Week 22: The Rapture? (Revelation 11:1-12)

Important links to Rev 11: Zechariah 4 Plumb line/ measuring Lampstands and two olive trees Work of the Holy Spirit Revelation 10:9-11 Proclamation Persecution The true and the false church

The measuring of the temple vs. 1-2 The measuring of the temple What does this measuring mean? The ‘temple’ is accepted and protected while the ‘court’ is rejected Temple/sanctuary = true Church Outer court = outwardly belonging to the church, but not true Christ followers (the world invades nominal Christendom and takes possession of it)

vs. 3-6 The two witnesses Who are they? Two unnamed individuals who are left after the ‘secret rapture’ of the church to preach the gospel to those who remain before Christ’s second coming Enoch and Elijah A picture of the corporate church which is called to bear witness to the truth of the Gospel

vs. 3-6 The two witnesses Why is this a picture of the church? Lampstands have already been identified as churches Only 2 churches of the 7 are not rebuked for some inadequacy in their witness. So the term ‘two witnesses’ may represent the effective witness of the church This combination of two olive trees and lampstands comes from Zechariah 4

vs. 3-6 The two witnesses Why is this a picture of the church? Vs. 9-12 states that the entire world will see them, meaning that the witnesses are visible throughout the world Two witnesses emphasize the missionary task of the Church. Just as the disciples were sent out two by two (Luke 10: 1), so throughout this gospel age the Church fulfils its mission in the world

vs. 3-6 The two witnesses 3 “And I will give power (authority) to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 1,260 days; 42 months; 3.5 years; a time, times and half a time Corresponds to the 3.5 years we are told Elijah carried on his ministry of judgment (James 5:17) Jesus’ earthly gospel ministry

vs. 3-6 The two witnesses 3 “And I will give power (authority) to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 1,260 days; 42 months; 3.5 years; a time, times and half a time It is a picture- It represents the period of affliction towards the church; the present gospel age Becomes clearer in chapters 12 & 13

vs. 7-10 The Church persecuted The beast Introduced here, but more fully explained in chapter 13 Taken from Daniel 7 which explains that the last beast prophesied by Daniel persecutes ‘the saints,’ ‘the people of the Most High’ not two individuals

vs. 7-10 The Church persecuted The Church faithfully completes its witness In the 5th seal: The martyrs asked, “How long” before they are avenged. They were told that they had to rest until the number of those who were to be killed was completed. Here it is (vs. 7) “Where their Lord was crucified” -picture of the ungodly, persecuting world which seeks to silence the witness of Jesus

vs. 11-12 The Rapture The “breath of life from God” entered them- exact phrase borrowed from Ezekiel 37, where the prophet sees Israel as dry bones that are resurrected The Church—still under the symbolism of the two witnesses—now hears a loud voice, “Come up here.” The Church ascends to heaven in a cloud of glory

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

vs. 11-12 The Rapture We will examine the Lord’s return MUCH more in chapter 19 This seems to be the rapture of the Church, the second coming of Christ: it doesn’t happen until God’s people have gone through great tribulation and persecution

We must continue to be the Lampstand until our testimony is finished!