(S2E12) The Temple and Two Witnesses

In this episode, Gordon and Mark explore Revelation 11:1–13, a significant interlude between the second and third Woes.  This passage provides critical insight into events unfolding within the broader End Times timeline.  The hosts divide the section into two parts:  verses 1–2 which focus on the Temple, and verses 3–13 which introduce the Two Witnesses.The episode opens with comments from Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, who expressed support for Israel’s right to exist and suggested the potential transformation of the Abraham Accords into a “Cyrus Accords.” Gordon and Mark briefly reflect on how shifting geopolitical dynamics—particularly involving Iran and Israel—could intersect with prophetic expectations.John is instructed to measure the Temple, the altar, and the worshipers, but not the outer court.  This command raises an important interpretive question:  Is this Temple a literal, physical structure or a symbolic representation of God’s people?  While views differ, the hosts emphasize that Jesus clearly taught that believers themselves are the Temple of God. The inclusion of worshipers in the act of measuring suggests that God’s concern is not merely with a structure, but with true, authentic worship.They explore the meaning of “measurement,” noting that it symbolizes ownership, evaluation against a standard, protection, and intentional design.  Whether interpreted literally or symbolically, the act of measuring communicates that God is carefully distinguishing what belongs to Him.The hosts agree a real, functioning Temple will be in place in the End Times.  They point out that throughout biblical history God has consistently used a physical space as a meeting place with humanity through the Tabernacle and first two Temples.  In this context, a future Temple may serve a specific prophetic purpose, even if it is not God’s ultimate dwelling.  The exclusion of the outer court introduces another layer of meaning which may indicate a divided control of Jerusalem where the Temple proper is under Jewish authority, while the surrounding areas remain dominated by the nations.  Symbolically, it may also reflect a distinction between God’s people and a world still under external control.The text states the nations will trample the holy city for 42 months (3½ years) which is commonly associated with the midpoint or latter half of Daniel’s 70th week.  The hosts note that for the Antichrist to enter and proclaim himself as God, as other Scriptures indicate, a physical Temple would need to exist.The focus then shifts to the Two Witnesses, appointed by God to also prophesy for 1,260 days.  Rather than concentrating on their identities, the hosts emphasize their purpose.  Their ministry overlaps with the period of Jerusalem’s trampling, serving as a powerful testimony during a time of intense opposition.The witnesses are granted extraordinary authority and call down fire, shut the heavens from rain, turn water to blood, and strike the earth with plagues.  All of these echo the ministries of Moses and Elijah, yet their exact identities remain unspecified in this episode. No one can harm the witnesses until their mission is complete which is when the beast from the abyss is allowed to kill them.  This apparent victory is short-lived because after 3½ days, God raises the witnesses to life and calls them up to heaven in full view of their enemies.  This dramatic sequence reinforces that in moments of apparent defeat, God remains fully in control and vindicates His servants.The episode concludes by noting that with the second woe now complete, the narrative moves forward toward the seventh trumpet and the culmination of God’s redemptive plan. This passage serves as both a warning and a reassurance that God measures, protects, empowers, and ultimately triumphs Send us Fan Mail