The Death, Resurrection, and Victory of God’s Two Witnesses and Severe Earthquake of Revelation 11:113
📍Where Are We in Revelation?
Behind us:
The seven seals have been opened. And the first interlude introduced the 144,000. The trumpet judgments have now begun, revealing an increasingly severe period of judgment upon the earth.
Where we are:
We are in the second interlude, where God focuses our attention on His two witnesses in Jerusalem. Their testimony is nearing its completion, and the beast is about to make his move.
Ahead:
The second interlude will end with the death and resurrection of the two witnesses. Then the seventh trumpet will sound, bringing another major turning point in Revelation. From there, John will be shown events leading toward the final judgments and the return of Christ.
Prophecy Reminder: Revelation doesn’t always move forward chronologically. John often pulls back the curtain to show us another coinciding events occurring during the Tribulation.
The Beast Will Think He Has Won
Bible Study Guide
Imagine the scene.
God’s two witnesses have spent 1,260 days proclaiming His truth in Jerusalem. No enemy could stop them. No one could silence them.
Then their assignment is complete. And suddenly, the beast kills them. The world celebrates.
Their bodies lie exposed in the streets of Jerusalem. It looks like evil has finally won.
But Revelation 11 is about to reveal something the beast—and the world—failed to understand:
God was never out of control.
God Determines When the Mission Ends (Revelation 11:7)
(Verse 7) This is the first that we hear of the Antichrist. And apparently this act of murder will garner him attention and create a following. Did you notice when these two witnesses were killed? It’s after they’ve completed their task given to them by God to finish their testimony. This may not appear to be a scene where God is in control. Rest assured, God is in full control of all that is happening.
The two witnesses give their testimony, the word of God goes out to the lost people of Israel, both Jew and Gentile alike. Not before they’re finished will they be destroyed by the beast.
“so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11)
Watch carefully. We’re going to notice some similarities to the death of Jesus and the death of these two witnesses.
The World Will Celebrate the Death of God’s Witnesses (Revelation 11:8-9)
(Verses 8-9) It’s a Jewish tradition to bury their dead within 24 hours of their passing. It’s a sign of shame and dishonor to wait beyond this time.
The bodies of these 2 evangelists will lay at the epicenter of all prophecy. Where it all began and where it will all come to a close. They will lie in the city of Jerusalem.
The world will hate these two. People will look upon them as two goody-two-shoes spreading their religion to people who have absolutely no interest. Listening to what they consider foolish nonsense will drive the people of the world mad.
“because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.” (Revelation 11:10)
Their deaths will not remain a local event. Revelation describes the entire world looking upon their bodies. In our modern world with today’s technology, we can immediately understand how such an event could become a global spectacle through television, smartphones and social media.
Reflect & Apply:
What happens when standing for God’s truth makes you unpopular?
The two witnesses remind us that faithfulness isn’t measured by how the world responds to us. They will be hated, mocked and eventually killed—but they will have completed exactly what God called them to do.
Our responsibility isn’t to win the world’s approval. It’s to remain faithful to God’s assignment.
When the World Celebrates Evil (Revelation 11:10)
(Verse 10) Instead of feeling sympathetic for the brutality that ended their life, something different will happen. No one will run to their aid to try and revive them. CPR will not be a thought that will come to anyone’s mind. No one will shout for a doctor.
Rather, they will celebrate. I’m not talking about jumping in the air and shouting for joy. Oh no, they’ll take their celebration to a whole new level. They’ll give each other gifts.
Christ’s own people did not welcome Him. Their fellow Jews will not welcome these two evangelists. No one could harm Christ during His three-year ministry. In similar fashion, no one could harm these two evangelists until they completed their evangelistic ministry.
Just as people brutally murdered Christ after He completed His Father’s work, so too will people brutally murder these two Jewish evangelists for their innocence after they finish their work.
The world rejected Jesus when He came to offer salvation. Now the world celebrates the death of two witnesses who proclaim that same truth.
Satan has always opposed God’s messengers. But what appears to be defeat often becomes the very stage upon which God displays His victory.
On Oct. 7th, 2023, only moments after the depraved and evil attack by Hamas on the neighboring Kibbutz’s of Israel, celebration ensued. Men could be seen in the streets of Gaza offering celebratory baked goods as gifts to people passing by.
The response to the October 7 attacks provides a disturbing glimpse of how hatred toward God’s people can produce celebration rather than sorrow. Revelation 11 shows that such hostility will reach an even more extreme expression in the Tribulation.
They Thought the Two Witnesses Were Finished—God Wasn’t (Revelation 11:11-12)
(Verses 11-12) , Christ will finish with the beast (antichrist) later in Revelation. But God is not finished with His two witnesses.
When Christ was crucified on a tree, the Dragon (Satan) thought he had finally defeated Him. He was gravely mistaken he saw Jesus resurrected. Here also, the beast thinks that he has defeated God’s two servants.
Again, the beast is found to be wrong. We see that God has been in control of the entire situation and is still in control.
As news of the two dead witnesses spreads, images are found on every news outlet. Then suddenly fear strikes all those who are staring at the bodies.
Then God calls them:
“Come up here.”
Someone notices one of the bodies move. Then both bodies begin to move and eventually stand on their feet.
Two bodies that were in the street rotting away for three and a half days are now alive. Not only alive, millions of eyes are watching them rise to heaven on a cloud. God calls upon them to return home and the world is experiencing a moment of “shock and awe.”
The beast’s greatest moment of apparent victory becomes God’s greatest demonstration of authority.
The Earthquake That Changes Everything (Revelation 11:13)
(Verse 13)
“At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.” (Revelation 11:13)
A catastrophe hits the city of Jerusalem. A tenth of the city collapses and seven thousand people perish.
The survivors “gave glory to the God of heaven.”
The witnesses’ ministry didn’t end with their deaths. Their testimony continued. God’s Word accomplishes its purpose.
The two witnesses were not merely sent to preach. They were sent to produce a response. And even in the middle of judgment, some respond to God.
Who can stop the word of God from accomplishing its purpose? Not one!
Reflect & Apply:
The witnesses finished their assignment. Have we finished ours?
God has not called every believer to stand in Jerusalem during the Tribulation. But He has called every believer to be a witness for Christ where He has placed them.
We don’t know how much time we have.
We don’t know which conversation may be our last opportunity to share the gospel with someone.
Are we faithfully using the opportunities God has given us today?
The Second Interlude Ends—But God’s Mercy Continues
This scene ends the second interlude of grace. It also brings the second “woe” to completion. There is still the third and last “woe” to come.
The witnesses were sent and they testified. The beast attacked. The witnesses died. God raised them.
The world witnessed God’s power. Many gave glory to God.
Then:
What appeared to be the victory of the beast became another demonstration of God’s sovereignty. The second interlude is now over. The seventh trumpet is about to sound.
And heaven is about to announce what the earth has been waiting for.
Continue Studying: Book of Revelation Chapters 1–11 Study Guides
Absolutely. I’d make this a short, weighty closing reflection rather than another teaching section. The key is to connect the groaning of creation with Revelation’s coming shaking without claiming that every earthquake or weather event is itself a fulfillment of prophecy.
Closing Reflection: When the Earth Begins to Groan
The earth is groaning.
Across the world, we are witnessing ecological disasters, unprecedented flooding, extreme weather, volcanic activity, and earthquakes that remind us how fragile life on this planet really is. We hear reports of so-called “1,000-year floods,” communities devastated by storms, and the earth itself shaking beneath our feet.
These are the events that are leading the world into the Tribulation. Jesus reminded us of this very time:
“When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:28)
Revelation tells us that a day is coming when the earth will experience a shaking unlike anything humanity has ever known. The earthquakes we have studied in Revelation are not isolated events. They form part of a coming period when God will shake the heavens and the earth as He brings His prophetic plan to completion.
The message is not simply, “The earth is getting worse.”
The message is:
Jesus is coming.
And every sign that reminds us of our world’s fragility should turn our hearts toward the One who holds eternity in His hands.
Today, the door of God’s grace remains open. Don’t wait until the earth is shaking to realize where your foundation stands.
If you have never surrendered your life to Jesus Christ, turn to Him today. Confess your sin, place your faith in Him, and trust Him as your Savior and Lord.
The shaking is coming. But those who belong to Christ have an unshakable hope.
→ Ready to follow Jesus? Learn how to begin your relationship with Christ today: How to Follow Jesus Today
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Give us the faithfulness of Your two witnesses—the courage to stand for Your truth, the strength to remain faithful, and the boldness to proclaim Christ regardless of the cost.
We know our time is limited, and we do not know how much time remains. Help us not waste what You have given us. Make us faithful with every opportunity to point others toward Jesus.
When the world grows darker, make our witness shine brighter. When truth is rejected, give us courage to speak. And when we are tempted to remain silent, remind us that You have called us to be faithful, not comfortable.
Lord, use our lives to accomplish Your purpose while there is still time.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.