When studying Revelation, we constantly need to realize that we are not reading future history out of a newspaper but are learning the spiritual realities of our present age through a visionary-prophetic picture book. It is especially necessary to stress this approach today, when many Christians do not even try to understand Revelation because of the confusing teaching they have heard. Yet the visions provided to John in Revelation should be as familiar to believers as Jesus’ well-known parables, such as those of the prodigal son, and the Good Samaritan. An example is the vision of the dragon, the woman, and the child in Revelation 12. This dramatization of spiritual warfare in the church age should provide an easy-to-understand mental picture to all Bible believers. This vision shows how Satan failed to destroy Jesus in His first coming and that now Satan vainly rages against the church in anger over his inevitable failure.

Another principle to remember is that Revelation’s symbols must be interpreted not from speculations about current events but from parallels in the Old Testament. An example is seen in the final statement of chapter 12, “And he [the dragon] stood on the sand of the sea” (Rev 12:17). The reader familiar with Old Testament imagery expects some dreadful evil to appear, since the sea is the realm of chaos and rebellion, a virtual synonym for the Abyss of hell. The vision of chapter 11 earlier spoke of “the beast that rises from the bottomless pit,” who makes war on the witnessing church (11:7). Now that same warfare will be depicted from the enemy perspective, as John watches. He records, “And I saw a beast rising out of the sea” (13:1).

The prophet Daniel received a vision showing four beasts who represented evil imperial powers on earth. Daniel’s beasts represented the empires of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome that would successively rise in history (Dan. 7:1-8). Each of these kingdoms would harm God’s people, but be ultimately supplanted by Christ. Daniel was told that “the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever” (Dan. 7:18).

As John presents a beast like Daniel’s, he sees him rising out of the dark water, describing each part as it breaks the surface (Rev. 13:1). Like Daniel’s fourth beast, which represented imperial Rome, this beast has ten horns (Dan. 7:7). Like the dragon of Revelation 12, this beast has seven heads, ten horns, and royal diadems (Rev. 12:3). These parallels connect this beast with the Roman Empire and identify him as a servant who wields Satan’s might.

John described this beast as having “ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads” (v. 1). These give the general impression of the beast as coming with powers, rulers, and thrones under his control. In Daniel’s vision, the fourth beast’s ten horns represented kings who would rise (Dan 7:24). The fact that these horns each wear diadems confirms that they are royal persons. The beast has crowns on his horns, whereas the dragon of Revelation 12 had crowns on his head, which suggests that this indicates that while the dragon is the king of the evil empire, the beast is the military arm of the king. The “blasphemous names on its head” points to false claims to deity made by earthly rulers. The Roman emperors gave themselves the titles of lord, savior, son of God, and lord and god.

As the beast rises further, John describes it more fully in verse 2. This description combines the different beasts of Daniel’s vision, each of which emphasized separate kingdoms. This beast, therefore, is a composite of all the beasts that Daniel saw. This suggests that John’s beast is greater than any of the individual empires, even that of Rome. The beast from the sea represents all the empires throughout human history that have stood against God and His people. The fact that this beast exercises authority for forty-two months (v. 5), that is, for the entirety of the church age, shows that this beast represents more than the ancient Rome that persecuted the churches of John’s time – it represents the entirety of violent earthly empires that oppose Christ’s kingdom and people.

The question may be raised whether this beast from the sea should be equated with the Antichrist. The answer is yes, if the Antichrist is biblically understood. The term is used only in the epistles of John, where the apostle spoke of those who opposed the revelation of Jesus (1 John 2:18). This verse states that the Antichrist is a figure who will appear in the end, but who is represented throughout church history by many who are like him. John added that “every spirit that does not confess Jesus, is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already” (1 John 4:3; see also 2 John 7). This spirit is exemplified in the beast from the sea, which “was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words (v. 5). Paul’s teaching in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 indicated that there would be an ultimate Antichrist before Christ returned, whom he named as the “man of lawlessness.” Yet he is represented throughout the church age by blasphemous powers in opposition to Christ.

One of the most significant features of the beast in Revelation 13 is the way he parodies the death and resurrection of Jesus. In Revelation, Christ wears “many diadems” (Rev. 19:12), so the beast has his many crowns; Christ has a worthy name written on Him (19:12), so the beast bears blasphemous names; Christ has people “from every tribe and language and people and nation” (5:9), so the beast assumes power “over every tribe and people and language and nation (13:7); Christ is worshiped together with God (7:10), so the beast demands false worship together with Satan (13:4). In keeping with these counterfeits, John says of the beast: “One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast” (Rev. 13:3).

John informs us that the beast has two main agendas. The first is the gathering of false worship to himself and through himself to Satan (13:4). Christians can identify the false worship of Satan and his beast when it derives from raw power and earthly glory, acting contrary to God’s Word and drawing people away from faith in Jesus. Whenever we are called to give unquestioned allegiance and worship to a human ruler, we should see him as the beast behind which stands Satan in his desperate bid to usurp God’s throne. This is not to say that all government is evil. Paul used his Roman citizenship and was often helped by honest Roman officials. The beast is seen when government takes the place of God in our lives. When the government is set forth as “the remedy for all ills – economic, social, medical, moral, and even spiritual” – then the idolatry of the state usurps the place reserved for God alone.

John records his vision of the beast to warn believers of what to expect, starting with the churches of Asia that faced the bestial Roman emperor Domitian. John concludes with three applications: first, our source of hope; second, our calling in persecution; and third, the victory we win through perseverance in faith.

Where can Christians find hope for salvation against so dreadful a beast, who exercises worldwide dominion and authority? The answer is in the sovereign God who has ultimate dominion and authority over this world, over Satan and his beast, and over our lives. With God’s sovereign will providing hope to suffering Christians, John next directs us to our humble calling (v. 10). Christ’s people are told that we can expect persecution. This calling does not preclude us from taking prudent steps to avoid persecution, but it does mean that when persecution comes, Christians must embrace it with faith and a resolve to do God’s will.

John concludes this passage with one of Revelation’s many stirring appeals to perseverance in faith despite all affliction: “Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints” (v. 10). Satan and his beast, together with their followers, think us defeated when we are put down in persecution, yet through perseverance in faith Christians have victory through Jesus Christ. Christ comes to His faithful suffering people with blessing and power. When we possess Christ by faith, despite all persecution, we gain eternal life, justification by grace, adoption as God’s children, and an inheritance in glory. With these eternal blessings we also have His daily help, when we refuse to yield to the beast but persevere in faith.

Revelation 13:1-10 Study Questions:

What does John see rising out of the sea next to the dragon and how does he describe it (vv. 1-2)?

This passage draws heavily on a section from the Old Testament that was hugely popular in the first century. Read Daniel 7:2-8. What similarities and differences do you see between Daniel 7 and Revelation 13?

In verses 3-4, how do the inhabitants of the earth respond to the beast? Why does the beast make life miserable for the people of God (vv. 5-8)?

The last verse of this section may reflect John’s sober realism when contemplating the scene he has now drawn. Some people are going to be taken captive, while others are going to be killed with the sword. John says in verse 10 that our proper response to this harsh reality is to be patient and have faith. What does it look like to live this way in such circumstances?

Verses 1-6 introduced the players in this holy war, showing how God overcame the devil through the birth and the saving ministry of Christ. Starting in verse 7, the vision continues by showing the devil’s ongoing warfare against believers. Satan suffered a terrible defeat in the coming of Christ so that his activities are curtailed. Nonetheless, he continues to rage with the resources he has left in the spiritual warfare that marks this age between the first and second comings of Christ.

According to verse 7, not only does spiritual warfare take place on the earth between Christ and His people and Satan and his servants, but there is also warfare in the spiritual realm of angels. Verses 7-8 describe this long-foretold holy war. To understand this passage, we must realize that this battle took place during the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, culminating with His ascension into heaven. Verse 13 reports that after the dragon “had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.” This means that the dragon was cast down just before the church age. Jesus’ victory on the cross, crowned with His ascension to heaven’s throne, defeated Satan and his army, after which “there was no longer any place for them in heaven… and Satan…was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him” (vv. 8-9).

What does it mean for Satan to be “thrown down” put out of heaven? Verse 10 answers that “the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before God.” Christ has silenced Satan’s attempts to accuse Christians before God. When Jesus completed His redemptive work for sinners and took His place on God’s throne, Satan no longer could come before God to criticize the saints. Jesus is there now, where Satan at one time could walk in and out before God. Jesus is there now as our advocate rather than Satan as our accuser (see Job 1:6-12).

Given the emphasis of this passage, it is important for Christians to understand how Christ defeated our accuser and how we overthrow him today. Verse 11 tells us not only that Christ defeated Satan but that His people routed the dragon: “And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” Satan’s warfare of accusation against believers has been defeated by the blood of Christ and by our gospel witness.

First it is by Christ’s blood that believers overthrow the accusations of the devil. The reason that Satan appeared in heaven to accuse us was that he was seeking our eternal condemnation under God’s law. Before Jesus’ death, Satan had a good case against God’s people. If you have believed in Jesus Christ, Satan has likewise lost the ability to accuse you in the court of God’s justice. It isn’t that you haven’t sinned, for you have. But as 1 John 1:7 puts it, “the blood of Jesus [God’s] Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Second, Christians conquer by “the word of their testimony (v. 11). Satan wants news of his defeat kept as quiet as possible! But when Christians spread the good news of forgiveness in Christ, Satan’s power is diminished. Satan has a hold over our family members and friends by the accusation in their consciences that they can never be accepted by God. Christians conquer this diabolical warfare by telling the truth of Christ’s saving blood. After Jesus sent out His evangelists, they came back rejoicing that they had cast out demons (Luke 10:17). We, too, wield power against Satan’s kingdom whenever we testify to the good news of Christ’s saving work.

Third, Christians conquer because “they loved not their lives even unto death” (v. 11). Since Christ has saved us by His blood, we not only proclaim the gospel but hold onto it for our salvation even to the point of death. We embrace all manner of suffering for Christ’s sake, including the daily battle with sin to which we are called in our sanctification. It’s not easy to suffer for Christ in this present evil age, but a true believer will endure anything rather than give up his or her faith in Jesus. Without the gospel, when you stand before God, all Satan’s accusations will ring true, and you will be damned with Satan. This points out how important it is that each of us should confess our sin, trust in Jesus, and be cleansed at His cross. Satan wants to accuse you before God, and he has all the evidence he could possibly need. The only way for you to be delivered from the eternal wrath of God is to turn to Jesus, receive in faith His death on the cross for your sins, and then live forever by trusting in His gospel.

The final verses of Revelation 12 explain the situation of Christians and the church after the ascension of Jesus into heaven, showing two results in our present age from Christ’s victory. The first is the eternal rejoicing of heaven and its inhabitants, and the second is the temporary suffering of the church. Christ’s victory causes praise and rejoicing in heaven (vv. 10-12), but Satan’s fall to the earth causes us temporary suffering in this present age (v. 12). The final section of chapter 12 depicts Satan’s attempt to afflict the church on earth, since he can no longer accuse Christians in heaven (v. 13). Satan seeks to harm believers in time because he cannot touch eternity; he seeks to thwart our earthly solicitude because he cannot thwart Christ’s saving of our souls. Satan is livid about his defeat and hates nothing more than believers in Christ who obey God’s Word and witness to the gospel (v. 17).

Satan persecutes the church here on earth not because he thinks he can take away our salvation but because he knows that he cannot. The devil is driven by pure malice in the face of certain defeat. However disturbing it is to contemplate his malice; its futility is still encouraging to suffering Christians when friends or governments unrighteously turn against us, when false accusations hurt us, or when we are treated unfairly because of our faith! Through Christ’s blood and the word of our testimony, we have the victory above, and for this reason we suffer Satan’s attack here on earth. Persecution for Christ’s sake thus shows that we belong to the Savior whom the world crucified so long ago, but who has already conquered.

Finally, John was shown visions drawing from Old Testament imagery that show God’s protection and provision for the woman during the dragon’s persecution (v. 14). The Old Testament often spoke of God’s carrying His people to safety on wings of eagles (Ex. 19:4-6; Deut. 32:10-11). This symbolizes God’s supernatural intervention to deliver the church from danger. As we have seen many times in our studies, “a time, times, and half a time” equals three and half years, which symbolizes the tribulation of the church throughout this present age. God not only brings His people to safety, but causes our faith to be nourished, primarily through the heavenly manna of His Word.

Yet Satan still attempts to rage (v. 16). Satan’s deceits are like a flood that would drown us, just as Pharaoh sought to drown Israel in the Red Sea waters, but God intervenes to save us. Revelation 1:16 spoke of a “sharp two-edged sword” that came from Jesus’ mouth, speaking of His gospel message; in contrast, the flood coming from Satan’s mouth highlights the false teaching by which he wants to sweep away the unsettled and unwary. However, if we will daily embrace the cross-bearing death of Jesus, giving our testimony to His salvation, we will conquer “by the blood of the Lamb” (v. 11).

Revelation 12:7-17 Study Questions:

Who was involved in the war that breaks out in heaven (v. 7)?

What happens to the dragon and his angels after the war (vv. 8-9)?

If the war has taken place in heaven, why are the Lamb’s people on earth given credit for the victory instead of Michael or God himself (v. 11)?

What does the dragon do once he is thrown down to earth (vv. 13, 15)?

What spiritual accusations beset you, your community or God’s people as a whole today?

What hope and strength does this chapter give as we face those challenges?

Chapter 12 begins the second half of Revelation. The first half provided general overviews of history. We saw the world’s opposition to the gospel, Christ’s judgments on the wicked nations, and our calling to persevere in faith. The second half of Revelation homes in on the chief characters in the spiritual warfare taking place behind the scenes. The primary enemy is Satan, the dragon. He is aided by two beasts, the harlot Babylon, and the people who bear the mark of the beast. One by one, these figures are introduces in chapters 12-15, and one by one their defeat and judgment is shown in chapters 16-20.

Located as it is in the center of the book, Revelation 12 is considered by many scholars as the central and key vision. It depicts the decisive conflict between the church, the devil, and the royal child, Jesus Christ. Here is provided the background of spiritual conflict behind Jesus’ words of great assurance, given on the night before His victory on the cross: “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

The first half of the book of Revelation concludes with the vision of the opening of God’s temple to reveal the Ark of the Covenant, symbolizing the believers’ access into God’s presence, accompanied with lightning, thunder, and hail. As the book was being read aloud to its first recipients, there would likely have been a pause. So with the previous vision still lingering in the air, John continues: “And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars (v. 1). The previous vision’s having concluded with heaven opened, the new vision begins with a depiction of the glorious church.

John makes it clear that this is not an actual woman but rather a symbol, referring to her as a “sign” that he saw in heaven. John says in verse 17 that this woman’s children include all “who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.” The woman, therefore, is the covenant community of God’s faithful people, through whom God brought His Son, the long-promised Savior, into the world. She includes both Old Testament Israel and the New Testament church, the people of God living both before and after Christ’s coming. Thus, this glorious woman not only gives birth to the Messiah but continues having children after His ascension.

In a world scarred by mankind’s fall into sin, childbearing always involves painful travail. So it is for the covenant mother: “She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth” (v. 2). This statement summarizes the entire history of Israel, with all the travails, until finally the long-promised Messiah was born.

This vision of the heavenly woman also reminds us of the mission of the church. She is clothed in light, and we are to shine forth with the light of God’s Word. She is holy, and we are to be conformed not to the world but to the character of our Lord. Her mission is to deliver Christ, and our mission is to proclaim Him as Lord and Savior. The church does not exist to provide a variety of human services to the world but to cause Christ to be born in sinners’ hearts so that they may be saved. The church is the mother to God’s covenant children, and we are to raise them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. There were travails for Israel before Christ was born, and there are afflictions for the church in this present age. But we are precious to God, radiant in His redemptive purpose, and He is the strong, loving, and faithful Father who will keep the mother of all His children safe.

Chapter 12 presents what may be regarded as history’s primary explanation, a great spiritual conflict raging behind the scenes. Verse 3 presents a mighty and terrible monster at war with Christ. Beneath all the action on the surface of history is a great spiritual enemy seeking to destroy the church. John identifies him in verse 9 as “that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan.” John sees Satan as a great red dragon, the color evidently standing for bloodshed and murder. Jesus said, “He was a murder from the beginning” (John 8:44).

The dragon is further seen “with seven heads and ten horns and on his head seven diadems” (v. 3). In ancient mythology, the many headed dragon seemed impossible to defeat. Likewise, Satan has heads and fangs in many places of worldly influence, and he acts with shocking dexterity. To thwart him in one arena is to find him attacking in another. Along with the seven heads are “ten horns.” In the Bible, horns symbolize strength, and the ten horns speak of the strength of evil in this world under the devil’s power. The “seven diadems” on his heads are not like the laurel crown of victory worn by the woman but are crowns on his usurped earthly dominion. Paul thus described Satan as “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience” (Eph. 2:2). Satan does not serve but only rules. His crowns are the iron crowns of tyranny.

John is told that the dragon’s “tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth” (v. 4). This vision symbolizes the arrogant aims of his warfare on earth against the church. This same language was used in Daniel 8:10 of Antiochus Epiphanes, the great persecutor of the Jews. The point seems to be that Satan intends for his malicious actions on earth to do damage in heaven. The dragon attacks God’s order and rule. He assaults heaven itself, symbolized by the effect on the heavenly bodies.

The third figure introduced in the vision is this all-important Savior (v. 5). In describing Christ, John alludes to Psalm 2, which says that though the nations rage against God’s anointed One; God enthrones His Son and grants Him possession of the nations. “You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel” (Ps. 2:9), God declares. Echoing this language, the woman bears a male child who “is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron” (Rev. 12:5). The nations belong to Christ as the field of His gospel harvest. We either submit adoringly to Him as Lord and Savior or fall under His rod of judgment; moreover, His rod protects the church as a shepherd defends his flock against the wild beasts.

In John’s vision, the woman’s “child was caught up to God and to his throne” (v. 5). At the very cusp of Satan’s apparent triumph, with Jesus lying dead in the grave, God raised His Son from Satan’s clutches and exalted Him in power, causing the devil’s strategy to collapse in defeat. John will elaborate further details of the holy war as the chapter continues, but the opening vision connects with us now by telling what happens to the woman after her child was born and taken up safely to God’s throne (v. 6).

Verse 6 makes three vital applications for us today. The first is that Christians must not think of this present world as home, for now is the time of our wilderness journey. This life is a time of testing in preparation for our true home when Christ returns. The world under the devil’s power is hostile to faithful Christians. Christians must therefore be spiritually strong and biblically wary, for behind earthly opposition and moral perversity stand spiritual forces of evil, led by Satan himself. Our spiritual warfare relies on the spiritual resources of prayer, God’s Word, and holy lives. Our calling from God is not to overthrow the spiritual powers of darkness, for we are not slayers of the dragon. Rather we are simply to stand against him.

Second, verse 6 emphasizes God’s care for the woman who fled into the desert. We have seen that 1,260 days, or forty-two months symbolizes a period of trial and tribulation. This duration depicts the church age, the limited period prescribed by God during which believers suffer affliction. But notice as well that the wilderness is designed by God as a place of safety for the woman. By stepping away from the ungodliness of the world, Christians are preserved from ravages of sin.

Finally, we are to remember that our enemy is a defeated foe. This knowledge makes a difference in our fight. The child of the woman has come. He has conquered sin and Satan on the cross and risen to heaven with the Father. He has promised to return and end the war in total victory. There are still battles, some of them bloody and painful, that God’s people must fight. You and I must take hard stands that may prove costly. But we stand for Jesus, not only grateful for His love but certain of His victory in the end.

How inspiring it is in the trials, failures, and sorrows of this life to be shown the glorious vision of how God sees the church, clothed in glory and crowned with stars! How wondrous it is to realize that history consists of the struggle of the child to be born and His victory over the terrible dragon; and how solemn it is to realize that we have a place in this titanic struggle. Christ, the Lamb, has conquered by His blood. What significance we find for our lives if we stand firm in faith and bear our testimony to the glory of His kingdom!

Revelation 12:1-6 Study Questions:

What two signs appear in heaven (vv. 1, 3)?

What clue does John give us in verse 5 about the identity of the woman’s child (see also Psalm 2:9)?

The dragon is a figure of considerable power. Why does he seek to devour the child?

How are the mother and child protected?

How are God’s people under attack from dark spiritual forces today?

How does this vision help us to better understand where God is in the midst of the chaos and suffering that so often afflict His people?

As we conclude Revelation 11, we finally hear the seventh trumpet, for which we have been waiting since the sixth trumpet blew back in chapter 9. When Joshua entered the promised land, it was the seventh trumpet that brought down the walls of Jericho (Josh. 6:20). Now the seventh trumpet of heaven blows and the exodus journey of the church is completed with the return of Christ and the final defeat of all our foes. The cry of victory for Christ’s kingdom teaches those of us who are still living in this age, before the final trumpet, that our prayer for God’s kingdom to come will one day be fully answered (Matt. 6:10).

Seeing that this is the kingdom of the “Christ,” we remember that this title refers to Jesus in all His anointed offices. He is not only the Great King who will reign in righteousness over His people forever. He is also the Great Prophet who will eternally reveal the glory of God to believers. And He is the Great High Priest whose atoning sacrifice eternally secures our salvation. Hebrews 7:25 affirms that “he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” As long as Christ lives, (“he shall reign forever and ever” [v. 15]) our salvation cannot be overthrown!

John wasn’t the only one to hear the seventh trumpet and the declaration of Christ’s kingdom. We are again shown the “twenty-four elders,” who first appeared in chapter 4 as angelic representatives of the Old and New Testament church, sitting on thrones that represent the church’s inclusion in Christ’s reign. These “elders…fell on their faces and worshiped God” (v. 16). These angelic rulers are clothed in white to show the holiness of the church that is washed of sin in Christ’s blood. Since they dwell in the very throne room of heaven, they fall at God’s feet and sing: “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign” (v. 17). In this worship song, the kingdom of Christ announced by the seventh trumpet is celebrated.

While verse 17 thanks God for Christ’s kingdom, verse 18 celebrates the outline of what happens in His coming. On one side of Christ’s reign is the coming of God’s final wrath on all evil and evildoers. The on the other side is the eternal blessing bestowed on believers, who like the twenty-four elders are clothed in white garments cleansed of sin.

First, the elders sing, “The nations raged, but your wrath came” (v. 18). This is typical of the world’s entire conspiracy against the will of God, the reign of God, and especially the Word of God. Psalm 2 asked, “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?” It makes no sense, but “the kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed” (Ps. 2:1-2). In those words the entirety of human history can be charted. God has taken up His reign, and justice will be done on the oppressors and the perverters. In order for there to be an eternal punishment of sin, Christ’s return signals “the time has come for judging the dead…and destroying those who destroy the earth” (v. 18). The destroyers are destroyed forever by the conquering King Jesus, so that His land may enjoy blessing and peace forever.

Verse 19 is not only the final verse of this chapter but the conclusion of the first half of this book. By mentioning “God’s temple in heaven,” it bookends the vision of chapter 4, which began in the temple throne room of God. The first half of Revelation provided broad but vitally informative visions covering the grand sweep of Christian history. The visions that begin in chapter 12 focus in greater detail on the enemies of Christ and how Christ defeats them all, most significantly the false trinity of Satan and his two beasts.

The seven trumpets and the view of history they have provided conclude with God’s temple opened. Christ is not yet directly shown, for more of Revelation is yet to be read, but His great Old Testament emblem is revealed: “The ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, pearls of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail” (v. 19). The seventh trumpet having declared Christ’s kingdom and the song of praise having celebrated the kingdom, the kingdom is now consummated so that the way is opened for Christ’s people to enter His glory.

The ark represented God’s saving presence, but the Israelites never actually saw it: even those who transported it received special instructions for how to cover the ark without looking on it. The reason lay in the holiness of God and the sinfulness of the people. Only the high priest saw the ark, once a year, when he brought the atoning blood to sprinkle on it for the forgiveness of the nation. That the ark is now open to sight indicates that the issue of sin has been done away with for believers in Jesus. When Jesus died, the temple veil that had once protected the ark was torn from top to bottom: the way into God’s glorious presence is now open through Jesus Christ.

The Ark of the Covenant is seen, the symbol of God’s faithfulness in bestowing grace on His people and inflicting vengeance on His people’s enemies. How wonderful it is that the trumpet visions in Revelation 8-11, like the seal visions in chapters 6-7, conclude with a reminder that believers in Christ have nothing to fear because of sin. A judgment is coming that will be unspeakably dreadful for those who oppose God and His Word. For the ungodly, history will end with the same kind of crash that brought down the walls of Jericho! But Christians, though we are so conscious of our sin, are caused to gaze on God’s Ark of the Covenant, which can be seen only by those who are freed from sin. The message is that we should not fear for the return of Christ, the great event of history yet to come and the grand conclusion of the gospel age launched by Christ’s resurrection from the grave.

The Bible states that when Christ returns and sets up His throne, all humanity will stand, not by tradition but by divine compulsion for judgment. Only those who have trusted Christ and His blood for forgiveness of sin are called out of His final judgment. The seventh trumpet proclaims that Jesus, who died for sin and rose from the grave, will return in glory to establish a kingdom of righteousness that will never end. This is either the best or worst of news for you: are you sure which one it is? The Bible says that you may be declared righteous in Christ through faith, cleansed by the blood of His cross and born again by His resurrection power.

While the enemies of Christ must stand in His terrible judgment, the time for believers to stand is now. If the twenty-four elders who fell on their faces praising God are any indication, we will fall down in adoration of our Savior on that day, casting at His feet the crowns He has given us (Rev. 4:10). But now as we await His coming, we are to stand as those who know what song will be playing when history comes to its end. We are to stand for God’s truth in our teaching and living, stand for His mercy in our gospel outreach, and stand for His glory and kingdom by living holy lives and refusing to swear allegiance to the kingdom of this world in sin. If we stand in faith, by His grace, we will hear with joy the trumpet sounding in that day, and the voices from heaven crying out in wonder: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever” (v. 15).

Revelation 11:15-19 Study Questions:

When have you seen a dramatic event draw people to God?

What happens when the seventh angel blows his trumpet?

How will the kingdom of God look different than the kingdom of this world as we now know it?

Here we have a promise that God will put all things right. This is our great hope. How does this encourage you as you consider the specific people and situations for which you’re currently praying about and trusting God?

In our last study (vv. 1-2) we discovered John was told to measure the temple, with its altar and worshipers, depicting the true church of faithful believers. The outer court, depicting the false church of nominal Christians, was excluded. For forty-two months the nations will trample the church, though God’s protective barrier will preserve its spiritual life. This number depicts not a length of time but a kind of history, namely, one of violent opposition to Christ and His church. This was the very situation that John’s original readers faced in the late first century and that many Christians face in the early twenty-first century.

Verse 3 begins with “And,” showing that we are continuing the vision that began in verse 1. The church is described in the figure of “two witnesses” in light of the Bible’s requirement that truth be established by the testimony of two (Deut. 17:6). This emphasizes the legal validity of the church’s witness to the gospel, just as God often sent two angels to announce judgment or validate truth (Gen. 19:1; Luke 24:3-9; Acts 1:10-11). We realize as well that Jesus sent out evangelists “two by two” (Luke 10:1), so the emblem of two witnesses speaks of the church in its evangelistic calling.

John is told that the church “will prophesy for 1,260 days” (v. 3). In this context, to prophesy means to “declare God’s Word.” Some wonder why the time is here expressed in days rather than the months of verse 2. One possible answer is that verse 2 spoke of the siege of the church, and sieges are normally measured in months. The witness of the church, however, is a day-to-day endeavor.

Verse 4 describes the purpose of the church’s witness as “the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.” Jesus described John the Baptist as “a burning and shining lamp” (John 5:35). A lamp does not shine its own light but reflects the light that shines on it. Christians likewise do not bear testimony to ourselves, but the church is a lampstand on which the light of Christ is to be seen. John the Baptist said of Christ: “I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel” (John 1:31). As lampstands stand “before the Lord of the earth” (v. 4), Christians are justified in God’s presence through the blood of Christ, and then reveal the truth of His Word and the grace of His gospel to the world.

By its testimony, the church not only serves the Lord but is kept safe in the presence of danger (v. 5). This is an allusion to the episode in 2 Kings 1:10-14, when the prophet Elijah called down fire from heaven to consume soldiers sent to arrest him. The point is that when the church witnesses boldly and faithfully, God’s Word has power over her enemies. Some Christians are tempted to shrink back from boldly declaring God’s Word as it comes into conflict with worldly values and practices. But we are reminded that we should not fear to declare God’s Word faithfully, since God protects those who valiantly stand for His truth.

Verse 6 speaks of the church’s witnessing power through prayer. The witnessing church of the gospel era will not be equipped with less power than the Old Testament heroes but through prayer will wield conquering power. The apostle James urged that the “prayer of a righteous person has great power,” and appealed to the example of Elijah: “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth” (James 5:16-17).

Taken as a whole, John’s vision in Revelation 11 shows the power of the witnessing church, through the Word, sacraments, and prayer by the power of God’s Spirit. By these “ordinary means of grace,” the church is enabled to declare the truth of God’s Word, prevail over evil, and deliver sinners from judgment. Such is God’s power in the church that His witnesses cannot be defeated until Christians have given their testimony. But as verse 7 states, “when they have finished their testimony,” the world will wage violent war against them.

Verse 7 introduces a figure who will be prominent in the rest of Revelation, “the beast that rises from the bottomless pit,” who, once the Christians have given their witness, “will make war on them and conquer them and kill them.” Then “their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified. For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb.” (vv. 8-9).

John places this dreadful event in a location characterized by three biblical images. The slaying of the witnesses summarizes satanic opposition to the gospel throughout this present age, following the pattern that will be developed more fully in later chapters of Revelation. First is the city of Sodom, which represents perverse sexual abominations and idolatrous sin. Second is Egypt, where God’s holy people were kept in bondage and God’s message was hard-heartedly despised. Third is the crucifixion of Jesus outside Jerusalem, representing the rejection of God’s Messiah and His gospel. Verse 8 instructs that these images are to be taken “symbolically,” or, more literally, “in a spiritual manner.” The point is that they represent not a place in the world but the world itself in its sensual harlotry, violent persecution, and idol-worshiping false religion as it militantly opposes the gospel.

No doubt the beast in John’s vision believed he had finally defeated the Christian witness. The Jewish leaders thought the same when they had arranged Jesus’ crucifixion outside Jerusalem. Likewise, Saul of Tarsus perceived victory in the stoning of the first martyr, Stephen. But as with Jesus, so it is with His church, that crucifixion is followed by a resurrection through the power of God (v. 11). John’s vision, together with church history, shows that the world’s victories over the church are temporary and empty because of God’s resurrection power.

John’s vision further shows the church ascending to heaven in verse 12. We remember that this vision takes place between the sixth and seventh trumpets, and therefore it draws near to Christ’s return and the gathering in of the saints. Yet this is far from a “secret rapture,” since “their enemies watched them.” The gathering of Christ’s church in His return will see the vindication of His persecuted people. Accompanying the resurrection of Christ’s witness is a corresponding judgment on the wicked (v. 13). The symbolism of an earthquake shows the shaking and shattering of idolatrous power and worldly opposition to God. This effect occurs whenever the gospel is proclaimed in the power of God.

The angel concludes John’s vision by crying, “The second woe has passed; behold, the third woe is soon to come” (v. 14). The third woe on the world will be the final judgment when the seventh trumpet is blown and Christ returns to end the age. Until that end in final judgment, the woe on God’s enemies means the continued blessing of the church’s gospel witness.

God preserves His gospel witness so that sinners can yet be saved. God’s preservation of the gospel offers salvation to you, if you will only repent and believe. This is the best way for you to give glory to God in light of His church’s mighty witness to the gospel: not in judgment through obstinate unbelief but in salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Then God will use you as His witness, and though you may suffer death for Jesus and His Word, God’s resurrection power will raise you up to never-ending life.

Revelation 11:3-14 Study Questions:

What are the tasks of the two witnesses, and what do they have the authority to do (vv. 3-6)? Why two witnesses?

How is God calling us to bear witness to Jesus today despite various obstacles?

If we understand the two witnesses to be symbolic for the whole of God’s people, in what way might it be said that they “tormented those who lived on the earth”?

What is the ultimate fate of the two witnesses (vv. 11-12)?

Why do the people remaining on earth suddenly “[glorify] the God of heaven” (v. 13)?