End Times: Back to the Future
Lesson 14Revelation Chapter 11
So let’s review our overall timeline once again:
- The Tribulation Period is seven years long, comprised of two three-and-one-half year periods.
- In the beginning of that period, the Antichrist makes a peace with Israel, a peace so secure that they lay down their weapons, rebuild the temple and return to sacrificial worship. Midway through the Tribulation, the Antichrist breaks the truce with Israel, and mass persecution of the Jews breaks out with the Jews being driven out of the city.
- The Antichrist directs the False Prophet to set up the Antichrist’s image in the Temple to be worshipped there by all.
In this lesson, we will learn even more about interpreting prophecy and will, for the first time, begin to pull together prophecy from the Old and New Testament in order to garner a more complete picture of God’s plan during the Tribulation period. I encourage you to commit the time to do the reading associated with this lesson and to consider what God provides us today in His continuing revealing of end-time prophecy.
Read Revelation Chapter 11 and consider the following questions:
- Considering Revelation 11:1-2, what is being described? What is the difference between the outer court and the rest of what John is told to measure? Furthermore, when John is told to measure "the temple of God...with its worshipers", is he supposed to find out how tall each one is? Or does this mean something else?
- From our previous studies, how many days are in a prophetic year?
- Now, given this information as well as the scriptural text for this lesson, what is the difference between 1,260 days, 42 prophetic months, and "a time, times and a half time"? (see also Daniel 12:7 and Revelation 12:14)
- How long do the Gentiles "trample on the holy city"?
- How do the messages found in Luke 21:20-24, Daniel 12:7, and Revelation 12:14 relate here?
- How long do God’s "two witnesses" prophesy?
- What is the difference between the time period referenced in Revelation 11:2 and the time period referenced in Revelation 11:3? Can you discern why they are described differently?
- After reading Revelation 11:5-6, can you observe some similarities with two famous Old Testament men? (Hint, the similarities relate to gifts used by Moses and Elijah; list which gifts belonged to each man.)
- In Revelation 11:7-8, who kills the two witnesses, and where does he kill them?
- We can enhance our understanding of the verses found in Revelation 11 by looking at Daniel 7:21-28. What do these verses say about the kingdom of the Antichrist and what he will do with it?
- How long do the Gentiles tread the Holy City underfoot?
- How long are the bodies of the two witnesses on display?
- Where are the bodies of the two witnesses put on display and what specifically happens during this three-and-one-half-day period?
- What happens to the bodies of the two witnesses after three-and-one-half days? Who witnesses it?
- Following the resurrection of the two witnesses, what then happens according to Revelation 11:15?
- What else do we know about the times described in Revelation? Read Matthew 24:9-28. Based on this reading adn based on what you know about the Tribulation Period and all of the three-and-one-half references found in this lesson (three-and-one-half years, three-and-one-half days, etc.), when do the two witnesses prophesy, when is their death, and when is the "day of Gentiles" along our seven year timeline?
- Our bonus question for the week: During the first seven-and-one-half years leading up to day the Antichrist enters Jerusalem, breaks the truce, kills the two witnesses, and drives out the Jews; what is he up to? What specific activities is the Antichrist involved in during the first three-and-one-half years? Reread Daniel 11:21-35.
- Further, what does Daniel 11:36-45 tell us about the second half of the Tribulation Period and the Antichrist’s activities?
I know that the meanings of the various images in this lesson can be very difficult to discern. Discernment requires prayer, study, and the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Much of the pieces of the Tribulation Period will now begin to fall into place, as God reveals these mysteries to us through our study of His revelations regarding end-time events.
As we continue to learn more and more, it should compel us to come to God in worship, in awe, as we see His mighty power and judgment displayed and revealed through our study. Our faith and confidence are bolstered as we see that God has a plan for us; and that through the shed blood of His Son Jesus, we know that we are saved. What a hope and glorious peace this provides!
May God continue to richly bless you as you study this difficult subject with us.
In Christ,
Wes
[2011]