Jerusalem - Revelation 11

11:1-2 - After eating the book and being commanded to prophesy to the world, John is given “a reed like unto a rod” and the angel (not sure which one) commands him to “measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.” I’m not exactly sure what this means but it could be many things. The article on this chapter from gospeldoctrine.com reminds us “Ezekiel saw an angel with a measuring reed. In a grand display, Ezekial was shown the Jerusalem to be built in the last days. For nine chapters, Ezekiel explains in vivid detail, the Temple, its dimensions, some of its ordinances, the temple workers, the feasts to be re-instated, and Jerusalem itself. John sees the same temple already built before the second coming.” I just listened to a series of youtube videos that explained that the Jewish temple at Jerusalem is not only now built but functioning with some of their ordinances. John is not supposed to measure the outer court which is the court of the gentiles, “for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.” This time of 42 months is important because it’s referenced several times in this chapter, but in different ways, such as in days or years. The article surmises, “For 3.5 years (42 months) prior to the Second Coming, Jerusalem will be under siege by her enemies. This siege is a case of history repeating itself.” This happened before in A.D. 70 when the Roman army held a siege over Jerusalem and the people all starved to death or were tortured and crucified by the Romans when they snuck out to try to find food. It’s interesting to consider this plot point in light of our own world issues. The article quotes Parley P. Pratt as noting, “Suffice it to say, the Jews gather home, and rebuild Jerusalem.” Israel is just a known fact for us in our time, but imagine how farfetched that must have seemed to Parley when he said it over 150 years ago. Parley continues, “The nations gather against them in battle. Their armies encompass the city, and have more or less power over it for three years and a half.” Again, knowing the US’s stance of Israel and how we blindly support them no matter what and are pretty much the only ones that do, it’s interesting to consider what the American response will be by a siege of Jerusalem. Israel has many enemies and it’s not difficult to imagine one of those enemies starting a physical was with them to the point that a siege is possible. But again, how much will the U.S. be involved? 11:3-14 - I don’t know if it’s meant to be exactly the same time that the siege takes place but the timing does seem to line up. For “a thousand two hundred and threescore days,” or 42 months or 3.5 years, there will be “two witnesses” appointed and given power by God to preach the gospel in Jerusalem. These two men will have sealing 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.” Who exactly these two men are is kind of a puzzle and requires us to look at D&C 77 where the Lord answers Joseph Smith’s questions about these men. The article says, “The Lord’s answer to Joseph Smith, reveals that these two prophets were ‘raised up to the Jewish nation.’ Isaiah says they were sons of Jerusalem, implying that they were Jewish natives and perhaps separate from the organizational structure of the Church. However, Elder Bruce R. McConkie has commented that they will likely be apostles. For sure, they are prophets. Bruce R. McConkie: ‘These two shall be followers of that humble man, Joseph Smith, through whom the Lord of heaven restored the fullness of his everlasting gospel in this final dispensation of grace. No doubt they will be members of the Council of the Twelve or of the First Presidency of the Church.” This isn’t doctrine, only one man’s opinion, but this seems to be in line with their sealing power. Interestingly, the Lord is referenced as “the God of the earth” in verse 4, to which the article comments, “The God of the earth is the Lord. The god of the world is Satan.” I had never considered it like that but I’ve thought about it many times. Whenever I hear Satan referred to as “the god of this world,” I think they are saying that he’s the one in charge down here, but this explanation makes much more sense when considered to mean that Satan is the leader of the “world” meaning the world that is happening outside of the gospel is where Satan’s “godhood” comes from. Jesus couldn’t be the God of the “world” because his gospel is to put off the natural man, whereas Satan’s is to embrace it. Another aspect of these two men’s ministries is the amount of sheer power they will wield. These men will not be popular among the people of Jerusalem. This isn’t said outright, but through deduction we can reason that these men have “fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.” To even need that kind of power where you are implies that there is a great deal of violence awaiting you on that journey. Nephi in the Book of Mormon had sealing power to cause famines and pestilence on the people and even though he only did it slightly, he was still not very well liked among his own people. Imagine devouring your enemies with fire out of your mouth, that kind of necessity is indicative of great contempt. The article reminds, “To these great prophets is given power over the elements… In contrast to Nephi who used this power sparingly, reluctantly praying for a famine to come, these two Jewish prophets will use this power frequently and in great displays of the power of God.” Again, it’s not doctrine, but the article brings up several good points about the boldness of their ministry “in contrast to the Lord’s mortal ministry.” The article notes, “Like Jesus, they come from Jewish lineage; like Jesus, they minister for 3.5 years; like the Master, they minister in great power and might; like the Lamb, they are killed by the Jews; like the Redeemer, they are resurrected and ascend to heaven. The different is that their power is not to bless and bring back to life; their power is to curse and destroy.” If Jesus’ mortal ministry was more demur in dealing out the power of God, mostly in constructive and rehabilitative ways, that might have been because there needed to be another 2,000+ years of human existence where we tried to sort out this God of love and hope and all that. But at the point of these two Jewish prophets, the time of humans trying to “figure everything out” is over. Jesus is coming back to personally reign on the earth and the gospel is to be preached everywhere to all people ever. It’s time for bold action. These men are so unpopular that even while under siege and suffering with everything that that entails, the people in Jerusalem end up killing them in the street “when they shall have finished their testimony.” And just to further demonstrate how hated these prophets are, when they are killed, the people “rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.” Don’t get me wrong, I can imagine being relieved when someone dies, but I can’t imagine giving out gifts as a celebration of someone’s demise, but maybe that’s because I’m not really a gift person. Their dead bodies like out in the open in the street because they people “shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.” I never understood why this was a big deal because in war torn places, bodies litter the streets everywhere, but the article gives some insight saying, “Under the Law of Moses, dead bodies were unclean. They were not to be touched. For these prophets’ bodies to lie in the street is a great pollution according to the Law… As Christ was considered cursed under the law by being hung on a tree, so these prophets are considered cursed under the law by being left in the streets without burial.” Further insult to injury, further disrespect. Three and a half days their bodies lie in the street until “the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet.” The two prophets are resurrected in the sight of many people in the middle of the street, and these people “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.” Again, the article makes a good point, saying, “Remember after Christ was resurrected, how the chief priests bribed the solders to lie about why Christ’s tomb was empty? Remember how they spread rumors among the people that his disciples had stolen away the body?” The article notes that at that time the resurrected Savior only appeared to the righteous, “but these prophets will come to life in plain view of these people, both good and bad. For all to see, their dead bodies will lie in the open to be seen by many people- even many nations. No one can say their resurrection is a trick. There will be no bribes to spread lies and deceit. The evidence will be irrefutable. Instead of only the apostles seeing the resurrected Lord ascend into heaven, even the wicked will watch these prophets ascend up to heaven in a cloud.” I had always imagined that these two prophets were just going to be some generic old white guys from Utah who were going to be killed and resurrected, but this is making me really stop and wonder, who are these guys? Why would Jesus be using them as his antithesis? It’s really interesting to consider. Within the same hour as these two prophets are resurrected and taken into heaven, “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.” And the “second woe is past.” So this seems to be just before the Savior’s second coming, so I guess if we see this going on then we can know that the time is imminent. 11:15-19- - Now we have to keep in mind that all this is going down in that assembly area where there is God on a throne and 24 elders and all the animals and the angels, etc. After the “seventh angel sounded” presumably the surrounding angels begin to sing the praises of the Savior’s successful take over because “the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.” At this, the 24 elders who were sitting in their own chairs “fell upon their faces, and worshipped God.” They praise God and give thanks for basically this whole mess being over. They are grateful that he has taken the power and now reigns, the nations that were angry have been dealt with in his wrath, the time had come for the dead to be judged and the faithful shall be rewarded, “and the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.” The article makes some good points about this saying, “Speaking chronologically, we might imagine these 24 elders giving thanks just as the Savior is about to leave heaven to assume his prerogative as the King… At this time, the Savior is just about to make his Second Advent and the elders are thankful that the prophets’ and saints’ prayers are finally going to be answered.. All those righteous but persecuted souls, for all those centuries, pleading with the Lord and humbly declaring, ‘judgment is thing.’ Finally, for them, judgment will come; their prayers will be answered. It will come at the hands of the Savior himself when his wrath is come… His red apparel is not just symbolic of the blood spilt during the Atonement, but it also represents the blood of those killed by righteous judgment.” I wonder how I will feel when the Savior comes again. Will I be sad that it had to turn out this way, that people had to be so awful that only blood and fire and death could make people be nice to each other? Will I be relieved that it’s finally over? Will I be happy to be being resurrected?