John is given a reed which is strong enough to be a rod one might use to measure. He is told to measure the "temple of God." The word used here for temple is not hieron, which describes the buildings courts and porches (John 10:23; Matthew 24:1-2), but naos, which is literally the sanctuary. (Matthe... [ Continue Reading ]
The Gentiles would here represent those outside of the church. The marginal reading in the King James is "Cast out," instead of "leave out." This may suggest that some who might be thought of as part of the church, like Jezebel and the Nicolaitans, would be cast out and counted as part of the profan... [ Continue Reading ]
Hailey notes a number of Biblical instances where two witnesses were needed to confirm a fact. (Deuteronomy 17:6; Deuteronomy 19:6; Numbers 35:30; Hebrews 10:28; Matthew 18:16; John 8:17) Summers notes that, "The number (2) in Oriental symbolism carried the idea of strength." Since their testimony c... [ Continue Reading ]
God gives his message power and providentially supports those who deliver it. God told Jeremiah his word would be like a fire to devour the sinful people. (Jeremiah 5:14; also note 20:9) Elijah had power over the rain and Moses was able to turn the water to blood. (2 Kings 17:1; 2 Kings 18:1-37; Exo... [ Continue Reading ]
The beast, which must be Satan, comes out of the abyss and kills the two witnesses. Notice, this did not happen until their message had been delivered. God does not allow Satan to stop his plan. Satan wars with God's children by lying to them, as in Eve's case, persecuting and killing them. He is ju... [ Continue Reading ]
The "great city" is always Babylon in Revelation. (Revelation 14:8; Revelation 16:19; Revelation 17:5; Revelation 17:18; Revelation 18:2; Revelation 18:10; Revelation 18:16; Revelation 18:18-19;... [ Continue Reading ]
Real joy will be expressed by the world over the death of the two witnesses because they had tormented the world with their testimony. The worldly celebrate, even exchanging gifts. Leaving the bodies of the witnesses unburied shows the scornful attitude they had for the truth and its deliverers. Thr... [ Continue Reading ]
Every time evil ones believe they have at last killed the church and destroyed the word of God, God revitalizes them. Hailey is reminded, in this verse, of the story of Belshazzar whose merrymaking was turned to fear by the finger of God writing upon the wall. (Daniel 5:1-31)... [ Continue Reading ]
God's calling of the faithful into heaven will happen at Christ's second coming and immediately before the end of the world. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:23-24) The faithless persecutors will view the victorious faithful ascending into heaven.... [ Continue Reading ]
God now begins his judgment against the worldly city, as is symbolized by the earthquake. One-tenth, or a part, collapses and 7,000 men are killed. This cannot be the destruction of Jerusalem since 1,100,00 men were killed then. When the rest of the evil see God's judgment begin, they worship in fea... [ Continue Reading ]
Once the righteous have been raised, the end will not be delayed, unlike what Premillennialists would have us to believe.... [ Continue Reading ]
As noted in verse 12, this will take place at the end of time. The vision has reached the end once to reassure Christians being persecuted. We will view the same span of time from a different perspective in the coming Chapter s. No matter how hopeless things may seem in that narration, we can rest e... [ Continue Reading ]
The 24 elders join in the worship of Christ as the Almighty one who has reigned.... [ Continue Reading ]
Worldly nations had shown their anger by killing God's messengers and rejoicing at their deaths. The elders here rejoice that, in response to man's wrath, God has brought his wrath and judged all people. The righteous were first rewarded and then the wicked revealed.... [ Continue Reading ]
Heaven is now opened and the ark of the covenant revealed. The ark was the place where God had promised to meet and commune with the children of Israel. (Exodus 25:21-22) It is here used to symbolize the place of God's meeting and communing eternally with the church, heaven.... [ Continue Reading ]