What is the meaning of Revelation 11:7? When the two witnesses have finished their testimony - God gives the witnesses a set period—“1,260 days” (Revelation 11:3)—to proclaim His truth. - Their ministry ends only when God says it is complete, echoing Jesus’ words in John 17:4, “I have finished the work You gave Me to do.” - Until that moment, they are divinely protected, just as Jeremiah was: “I am with you to deliver you” (Jeremiah 1:8). - The completion of their testimony shows God’s sovereign timetable; not even the powers of hell can curtail it before its appointed end. The beast that comes up from the Abyss - This “beast” is later identified as the Antichrist (Revelation 13:1–8; 17:8). - The Abyss is the realm of demonic confinement (Luke 8:31; Revelation 9:1–3). - His emergence pictures a literal, satanically empowered ruler stepping onto the world stage. - Like Pharaoh opposing Moses (Exodus 5:2) or Goliath taunting Israel (1 Samuel 17:10), he personifies open rebellion against God. Will wage war with them - The phrase points to an actual, violent conflict, recalling Daniel 7:21, “The same horn was waging war against the saints.” - The world system, under the beast, cannot tolerate the witnesses’ miraculous plagues and uncompromising message (Revelation 11:5–6). - Jesus forewarned, “You will be hated by all because of My name” (Matthew 24:9), highlighting the inevitability of persecution when truth confronts evil. Will overpower and kill them - God permits a temporary victory for evil, paralleling the crucifixion—“This is your hour, and the power of darkness” (Luke 22:53). - Their death is literal, not symbolic; the following verses describe their corpses lying in Jerusalem for three and a half days (Revelation 11:8–9). - This moment fulfills God’s purpose: their martyrdom becomes a final witness, setting the stage for their public resurrection (Revelation 11:11). - It underscores that physical death is never the last word for God’s servants (2 Corinthians 4:11–14). Summary Revelation 11:7 shows God’s absolute control over history. The two witnesses complete their mission on His schedule; only then does the Antichrist emerge, overpower them, and put them to death. This apparent defeat is part of God’s larger plan to magnify His power through their resurrection and final judgment on evil. |
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