Revelation 11 (NIV)

Summary:

The Two Witnesses
Verses 1-14

John was given a reed like a measuring rod.  He was told to measure God's temple and altar, and to count the worshipers.  He was to exclude the outer court, because it was given to the Gentiles, who will trample on the holy city for 42 months (3 1/2 years).

God will give power to His two witnesses.  They will prophesy for 1,260 days (3 years, 5 1/2 months).  They are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.  If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies.  This is how anyone that wants to harm them must die.  They have the power to shut up the sky, so it won't rain when they are prophesying.  They have the power to turn water to blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.  When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes from the Abyss will attack, overpower, and kill them.  Their boides will lie in the street of the great city, figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where Christ was crucified.

For 3 1/2 days, men from every people, tribe, language, and nation will gaze on the witnesses' bodies and refuse them burial.  The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and celebrate by sending each other gifts, because the two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.  After the 3 1/2 days, a breath of life from God will enter them.  They will stand and strike terror in those who see them.  They will hear a loud voice from heaven calling them up there, and they will ascend in a cloud, as their enemies look on.  At that hour, a severe earthquake and 1/10 of the city collapsed.  7,000 people were killed.  The survivors were terrified and gave glory to God of heaven.  The 2nd woe has passed; the 3rd is soon to come.

The Seventh Trumpet
Verses 15-19

The 7th angel sounded his trumpet.  There were loud voices in heaven saying that the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of Christ, who will reign forever.  The 24 elders, seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God.  They gave thanks to the Almighty, the One who is and was, because He took up His great power and had begun to reign.  The nations were angry and His wrath came.  The time had come for judging the dead, rewarding His servants the prophets and the saints, who revere His name, both small and great.  The time had also come to destroy those who destroy the earth. 

Then, God's temple in heaven opened.  Within was seen the ark of His covenant.  There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and a great hailstorm.

Lori's Thoughts:

Jesus was taken to Pilate, the Roman governor, where he was tried and condemned to die.  Rome is where the Vatican City resides.  This chapter says that the two witnesses will be killed and lie in the streets of the great city, where Christ was crucified.  Considering the prominence of Catholicism, I would say that the Vatican is a great city.  Probably the great city written of in this chapter. 

I think the great city is different from the holy city, on which the Gentiles will trample on.  Jerusalem is where the temple was built, where David built his palace, and where Solomon built the temple for God, to house the ark of the covenant.  I think, at this time, those who belong to God will be divided from those that do not, like the separation of the sheep and goats that Christ spoke of in Matthew 25.  The Gentiles, those who don't believe in God, will trample on the holy city for 3 1/2 years.  I don't know what this number really means.  I do know that Jerusalem is a highly contested area.  Israel's ownership is a huge point of contention.  It is now in 3 pieces - Israel, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank.  Jerusalem is no longer considered the capital by the majority of the people.  Tel Aviv is the functional capital.  Jerusalem is a dangerous place to be, which is too bad, because I would have loved to visit.  One thing's for sure.  There definitely is some "trampling" going on there.

These two witnesses, they're represented by lampstands, which in the first chapter are defined as churches.  They're also represented by olive trees.  I know Jesus was at the Mount of Olives to pray before he was arrested.  But, that's the only connection I made...  So, churches, with prophets that have the power to control the weather, water, and earth.  They can destroy it if they will.  They also destroy those trying to harm them.  Who are they?  Are they the ones to prophesy about the demise of the wicked?  Maybe that's why they're being attacked.

The beast from the Abyss (anyone else thinking of the balrog from Lord of the Rings?) will come out and kill the two witnesses.  The wicked will gloat, but after 3 1/2 days (meaning?), God will breathe life back into them, and they will be brought up to heaven.  Some will glorify God once they witness this and survive the resulting earthquake.  Another chance to choose God and be saved?

The 7th angel will sound his trumpet again and declare that Christ's kingdom is (finally!!!) established.  The elders will worship Him and declare that it is time for judgment, reward, and destruction.  The heavenly ark of the covenant will be revealed and the forces of nature will wreak havoc.  When Christ died, the earthly temple was ruined, because the old covenant was done away with.  Christ is the final sacrifice.  He will be declared as king to all when the heavenly temple of the new covenant is opened.