GETTING THE MESSAGE/Last days of the gospel era

Revelation 11:7-13 points us to the last days of the gospel era. In verse 7, the two witnesses are symbolic of the church’s witness to the world of the good news of Jesus Christ. They have “finished their testimony,” meaning the full number of those who would enter the kingdom of God is complete. What follows is a period of intense persecution.

The beast from the bottomless pit makes war upon the church. This is the fulfillment of the prophecy in Daniel 7 about the little horn, the anti-Christ who wars against the saints. This war has gone on throughout history but reaches its apex at the end. The beast wars against the saints by influencing men who refuse to love the truth.

The witnesses are put to death in the city called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified (verse 8). This isn’t to be taken literally for Jerusalem. Rather, it points to the worldwide rejection of Christ at the end. The gospel has gone throughout the world, and many have been converted through the witness of the church. But at the end, like when Jesus was put to death by men, darkness will have a short reign, and an apparent victory.

Sodom represents the epitome of immorality, and Egypt rampant idolatry joined with impenitence no matter what evidence there is to turn humbly to the Lord. In rejecting the gospel, the world sins against greater light than Jerusalem did when the Son of God was physically present.

This points us to the power of sin. When Adam sinned, it didn’t mean he became as bad as he could be, but his apostasy from God was complete and favor and communion with God was withdrawn. As we see here, men will become worse and worse unless God interpose. Be careful of letting a season of grace and the day of salvation slip away.

In verse 9-10 we see the celebration of the world over the apparent demise of the Christian faith in the world. The bodies of the saints are left unburied, showing the indignity in which they are treated, worse than their Lord was treated. The 3 ½ days they are left unburied points us to their union with Christ who was raised after 3 days. So, it is a blessed indignity.

It shouldn’t be a surprise to Christians if the world hates them. Christ went about doing good and speaking the truth to men, and he was mistreated still. Likewise, the church is responsible before the Lord to do good and bear witness to the truth, regardless of how men respond. 

The gift exchange in verse 10 along with the rejoicing show the greatness of the celebration that the church is now silenced. The witnesses of the gospel had been “a torment to the earth dwellers.” The expression “earth dwellers” highlights the rejection of Christ due to love of the present world. 

The gospel is a torment in that it inhibits the free expression of idolatry and immorality. Its message condemns those things as well as all the pride and sin in men. The gospel is truly good news because men will be justly condemned without Christ. Suppressing or eliminating the message does not change the truth of it. 

And that is what we see in verses 11-13. In verse 11, the dead bodies of the saints are raised up. The first resurrection of the saints, being made alive spiritually in Christ in this world, will be followed by a resurrection of their dead bodies.  After he was raised from the dead, Christ breathed on his disciples to represent the spiritual life he gives to his people. Here God breathes life into the dead bodies of his people, a blessed breath.

In verse 12, a voice from heaven calls the saints to come up in a cloud, which represents the presence of Christ. The people of the world watch as they go up. This symbolizes the vindication of the faith of the saints, as well as their certain acceptance by God.

The celebration of the world is short-lived. Verse 13 alludes to the judgment of God. The beast and the world are of no help now to those who put their hope in them. The statement that those who remained on earth were terrified and gave glory to God does not mean they repented.

It means they will be forced to bow the knee to the Lord whom they rejected as Lord.