Sermon Notes 8/20 – Revelation Chapter 11
REVELATION CHAPTER 11
The Two Witnesses
Revelation 11:1 – this speaks of the rebuilt temple that will happen in the future
-1 Thessalonians 5:1-4 – the antichrist will form a peace treaty with Israel & its enemies, but then break it in the middle of the 7-year tribulation period
A Measuring rod – was a bamboo-like cane plant that grew along the Jordan River.
It was used for two things:
1. Discipline – Israel was away from the Lord and needed to be spanked
2. For Measuring – the spirituality of Israel was being measured
Verses 1-2 – Do not measure the court of the Gentiles – there was a wall of separation between the court of the Gentiles and the temple itself
Leave out – leave out everything that doesn’t go along with the Bible – means to reject as polluted — do not even talk about it
Verse 3 – The Lord raises two witnesses at this time
Witness – a witness personally sees or experiences something and then tells others the truth about it
Two Characteristics of Witnesses
1. THEY SEE – 1 Chronicles 12:32
2. THEY TALK – Matthew 28:18-20
3 points about witnesses
Point #1 – Are you known in hell?
Point #2 – The person who will present Christ to others must be occupied with Christ for himself
Point #3 – We talk about the second coming of Jesus when a lot of the world has never heard of the first coming of Jesus Himself
a. A lie – Faith needs to be private
Verse 4 – The two witnesses are described in two ways:
1. Two Olive Trees – refers to being given a purpose and to be anointed – Luke 4:16-19
2. Two Lampstands – this represents being a light to the world
– Standing before the Lord – we will all give an account of the gifts and anointing we use for Jesus
Verse 5 – People will want to harm the 2 witnesses – they got Satan’s attention
– the Lord protects Israel with fire
Verse 6 – The 2 witnesses have power:
– Power to shut up the sky
– Power to turn water into blood
– The earth is struck with plagues
Verse 7 – Who are the two people in the Bible who have never died?
– When the Lord is done with us, we are going to heaven
– The 2 witnesses are martyred
– We get the word martyr from the word witness
Verse 8 – the great city – is Jerusalem, Israel – where Jesus was crucified
Sodom and Egypt – represent here worldliness and immorality – this is why the 2 witnesses were sent to this area
Verse 9 – the bodies of the two witnesses are left on the street – the world sees them
Verse 10 – It is Christmas – a celebration time because the 2 witnesses are dead
Verse 11 – the 2 witnesses are resurrected – We serve the God of Life
Great fear – people from all over the world are terrified and cannot believe what has just happened
Verse 12 – The 2 witnesses ascend to heaven
Verse 13 – A great earthquake takes place on the same day
– People will still not repent – Luke 5:26