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Welcome back to our series on Revelation chapter 12, where we have been interpreting the symbols and action of the scenario of the dragon and the sun-clothed woman. In this post, we’re going to blend into the scenario the information we know about the two witnesses and how they fit into these events. So if you’re ready, let’s get into this!
Revelation Chapter 12
Eighth in an Eleven-Part Series
By Karen Thompson
The Dragon’s Assault on the Sun-Clothed Woman
Rev. 12:1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars. 2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. 3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. 5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
Let’s Include the Information About the Two Witnesses
Now, let’s blend this information together with the information we learned about the two witnesses. If you recall, the length of time the two witnesses will minister is the same length of time the Jewish people will dwell in the wilderness: 1,260 days, or 42 months, or three and one-half years. What do we learn from that? When the little horn invades Jerusalem and half of its citizens flee into the wilderness, it is the very day the two witnesses show up! They show up with a mission. Let’s go back and review the angel’s instructions to John about measuring the temple: “And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth” (Rev. 11:1–3).
John measured the temple, the altar, and the people that worshiped in the temple. But the court outside the temple John was told not to measure as that would be given to the Gentiles. The Gentiles that trample the city are obviously Antichrist and his army. John’s measuring was for the purpose of saying what was off limits to Antichrist. He was not to touch the temple, the altar, or the people that worshiped in the temple. As soon as the little horn invades Jerusalem, the two witnesses will appear to make sure he cannot set foot inside the temple.
The little horn will “tread under foot” the temple court as well as the holy city, Jerusalem. Zechariah tells us the enemy will rifle the houses to rob them of valuables and then rape the women. That’s when half the citizens will flee the city and into the wilderness. The enemy will overrun Jerusalem for the entire last half of Daniel’s 70th week. But they will not have access to the temple, the altar, or the people that worship inside the temple—the areas that John measured. That will be the situation until the 1,260 days or 42 months or three and one-half years come to an end.
The two witnesses will be the reason why the temple will be off limits to Antichrist and his men. From the very start, the two witnesses will afflict Antichrist and the nations that are aligned with him with powers that God will give them. To refresh your memory, they will have four powers: 1) fire that comes out of their mouths to kill anyone that tries to harm them, 2) the ability to stop the rain for the entire length of their ministry, 3) the ability to turn water into blood, and lastly 4), the power to smite the earth with whatever kind of plagues they wish and as often as they wish. (Rev. 11:5–6) Even though the little horn will invade and have control over the entire city of Jerusalem, he will never have access to the temple. That is, not until the two witnesses are killed. When the Antichrist kills the two witnesses, he will finally be able to enter the temple. We know he enters the temple because 2nd Thessalonians tells us so: “…and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God” (2 Thess. 2:3–4). Without the two witnesses stopping him, he will finally have access to the temple. When he enters the temple, he’ll be so full of himself that he will declare himself to be god.
Sidenote: While we’re on the topic of the temple, this would be a good place to talk about when the temple is built. This needs to be talked about because some have mistakenly thought it will be built during the second half of Daniel’s 70th week. So before we go any further with our study, let’s clear that up. There are two verses of scripture that tell us the temple will be built in the first half of Daniel’s 70th week, during the time of peace.
One of the scriptures is in Revelation chapter 11: “And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth” (Rev. 11:1–3). We know Antichrist will break the covenant in the middle of the week by invading Jerusalem. These verses tell us Antichrist will have control of the city of Jerusalem but he will not have access to the temple. In order for Antichrist to be denied entry into the temple, there first has to be a temple. Ergo the temple is built in the first half of the 70th week.
The other verse that confirms the temple will be built in the first half of Daniel’s 70th week is Daniel 9:27: “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease….” This is the verse that tells us that in the middle of the week, Antichrist will break the covenant. The words that follow the word “week” tell us the motivation Antichrist has for breaking the covenant: “he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation [offerings] to cease.” Antichrist stops the sacrifice and the offering from taking place. I surmise Antichrist won’t like it that the Jewish people will have built the temple. So his determination will be to prevent them from restarting temple sacrifices. How would he stop the temple sacrifices? By destroying the temple. But as long as they’re alive, the two witnesses will stop Antichrist from destroying the temple. In order for Antichrist to stop the sacrifice and offering, there must first be a temple. Ergo the temple is built in the first half of the 70th week.
The Jewish People Rise Up and Fight Back
The picture of the Jewish people living as refugees in the wilderness is not a complete picture of what happens when Antichrist invades Jerusalem. They will not sit idly by as their nation is overrun by the enemy. As is their reputation, they will rise up and fight in a superior way. And they will not be alone in their battle. The Lord God of Israel will fight with them and cause them to triumph gloriously. In fact, Israel’s enemies will rue the day they decided to invade Israel.
The prophet Zechariah prophesied much about the last days when Israel’s enemies would unite together to bring her down and how God will come to the aid of His people. In Zechariah chapter 12, Zechariah prophesied how Jerusalem would become a burdensome stone to those that burden themselves with it, and the result will be that those who mess with Jerusalem will be cut in pieces. Verses 1–3 tell us, “The burden of the word of the Lord for Israel, saith the Lord … Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it” (Zec. 12:1–3).
It says, “though all the people of the earth be gathered together….” Let’s look at the phrase “all the people of the earth.” At this present time, Israel has only a handful of allies in the world, the United States being one of them. Unfortunately, most nations share a negative viewpoint of Israel for various reasons. The consensus among them is that Israel is to blame for the overall conflict in the Mideast, so as a result, they always side against her when conflict arises. This attitude is often reflected in United Nations votes when the subject of Israel comes up. Though these nations have a negative view of Israel, they have no plans to go to war with Israel. But this also means they will not do anything to protect Israel when it is attacked by her enemies. So when it says “all peoples of the earth gathered together,” it’s most likely referring to the 10 nations that will have aligned themselves together with Antichrist against Jerusalem. It will be the biggest mistake they will have ever made. Zechariah says these enemy nations that come against Jerusalem will be “cut in pieces.”
Let’s review all the ways they will live to regret invading Jerusalem/Israel. First of all, we already know about the two witnesses. Just the two witnesses alone would be enough to make these nations regret invading Jerusalem. These nations will be tormented by the various plagues the two witnesses will inflict upon them. Drinkable water will become scarce, since the two witnesses will be able to turn water into blood, and they will be able to keep it from raining for the entire length of their ministry. And then add to that the devastation that comes from the trumpet and bowl judgments.
Zechariah tells us much more. The Lord will anoint His people with power so they will be like the sword of a mighty man (Zec. 9:13). The Lord will make them as His “goodly horse in the battle” (Zec. 10:3). He tells us the Jewish people will fight with supernatural strength and ability: “And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the Lord is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded” (Zec. 10:5).
In the day of battle, the Lord will “smite every horse [of the enemy] with astonishment, and his rider with madness” (Zec. 10:4). The leaders and the citizens of Israel will come together in unity and agreement in battle with the result being, “they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left…” (Zec. 12:6).
Let’s compare the two descriptions of the invasion of Jerusalem by the apostle John and the prophet Zechariah. John tells us when the Antichrist invades Jerusalem, the people will flee the city. John then tells us about the citizens that fled into the wilderness, how they will be provided for and protected for three and one-half years. Zechariah flips it. He also tells us that half the people will flee Jerusalem, but he tells us what happens to the citizens that do not flee and are stuck inside Jerusalem. He prophesied, “In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them. And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem” (Zec. 12:8–9).
Verse eight tells us the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem: “In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” Zechariah goes on to tell us just how the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem. It says, “he that is feeble among them at that day will be as David.” The weakest among them will fight like King David. David was known as a great warrior because of his legendary fighting skills. The phrase “the house of David” refers to the descendants of David, who was from the tribe of Judah—the Jewish people. It says the house of David “shall be as God.” That means that collectively as a group, the Jewish people will be so powerful that it will be like their enemy is fighting against God Himself! In the end, verse nine tells us the biggest regret these nations will have for invading Israel is that the Lord God will ultimately destroy them: “I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.” This takes place when He pours out His wrath upon the destroyers of the earth.
It will be a time of devastation. But the Lord will turn everything upside down. In the end, the Jewish people will be victorious over their enemies, and they will be the ones to gather up the spoil and divide it among themselves: “the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance” (Zec. 14:14). At the beginning of the war, the enemy will collect a spoil from the houses in Jerusalem. But at the end of the war, the Jewish people will collect a spoil from their enemies.
In the next post, we’re still going to be studying Revelation chapter 12, but we are going to study the war that takes place in heaven between the archangel Michael and Satan, a fallen angel.
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