The Two Witnesses. 11:1-13 Testimony by witnesses to be

made in front of nations - chance to reform before outpouring of God’s judgments.

Two witnesses described as the earth (political opposition) and the woman (religious opposition).

Saints – separate & distinct group in God’s eyes - referred to as “the remnant of the woman’s seed.” 12:17

Treading Down of Holy City.

11:2 True saints symbolised as separate community - spiritual Jerusalem - the holy city - distinct from those who do not hold the Truth.

To be trodden underfoot by Gentiles for 42 months - 1260 years

Papal Power. The Pope in Rome finally made chief

bishop of all the churches - establishment of temporal power - by decree of Emperor Phocas in AD 608 / 610.

1260 years later is AD 1868 / 1870 - very time when papacy lost its temporal power.

Two witnesses were to prophesy during this period.

Column of Focus

Work of Witnesses. Witnesses - communities of people - testify

before many peoples, nations, tongues and kings - not confined to one area.

11:2,3 mention two different , but the same time periods 42 months &1260 days - Why?

Witnesses are killed at end of 1260 days / years by ‘the beast’- indicates Roman arena.

“My” witnesses, engaged (for own purposes) in Jesus’ work of providing protection to his true followers.

Testifying of Witnesses. 11:4 Witnesses pictured as (wild) olive

trees - communities of religious and political zealots - tormenting enemies of truth.

They testify before “the god of the earth”- not the Creator.

Pagan Roman times - god of the earth was Caesar - when Empire became Christian - popes thought of themselves as God.

Activities of Witnesses.

Paul wrote of a falling away, or apostasy leading to counterfeit Christian system - to be destroyed by Christ’s return.

12:3 “Tormenting” by witnesses through attacks on consciences and troubles / wars fomented by political agitatation - “fire.”

End of Witnesses. Groups described as “the two witnesses”

known in history as Donatists,Waldenses, Novatians, Huguenots etc.

All witnessed against autocratic, ecclesiastical power of Rome.

Maintained continuous record of opposition to political and religious tyranny.

After1260 days / years witnesses overcome, killed by beast ascended out of abyss.

Oppression of Witnesses.

Beast of Dan 7 reappears in Rev 11:7 from the “abyss” of Europe to make war with the saints and the witnesses.

Oppression to last for 1260 days / years.

Commenced in AD 312 when Donatists broke with Constantine.

Silencing of Witnesses. Period of witness commencing in AD 312

lasting 1260 years ends in AD 1572. 11:7 Massacre of the Huguenots took

place in France in 1572 witnesses “overcome.”

Pope Gregory XIII issued medal to commemorate - on reverse Catholics represented as angel of light, killing men, women, children in name of Christ.

11:7 1685 further harsh measures eliminated witnesses - were finally “killed.”

Remembrance of Witnesses.

Rome legally encompassed every part of the Empire - whole empire was the city.

11:8 The “street” - main thoroughfare - answers to France, the first and chief Catholic country.

11:9 Witnesses not to be buried out of sight - were actually commemorated by medals struck by Louis XIV in 1685.

Pope Gregory X111.

Commemorating massacre of the Huguenots in France 24th August 1572

Louis XIV.

Medal of Louis XIV of France, “The Most

Christian King,” commemorating the

Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, 1685.

Louis the Great.

Medal of “Louis the Great” commemoratingthe overthrow Of the churches of the

Calvinists in 1685.

Witnesses - Killed Not Buried.

The witnesses though “killed” were not to be buried.

11:11 To be commemorated for 3.5 days is 105 years.

‘Protestantism’, political / religious without organised power - ‘unburied body’ - in main street (France) of the Roman city for 105 years - till French Revolution 1790.

Witnesses Upon Their Feet.

‘the rights of man’ revived as result of French Revolution.

Property of exiled Huguenots, unsold restored to rightful heirs.

Struck terror into minds of their enemies, the king, nobles and clergy of France.

11:11 “great fear fell upon them which saw them.”

Scriptures began to circulate freely.

Storming Of Bastille.

Storming of the Bastille duringthe French Revolution.

‘The Ascension.’

11:12 Downtrodden witnesses ascend into political heavens - become members of Parliament.

11:13 Great earthquake - French revolution.

11:13 France was tenth part of the city of Rome - suffered greatest effects of Revolution.

Glory to the God of Heaven.

11:13 Survivors of revolution “affrighted and gave glory to the God of heaven.”

Robespierre proposed that the French people acknowledge existence of the Supreme Being.

Ascription “To Reason” replaced by another -“To the Supreme Being” on front of Notre Dame and other Cathedrals.

Significance of French Revolution.

Many writers recognized scriptural significance of French Revolution on basis of Revelation ch.11:

Joseph Mede (1649). Robert Fleming (1701). Thomas Newton (1754). Peter Jurieu (1687).