The Two Witnesses and the Seventh Trumpet

• "1 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." Four times in the Revelation does the Apostle John use the expression, "in the Spirit" (Rev 1:10; 4:2; 17:3; 21:10). Each of these instances signifies a vision that John was given to "shew unto [Christ's] servants things which must shortly come to pass" (Revelation 1:1). The four visions divide the structure of the Revelation as follows: (1) Vision One: Christ Among His Church (Rev 1:9-3:22),

(2) Vision Two: Christ Judging the World (Rev 4:1-16:21),

(3) Vision Three: Christ Climaxing His Judgment of the World (Rev 17:1-21:8), and

(4) Vision Four: Christ and the New Heaven and New Earth (Rev 21:9-22:5). Not only did John, the "disciple whom Jesus loved" (John 21:20), have the special privilege of receiving the Revelation in its entirety; but, in this Second Vision (Rev 4:1-16:21), he was given the privilege and honour of measuring the Temple, altar, and worshippers, i.e., "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" (Rev 11:1). And, what is the significance of this measuring? God's measuring demonstrates His dominion over His property. "12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and meted out Heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the Earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? 22 It is He that sitteth upon the circle of the Earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in" (Isaiah 40:12, 22). The Apostle John's measuring, coupled with the promise to the Apostle John that he "must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings" (Revelation 10:11), points to the dominion that John will manifest when he returns to administer the Seven Thunders. [See our comments on -- especially verses 7 through 11-- of the Revelation Commentary for background concerning the concept that John will return in conjunction with the Seven Thunders.]

The "reed like unto a rod" (Rev 11:1) that John used to measure the Temple, the altar, and the worshippers, was probably similar in length and weight to the reeds that grow in the Jordan Valley. Similarly, Ezekiel was given a vision of the Millennial Temple (Ezekiel 40:1-47:12), where the LORD Jesus Christ-- most probably-- appeared as a "man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in His hand" (Ezekiel 40:3), to delineate the dimensions of the coming Millennial Temple. Zechariah was also given a vision of a "man with a measuring line in his hand" (Zechariah 2:1), who was to "measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof" (Rev 2:2). This, too, was in preparation for the building of the Millennial Temple, i.e., "Therefore thus saith the LORD; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: My house shall be built in it, saith the LORD of Hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem" (Rev 1:16). Finally, the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21) is measured by a "golden reed" (Revelation 21:15), to describe the enormity of the eternal dwelling of the Saints, which is "twelve thousand furlongs" in "length", "breadth", and "height" (Rev 21:16)-- 1,342 miles [2,159 kilometres] in each direction. "And My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places" (Isaiah 32:18).

• "2 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." The Pre-Tribulational Rapture of the Church marks the beginning of the process of lifting the "blindness" (Romans 11:25) of Israel, where that process culminates in the conversion of Israel at the Second Coming of the LORD Jesus Christ, i.e., "Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the Earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a Nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children" (Isaiah 66:8). "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this Mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in" (Romans 11:25).

Modern Israel's recapture of Jerusalem's Temple Mount, during the Six Day War with Israel's Arab neighbours in June of 1967, began the period known as the "fullness of the Gentiles" (Romans 11:25). At that time, Israel sprouted "leaves" when she acquired the Golan Heights, the West Bank, the Sinai, and the Gaza Strip, which marked the beginning of the Fig Tree Generation or the Terminal Generation. "32 Now learn a parable of the Fig Tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. 3 4 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled" (Matthew 24:32-34). Also, the "times of the Gentiles" (Luke 21:24) will end at the Second Coming of the LORD Jesus Christ. "And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled" (Rev 21:24).

"Forty and two months" (Rev 11:2) is the equivalent of three years and six months (or, 1,260 days) of the second half of the Tribulation Week. The second half of the Tribulation Week is the Great Tribulation, during which Jerusalem is "[trodden] under foot" (Rev 11:2) of the Gentiles, after the Abomination of Desolation. "15 When ye therefore shall see the Abomination of Desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand: 21 For then shall be Great Tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be" (Matthew 24:15, 21). Also, because the ministry of the Two Witnesses in the very next verse (Revelation 11:3) concludes with the sounding of the Seventh Trumpet Judgment (11:7-15), which sounds only 8-9 days before the End of the Tribulation Week, these 42 months must coincide with the second half of the Tribulation Week.

• "3 And I will give power unto my Two Witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth." A "thousand two hundred and threescore days" (Rev 11:3) is the total length of the Two Witnesses' ministry. Again, this is the same as a period of three years and six months (1,260 divided by 360 equals 3 1/2). But, when does the 1,260 days begin? It is the belief of this writer that the ministry of the Two Witnesses begins 11 1/2 days prior to the Middle of the Tribulation Week. A number of assumptions are necessary to support this conclusion: (1) More than one Rapture will occur, i.e., two Come Up Hithers (Revelation 4:1 and 11:12) point to a Pre-Tribulational Rapture and a Pre-Wrath Rapture.

(2) The Seven Feasts of Israel (Leviticus 23) were given as a "shadow of things to come" (Colossians 2:17): • (a) The Feast of the Passover (Leviticus 23:5) foreshadowed Christ being "sacrificed for us" (1Corinthians 5:7) on the Cross. • (b) The Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:6) foreshadowed the Burial of Christ, the Living Bread (John 6:51), Who was made to be leaven (symbolic of sin) "for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (2Corinthians 5:21). • (c) The Feast of Firstfruits (Leviticus 23:10) foreshadowed the Resurrection of Christ, who is the "firstfruits" (1Corinthians 15:23) from the dead. • (d) Pentecost (Leviticus 23:16) or the Feast of Harvest (Exodus 23:16) foreshadowed the promised Holy Spirit's pouring out upon the Church (Acts 2). • (e) The Feast of Trumpets or Rosh HaShannah (Leviticus 23:24)-- celebrated on Tishri 1-- foreshadows the Pre-Wrath Rapture, when, also, the Seventh and Last Trump "shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible" (1Corinthians 15:52). • (f) The Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur (Leviticus 23:27)-- celebrated on Tishri 10-- foreshadows the Second Coming of the LORD Jesus Christ, when Israel repents and is regathered to the Messiah, i.e., "And so all Israel shall be saved" (Romans 11:26). And, • (g) the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot (Leviticus 23:34)-- celebrated on Tishri 15 to 21-- foreshadows the beginning of the Millennial Reign of the LORD Jesus Christ on Earth when the Redeemed will dwell with their LORD, i.e., "Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God" (Revelation 21:3). • (3) The "Hour of Temptation" (Revelation 3:10) is equivalent to 15 days, if Daniel's Seventieth Week (1 week) equals 2,520 days. One hour would be 1/168 of a week or .0059523 of a week, which is 15 days. This would be the time equivalent to Tishri 1 to Tishri 15. If the Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church occurs at perhaps the midnight hour on Tishri 1, then approximately 8 to 9 days (depending on how you count it) would be left in the Tribulation Week, which would then extend through Tishri 9. This would allow for the pouring out of about one vial a day during the Seven Vial Judgments. Armageddon lasts 5 days from Tishri 10 (the Second Coming of the LORD Jesus Christ) to Tishri 14-- the day before Tishri 15 (the Inauguration of the Millennial Reign of the LORD Jesus Christ on Earth). 9 days (for the Vial Judgments) plus 5 days (for Armageddon) equals 14 days, which lacks only one day to complete the "Hour of Temptation" (Revelation 3:10). That one day lacking is Tishri 15.

(4) Since the Pre-Wrath Rapture occurs with the Seventh and Last Trumpet on the 1st of Tishri, i.e., "16 For the LORD Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the LORD in the air: and so shall we ever be with the LORD" (1Thessalonians 4:16-17), the Resurrection of the Two Witnesses must occur at the same time. "11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. 12 And they heard a great voice from Heaven saying unto them, Come Up Hither. And they ascended up to Heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. 13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of Heaven. 14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. 15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in Heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our LORD, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever" (Revelation 11:11-15). And,

(5) If 8 to 9 days are left in the Tribulation Week after the contemporaneous event of the Pre-Wrath Rapture and the Resurrection of the Two Witnesses, and if the Two Witnesses are dead for the previous 3 1/2 days (Rev 11:9), then the end of the Two Witnesses' 1,260 day ministry (Rev 11:3) must occur 11 1/2 days (8 days plus 3 1/2 days) before the End of the Tribulation Week. Therefore, 1,260 days earlier would begin the Two Witnesses' ministry 11 1/2 days before the Middle of the Tribulation Week. "Whom shall He teach knowledge? and whom shall He make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts" (Isaiah 28:9).

• "4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the Earth." The Two Witnesses-- Moses and Elijah-- are identified as the "two olive trees, and the two candlesticks" (Rev 11:4). A vision given to the prophet Zechariah indicates that the Two Witnesses will be supernaturally indwelt, supplied, and sustained by the LORD Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit for their 1,260 day Tribulation Week ministry. "1 And the angel that talked with me [Zechariah] came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep, 2 And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold [like the seven branched candlestick of Exodus 25:31,32,37], with a bowl upon the top of it [however, Moses' candlestick did not have this bowl or reservoir to supply the oil on top of it], and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes [neither did Moses' candlestick have these feed pipes connecting to an oil supply] to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof: 3 And Two Olive Trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. 4 So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord? 5 Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. 6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the Word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the LORD of Hosts. 7 Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shouting's, crying, Grace, grace unto it. 8 Moreover the Word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 9 The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house [the Second Temple]; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of Hosts hath sent me unto you. 10 For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole Earth. 11 Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these Two Olive Trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof? [the LORD Jesus Christ, who is the Messiah or the Anointed One, and His Holy Spirit are indicated] 12 And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these Two Olive Branches which through the Two Golden Pipes empty the Golden Oil out of themselves? [the 'Golden Oil' of the grace, power, and help of God flows from Christ and His Spirit by faith to the reservoir of the Church, i.e., as also depicted by the LORD Jesus' presence 'in the midst of the seven candlesticks' (Revelation 1:13) of the Church] 13 And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. 14 Then said he, These are the Two Anointed Ones [Zechariah's vision depicts Christ and His Spirit, while the Apostle John's vision in Revelation 11 depicts the Two Witnesses that are indwelt by Christ and His Spirit], that stand by the LORD of the Whole Earth" (Zechariah 4:1-14).

• "5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed." The Revelation is a book that reveals the LORD Jesus Christ as: (1) the Deliverer of the Faithful, i.e., "Because thou hast kept the Word of My Patience, I also will keep thee from the Hour of Temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the Earth" (Rev 3:10),

(2) the Chastener of the Backslidden, i.e., "4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy First Love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent" (Rev 2:4-5),

(3) the Unrealized Opportunity for the Elect-But-Lost, i.e., "6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the Everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the Earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made Heaven, and Earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters" (Rev 14:6-7), and

(4) the Everlasting Tormentor of the Damned, i.e., "9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the Beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 10 The same shall drink of the wine of the Wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the Beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name" (Rev 14:9-11). Through His Two Witnesses, the LORD Jesus Christ reveals Himself as a Fierce Opponent that devours, hurts, and kills His enemies. "And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed" (Rev 11:5). The prophet Elijah is remembered for calling down fire upon the enemies of Jehovah. "9 Then the king [Ahaziah, the wicked son of Ahab] sent unto [Elijah] a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down. 10 And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from Heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from Heaven, and consumed him and his fifty" (2Kings 1:9-10). God's prophets have been known to have used extreme measures towards those that have lifted their hand against them. "23 And [Elisha] went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children [but, old enough to conduct themselves outside the city and mock God's prophet] out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. 24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them [God approved of Elisha's cursing]" (2Kings 2:23-24). Even the Ordinary Saints of this Church Age have been elevated to dispense or withhold blessing to the world at large. "Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven" (Matthew 18:18).

• "6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the Earth with all plagues, as often as they will." Again, Moses and Elijah are most probably the Two Witnesses indicated in this verse because of the similarity of their previous earthly ministries to the deeds of these Two Witnesses. Elijah "shut heaven, that it rain [ed] not" (Rev 11:6), i.e., "And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before Whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word" (1Kings 17:1). Moses had "power over [the] waters to turn them to blood" (Rev 11:6), i.e.," [Moses] turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish" (Psalm 105:29). Moses is remembered for the multitude of plagues that he called down upon Egypt, i.e., "And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet" (Exodus 7:1), while Elijah is remembered for calling down fire on the sacrifice on Mount Carmel. "37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that Thou art the LORD God, and that Thou hast turned their heart back again. 38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench" (1Kings 18:37-38).

• "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." Both Moses and Elijah met with the LORD Jesus at His Transfiguration, which depicts their importance to our LORD's program for the future salvation of Israel. "30 And, behold, there talked with Him two men, which were Moses and Elias: 31 Who appeared in glory, and spake of His decease which He should accomplish at Jerusalem" (Luke 9:30-31). Though the Revelation tells us that the ministry of the Two Witnesses will be cut short by their death, i.e., the "Beast that ascendeth out of the Bottomless Pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them" (Rev 11:7), in the case of Moses, it will not be the first time that someone died, was resurrected, and (presumably) died again, i.e., Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha. "43 And when [Jesus] thus had spoken, He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go" (John 11:43-44). If Jesus truly is the "Resurrection, and the Life" (Rev 11:25), then it would not be too difficult for Him to treat His Witnesses in this fashion. "Ah LORD GOD! behold, Thou hast made the Heaven and the Earth by Thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for Thee" (Jeremiah 32:17).

• "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." Jerusalem, "where also our LORD was crucified" (Rev 11:8), is the "great city" that "spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt" 33 Nevertheless I must walk to day, and tomorrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem. 34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!" (Luke 13:33-34).

• "9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves." The "people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies" (Rev 11:9), intimates that the Apostle John was given to understand the fact of the worldwide viewing of the Two Witnesses' bodies-- possible now by satellite broadcast-- without an explanation of how this could be possible. "God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do it? or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19). Whenever our LORD tells us that He will do something, He will-- even if we do not understand how He will accomplish it. "9 Know therefore that the LORD thy God, He is God, the Faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His Commandments to a thousand generations; 10 And repayeth them that hate Him to their face, to destroy them: He will not be slack to him that hateth Him, He will repay him to his face" (Deuteronomy 7:9-10).

Christ's enemies attempted to make Him a public spectacle of suffering and humiliation-- much like they will leave the Two Witnesses' dead bodies in the street for 3 1/2 days-- and, with as much success. "And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it" (Colossians 2:15). The Almighty will allow the spectacle in order to make His triumph over His enemies that much greater when the Two Witnesses are resurrected (Rev 11:11). "Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast led captivity captive: Thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them" (Psalm 68:18).

• "10 And they that dwell upon the Earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the Earth." The wickedness of those "that dwell upon the Earth" (Rev 11:10) is seen by their rejoicing over the death of the Two Witnesses. "For they have shed the blood of Saints and prophets, and Thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy" (Rev 16:6). Mourning over the death of these two good men would have been more appropriate, but not for these evil Earth dwellers. "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter" (Isaiah 5:20). The All Wise God (Jude 25) is merely filling up the iniquity of the Wicked. "Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers" (Matthew 23:32). And, the "iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full" (Genesis 15:16). Why does God give even the Unelect the opportunity to reject Him yet again? To justify His love, wisdom, grace, and mercy in offering them space for repentance, and seeking their salvation, even though He knows these will never repent, is God's purpose of offering His Salvation to the world (John 3:16). "3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the Truth... 6 Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time" (1Timothy 2:3-4, 6).

• "11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them." The Moral Insanity of the Wicked, i.e., the "heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live" (Ecclesiastes 9:3), is evidenced by their opposition to the LORD Jesus and His Two Witnesses. But, the miraculous resurrection of the Two Witnesses "after three days and an half" (Rev 11:11) of laying dead in the streets of Jerusalem, causes "great fear" (Rev 11:11) to fall upon them. Remember, the world, that has been watching the spectacle of their dead bodies crumpled in the streets of Jerusalem, now will see the Omnipotent, Resurrection Power of the Almighty at work in the resurrection of the Two Witnesses. "And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: He is risen; He is not here: behold the place where they laid Him" (Mark 16:6).

• "12 And they heard a great voice from Heaven saying unto them, Come Up Hither. And they ascended up to Heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them." Just as the Pre-Tribulational Rapture will be announced by the First "Come Up Hither" (Revelation 4:1), the Pre-Wrath Rapture will be announced by this Second "Come Up Hither" (Rev 11:12). Why call this Rapture a Pre-Wrath Rapture? You will notice that the Seventh Trumpet Judgment sounds in the adjacent verse, i.e., the "seventh angel sounded" ( Rev 11:15). The "vials of the wrath of God" (Rev 16:1) are poured out upon the Earth following the sounding of the Seventh and Last Trump (1Corinthians 15:52). Also, this eleventh chapter of Revelation declares that the LORD God Almighty's "wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the Saints" (Rev 11:18). At this point, those Tribulation Week Saints who are "alive and remain shall be caught up" (1Thessalonians 4:17) immediately following the Resurrection of all the Righteous Dead, i.e., the "dead in Christ shall rise first" (Rev 4:16). Thus, again, the LORD will fulfil His promises of delivering His Saints from the "wrath to come" (Rev 1:10). "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our LORD Jesus Christ" (Rev 5:9). "17 Notwithstanding the LORD stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 18 And the LORD shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His Heavenly Kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen" (2Timothy 4:17-18). "Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that He will yet deliver us" (2Corinthians 1:10). "The LORD knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished" (2Peter 2:9). "According to your faith be it unto you" (Matthew 9:29).

• "13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of Heaven." One sign of the end, Jesus said, would be earthquakes. "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows" (Mark 13:8). Scientists agree that the plate tectonics that produce earthquakes are evidence that the planet is not dead. The heat in the core of the Earth is released slowly in the form of molten rock from volcanoes. The Earth's tectonic plates are forced to move by the heat; thus, it moves rock like a conveyor belt, as well as recycles the Earth's crust each day. This overall dynamism of the Earth has helped to produce the oceans, atmosphere, continents, and fertile soil. So, even secular scientists would have to concur with the LORD Jesus that there certainly "shall be earthquakes" (Rev 13:8). But, unlike the pagan's concept of Mother Earth, the Christian understands that the Almighty is separate from His creation. "He looketh on the Earth, and it trembleth: He toucheth the hills, and they smoke" (Psalm 104:32).

By modern standards, an earthquake that destroys a tenth of a major city and kills 7,000 people (Rev 11:13) is significant. Combine that with the entire world watching (probably by satellite) the spectacle of the Resurrection of the Two Witnesses (Rev 11:11-12), and, in prophetic retrospect, the "remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of Heaven" ( Rev 11:13). The Creator must sometimes resort to extreme measures to get the attention of mankind, e.g., confounding the languages of the builders' of the Tower of Babel. "7 Go to, let Us [the Godhead] go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. 8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the Earth: and they left off to build the city. 9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the Earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the Earth" (Genesis 11:7-9). Further, momentary fright and glorification of the God of Heaven (Revelation 11:13) is not Gospel Salvation, for even the "devils also believe, and tremble" (James 2:19).

• "14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly." The woes expressed in Scripture testify to the seriousness of God's pronouncements, e.g., "Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him" (Isaiah 3:11), because "upon the wicked He shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup" (Psalm 11:6). The "second woe" (Revelation 11:14) refers to the Demonic Horsemen of the Sixth Trumpet Judgment (Rev 9:13-21), while the Demonic Locusts of the Fifth Trumpet Judgment (Rev 9:1-12) are the first woe of the final three Trumpet Judgments. "And I beheld [following the Fourth Trumpet Judgment], and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the Earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!" (Revelation 8:13). The "third woe" (Rev 11:14) is the Seventh Trumpet Judgment that "cometh quickly" (Rev 11:14) in the following verse.

• "15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in Heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our LORD, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever." Just as the Seventh Day of the Creation Week symbolized the completion of God's creative work (Genesis 2:2-3), the sounding of the Seventh Trumpet is both the completion of this series of Seven Trumpet Judgments, as well as the Last Trump to sound before the Resurrection of all the Saints of all time. "51 Behold, I shew you a Mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the Last Trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (1Corinthians 15:51-52). Completion of some significant event seems to be the LORD's intent in the timing of the Seventh Judgments: (1) The Seventh Seal Judgment (Revelation 8:1) signifies the completion of the first half of the Tribulation Week, coinciding with the "midst of the week" (Daniel 9:27) and the Abomination of Desolation (Matthew 24:15) on Earth, while Heaven is so awed by the gravity of the Almighty's judgments yet to unfold that there is silence in Heaven for "half an hour" (Revelation 8:1).

(2) The Seventh Trumpet Judgment (Rev 11:15) represents the completion of the Church Age, 8-9 days before the End of the Tribulation Week, when the "dead in Christ" (1Thessalonians 4:16) rise and the Saints who are "alive and remain" (Rev 4:17) are Pre-Wrath Raptured. And,

(3) the Seventh Vial Judgment (Rev 16:17) at the End of the Tribulation Week portrays the completion of the judgments of God, i.e., "It is done" (Rev 16:17). The statements of the "great voices in Heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our LORD, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever" (Rev 11:15) indicate that the Seventh Trumpet Judgment is the time that the LORD officially reinstates the kingdoms of the world as now belonging again to Him-- about to forcibly take back absolute control. When Adam was created, he was given the dominion or rule of the Earth, but he lost that dominion to Satan when he sinned. "And God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the Earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the Earth" (Genesis 1:26). Satan is now the "god of this world" (2Corinthians 4:4), the "prince of this world" (John 12:31), the "prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2), because he caused Adam to yield his dominion to him by obeying his enticement to make Adam to sin. "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" (Romans 6:16). The Seventh Trumpet Judgment marks the point at which the LORD refuses to allow Satan the opportunity to treat the Earth as Satan's dominion. Shortly thereafter, it will no longer be necessary to say: "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12).

• "16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God," The 24 Elders respond to the official proclamation (Rev 11:15) reinstating the kingdoms of the world as the principalities of the KING of Kings and LORD of Lords, by hearty agreement, praise, and worship of God (Rev 11:16). This worship was predicted by the LORD Jesus during His Earthly ministry. "God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth" (John 4:24). True worship is simply acknowledging the attributes of God, i.e., who He is, and bending voice and life to be in agreement. "But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation" (1Peter 1:15).

• "17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O LORD God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because Thou hast taken to Thee Thy great power, and hast reigned." Continuing with their worship of the Almighty, the 24 Elders thank the Eternal God for the exercise of His omnipotence in taking back the ruler ship of the "kingdoms of this world" ( Rev 11:15). The very fact that the LORD of All the Earth (Joshua 3:11) would tolerate Satan to usurp ruler ship of the Earth through rebellious man, indicates that the Almighty will not use His sovereignty to overpower the moral choice of angel, Satan, or man. "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them" (Genesis 1:27). But, the end of this phase of God's manifestation of Himself to His moral creation has been divinely concluded. "O Earth, Earth, Earth, hear the Word of the LORD" (Jeremiah 22:29). "The LORD hath made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the Earth shall see the salvation of our God" (Isaiah 52:10). Finally, He will show Himself to be, in His good time, the "Blessed and Only Potentate, the KING of Kings, and LORD of Lords" (1Timothy 6:15).

• "18 And the nations were angry, and Thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that Thou shouldest give reward unto Thy servants the prophets, and to the Saints, and them that fear Thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the Earth." That this is the time of the Pre-Wrath Rapture, can be seen by: (1) The "vials of the wrath of God" (Rev 16:1) are now to be poured out, i.e., "Thy wrath is come" (Rev 11:18).

(2) The Bema Seat Judgment (2Corinthians 5:10) of all the Saints occurs at this time, i.e., "that Thou shouldest give reward unto Thy servants the prophets, and to the Saints" (Rev 11:18). And,

(3) The destruction of the Wicked "which destroy the Earth" (Rev 11:18) is accomplished by wave after wave of the "vials of the wrath of God" (Rev 16:1), by the slaughter at Armageddon (Rev 16:16), and by the Judgment of the Nations-- "the time of the dead, that they should be judged" (Rev 11:18)-- where the Judge of All the Earth separates the "sheep from the goats" (Matthew 25:32), resulting in the "everlasting punishment" (Mt 25:46) of the Wicked.

• "19 And the Temple of God was opened in Heaven, and there was seen in His Temple the Ark of His Testament: and there were lightning's, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail." The "Temple of God" (Rev 11:19), here, refers to the Heavenly Temple, and not the Tribulational or Millennial Temples. Both the priesthood and the Temple were patterned "unto the example and shadow of Heavenly things" (Hebrews 8:5), after our Great High Priest-- "Jesus the Son of God" (Hebrews 4:14)-- and His Heavenly Temple. The Lost Ark-- the "Ark of His Testament" (Rev 11:19) or the "Ark of the Covenant" (Hebrews 9:4)-- had not been seen since Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem and destroyed Solomon's Temple (about 587 BC).

The prophet Ezekiel prophesied about Nebuchadnezzar's destruction of Jerusalem and the departed glory. "18 Then the glory of the LORD departed from off the threshold of the house [Solomon's Temple], and stood over the cherubims. 19 And the cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the Earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheels also were beside them, and every one stood at the door of the east gate of the LORD'S house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above" (Ezekiel 10:18-19 The "lightning's, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail" (Rev 11:19) are a momentous indication that God's presence-- symbolized by the Ark of the Covenant-- will, shortly, be seen on Earth and in His Temple. "Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindred's of the Earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen" (Revelation 1:7).