John has eaten the scroll of a might angel, feeling the sweetness, then the nausea of that scroll. Then he is told to prophesy to all the world....
Revelation 11: 1-2, John to measure the temple
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.
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.
John measures the temple. Why?
This measurement is then not mentioned again, as we move on with the events regarding the witnesses. However, a similar measurement of Jerusalem occurs in Zechariah 2.
(Many parts of this vision have parallels in the Old Testament book of Zechariah, including versions of the four horsemen.)
This measurement is then not mentioned again, as we move on with the events regarding the witnesses. However, a similar measurement of Jerusalem occurs in Zechariah 2.
(Many parts of this vision have parallels in the Old Testament book of Zechariah, including versions of the four horsemen.)
Revelation 11: 3-6, The two witnesses
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.
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.
We have two witnesses, two olive trees, two lampstands. (As my friend, Tim Hall, points out in a comment to an older post, this imagery occurs in the Old Testament, in Zechariah's vision, Zechariah 4.)
The Witnesses seem indestructible, with supernatural powers. They seem to represent God, in some way?
If we view a year as 360 days then the period 1260 days is 3 and a half years. Much has been made of this. Those who see a specific historical period of the "Great Tribulation" see that period as lasting seven years and so this event would occur halfway through that time.
The Witnesses seem indestructible, with supernatural powers. They seem to represent God, in some way?
If we view a year as 360 days then the period 1260 days is 3 and a half years. Much has been made of this. Those who see a specific historical period of the "Great Tribulation" see that period as lasting seven years and so this event would occur halfway through that time.
No comments:
Post a Comment