then happened in heaven? v.19a
6. What accompanied this? v.19b

B. Think:

1. What key turning points in history appears to have taken place?
2. What was the purpose of the temple of old?
3. What significance therefore, do you think the references to the temple and ark have here?

C. Comment:

      After the fifth trumpet, the first woe was said to have occurred. After the sixth trumpet the second woe was said to have occurred. The third woe must come with the seventh (see 8:13 ). This woe seems to comprise a revelation of heaven where God’s sovereign ruling power is declared as if in the present tense i.e. He is just starting to rule. But we know that the kingdom or rule of God on earth started when Jesus came. The rule that is now being referred to, therefore, must be something further, something stronger than was seen through Jesus.

      Jesus came to rule over the works of Satan (1 John 3:8), not to bring eternal punishment. That occurs now and all those who have died previously are now rewarded with eternal death or eternal blessing, depending on whether they disobeyed God by rejecting Jesus, or whether they obeyed by accepting Jesus. The temple is the meeting place between God and man in solemn covenant and so it is there that God goes to determine in which of the two above groups each person falls, on the basis of faith through the law and sacrifice, or faith through Jesus.

D. Application?

1. Salvation is for now AND into eternity.
2. Eternal salvation is through Jesus’ death.