Revelation 11:7-14·~1 min

The Witnesses Killed and Raised

Once the witnesses finish their testimony, the beast from the Abyss is allowed to wage war against them, overcome them, and kill them. Their bodies lie in the street of the great city, described through the imagery of Sodom and Egypt and linked to the place where their Lord was crucified, making the city a symbol of entrenched rebellion. Peoples and nations gaze upon their corpses and refuse them burial, while the earth-dwellers rejoice and exchange gifts as though a burden has been lifted. The paragraph portrays the public humiliation of prophetic witness in a hostile world.

W⁷hen the two witnesses have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will wage war with them, and will overpower and kill them. ⁸Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city — figuratively called Sodom and Egypt — where their Lord was also crucified. ⁹For three and a half days all peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will view their bodies and will not permit them to be laid in a tomb. ¹⁰And those who dwell on the earth will gloat over them and celebrate and send one another gifts, because these two prophets had tormented them.

After three and a half days, the breath of life from God enters the witnesses, and they stand on their feet, causing terror in all who see them. A loud voice from heaven summons them upward, and they ascend in a cloud before their enemies. In that same hour a great earthquake strikes, a tenth of the city collapses, thousands die, and the rest are terrified and give glory to the God of heaven. The section closes by marking the second woe as complete and the third woe as soon coming. Death, therefore, is not the last word over faithful testimony.

¹¹But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered the two witnesses, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell upon those who saw them. ¹²And the witnesses heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched them. ¹³And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand were killed in the quake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. ¹⁴The second woe has passed. Behold, the third woe is coming shortly.

Section summaryWhen the witnesses complete their testimony, the beast from the Abyss makes war on them, conquers them, and kills them. Their bodies lie exposed in the street of the great city, figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified, while the world looks on and celebrates their death. But after three and a half days the breath of life from God enters them, they stand up, and great fear falls on those who see them. They are then called up to heaven in a cloud, and a great earthquake follows, killing many and terrifying the rest into giving glory to the God of heaven. The second woe then closes, with the third woe declared imminent.

Role in the chapterThis middle section shows that faithful witness may be killed and mocked, but God vindicates His servants publicly and decisively.