Revelation 11 Commentary

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Revelation 11.Part V Meat November 5th 2017

8And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.42 Revelation 11:10 Preterist Commentary: Jesus Christ and Jesus the Son of Ananus Both Died in Jerusalem.

Verse 8 indicates that the two witnesses would die in Jerusalem “where also our Lord was crucified.” Of course, Jesus Christ and Jesus the son of Ananus both died in Jerusalem. Preterist commentators have long struggled to identify the two witnesses. Some have suggested that they may be the Apostles Peter and Paul. Verse 8 argues against this idea as neither of these men died in Jerusalem according to church tradition. In this verse Jerusalem, the city where the Lord was crucified, is called Sodom and Egypt. Why is Jerusalem given these epithets? Let us first turn our attention to why Jerusalem is called Sodom.

The "Fire from Heaven" during the Second Coming in A.D. 66

An artistic depiction of the army in the clouds in A.D. 66. Notice the similarities between this event and the second comingChrist’s return, fulfilled in 70 A.D., ending the old covenant—not the world. according to Revelation 19. An artistic depiction of the army in the clouds in A.D. 66.

In Matthew 24:27 Jesus declares, “For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” Tacitus writes in The Histories 5.13, “In the sky appeared a vision of armies in conflict, of glittering armour. A sudden lightning flash from the clouds lit up the Temple.” I believe this angelic army in the clouds that was seen at the start of the Jewish War was Jesus leading an army of angels in the sky during the first part of His second coming in fulfillment of Revelation 19:11-14. For a detailed explanation of this aspect of the second coming see Jesus, the Son of Man, was LITERALLY Seen in the Clouds in A.D. 66. For an explanation of the historical evidence of other possible appearances of Christ around the time of the Jewish War see Historical Evidence that Jesus, the Son of Man, was LITERALLY SEEN in the Clouds in the First Century.

The second coming according to Revelation 19. The second coming according to Revelation 19.

The lightning flash from the clouds that followed the army in the sky not only fulfills Matthew 24:27 and the expectation that lightning would mark the second coming of Christ it is also evidence that Jesus is the two witnesses of Revelation 11. As stated in the commentary above on Revelation 11:6, the two witnesses possess the power of Moses and Elijah. As stated above, Jesus as the two witnesses stopped the sky from raining during the Jewish War as did Elijah in 1Kings 17:1. The lightning from the clouds during the second coming in A.D. 66 also links Jesus to Elijah. Here Jesus literally called down fire from heaven as had Elijah who did the same in 1 Kings 18 and 2 Kings 1.

Fulfillment of Prophecy in A.D. 66 and A.D. 70

The first aspect of the second coming was witnessed in Iyyar of A.D. 66. This is the same month and year in which the Israelites revolted against Rome. The fact that lightning, fire from heaven, struck the Temple in A.D. 66 during the second coming is, I believe, an omen foreshadowing the destruction of the Temple by “fire from heaven” in A.D. 70. In fulfillment of Revelation 13:13 Titus, calls down fire from heaven. This prophecy was fulfilled when under Titus’ leadership, the twelfth legion, Legio XII Fulminata, assisted in the burning and destruction of the Temple at the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. The emblem or symbol of the twelfth legion is a lightning bolt–fire from heaven. Similarly, the symbol of Rome itself is the Aquila, the mythological eagle who was believed to carry Zeus’ lightning bolt down to the earth. The Aquila, the symbol of

Rome and the Symbolism of Fire from Heaven

Rome, was normally sculpted in Roman ensigns grasping a lightning bolt in its talons. In light of this information it does not seem to me to be a stretch to say that Rome itself is the lightning or fire from heaven mentioned so often in Revelation, Rome being most-notably represented by the mythological being believed to carry Zeus’ lightning bolt to the earth. See Revelation 13: A Preterist Commentary Not only was the Temple destroyed by fire from heaven, Jerusalem was as well.

The eagle, the Aquila, was a symbol of Rome. The Aquila was an eagle holding a lightning bolt–fire from heaven. This ensign was erected inside the Temple while it burned according to Josephus Wars of the Jews 6.6.1.

A Realized EschatologyStudy of “last things”—TGNN teaches all biblical eschatology was fulfilled in 70 A.D. More Exposition and Commentary of Revelation 11:8: Jerusalem is called Sodom because it was destroyed by “Fire from Heaven.”

Symbolism in Biblical Destruction

In Luke 13:33, Jesus declares, “[N]o prophet can die outside of Jerusalem!” In v. 8 the author of Revelation calls Jerusalem Sodom and Egypt. John Noe notes that Jerusalem is the only city in the Bible that is symbolically called Sodom (Deuteronomy 29:23-25; 32:28-32; Isaiah 1:10; Ezekiel 16:44-58). The city of Sodom was destroyed by fire from heaven. Jerusalem was destroyed in a similar way. As stated above, with the aid of the twelfth legion, Legio XII Fulminata, Jerusalem and its temple were burned to the ground. The emblem of the twelfth legion is a lightning bolt—fire from heaven–and the symbol of the empire that destroyed Jerusalem by fire was the Aquila who carried Zeus’ lightning bolt down to the earth. Here one can see how like Sodom, Jerusalem was also destroyed by “fire from heaven.”

The Emblem of the 12th Legion was a lightning bolt–fire from heaven. The Emblem of the 12th Legion was a lightning bolt–fire from heaven.

PreterismThe belief that all biblical prophecy—especially “end times”—was fulfilled by 70 A.D. More Explained and Interpreted, A Commentary of Revelation 11:8: Jerusalem is called Egypt because it was afflicted with the Plagues of Exodus.

Interpretations in Revelation

Jerusalem is called Egypt in fulfillment of the curse of Deuteronomy 28:60. In this verse, God promises to bring on Israel the plagues of Egypt as punishment for their disobedience. Israel had been disobedient. And as a result, God punished Israel with the seven trumpets and bowls of Revelation, each trumpet and bowl resembling a different plague of Exodus.

9 For three and a half days men from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. 10 The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

Revelation 11:10 Commentary: In John 16:20, Jesus says that the Earth would rejoice over His DeathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God..

In John 16:20, Jesus says that the earth would rejoice over His death: “Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice.” The fact that the earth is depicted rejoicing over the death of the two witnesses is another subtle hint that the two witnesses are Jesus Christ. This blasphemous merriment also points to Jesus in another way. Rather than exchanging gifts at Jesus’ birth as Christians did for many centuries and still do today at Christmas, Jesus’ enemies are depicted in v. 10 exchanging gifts at His death in a dark parody of Christmas. Similar merriment was to be expected at the death of Jesus the son of Ananus—perhaps even more so. But before discussing the people’s reaction to this man’s death, let us first turn our attention to the earth’s general reaction to their dead during the siege of Jerusalem.

A Preterist Interpretation, Exposition and Commentary of Revelation 11:9-10: Because Jesus the son of Ananus was killed in Jerusalem on Passover, Jews from all over the World would have witnessed His Death fulfilling vs. 9-10.

During the Passover of A.D. 70, Jerusalem swarmed with pilgrims. It was at this time that Rome began its attack. As a consequence, thousands of Jews from all over the world were trapped inside the city. The fact that Jews from all over the world converged on Jerusalem during Passover, the holiday in which Jesus the son of Ananus was killed, explains how “men from every people, tribe, language and nation” rejoiced over the death of two witnesses according to Revelation 11:9-10.

The siege of Jerusalem. Hayez, Francesco. The Destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem. 1867. Galleria d’Arte Moderna, Venice.
The people of Jerusalem did not bury

Revelation 11 and the Death of Jesus Son of Ananus

Revelation 11:9-10 Preterist Commentary: Why the People of the Jerusalem almost Certainly Celebrated the Death of Jesus Son of Ananus and likely refused Him the Honor of a Proper Burial.

As the siege progressed and the people of Jerusalem were weakened with disease and famine, those inside the city walls did not bury the dead. As a result, corpses blocked the streets and allies of the city. Jesus the son of Ananus wailed cries of doom for years. Perhaps his fervor lit flickers of doubt in the minds of those who hoped that God would defend their city? The fact that this man was killed at the beginning of the siege45 might have suggested to some that perhaps he had been prophesying lies and was thus stuck down by God–death being the prescribed punishment for false prophets (Deuteronomy 13:5). Seen as a false prophet, Jesus would have almost certainly been refused the honor of a proper burial since his dead body was a sign to all that God was going to save their city. These Jewish rebels would have certainly celebrated their anticipated deliverance only to be confused later by the saintly resurrection they would soon witness.

11 But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.

The Resurrection Parallel

Revelation 11:11-12 Preterist Commentary: “[H]e gave up the Ghost.”

Verse 12 says that the people witnessing the resurrection of the two witnesses heard a voice from heaven. However, some manuscripts read “I heard” meaning John alone heard the voice from heaven telling the two witnesses to come up to heaven.46

According to the New Testament, Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead on the third day. The two witnesses do the same in three and a half days. 1 Corinthians 15:52 says, “For the [last] trumpet will sound, [and] the dead will be raised imperishable.” Jesus the son of Ananus died at the seventh trumpet. Was the seventh trumpet the last trumpet mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:52 when the resurrection was expected to occur?47 After describing the death of Jesus the son of Ananus, Josephus uses the ambiguous expression: “he gave up the ghost.” Could Josephus be hinting at this man’s resurrection as described in the above two verses?

The Ascension Narrative

Revelation 11:12 Preterist Commentary: The Striking similarities between Revelation 11:12 and Acts 1:9-11 suggests that Revelation 11:12 describes the beginning of the ParousiaGreek for “presence”—refers to Christ’s fulfilled return in 70 A.D., not a future event. of A.D. 70.

The following verse, Revelation 11:12, also suggests that the two witnesses are Jesus Christ. Verse 12 reads, “Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, ‘Come up here.’ And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.” This verse is an exact fulfillment of the second coming as it appears to be depicted in Acts 1:9-11:

After he [Jesus] said this, he [Jesus] was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

The resurrection of the two witnesses is an exact mirror of the ascension of Christ in Acts 1:9-11. This implies that the two witnesses are Jesus Christ and that his visible ascension at the arrival of the Roman army in A.D. 70 is the beginning of the parousia of A.D. 70.

In Acts 1:11 the apostles are told that Jesus was going to return just as they saw Him go into heaven. In other words, Acts 1:9-11 suggests that Jesus was to be seen ascending into heaven in the same way that the two witnesses are said to do in v. 12. After the disciples see Jesus ascending into the sky He is then taken from view having been obscured by a cloud. I believe that it was when Jesus was hidden by a cloud that

The Presence of God in Judgment

The judgment accompanying the Parousia began.

The cloud that obscured Jesus in Acts 1:9 and the two witnesses in v. 12 is the Glory Cloud, the often-mentioned sign of the presence of God. In the Old Testament, when the Lord was depicted coming on the clouds in judgment on a wayward kingdom, the Bible implies that the Lord is not generally seen at that time. Though God is only made visible to people in God-given visions, the Bible often implies that the Lord is not seen when He comes in judgment because He is masked by the clouds upon which He rides just as Jesus and the two witnesses were hidden by clouds upon their ascension in Acts 1:9 and Revelation 11:12. These clouds that seem to render God invisible are often said to be storm or rain clouds as stated in Psalm 18:9-11: “He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet. . . . He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—the dark rain clouds of the sky [emphasis mine].”

Dark Storm Clouds

Whenever God was said to come on the clouds in judgment in the Old Testament, this often meant that dark clouds were to hide the brightness of God’s presence in the same way that a cloud hid Jesus from sight during his ascension according to Acts 1:9-11.

In Psalm 18:9-11 cited above it is clear that storm or rain clouds act as a canopy around the Lord hiding His likeness when He comes on the clouds in judgment on a nation just as Jesus was also hidden from view when He entered the cloud at His ascension in Acts 1:9. It, therefore, does not appear to be a coincidence that Josephus tells of a drought that nearly dried up the pool of Siloam as well as all the other springs around Jerusalem before the arrival of the Roman army. Then when Titus arrived with the Roman army in A.D. 70, Josephus says that the water overflowed. In other words, there appears to have been a great rainstorm upon the arrival of the Roman army to besiege Jerusalem in A.D. 70. As stated above, Revelation 11:6 indicates that the two witnesses have the power to stop the rain during the time in which they are prophesying. Josephus says that Jesus the Son of Ananus actively prophesied right up to the moment of his death at the arrival of the Roman army in A.D. 70:

The Prophecy of Jesus the Son of Ananus

This cry of his was the loudest at the festivals; and he continued this ditty for seven years and five months, without growing hoarse, or being tired therewith, until the very time that he saw his presage in earnest fulfilled in our siege, when it ceased; for as he was going round upon the wall, he cried out with his utmost force, “Woe, woe to the city again, and to the people, and to the holy house!” And just as he added at the last, “Woe, woe to myself also!” there came a stone out of one of the engines, and smote him, and killed him immediately; and as he was uttering the very same presages he gave up the ghost.

After Jesus, the two witnesses, ascended into heaven in the full view of his enemies, he was hidden by dark rain clouds triggered by the cessation of his prophesying according to Revelation 11:6. As Jesus rose above the rain clouds he, quite literally, came on the clouds in judgment as he often foretold.

Revelation 11:6 says that the two witnesses have the power to stop it from raining while they are prophesying. Jesus the son of Ananus did not stop predicting doom until he was killed by the above-mentioned stone. After Jesus’ death he presumably rose up to heaven in the sight of all those around him as predicted in Revelation 11:12 and Acts 1:9-11, at that time he was also presumably obscured by a dark rain cloud caused by the termination of his prophesying (Revelation 11:6). Not only does the rain that accompanied the arrival of the Roman army and the concurrent death of Jesus the son of Ananus seem to fulfill Revelation 11:6, it is also a sign of the coming of the Lord on the clouds of heaven (2 Samuel 22:12, Psalm 18:9-11). “He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet."

Significance of the Glory Cloud in Biblical Events

"He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—the dark rain clouds of the sky [emphasis mine].” (Psalm 18:9-11) Thus the rain that occurred presumably at the arrival of the Roman army and the ascension of Jesus the son of Ananus is a sign of the coming of the Lord on the clouds of heaven according to Psalm 18:9-11. Also keep in mind that the arrival of a foreign army is another sign of the coming of the Lord on the clouds in judgment (Psalms 68:7-14, Joel 2:1-11). I believe these rain clouds of the Glory Cloud also obscured Jesus from view after his saintly resurrection and ascension.

The Glory Cloud and its Relation to Jesus Christ and the Two Witnesses

A Preterist Exposition and Commentary of Revelation 11:11-13: The Glory Cloud was Present at the Death and Ascension of Jesus Christ and the Two Witnesses. Is this a Subtle Sign that Jesus Christ is the Two Witnesses? The fact that Jesus Christ is the two witnesses may also be suggested by the similar events surrounding their deaths and ascensions into heaven. Both the death and ascension of the two witnesses and the death and ascension of Christ were marked by the presence of the Glory Cloud. As stated above, the cloud that obscured Jesus in Acts 1:9 and the two witnesses at the time of their ascension in v. 12 is the Glory Cloud, the ultimate sign of the presence of God. This idea is supported by the fact that v. 6 implies that it rained at the death of the two witnesses. And as mentioned above, rain is a sign of the presence of God overhead in the Glory Cloud according to Psalm 18:9-11.

Furthermore, v. 13 mentions an earthquake at the ascension of the two witnesses—another sign of the presence of God on the Glory Cloud according to Joel 2:10: “Before them [an invading army] the earth shakes, the heavens tremble, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine.” Interestingly the “heavens [literally] tremble” as a result of resounding thunder, a common occurrence during a rainstorm. Similarly, the sun, moon, and stars are also generally darkened by thick rain clouds (Ezekiel 32:7) in total fulfillment of Joel 2:10.

The Glory Cloud at Jesus' Crucifixion

The Glory Cloud was also present at the death of Jesus Christ as it is recorded in the Gospels. According to Matthew 27:54 there was an earthquake like that mentioned in Joel 2:10 that shook the earth at the time of Jesus’ death on the cross. Earthquakes are a sign of the presence of God on the Glory Cloud according to Joel 2:10 quoted above. And as was the case in Joel 2:10, the sun was also darkened at the time of the crucifixion. Luke 23:44-45 reads, “It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour, because the sun was obscured.” Notice that Luke 23:44-45 indicates that darkness came over the land because the sun was obscured for three hours. This could not have been a solar eclipse. Solar eclipses do not last three hours. The only phenomenon that could darken the sun and cause darkness for three hours is thick cloud cover like that of the Glory Cloud.

Describing the literal darkness that accompanies the presence of God on the Glory Cloud, Ezekiel 32:7-8 reads, “And when I extinguish you, I will cover the heavens and darken their stars; I will cover the sun with a cloud and the moon will not give its light. All the shining lights in the heavens I will darken over you and will set darkness on your land[.]” Notice that according to Ezekiel 32:7-8, the presence of the Glory Cloud obscures or covers the sun and brings literal darkness over the land as was the case during the crucifixion when according to Luke 23:44-45 darkness fell over the land because the sun was obscured. Could the presence of the Glory Cloud at the death and ascension of Jesus Christ and the death and ascension of the two witnesses be a subtle sign that Jesus Christ is the two witnesses of Revelation 11?

Though there exists no historical record to confirm that Jesus the Son of Ananus was seen rising up to heaven before he was hidden by the Glory Cloud or that rain immediately followed the exact moment of his death or resurrection, I believe that these

Revelation 11 and the Destruction of Jerusalem

Events did occur in light of three facts:

1. Revelation 11 repeatedly suggests that the two witnesses are one man, Jesus Christ.

2. A man with this name is recorded in The Wars of the Jews who acts suspiciously like Jesus Christ, and

3. Jesus the Son of Ananus fulfills the rest of the predictions in Revelation 11 to the letter.

Earthquake and Catapults

13At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. First century Roman catapult. First century Roman catapult.

Revelation 11:13 Preterist Commentary: Boulders Launched from Roman Catapults shake Jerusalem . . . As mentioned above, the Glory Cloud was present at Jesus Christ’s death and ascension. Similarly, an earthquake also marked Jesus’ death on the cross (Matthew 27:54) and subsequent resurrection (Matthew 28:2). Interestingly, in fulfillment of v. 13 there also appears to have been an earthquake at the death of Jesus the son of Ananus. Jesus the son of Ananus was killed by a boulder launched from a Roman catapult during the initial wave of Titus’ assault on Jerusalem. Regarding this assault, Josephus writes:

Now, the stones that were cast [by the Roman catapults] were of the weight of a talent, and were carried two furlongs and farther. The blow they gave was no way to be sustained, not only by those that stood first in the way, but by those that were beyond them for a great space.50 Because of the weight of the stones and the great distance with which they were hurled, when these boulders struck their target they would shake the earth. Perhaps these boulders were partially to blame for the earthquake mentioned in this verse?

Shaking of the Earth

The shaking of the earth in apocalyptic imagery is a description of the earth or kingdom trembling or shaking in fear at the coming of God’s punishing army. The shaking of the earth in apocalyptic imagery is a description of the earth or kingdom trembling or shaking in fear at the coming of God’s punishing army.

Revelation 11:13 Commentary: Joel 2:1-10 Suggests Another Interesting Way in which the Earth Shakes at the Approach of a Besieging Army. Though there appears to have been a literal shaking of the earth at the death of Jesus the son of Ananus from boulders launched by Roman catapults, as implied in Joel 2:1-10 the earth is also said to shake when the people of the earth tremble and shake in fear at the approach of a besieging army. See How and Why Prophecies with Apocalyptic Imagery May Have Been Fulfilled in Old Testament History Much More Literally than Previously Thought.

Temple's Fall and Roman Siege

The temple in Jerusalem was one-tenth of the size or the city of Jerusalem. The Temple was one-tenth of the size of Jerusalem when its walls were finally completed in A.D. 66, at the start of the Jewish Revolt.

A Preterist Interpretation, Exposition, and Commentary of Revelation 11:13: The Fact “a Tenth of the City collapsed” in v. 13 was Fulfilled in the Fall of the Temple which occupied a Tenth of the City of Jerusalem. Furthermore, Josephus Records a similar Number of Casualties at the Fall of the Temple as that Mentioned in v. 13.

The fact that “a tenth of the city collapsed” in v. 13 was also the result of the Roman siege of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. This verse was fulfilled in the destruction of the Temple. Upon breaking into the temple fortress, the Romans immediately set the Temple on fire. As illustrated in the picture above, the Temple occupied approximately one-tenth of the total size of the city of Jerusalem upon the completion of its walls in A.D. 66, at the start of the Jewish Revolt.

Josephus estimates the circumference of the walls surrounding Jerusalem during the siege of A.D. 70 at 33 stadia.51 Edward Gibbon in his book The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire believes Josephus’ estimate of Jerusalem’s circumference to be unlikely: “[T]the 27 stadia, to my mind, are, on all the data we have at present, more probable than the 33 of Josephus.”52 A stadia is approximately 607ft. Thus a total city circumference of 27 stadia is approximately 3.104 miles. Since the city was roughly rectangular in shape this circumference approximates the total area of Jerusalem during the siege of A.D. 70 at approximately .5781 square miles.53 The circumference of the Herod’s Temple was measured by F.J. Hollis at 929ft to the

Revelation 11:13 and the Destruction of the Temple

South, 1041ft to the north, 1556ft to the east, and 1596ft to the west.54 This gives the Temple an average length of 985 ft (.18655 miles) and width of 1576 ft (.2985 miles) or an area of .05569 square miles. Thus the area of the Temple at .05569 square miles/ the area of Jerusalem at .5781 square miles=.0963 or roughly 1/10th of the total area of the entire city. Thus v. 13 was fulfilled in the destruction of the Temple.

Preterist Explanation of Revelation 11:13: The Seven Thousand Killed in Revelation 11:13 were likely fulfilled in the Roughly Ten Thousand Casualties Josephus Mentions when the Romans Seized the Temple in A.D. 70.

The Significance of Seven Thousand Casualties

Verse 13 then goes on to say that “[s]even thousand people were killed” at this time. Appearing to confirm this fact, Josephus says that ten thousand Jews were killed when the Romans seized the Temple.55 The ten thousand casualties mentioned by Josephus appears to me to be a rounded-off estimate of the seven thousand mentioned in v. 13.56

Revelation 11:13 Commentary: Both the Death of Jesus the Son of Ananus and the Fall of the Temple occurred in the "Last Hour."

Jesus the son of Ananus died at the start of the siege of Jerusalem and the Temple fell to the Romans about four months later. How could both interpretations be true if immediately after mentioning the death and resurrection of the two witnesses in v. 12, v. 13 then mentions the fall of the Temple as having occurred “[a]t that very hour”? The word “hour” used in Revelation 11:13 is the Greek word hora. This word is used ten times throughout the Apocalypse. Eight out of the ten times in which hora appears in Revelation it seems to clearly symbolize the five-month siege of Jerusalem (Revelation 3:10; 14:7; 15; 17:12; 18:10; 17; 19). Furthermore, the Bible sometimes refers to the end of the ageThe close of the old covenant era, fulfilled in 70 A.D.—not the end of the world. as simply the last hora or hour as is the case in 1 John 2:18. Thus it is not surprising that Revelation mentions the death of the two witness and the fall of the Temple as having occurred in the same hora or hour even though these events were likely four months apart.

Responses to Catastrophe

Revelation 11:13 Preterist Commentary: "And the Survivors were Terrified and gave Glory to the God of Heaven."

Revelation 11:13 ends with the survivors being terrified and giving glory to God. Who were these survivors? I believe these survivors are represented in the following chapter by the woman of Revelation 12 who was kept safe from the dragon. They are the Christian saints who fled to Pella at the start of the Jewish revolt and as a result, of course, survived the war.57 See the preterist commentary on Revelation 12. These Christians presumably gave glory to God because they had been persecuted by the Jews of Jerusalem and unlike many of the martyrs under the altar of Revelation 6:9-11, these saints had survived the persecution instituted in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1). Because of its long history of persecuting the saints, Jerusalem was punished during the war with Rome at the end of the age (Matthew 23:27-38; 27:25; Luke 13:33). The plagues of Revelation were for the purpose of martyr vindication as the martyrs prayed for vengeance for their unjust deaths in Revelation 6:9-11. The fact that Jerusalem had been punished for her crimes in answer to the prayers of the saints in Revelation 6:9-11 is why “the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.”

14 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon. 15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.” 16 And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshipped God, 17 saying: “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. 18 The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great—and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”

The Allusion to Psalm 2

Revelation 11:18 Preterist Commentary: Revelation 11:8 is an Allusion to Psalm 2.

Messianic Prophecy and Revelation 11: The Two Witnesses

In Revelation 11:18 “the nations were angry[.]” The anger of the nations mentioned in v. 18 is an allusion to Psalm 2 which is a Messianic prophecy concerning the conspiring of the nations against the Messiah. Psalm 2:1 opens as follows: “Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans [emphasis mine]?”58 The anger of the nations which alludes to a Messianic prophecy in v. 8 is still more evidence that Jesus is the two witnesses.

Revelation 11:14-18

In the above verses, Jesus inherits dominion over the world, ruling at the right hand of God on a heavenly throne. In v. 15, the seventh and possibly the last trumpet is blown which according to 1 Corinthians 15:52, announces the resurrection of the dead. Therefore, the resurrection of the dead is described in verses 14-18.

19 Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightening, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm.

Entry of the Ark into the Temple and Its Fulfillment

In this verse, God’s temple in heaven is opened and within is seen the ark of his covenant. I believe the Ark of the Covenant is a symbol of Christ and His kingdom. Thus the entry of the ark into the temple is fulfilled in the resurrection of the dead. The events described in this verse correspond concurrently with Revelation 16:18-21 and will be discussed in greater detail there. In the next chapter, John is given a new vision of a war in heaven and conflict on the earth below. And once again, his predictions unfold with startling accuracy.

For an explanation of the other appearances and manifestations of Christ during and shortly after the Jewish War see Historical Evidence that Jesus was LITERALLY SEEN in the Clouds in the First Century. For an explanation of how the end of the age and its fulfillment during the Jewish War mirror Genesis 1-3; how the Bible teaches that the resurrection of the dead is a resurrection of heavenly bodies to heaven, not a resurrection of perfected earthly bodies; and how the resurrection is a mirror opposite of the fall see How the Jewish War and Resurrection to Heaven Mirror Genesis and the Fall; and How Preterism fixes the Age of the Earth Problem and unravels the Mysteries in Genesis.

Interested in THE PRETERIST VIEW OF ESCHATOLOGY, or are you a preterist struggling with a prophecy or verse? It DID happen just like the Bible says! If you liked this essay, see PRETERIST BIBLE COMMENTARY for a detailed explanation of the FULFILLMENT OF ALL MAJOR END TIME PROPHECIES IN THE BIBLE. The more unbelievable the prophecy, the more amazing and miraculous the fulfillment!

Commentary on Revelation 11: Conclusion

In the above commentary on Revelation 11, the reader was exposed to compelling Biblical and historical evidence that as king and high priest, Jesus was the sole embodiment of the two witnesses and had returned to Jerusalem to fulfill all the predictions of Revelation 11 during the Jewish War in the first century.

A Preterist Commentary on Revelation 11

This is believed by many Biblical scholars to be the approximate length of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus Christ was killed by the chief priests and Pharisees in a conspiracy designed to prevent Jesus from becoming king of the Jews. (John 11:45-53) Isaiah 53:7. David Chilton, The Days of Vengeance: An Exposition of the Book of RevelationA symbolic prophecy fulfilled in 70 A.D.—not a prediction of future global events. (Dallas, GA: Dominion Press, 2011), 264. Isbon Beckwith, The Apocalypse of John (New York: Macmillan, 1919), 777. David Chilton, The Days of Vengeance: An Exposition of the Book of Revelation (Dallas, GA: Dominion Press, 2011), 265. Ibid., 264. Dennis LaValley, Revelation: Beyond the Cross, 3rd ed. (2014), 226-227. Josephus The Wars of the Jews 6.5.3. Perhaps the seven years and five month period mentioned by Josephus is based on the Gregorian calendar? According to modern church tradition, Jesus’ ministry lasted three and a half years; however, it is not known whether or not Jesus began His ministry on the Feast of Tabernacles. Mark 1:45; John 11:54. This was in fulfillment of Isaiah 53:7. Phillip Carrington, The Meaning of Revelation, (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2007), 244-245.

The Role of the Four Winds

I believe the angels of the four winds are the four angels bound at the Euphrates (Revelation 9:14) who are ultimately responsible for setting in motion the fall of Jerusalem at the seventh trumpet. If this is true, the fact that Jesus the son of Ananus claims to be a “voice from the four winds” explains why he incessantly repeats “Woe to Jerusalem” as the four winds, I believe, are responsible for the fall of this great metropolis. Josephus The Antiquities of the Jews 20.9.1. Eusebius The History of the Church 2.23. This quote by Josephus is not in current manuscripts but is also quoted by Origen.

The Definitive Parousia

The definitive parousia is described in Daniel 7:13-14. In these verses, Christ comes on the clouds of heaven to receive His heavenly crown. The name Moses means “drawing out (of the water), rescued.” (Pamela McQuade and Paul Kent, The Dictionary of Bible Names (Uhrichsville, O.H.: Barbour Publishing, 2009), 271.) Of course, this name calls to mind the rescuing of the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt as is symbolically depicted in the miracle of the parting of the Red Sea. The freeing of the descendants of Israel from slavery in Egypt is a prophetic type of the resurrection of the dead at the last trumpet. In v. 11, the two witnesses, who have the power of Moses, rise from the dead. Their resurrection immediately precedes the resurrection of the saints from Sheol at the last trumpet depicted in vs. 15-19. Like Moses leading the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land, Christ leads the departed spirits in slavery to sinMissing the mark of faith and love—no punishment, just lost growth or peace. out of Hades to receive their inheritance in the Promised Land that is above–heaven. Isbon Beckwith, The Apocalypse of John (New York: Macmillan, 1919), 594.

According to John 1, the Word of God is a title for Jesus Christ, the bodily manifestation of the Law and the prophets. See Deuteronomy 28:15-68: A Preterist Commentary. Having occurred in the same generation as the second coming, I believe Jesus’s life, death and resurrection are also considered end time prophecy. Josephus The Wars of the Jews 2.19; 6.9.2. Cestius departed from Jerusalem shortly after briefly besieging the city. However, the Roman army returned in A.D. 70, and Jerusalem fell several months later. The fact that the Jews of Judea were removed from Israel after the war suggests that they were regarded as Gentiles in God’s eyes and therefore unworthy to live in the Promised Land. This idea is given greater support in v. 8 where Jerusalem is called Sodom and Egypt: two Gentile kingdoms. Dr. Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr., The Beast of Revelation, (Powder Springs, GA: The American Vision, Inc., 2002), 155. Josephus The Wars of the Jews 7.1.2. Josephus indicates that Jesus began his

The Historical Context of Jesus the Son of Ananus

Ministry at the Feast of Tabernacles in A.D. 62 and continued until he was killed at the start of the siege of Jerusalem in Passover of A.D. 70. This is a period of seven years and six months. And since this man was not seen by anyone for four years until the start of the war, that means that Jesus the son of Ananus preached openly for three and a half years beginning sometime amidst the feast of Tabernacles in A.D. 66 when the 12th legion threatened to besiege Jerusalem until sometime around Passover of A.D. 70 when the Roman siege of Jerusalem truly began.

The festival of Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles are each about a week long. From the middle of the Feast of Tabernacles until the middle of Passover are 1268 or 1269 days apart. This 1260-day interval is technically 42 months long, though it is almost 43 months in length (1268 or 1269 days). There were likely to be 43 months between the middle of Passover of A.D. 70 and the Feast of Tabernacles of A.D. 66 since a 29 or 30-day leap month was likely added sometime in this three and a half year interval to prevent seasonal overlap.

Zechariah's Vision and Its Symbolism

It is also possible that the lampstand of Zechariah 4 symbolizes YHWH or more precisely God’s spiritual presence in the Temple. In Zechariah 4, Zechariah sees a vision of two olive trees beside a lampstand. In Zechariah 4:11-14, the two olive trees are said to symbolize “two anointed ones” who are clearly identified in Zechariah 3 and 4 as Zerubbabel and Joshua—the king and high priest respectively. The lampstand in between the two olive trees is implied in Zechariah 4:14 to signify YHWH, “the Lord of the whole earth” as the two olive trees standing by the lampstand are said to represent “two anointed ones,” the king and high priest, who stand beside the “Lord of the whole earth” as the two olive trees stand beside the lampstand: “These are the two anointed ones [olive trees] who are standing beside the Lord of the whole earth [lampstand].” (Zechariah 4:14.) (GOD’S WORD translation.) Thus, if the lampstand represents YHWH and His spiritual presence in the Temple, this fact again points to Jesus who is “Lord of the whole earth.”

In Biblical Greek, it is true that the singular tense is sometimes used when the plural tense is intended (James 3:3; Revelation 13:16; 2 Corinthians 1:12; 6:11; Romans 8:16, 26). Perhaps this shift to the singular tense is one example of this? However, I believe this shift from plural to singular may have been intended to further imply the fact that the two witnesses are actually one person, the Messiah. King James 2000 Bible. NET Bible.

The Power and Spirit of Elijah

According to 2 Kings 2, the first person to inherit the power and spirit of Elijah was Elisha, Elijah’s friend and contemporary. Because Elijah and Elisha lived at the same time, Elisha could not have been the reincarnation of Elijah. In the same way, just because the two witnesses were said to have the power and spirit of Elijah also does not mean that they were the reincarnation of the prophet. This fact is implied in John 1:21. Here John the Baptist denies being Elijah despite having the power and spirit of Elijah as indicated by Jesus in Matthew 17. John, like Elisha, has the power and spirit of Elijah but is not actually Elijah himself.

Josephus The Wars of the Jews 6.5.3. The drought induced by the two witnesses fulfills the curse of Deuteronomy 28:22. The fact that these two witnesses have the power to fulfill the Law makes them a kind of embodiment of the Law itself. Josephus The Wars of the Jews 5.9.4. Ibid., 4.4.5. See Revelation 8: A Preterist Commentary, Revelation 9: A Preterist Commentary–Who is Apollyon? and Revelation 16: A Preterist Commentary.

In v. 7 the two witnesses become martyrs. “[I]ndeed, the two words are the same in Greek.” Phillip Carrington, The Meaning of Revelation, (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2007), 189. Cassius Dio Roman History 66.1. Josephus The Wars of the Jews 6.5.3. NASB. NKJV. Verse 8 is sometimes translated “where also their Lord was crucified.” The their in v. 8 appears to refer to the people who killed the two witnesses, not the two witnesses themselves, as Jesus Christ is Lord of all whether righteous or wicked. John Noe, Ph.D., The Greater Jesus.

Analysis of Historical Texts

His glorious unveiling, (Indianapolis: East2West Press, 2012), 95. See Revelation 8: A Preterist Commentary, Revelation 9: A Preterist Commentary–Who is Apollyon? and Revelation 16: A Preterist Commentary. Josephus The Wars of the Jews 6.5.3. Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Revelation, rev. ed. (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1997), 223.

Key Biblical and Historical References

Revelation 11:15. Josephus The Wars of the Jews 5.9.4. Ibid., 6.5.3. Ibid., 5.6.3.

Josephus The Wars of the Jews 5.4.3. Some translations read furlongs which is similar in length to stadia. However, furlongs did not exist at the time in which The Wars of the Jews was written. Edward Gibbon, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Vol. 2, (E. P. Dutton & Company, 1914), 381.

27 stadia X 607ft/1stadia=16.389 ft or 3.104 miles. Since the outer walls of the city of Jerusalem roughly approximated the rectangular proportions of the Temple, a circumference of 3.104 miles would give an average length of .6208 miles and an average width of .9312 miles. .6208 X .9312 = .5781 square miles.

Historical Commentary

F.J. Hollis, The Archaeology of Herod’s Temple: With a Commentary on the Tractate Middoth, (London, 1934), cited in John M. Lundquist, The Temple of Jerusalem: Past, Present, and Future, (Greenwood Publishing Group, 2008), 103. Josephus The Wars of the Jews 6.5.1.

Arthur M. Ogden, The Avenging of the Apostles and Prophets: Commentary on Revelation, (Pinson, AL: Ogden Publications, 2006), 255-257. Eusebius The History of the Church 3.5. NLT.