Revelations, Chapter 11, verses 4-12
3 The two witnesses prophesy, 6 They have power to shut heaven, that it rain not, 7 The beast shall fight against them, and kill them, 8 They lie unburied, 11 and after three days and an half rise againLuke, Chapter 20, verses 27-40
27 He convinceth the Sadducees that denied the resurrection20
20:28 Deu 25:5.
20:34 The children of this world - The inhabitants of earth, marry and are given in marriage - As being all subject to the law of mortality; so that the species is in need of being continually repaired.
20:35 But they who obtain that world - Which they enter into, before the resurrection of the dead.
20:36 They are the children of God - In a more eminent sense when they rise again.
20:37 That the dead are raised, even Moses, as well as the other prophets showed, when he calleth - That is, when he recites the words which God spoke of himself, I am the God of Abraham, .It cannot properly be said, that God is the God of any who are totally perished. Exo 3:6.
20:38 He is not a God of the dead, or, there is no God of the dead - That is, tho term God implies such a relation, as cannot possiblysubsist between him and the dead; who in the Sadducees' sense are extinguished spirits; who could neither worship him, nor receive good from him. So that all live to him - All who have him for their God, live to and enjoy him. This sentence is not an argument for what went before; but the proposition which was to be proved. And the consequence is apparently just. For as all the faithful are the children of Abraham, and the Divine promise of being a God to him and his seed is entailed upon them, it implies their continued existence and happiness in a future state as much as Abraham's.And as the body is an essential part of man, it implies both his resurrection and theirs; and so overthrows the entire scheme of the Sadducean doctrine.
20:40 They durst not ask him any question - The Sadducees durst not.One of the scribes did, presently after.
11 In this chapter is shown how it will fare with "the holy city," till the mystery of God is fulfilled; in the twelfth, what will befal the woman, who is delivered of the man - child; in the thirteenth, how it will be with the kingdom of Christ, while the "two beasts" are in the height of their power. And there was given me - By Christ, as appears from the third verse. And he said, Arise - Probably he was sitting to write. And measure the temple of God - At Jerusalem, where he was placed in the vision.Of this we have a large description by Ezekiel, Eze 40:1-48:35; concerning which we may observe,
11:4 These are the two olive trees - That is, as Zerubbabel and Joshua, the two olive trees spoken of by Zechariah, Zec 3:9, Zec 4:10, were then the two chosen instruments inGod's hand, even so shall these. be in their season. Being themselves full of the unction of the Holy One, they shall continually transmit the same to others also. And the two candlesticks - Burning and shining lights. Standing before the Lord of the earth - Always waiting on God, without the help of man, and asserting his right over the earth and all things therein.
11:5 If any would kill them - As the Israelites would have done Moses and Aaron, Num 16:41.He must be killed thus - By that devouring fire.
11:6 These have power - And they use that power. See Rev 11:10. To shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophesying - During those "twelve hundred and sixty days." And have powerover the waters - In and near Jerusalem. To turn them into blood - As Moses did those in Egypt. And to smite the earth with allplagues, as often as they will - This is not said of Moses or Elijah, or any mere man besides. And how is it possible to understand this otherwise than of two individual persons?
11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony - Till then they are invincible. The wild beast - Hereafter to be described. That ascendeth - First out of the sea, Rev 13:1, and then out of the bottomless pit, Rev 17:8.Shall make war with them - It is at his last ascent, not out of the sea, but the bottomless pit, that the beast makes war upon the two witnesses. And even hereby is fixed the time of "treading the holy city," and of the "two witnesses." That time ends after the ascent of the beast out of the abyss, and yet before the fulfilling of the mystery. And shall conquer them - The fire no longer proceeding out of their mouth when they have finished their work. And kill them - These will be among the last martyrs, though not the last of all.
11:8 And their bodies shall be - Perhaps hanging on a cross.In the street of the great city - Of Jerusalem, a far greater city, than any other in those parts. This is described both spiritually and historically: spiritually, as it is called Sodom Isa 1:9etc and Egypt; on account of the same abominations abounding there, at the time of the witnesses, as did once in Egypt and Sodom.Historically: Where also their Lord was crucified - This possibly refers to the very ground where his cross stood. Constantine the Great inclosed this within the walls of the city. Perhaps on that very spot will their bodies be exposed.
11:9 Three days and a half - So exactly are the times set down in this prophecy. If we suppose this time began in the evening, and ended in the morning, and included (which is no way impossible) Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, the weekly festival of the Turkish people, the Jewish tribes, and the Christian tongues; then all these together, with the heathen nations, would have full leisure to gaze upon and rejoice over them.
11:10 And they that dwell upon the earth - Perhaps this expression may peculiarly denote earthly - minded men. Shall make merry - As did the Philistines over Samson. And send gifts to one another - Both Turks, and Jews, and heathens, and false Christians.
11:11 And great fear fell upon them that saw them - And now knew that God was on their side.
11:12 And I heard a great voice - Designed for all to hear.And they went up to heaven, and their enemies beheld them - who had not taken notice of their rising again; by which some had been convinced before.