Revelation 11
Revelation 11:1
A reed like a rod was given to me. Someone said, ‘Rise, and measure God’s Temple, and the altar, and those who worship in it.
Like 2 Thessalonians 2:4, Revelation 11 indicates that the Temple built prior to the return of Yeshua is “God’s Temple.” This means the Temple is holy, although it will be defiled by Armilus, the Antichrist, like Antiochus Epiphanes did in the days of the Maccabees.
“For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the Temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.”
2 Thessalonians 2:4, ESV
Ezekiel speaks of the Third Temple in similar imagery,
“When he brought me there, behold, there was a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring reed in his hand. And he was standing in the gateway.”
Ezekiel 40:3
Revelation 11:2
Leave out the court which is outside of the Temple, and don’t measure it, for it has been given to the nations. They will tread the holy city under foot for forty-two months.
42 months equals 1260 days. Daniel 12:7 refers to 1,290 days and 1,335 days which may be related to this time frame.
Revelation 11:3
I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.
Two individuals like Moshe and Aharon, Eldad and Medad, Elijah and Elisha.
Revelation 11:4
These are the two olive trees and the two menorahs, standing before the Lord of the earth.
“The angel who talked with me came again, and wakened me, as a man who is wakened out of his sleep. He said to me, What do you see? I said, I have seen, and behold, a menorah all of gold, with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps thereon; there are seven pipes to each of the lamps, which are on the top of it; and two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl, and the other on the left side of it.”
Zechariah 4:1-3
“Then I asked him, What are these two olive trees on the right side of the menorah and on the left side of it? I asked him the second time, What are these two olive branches, which are beside the two golden spouts, that pour the golden oil out of themselves? He answered me, Don’t you know what these are? I said, No, my lord. Then he said, These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”
Zechariah 4:11-14
Revelation 11:5
If anyone desires to harm them, fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies. If anyone desires to harm them, he must be killed in this way.
As happened with Eliyahu HaNavi,
“Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty men with his fifty. He went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, “O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.’” 10 But Elijah answered the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.”
2 Kings 1:9, ESV
Revelation 11:6
These have the power to shut up the sky, that it may not rain during the days of their prophecy. They have power over the waters, to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.
“Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the foreigners of Gilead, said to Ahab, As HaShem the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.”
1 Kings 17:1
“Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.”
Yaakov 5:17
Revelation 11:7
When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them, and kill them.
Revelation 11:8
Their dead bodies will be in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.
The “great city” is Jerusalem, which is likened to “Sodom and Egypt.” Why is the Ir HaKodesh, the Holy City, likened to such dark places? Revelation is drawing imagery from the words of Isaiah the Prophet, who rebukes the rulers of Israel,
“Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah! . . How the faithful city has become a whore, she who was full of justice! Righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.”
Isaiah 1:10, 21 ESV
