In this article we will examine Revelation 9, 10 and 11 to determine who or what the two witnesses are. Who or what is the “beast” that killed them. Also why, when the seventh trumpet sounded, was the mystery finished. What is the “mystery” and how was it finished.
Let’s begin in Revelation 10
1 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven… his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:
2 And…he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,
The angel in these verses had his right foot on the sea, his left foot on the earth.
What is this a picture of?
The temple in Jerusalem.
First century historian Flavius Josephus wrote that the tabernacle was “an imitation of the system of the world”. The outer court represented the SEA, the holy place EARTH and the holy of holies “an heaven peculiar to God” (Antiquities of the Jews chapter 6)
If we take a peek into Revelation 11, we find confirmation of this.
Revelation 11
1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God…
So Revelation 10 describes the temple. In verse one the angel’s feet were as “pillars of fire”.
Let’s compare that to how Josephus described the look of the temple before it was destroyed in 70AD.
WOJ 5.5.6
6. Now the outward face of the temple in its front wanted nothing that was likely to surprize either mens minds, or their eyes. For it was covered all over with plates of gold, of great weight: and at the first rising of the sun reflected back a very fiery splendor, and made those who forced themselves to look upon it, to turn their eyes away: just as they would have done at the sun’s own rays.
The angel’s feet resembled the gold plated pillars of the temple that reflected the “fiery splendor” of the morning sun.
If we dip back into Revelation 11 we find further confirmation that we’re looking at the temple in Jerusalem.
Revelation 11
8…the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
Where was Jesus crucified? Outside Jerusalem.
There’s no mistaking it, the book of Revelation is largely about first century Jerusalem and it’s magnificent temple.
Many believe Revelation was penned around 95AD during the reign of Domitian. If that were so, why would it mention the temple that was destroyed in 70AD?
It makes sense to me that the last book of the bible was penned just prior to the Jewish revolt, that began in 66AD.
Around this time Peter also wrote his second epistle, in which he prophesied the elements melting with fervent heat to reveal a “new heavens and a new earth”.
2 Peter 3
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
We’re talking about the New Covenant kingdom of righteousness, the New Jerusalem.
Revelation 21
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away…
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem…
Revelation 10:7 says…
But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
This pertains to the next chapter.
Revelation 11
15 And the seventh angel sounded; and …The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever.
When the seventh angel sounded the “mystery” mentioned by both Jesus and Paul was finally FINISHED.
What is the Mystery? How was it finished??
Let me back track a little to Revelation 9.
My last video was on revelation 9 but I want to go back over that information to show how it ties in with Revelation 10 and 11.
Revelation 9
And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit…
And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth…
In the Wars of the Jews book 4, chapters 3&4 zealot leader John Gischala, with a considerable number of armed men, fled from Galilee to Jerusalem for safety. The zealots seized upon the sanctuary and high priest Ananus ben Ananus excited the people to rise up against them. This resulted in great slaughter on both sides.
The zealots fled into the inner-court of the temple and shut the gates. Ananus set guards upon the cloisters so they could not escape. John Gischala befriended Ananus then betrayed him by telling other zealot leaders such as Eleazar ben Simon, that Ananus had invited Rome to attack the city.
Eleazar ben Simon resolved to call in the Idumeans for assistance. The Idumeans, who were from Idumea just below Judea, responded immediately and camped outside the city walls waiting to be let in.
Another High priest Jesus ben Gamalas, standing upon a tower, made a powerful speech to dissuade the Idumeans from getting involved but they would not listen. During the night some zealots escaped from the temple and sawed open the city gates allowing the Idumeans to flood into the city.
Eleazar ben Simon was the “star” that fell from heaven and unlocked the bottomless pit. The Idumeans were the locusts that ascended out of it.
Once inside the city the Idumeans murdered the two high priests, Ananus ben Ananus and Jesus ben Gamalas.
These men were the TWO WITNESSES mentioned in Revelation 11. Let’s read about that..
3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days (3 1/2 years) clothed in sackcloth.
7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
Put on your seat belts because we’re going to see how that played out in `The wars of the Jews’ book 4 chapter 5 section 1&2
1…the Idumeans…ascended through the city…
2.…they sought for the High-priests; and…went with the greatest zeal against them. And as soon as they caught them, they slew them: and then standing upon their dead bodies, in way of jest, upbraided Ananus with his kindness to the people; and Jesus with his speech made to them from the wall. Nay they proceeded to that degree of impiety, as to cast away their dead bodies without burial: although the Jews used to take so much care of the burial of men…the death of Ananus was the beginning of the destruction of the city…He was…a venerable, and a very just man: and besides the grandeur of that nobility, and dignity, and honour, of which he was possessed, he had been a lover of a kind of parity, even with regard to the meanest of the people. He was a prodigious lover of liberty; and an admirer of a democracy in government: and did ever prefer the publick welfare before his own advantage: and preferred peace above all things. For he was thoroughly sensible that the Romans were not to be conquered. He also foresaw that of necessity a war would follow: and that unless the Jews made up matters with them very dextrously, they would be destroyed. To say all in a word: if Ananus had survived, they had certainly compounded matters. For he was a shrewd man in speaking, and persuading the people: and had already gotten the mastery of those that opposed his designs, or were for the war…Jesus was also joined with him: and although he was inferior to him upon the comparison, he was superior to the rest. And I cannot but think, that it was because God had doomed this city to destruction, as a polluted city, and was resolved to purge his sanctuary by fire, that he cut off these their great defenders…And I cannot but imagine that virtue itself groaned at these mens case; and lamented that she was here so terribly conquered by wickedness. And this at last was the end of Ananus and Jesus.
The Idumean “beast” that ascended out of the bottomless pit murdered the last two Legitimate high priests, the “great defenders” of the city.
Furthermore the Idumeans cast their dead bodies into the street which was absolutely against Jewish custom. The Jews always buried their dead.
Who were the Idumeans? They were descended from Jacob’s twin brother Esau.
Esau was a red, hairy hunter. A “man of the field” (Gen. 25:27). This should cast our minds back to the garden in which God created “every beast of the field” (Gen 2:19). The most subtle “beast of the field” was the serpent who beguiled Eve (Gen. 3:1).
Esau represents the beast nature.
Thus the Idumeans are pictured as a “beast” having ascended out of the bottomless pit.
In Genesis a feud started between Jacob (renamed Israel) and Esau.
This feud continued with their descendants. Hence the descendants of Esau were Israel’s arch enemy and the archetypal enemy of God (1 Sam. 15:2&3).
I will probably explore this further in my next post.
Back to the previous question, what was the Mystery? How was it finished?
The first person to mention the “mystery” was Jesus. He said this to his disciples…
Mark 4:1
…Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God…
Paul also wrote about the “mystery”.
Colossians 1
26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Ephesians 3
9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God…
The mystery of the kingdom was HID from the BEGINNING.
It was hid in the creation story.
The same pattern we see in the creation story is reflected in the tabernacle/temple.
Creation: sea, earth, garden of Eden with tree of life in the midst.
Tabernacle/Temple: outer court, holy place, holy of holies with ark of the covenant in the midst.
Adam served and preserved the garden and had dominion over the beasts, fish, fowls and creeping things.
Levitical priests served in the tabernacle and exercised spiritual authority there.
Only they could enter the holy of holies and commune with God.
In Revelation 20 we see a change to this pattern.
The holy city, New Jerusalem has “no more sea”. No more outer court/court of the Gentiles.
Revelation 21
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was NO MORE SEA.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven…
What does this mean? Everyone within the New Covenant kingdom is a PRIEST able to enter God’s presence, commune with him and exercise spiritual authority.
When the last two legitimate High priests were murdered the MYSTERY of the kingdom was FINISHED because their death marked the END of the Levitical priesthood.
Today within the body of Christ there is no us and them, no clergy and laity, no male or female. We are all equal. We are all ONE.
How does this compare to the hierarchical structure seen in most church groups?
Where congregants become passive observers, relying on a pastor to feed them week after week.
Where congregants remain perpetual babes in Christ, never reaching their full potential.
Never becoming the spiritual fathers or mothers they could be, able to help and mentor others.
There will always be babes in Christ needing to be mentored but our goal should be grow and support others to grow.
In stead we see “leaders” being paid to stand on a stage and entertain people with polished sermons.
We see “leaders” lording over the flock, keeping them dumbed-down and in a state of submission.
Yes, we should be in submission but ALL of us in submission to each other, serving one another, supporting one another, preferring one another.
Let me know in the comment section if this article was helpful or interesting for you.
I am learning as I go. I don’t always get things right, so please be a Berean and search the scriptures to see if what I’m saying is really so.
God bless as you study to show yourself approved.
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