As we get into the next few power-packed chapters, I need to go into the subject of multi-layered interpretation. In particular, I want to talk more about how a specific prophetic text can point to a specific event yet be a model of what will follow later. We have discussed, at some length, how Old Testament events foreshadowed New Testament realities. This can certainly happen going forward and there is strong reason to believe it will, in some way, at some level.
A lot of this deals with private revelations and non binding interpretations so I will not be making many predictions but kind of discussing what is out there.
We scratched the surface on this earlier in dealing with the tradition that the antichrist would come from the tribe of Dan (Revelation 7).
I said from the start that the Book of Revelation is not a play by play of end time events. I stand by that. However, the things that happen here absolutely reverberate through time so that the events that will take place then are established here and some of those events may actually mirror these events in some way or even blossom from them. In fact, there is reason to believe they already are.
In fact, it would be very fair to say that the very stage is set here for the ultimate showdown between the real and the false. A real Temple vs a false one, a real Jerusalem vs a false one. The showdown pits a real church personified by a mother against an apostate kingdom led by a great harlot. A church of God vs a synagogue of Satan.
True, these pages describe this battle as it was unfolding in 68 AD but everything suggests that these foes are going to meet again and many, once again, will be on the wrong side.
In John's Gospel, we recall that famous tussle Jesus had with the Pharisees when He said "Destroy this Temple and I will raise it up in 3 days" Clearly, they did not fully understand the manner in which the physical, earthly temple is connected to Heaven. Jesus is that connection. They severed it and they were about to pay the price.
A very clear distinction and division is being made between the Heavenly temple (called the temple of God) and the earthly one (called the court outside the temple)
The court outside reference should not be missed.
Matthew 22 And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a marriage feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast; but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, Behold, I have made ready my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves are killed, and everything is ready; come to the marriage feast.’ 5 But they made light of it and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them.
7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the thoroughfares, and invite to the marriage feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment;12 and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.’
These verses declare the separation of the heavenly and earthly Jerusalems. The war against Jerusalem did indeed last for 42 months. Notice it is called "the holy city". This confirms that "the outer court" refers to the earthly Jerusalem.
Before we get into the identity, notice the time frame of 1260 days. Also, the same 42 months? Or does this 3-1/2 years precede the other? If it is the latter, the preaching begins in 63 AD. I believe that is the case and that the clues in the text show it.
As I will show, I believe this book was written in 68 AD during the reign of Galba. Nero had just died literally weeks before. Nero took the thrown in 54 AD which meant he was the monster that the 2 witnesses preached against.
Dealing first with the image of two olive trees and 2 lamps, we make an appeal to Zechariah chapter 4.
4 And the angel who talked with me came again, and waked me, like a man that is wakened out of his sleep. 2 And he said to me, “What do you see?” I said, “I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps which are on the top of it. 3 And there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.” 4 And I said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” 5 Then the angel who talked with me answered me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.”
6 Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerub′babel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. 7 What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerub′babel you shall become a plain; and he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’” 8 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 9 “The hands of Zerub′babel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. 10 For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerub′babel.
“These seven are the eyes of the Lord, which range through the whole earth.” 11 Then I said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?” 12 And a second time I said to him, “What are these two branches of the olive trees, which are beside the two golden pipes from which the oil is poured out?” 13 He said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.” 14 Then he said, “These are the two anointed who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”
Who are the two who stand by the Lord of the whole earth?
Matthew 17
17 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain apart. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light. 3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Eli′jah, talking with him. 4 And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is well that we are here; if you wish, I will make three booths here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Eli′jah.” 5 He was still speaking, when lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces, and were filled with awe. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” 8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
Shutting the sky down so no rain may fall, turning the sea to blood , fire called down to consume their enemies, turning loose every plague. Clearly these are associated with Moses and Elijah (Exodus 7, 1 Kings 17, 2 Kings 1)
They both prophesized and together, they represent the Law and the Prophets which were fulfilled in Jesus (Matthew 5)
So, I think it is clear that the 2 witnesses are Moses and Elijah but are they in a literal sense or figurative. Those who would say literal point to the transfiguration but those who would say figurative point to Jesus and John the Baptist as the new Moses and Elijah (Matthew 17).
Let's explore the last option first.
If Moses and Elijah represent the law and the prophets, which were fulfilled by Jesus, then they prophesized through Jesus for 3- 1/2 years then lie dead in Jerusalem for 3 days only to rise again. Indeed, the Biblical accounts tell us of many dead risen in the streets of Jerusalem after Jesus Resurrection. In this analogy the ability to cause plagues is only given to us to identify the witnesses.
Some have identified this as pointing forward to Peter and Paul and verse 7 is very tempting in that regard.
The Beast is Nero who does indeed kill both Peter and Paul. We will prove that Nero is the beast John is speaking of in the upcoming chapters. That John talks about a sort-of reincarnated Nero as the man who destroys Jerusalem in 70 AD is also true. That man is Vespasian.
Many say that the Neronian type will be the template for the ultimate beast- the Anti-Christ. This may vey well be true but we have to take a foray into private Revelation and interpretation to get there. Nothing explicitly stated in the Biblical text gets us there. If Nero is indeed the template for anti-Christ than there may indeed be 2 end time witnesses in the model of Moses and Elijah who confront him.
All I can tell you is that is speculation and not what the text addresses here.
Since the Beast Nero did kill Peter and Paul, the temptation is to see them as a New Testament personification of these 2 witnesses. Verse 8 arrests that speculation.
Peter and Paul died in Rome, not the condemned city of Jerusalem where Our Lord was crucified. Jerusalem suffers the same condemnation as Sodom- which was burned with fire and Egypt- the place the true believers were driven out of.
The writings of Josephus again seem to fulfill the account of the earthquake and the 2 witnesses, at least in large part.
And now the outer temple was all of it overflowed with blood; and that day, as it came on, they saw eight thousand five hundred dead bodies there.
But the rage of the Idumeans was not satiated by these slaughters; but they now betook themselves to the city, and plundered every house, and slew every one they met; and for the other multitude, they esteemed it needless to go on with killing them, but they sought for the high priests, and the generality went with the greatest zeal against them; and as soon as they caught them they slew them, and then standing upon their dead bodies, in way of jest, upbraided Ananus with his kindness to the people, and Jesus with his speech made to them from the wall. Nay, they proceeded to that degree of impiety, as to cast away their dead bodies without burial, although the Jews used to take so much care of the burial of men, that they took down those that were condemned and crucified, and buried them before the going down of the sun.
I should not mistake if I said that the death of Ananus was the beginning of the destruction of the city, and that from this very day may be dated the overthrow of her wall, and the ruin of her affairs, whereon they saw their high priest, and the procurer of their preservation, slain in the midst of their city.
We are going to stop here and continue with the rest of Chapter 11 in part 12 of our special production.
