Revelation 11:1–14 - Cameron Jungels Sunday PM, January 25, 2015

“The Lord’s Witnesses” (Revelation 11:1–14)

^{Cameron Jungels/Eastside Baptist/Sunday PM/January 25, 2015}

 

Revelation 11:1–14 (NIV)

11 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. 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.

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.

 

1.        The Spiritual Protection of the Lord’s Worshipers (1–2).

 

The major point of vv. 1–2 is that Christ will protect his church spiritually (not necessarily from all physical harm) as they live faithfully and witness in the midst of a world hostile to Christ and his people.

 

2.       The Labor, Suffering, and Vindication of the Lord’s Witnesses (3–14).

 

⁶ So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty. (Zech. 4:6, NIV)

 

The church, whose lot it is to suffer the persecution of this world, will nevertheless continue to give faithful witness to the truth. The violent death of the two witnesses, their resurrection after three and a half days, and their ascension into heaven are symbolic of the resurrection of the church, which though often seeming to be defeated, yet will live.

 

Main Idea: Christ’s church is called to serve as faithful witnesses in the midst of a hostile, unbelieving world. Faithful testimony for Christ may result in persecution, earthly shame, and death (martyrdom). But Christ will vindicate his faithful servants; he will protect them eternally by raising them from the dead and giving them eternal life.