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Sermon preached on Revelation 11 by Rev. W. Reid Hankins during the Morning Worship Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 03/09/2025 in Petaluma, CA.
Sermon Manuscript
We continue in Revelation considering the extended interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets. Last week John was given a bittersweet scroll to eat as a recommissioning to a prophetic ministry. The bittersweet idea was rooted in Ezekiel’s ministry who was given the sweet Word of God to proclaim, but it would be a bitter ministry as he would speak it to apostate Israel who would not receive it. Likewise, John, and by extension the church in this age, is also called to such a bittersweet prophetic ministry. Today’s passage illustrates this mission of the church. God will sweetly empower and protect us in this ministry, using us to build his church. But we will do this ministry amidst a world full of unbelievers and apostates that hate us and persecute us, and there will be a bitterness to it.
Let us begin in our first point to consider verses 1-2 where we are given a glimpse of what is called here “the holy city”. John is given a measuring rod to measure the temple along with the altar and the worshippers. What John is measuring will be protected from the assault of the nations in contrast to the outer court of the temple and the rest of the holy city. This measuring language finds background in the temple vision that Ezekiel saw at the end of Ezekiel which had a lot of measuring language. Ezekiel’s vision sees something beyond what our chapter sees because its measurements include even the outer court and the whole holy city. Ezekiel’s temple and holy city will be fulfilled at the end of Revelation with the New Jerusalem in the new creation. Today’s vision sees God building a temple that is headed toward the Ezekiel temple, but it is not there yet.
Let us appreciate the imagery here. What is pictured is that the Gentiles are trampling down, i.e. attacking, the holy city, up to the outer court of the temple. But inside the temple, the worshippers and the altar are safe and secure. It’s a safe refuge for God’s people from the raging Gentiles. John’s measuring emphasizes this divine protection it provides, and also describes a temple being built, as such measuring language tends to be connected with the idea of construction.
We note that the nations are allowed to trample this holy city for forty-two months. Let the hearer understand that forty-months equals 1,260 days which equals 3.5 years. I believe it also equals a time, times, and half a time as we will see that language next chapter. This is a timeframe featured prominently in Daniel’s apocalyptic visions. It’s usage there generally describe timeframes when God’s people are under persecution. I believe this 3.5 year timeframe symbolically represents the new covenant church age, i.e. the time after Christ’s ascension until he returns in his second coming. Arguably, this period represents the last half of the 70th week in Daniel’s 70 weeks vision in Daniel chapter 9. Let me lastly note about the 42 months that to characterize it that way brings out the number 42. In scripture, it is noted that Numbers 33 records that Israel had 42 encampments over its wilderness wandering period. It may be that the expression of 42 months symbolically represents the new covenant equivalent of the wilderness wandering period, on our way to the ultimate promised land.
How are we to interpret this vision of the holy city and the measuring of the temple and its worshippers? What does this refer to? While some think this is a prophecy of some future event, of an actual physical temple that will later be rebuilt on this earth in this age, I don’t think that is the best interpretation. This naturally flows out of last week’s passage that called John to a prophetic ministry already at that time. I think the best interpretation is to see that this vision of the holy city rewinds to give us a snapshot of the whole timeframe between Christ’s first and second comings. This new covenant era does not have a physical temple or city. Rather, the church of Jesus Christ is God’s spiritual temple on earth and we represent a holy, spiritual nation of God’s people. Like the previous interlude in chapter 7 where the 144,000 saints were sealed on earth to protect them, so too, the church on earth is protected while it builds this spiritual temple of God’s people. So, this vision pictures the bittersweet prophetic ministry John and all the church will do during this age. We will be protected as the church is built but also taste bitter opposition.
This vision of the holy city in verses 1-2 not only complements John’s bittersweet scroll vision, it also complements the rest of our passage with these two witnesses. Our last two points today will consider these two witnesses. First let us consider their powerful and protected ministry, starting in verse 3. Right away we see that the prophetic ministry of these two witnesses will last for 1,260 days. This is the same timeframe that was just described of how the nations would trample the holy city for 42 months. Again, Revelation rewinds to give us complementary visions. Verses 1 and 2 spoke of God’s temple and holy city being built up at the same time as the nations raged against it trying to destroy it. Now, we see pictured this powerful and protected prophetic ministry of these two witnesses.
This time I will reveal my interpretive cards right away. Though some interpret this as a future predicting of two prophets who will come in the latter days, I interpret this a picture of what is going on right now throughout this new covenant age. The two witness are, in apocalyptic visionary fashion, describe the witness of the church in this age. Remember, Deuteronomy says that by the mouth of two or three witnesses will every fact be established. This vision symbolizes the legal testimony of the church to the world about Jesus. These two witnesses symbolically represent the church’s bittersweet prophetic ministry.
Verse 4 helps confirm this interpretation. It explains that the two witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lampstands. That is a reference to Zechariah 4 which was already applied in the beginning of Revelation to the seven churches in the opening letters. Zechariah 4’s original context described how Israel was trying to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem after the return from Babylonian exile. The lampstand in Zechariah 4 represented the temple being rebuilt, and the two olive trees referred to the two religious leaders at that time who were leading the effort, Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel the governor. Zechariah’s prophecy foretold of how God would use Joshua and Zerubbabel to finish the construction of the temple. Revelation applied that idea to the seven churches of Christ on earth, that God was building his temple of a church on earth. Now Zechariah 4 is applied again here to these two witnesses. These two witnesses will be used by God to finish building this holy temple that was just seen at the start of today’s passage – again, now a spiritual temple of God’s people. Just as John was called to prophetic ministry and that represented the church being called to such, so too, these two witnesses represent how the church builds up the church, through its prophetic witness to Christ.
So then, there are several traits about these two witness that we should recognize. First, notice that they are an authorized witness. Verse 3 says how Jesus has granted them authority. No one should presume to speak for God on their own accord. But the church of Jesus Christ has, as the church, been authorized to speak as witnesses to Jesus. That is what we confess in the Nicene Creed when we say that the church is apostolic. We have been sent by God as witnesses.
Second, notices that the church is described as prophetic. This is seen in verse 3 when it sees the two witnesses wearing sackcloth, which was the typical garb of prophets from the Old Testament. Verses 3 refers to the work as prophesying and 10 they are called prophets. John had just been told at the end of last he had to prophesy, now, we see the whole church is pictured as these authorized prophets. We are reminded of the universal prophethood of believers that came on Pentecost in Acts. Remember, we don’t have to predict the future to prophesy. Every time we proclaim what we have in the Bible about Jesus, then we are speaking prophetically. We don’t need new revelations to be prophets, because we already have the full story that needs to be proclaimed.
Third, notice that the church is described as protected. Verse 5 describes how the prophets are protected by fire coming from their mouths to kill any who would harm them. Remember this is an apocalyptic vision not a camcorder recording. This manner of protection is similar to how Elijah was protected by fire from heaven in 1 Kings 1. But let us also remember that the John here is the one who foolishly suggested to Jesus during his earthly ministry that they could call fire down from heaven to wipe a the Samaritan village that rejected their message and Jesus rebuked him for it. John had surely learned a lot since then. This vision surely is not saying that the church will defend itself by literally throwing out fire upon people who reject the message – Jesus already spoke against that approach. Rather, notice in the vision the subtle difference between this and what happened with Elijah. In Elijah’s protection, the fire came from heaven. Here, the fire comes from the witnesses’ mouths. In other words, this likely refers to how the very words of their prophetic ministry will serve to powerfully defend them from enemy attacks. Indeed, didn’t Paul tell us in Ephesians 6 that our best weapon in our spiritual battle is the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God? Indeed, we slay our enemies with God’s Word as we wield “divine power to destroy strongholds… destroying arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God,” 2 Cor 10:4-5.
Fourth, notice with me that the church is described as powerful. In verses 6, the two witnesses have power to cause drought and to turn water into blood and to strike the earth with every plague. This describes the power that Elijah and Moses wielded during their ministries. They had a powerful ministry together they reflect the whole of the Old Testament prophetic ministry that brought to us the law and the prophets. It was these two who even showed up to see Jesus on that Mt. of Transfiguration in Matthew 17. So then, the church today comes in the power of such a prophetic ministry, in the spirit of Elijah and Moses and all the prophets, founded on the cornerstone of Jesus himself. While Elijah and Moses very literally performed various supernatural signs and wonders, let us not think the miracles are the main focus. Luke 1 said that John the Baptist came in the spirit and power of Elijah. Indeed, Jesus said that John the Baptist was even the greatest of all the Old Testament prophets. Yet, John the Baptist didn’t perform any miracles (John 10:41). The focus is the message not the miracles. Likewise, though the church does not ordinarily perform signs or wonders, nonetheless our prophetic ministry is one of great power from God. It indeed can conquer hard hearts, convict of sin, defeat the devils, and turn people to the Lord. We do preach in the same spirit and power of the prophets and the apostles, bearing the testimony of Jesus which is the spirit of prophecy according to Revelation 19:10.
So then, the church’s ministry today is authoritative, prophetic, protected, and powerful. Let us turn now in our third point and see in the vision the death, resurrection, and ascension of these two witnesses. This is starting in verse 7 when a transition takes place. There, it mentions what happens when these two witnesses finish their testimony. In short, they are killed, the world rejoices, but 3.5 days later they are resurrected and ultimately ascended up into heaven, as a terrible judgment falls on the world and sparks a response of giving glory to God. Let us appreciate how this shows the church looking like Christ in such a death, resurrection, and ascension. Let us also appreciate that first the church had to accomplish its prophetic ministry on earth.
As we dig into the details, let me suggest that this part of the vision surely does refer to the future, as this age comes to a close with the return of Christ. For verse 7 notes that the timing of this final part of the vision is after the symbolic 3.5 years prophetic ministry of the witnesses. Then, there is this beast that is rising up from the sea that is allowed to make war on them and to conquer them and to kill them, and then they are resurrected. In other words, the vision says this all happens after this long period of their ministry. In comparison to their 3.5 years of ministry, their remaining dead is just for 3.5 years. What we seem to have hear is what we see in other parts of Revelation and Scripture that speak of how just before the end, there will be some final last attack of the enemy before Jesus returns and vindicates us and saves us and concludes this age. This fits well with what Jesus said in the Olivet Discourse that the gospel has to first be testified to throughout all the earth, then the final end will come, Matt 24:14.
Specifically then, we see that there is this final attack against the church led by this beast that comes up from the abyss. We’ll learn more about that beast in future chapters, but we should be thinking of the Antichrist and his Satanic-inspired attempt to destroy the church. So, the beast’s killing of these two witnesses happens at the end of this age and is likely parallel with the part in Revelation 20 when Satan is said to be released from his prison at the very end for “a little while”. Satan leads one final deception on the world to gather them against God’s people. This is likely the same event as the battle of Armageddon in Revelation 16. So then, there are descriptions of how, near the end, the Antichrist and his lawlessness will result in a final attack of the church. It will appear to destroy the church, and the godless world will rejoice afterwards. Presumably, no one else will come to faith at that final point in history. But as verse 11 speaks of a breath of life coming from God upon the witnesses, so too God will ultimately come to save his persecuted church, raising them up and ultimately ascending them up into heaven, as we see in verse 12. We here then remember, how the Bible says that at the end, Jesus will return and the church will raised from the dead and caught up into the air with him. Then his wrath will begin to be poured out upon the whole earth, as final judgment begins to be unleashed.
That is likely what is described as here with the language of the “great earthquake” and 1/10 of the city being destroyed, that this is the beginning of the day of wrath, which will then be completely momentarily when the seventh trumpet sounds. The fact that afterwards many give glory to God might suggest a final repentance and coming to the Lord. Though, alternatively, it may be that this is what is described in Philippians 2 how ultimately all the world will bow the knee to Jesus, even though some only do it finally on that last day because they are conquered foes. The language of giving glory to God in verse 13 can be used to describe someone who is caught in their sin and left with no choice but to confess it in their judgment. That may be what is reflected here. This brings us then to the seventh seal which declares the final end of this age and the victory of Jesus.
Let me back up and note where this persecution of the two witnesses took place. In verse 8 it describes the location as the great city which is also symbolically known as Sodom, Egypt, and the place where Jesus was crucified, i.e. Old Jerusalem. This is where the two witnesses were doing their prophesying, in this godless world, where, symbolically speaking, its immoralities are like Sodom’s, and its tyranny like Egypt’s, its apostasies like the Jews when they crucified their Lord, and its fame like the earthly glory of Rome. The church is a witness to this world with all its immoralities, tyrannies, and apostasies amidst its earthly glories.
As we conclude our message, the vision of two witnesses parallels the vision of the holy city in the opening verses. The church as these two witnesses has a sweetly powerful ministry to preach Christ to a fallen world. But it is also one with bitterness as that fallen world will largely reject God’s Word. Taken together, the church is building up a spiritual holy city while simultaneously ministering in this pagan-apostate city of the world. We will be protected during this ministry so we can accomplish it. But we will also experience continued raging by the world. For a moment at the end, it might even look like the world will win. But Jesus will come to our rescue and the outcome will be that the kingdoms of the world will become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ and we shall reign forever and ever with him.
Saints, this is the bittersweet ministry we’ve been called to right now. If at the end we will always be with the Lord, isn’t that worth it? And if we might save some along the way, isn’t that worth it? We are building the temple of the Lord as we do this ministry. Let us take heart that our mission is authorized, prophetic, powerful, and protected. It will be successful. None of the elect shall be lost, not a single soul. Let us then confidently testify to the crucified, risen, and ascended Jesus!
Amen.
Copyright © 2025 Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div.
All Rights Reserved.
