A period of 3 ½ years is mentioned twice in chapter 11, twice in chapter 12, and once in chapter 13. It is apparent that John is basing this 3 ½ year motif on two separate Old Testament accounts. The first allusion is to Elijah's prophecy to Ahab that it would not rain for several years [1 Kings 17:1, James 5:17]. The drought lasted for 3 – 3 ½ years. The second allusion is to Daniel's copious references to a period of trouble for the land of Israel that would last for 3 ½ years [Daniel 7:25, 8:14, 12:7, 12:11, 12:12, 9:27].
The question is how are each of these periods related to each other.
Are they all consecutive, so the the total time is 3 ½ x 5 = 17 ½ years?
If so what is the order?
Are they all parallel, so the the total time is 3 ½ years? [Beale, Idealtist]
Are there two consecutive periods of 3 ½ years, totaling 7 years? [most Futurists]
If so which occur in the first period and which the second?
Are they independent periods, with random overlap? [most Preterists]
And the possibilities go on.
The arguments presented here are a little different than most. Many, especially preterists and historicists, presuppose that John's visions are referring to specific historical events and then base the order of the various time periods on those fulfilled events. This, in my opinion, is putting the cart before the horse. Is this really what John had in mind? Should we not see if there are clues within the book of Revelation itself to define their order and total duration?
This is essentially what I attempt to do here. I will forewarn you, I am preterist, so the final conclusions support a preterist interpretation. That being said, I completely disagree with every proposed model offered by both partial and full preterists for the order of events described in Revelation. My actual conclusions are closer in nature to those of futurists, that there are two consecutive periods of 3 ½ years in which the first is a period of relative peace, and the second a period of great tribulation. Technically, the model presented here could be used in any of the various interpretations (full & partial preterist, futurist, idealist, & historicist).
1) Argument #1 – (summary) The beast kills the two witnesses after they finish their ministry which lasts 42 months. But Christ's ultimate victory is at the end of the 3 ½ years and the beast is destroyed. This is an obvious conflict with there being only one 3.5 year period and supports two consecutive periods.
The two witnesses prophecy for 42 months and then are attacked by the beast:
"Reve 11:7 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." (emphasis mine)
Now this is almost identical to the the vision of the beast in Revelation 13.
"Reve 13:7 And it was given unto him TO MAKE WAR with the saints, and TO OVERCOME them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations." (emphasis mine)
It is probable that the two witnesses are symbolic, or at least included, in the "saints" of Revelation 13:7.
We are told in Revelation 13 that the beast also "continues 42 months." If Revelation 11:7 and 13:7 are simultaneous, then the beast makes war and overcomes the saints only AFTER the 42 months are over (based on Revelation 11:7 which states that they two witness are killed AFTER their ministry).
This is further supported by the vision of the Woman clothed with sun. The woman is nourished in the wilderness for 3 ½ years (Rev 12:6, 14). That is, like the two witnesses, she is 'protected' until the end of the designated time period. Oddly enough, though, at the end of the 3 ½ years it is the remnant of the woman's seed that are attacked, and not the woman herself. The language is almost identical as the verses mentioned earlier:
"Reve 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went TO MAKE WAR with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. " (emphasis mine)
Furthermore, I would argue that the two witnesses are those who
(first witness) keep the commandments of God &
(second witness) have the testimony of Jesus Christ. That is, either Jewish and Gentile converts, or Faithful Jews and Christians.
"Testimony" is the same Greek work in Revelation 12:17 as in 11:7.
We conclude the saints will be protected (Beale claims from spiritual deception rather than physical protection) for 3 & ½ years and then the beast / dragon will attack and kill the saints / two witnesses / woman's remnant.
Here's the problem, the final war of the apocalypse is described in detail by John… and, well, the beast doesn't overcome the saints in this battle.
Reve 19:19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together TO MAKE WAR against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. (emphasis mine)
Reve 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Reve 19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which [sword] proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
(see also Revelation 16:13-19)
As the saying goes "you can't have your cake and eat it too." You can equate all the periods of 3 ½ years, but this also forces the 'war' in which the beast overcomes the saints to occur at the culmination of the 3 ½ years, which elsewhere in Revelation is equated with Armageddon, the battle of Gog and Magog (full preterist only), the supper of the great God, the battle of that great day of God Almighty…all of which has Christ and his saints as victorious.
A much simpler explanation is that there are two periods of 3 ½ years. The two witnesses prophecy for 1260 days, finish their testimony, and then are overcome by the Beast at the end of their testimony. Afterwards they the beast makes war with them and kills them at the beginning of the next period of 3 ½ years (or if they are symbolic of the saints, they are the first of the martyrs killed during this period). Using this model allows the two witnesses to be overcome AFTER their testimony, and for the victorious battle of Christ to occur AFTER the beast makes war with the saints.
2) Argument #2 (summary) – The textual clues of Revelation 13 imply that the war the beast wages with the saints is 42 months and not a shorter period near the end of the 42 months.
It could be argued that the 42 months the beast continues could still be concurrent with the 1260 days the two witnesses prophecy. Revelation 11 says the beast makes WAR with the saints after the FINISH their testimony, which lasts for 42 months. Revelation 13 only says the Beast CONTINUES for 42 months. Although it says he makes WAR with the saints, it is assumed that this coincides with the 42 months he CONTINUES. If the assumption is correct, then there must be two consecutive periods of 3 ½ years. The first in which the two witnesses prophecy. The second in which the Beast makes war.
But is there evidence that the Beast makes WAR for 42 months? The poetic arrangement of the text in chiastic parallel as well as John's emphasis on what the Beast is "given" clearly suggest the 'continuation' for 42 months is simultaneous with the war he wages with the saints.
Reve 13:2 ...and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
A Reve 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast…
B saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
C Reve 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies…
D ...and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
C' Reve 13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
B' Reve 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
A' Reve 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
The chiastic structure centers around the period of 42 months, implying that all the events associated with the structure also occur during that period. Namely that the beast blasphemes God, the earth worships the beast and the beast makes war all during this period.
Furthermore, the entire section emphasizes what the dragon 'gives' the beast, that is, his power, his blasphemous mouth, his duration of 42 months, his power over the nations, and a war with the saints.
There is no indication that the war with the saints lasts for less than 42 months, and following Occam's razor, we conclude exactly this.
The beast's war with the saints must therefore last 3 ½ years. BUT Revelation 11 has the saints being overcome at the END of the 3.5 years. This supports that there are two consecutive periods of 3.5 year.
3) Argument 3 (summary) – A comparison of Revelation 13 & 17 reveals that the deadly wound to the Beast's head occurs to the sixth head which symbolizes the sixth of series of Kings. Since (1) the deadly wound occurs before the beginning of the 3 ½ years & (2) there is no possible way that the sixth king corresponds to the ministry of Christ circa 30 AD, the 3 ½ years cannot begin with the ministry of Christ. That is, the 3 ½ years is not symbolic of the entire period from Christ's ascension to his second return [Beale's conclusion, supporting one 3 ½ year period].
Beale suggests "within the context of Revelation it is unlikely that the figurative three and a half year periods in 11:3; 12:6, 14 are to be distinguished from the same period of time in 11:2 and 13:5-13." [p. 566]
Reve 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days…
Reve 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
Reve 12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
Reve 11:2 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.
Reve 13:5 And there was given unto [the Beast] a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
In addition, Beale goes further and concludes that "the three and a half year period was inaugurated at Christ's resurrection and will be consummated at his final coming" [p. 567 based on Rev 12:5-6; 14:14-20]. Finally, Beale offers that the "three and one-half year period is chosen to represent the church's witness" because "Christ's ministry lasted about that amount of time." [p567].
Because Beale equates the 3 ½ years of the beasts rule to the 3 ½ years the woman is in the wilderness, he also must conclude that "one of the heads of the beast is depicted as 'slain' because of Christ's death and resurrection as 12:5, 10-12 together with 1:5 and 5:9 bear out… This means that the defeat in mind here is more likely the victory over the devil at the cross than some punishment of an evil historical figure (Nero or someone else)… ."
For the purpose of this article, I will show that Beale's assumption that the deadly wound to the beast's head occurred at the resurrection of Christ cannot be true.
Beginning with chapter 17 we see that the Beast is composed of seven heads, which are interpreted as seven kings. The Beast is described in a past-present-future scheme, where the 'present' head "is not" yet "is." The beast also has a seventh head which is yet to come. Finally, the beast with seven heads, strangely enough, has eight heads later in the same vision. This is can be explained as the re-manifestation of the sixth head that "is not" yet "is" [although some would have another separate king]. Thus the sixth head "is not" and the eighth head "is," being the same head and retaining the integrity of the vision of the Beast with seven heads.
Although this can be quite confusing, the chapter can be broken down in terms of the seven heads of the beast (although some of the phrases possibly describe the sixth or seventh head, this does not change the conclusion of this article)
Five Heads: The Beast WAS, Five (kings) are fallen
Sixth Head: The Beast IS NOT, The Beast Is (the implied sixth king)
[Resurrected Sixth]: The Beast IS NOT-YET IS, He shall ascend out of the bottomless pit; The world will wonder after the Beast; He is the eighth and is of the seven,
Seventh Head: The other (the seventh king) is not yet come, and when he comes he must continue a short space
Understanding this scheme is important. First it establishes a 'hidden' chronology that is based on the reign of seven kings. John's vision is given during the reign of the sixth king, for "he is." It is implied that the seven kings are Roman since Rome is the city that sits on 7 hills, but this point is not stressed or needed. Since Christ's ministry overlapped the reign of the Roman emperors, this ties in well to chapter 12 of Revelation as well.
We can make a critical conclusion from comparing this chapter to the description of the beast in chapter 13. The world wondered after the beast that "is not – yet is" in Revelation 17. The world wondered after the beast because of its deadly wound in Revelation 13. Following Occam's Razor, the phrase that the beast "is not – yet is" is simply another way of saying the beast had a deadly wound that was healed. Most importantly, the deadly wound therefore must have occurred during the reign of the sixth king [and the healing of the wound is a resurrected sixth, the seventh, or an eighth head].
This conclusion is critical because during the ministry of Christ on earth, there was no sixth or seventh king, Roman, Judean or otherwise. In addition the wound refers to the BEAST's head and NOT Satan's. Therefore this cannot refer to the defeat of Satan seen in chapter 12. It is referring to an event that is somehow disconnected from the earthly ministry of Christ.
Since the duration of the beast is 42 months, and since this occurs after his deadly wound [Reve 13:3-5], the 42 months CANNOT begin with Christ's resurrection. In other words, a single period of 3 ½ years is NOT supported by the text, and at least two periods are needed if indeed one of the periods begins with the resurrection of Christ as Beale and the text of Revelation 12 suggests.
4) Argument 4 (summary) – There are scriptural ties between the Woman Clothed with the Sun and the Two Witnesses, which suggest that the period the Woman was in the wilderness and the period of the Two Witnesses prophecy are concurrent.
There are several interesting parallels between the Woman Clothed with the Sun and the Two Witnesses. We learn of the woman that she flees "into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days."
This is an obvious allusion to two Old Testament incidents. First, Moses twice fled into the wilderness from the Egyptians and her Pharoah (the first for killing an Egyptian, the second after the ten plagues). The Pharoah of Egypt has been compared in the Old Testament to a dragon [Ezek 29:3]. It was in the wilderness that Moses and the Israelites were fed with manna from heaven, amazingly similar to the woman being nourished for 3 ½ years in the wilderness.
The second allusion is to Elijah. Elijah hid in the wilderness for 3 – 3 ½ years, apparently from the wrath of Ahab & Jezebel. There he was fed miracously by the ravens and by a widow woman. Within the wilderness God had a place for prepared for him.
This is important because the miracles of the two witnesses are direct allusions to the miracles of Elijah and Moses! One of the miracles referred to was 3 ½ years of drought, which corresponds to when Elijah fled into the wilderness. In addition, the plagues also correspond to some of the ten plagues of Egypt (water into blood) which occurred just before Israel fled into the wilderness out of Egypt.
Now I am not saying that the Woman is the same as the Two Witnesses. The evidence is actually that the Two Witnesses are related to the Woman's seed found further in the vision. My point is only that the two time periods in which the Woman is in the wilderness and the Two Witnesses prophecy may very well be concurrent because of the natural associations between the two.
5) Argument #5 (summary) - There is a pattern in several of the periods which places them in either a period of great persecution of a period of Divine protection. This pattern, along with other textual clues, indicates there are two consecutive periods which begins with the period of Divine protection.
The question remains as to whether all the time periods are completely independent. The textual evidence from comparing the three chapters (11, 12, 13) as well as the Old Testament prophecies of Daniel indicates there are at most two periods.
This is shown quite readily from the one commonality between all three chapters. In each a war is waged with the saints of God, although in each case the saints are symbolized or named differently.
Reve 11:7 And when [the two witnesses] 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.
Reve 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Reve 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
The last war, as already discussed, will last for 3 ½ years. It is probable that these three periods are referring to the same event and can be combined into one period of 3 ½ years of great persecution.
But in chapters 11 & 12, just before the period of war is mentioned, a period of relative safety is mentioned for the saints:
Reve 12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
Reve 11:5 And if any man will hurt [the two witnesses], fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
In both cases the text allows for some persecution during this period, but relatively speaking, this is a period of Divine Protection amid persecution.
In addition, the period of 3.5 years described earlier in the vision of the Two Witnesses also follows the pattern of Divine Protection amid persecution.
Reve 11:1 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.
Reve 11:2 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.
Although the Gentiles are given the holy city to tread, the temple, the altar, and the worshipers inside are separated from them for a period of 42 months. [These verses will be described in greater detail below. Because of the similarity between this verse and Daniel 8:13-14, it is often assumed this period occurs during the second period, which I believe does not fit the overall evidence].
In support of two consecutive periods of 3.5 years, the first which is a period of relative safety and the second a period of great persecution, is Daniel 9.
Dani 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof [shall be] with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
Dani 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
The "week" Daniel refers to is a week of years. The final week is initiated by the "cutting off" of the Messiah and the initiation of a covenant. The middle of the week is initiated by an abomination which begins the destruction of the city and sanctuary. Therefore the seven years can be divided into two periods of 3 ½ years, the first of which is relatively calm and the second one of great tribulation.
The emerging pattern is that there are two periods of 3.5 years. The first corresponds to a period of Divine protection (the Woman in the Wilderness from the face of the serpent, the Two Witnesses prophecy and are not killed by their enemies, the worshipers in the Temple separated from the treading of the Gentiles) and the second to a period of great persecution of 3.5 years (that the beast wages war with the saints, the two witnesses, and the remnant of the woman's seed).
6) Argument #6 (summary) - The miracle of the fire consuming the two witness' enemies may correspond to the miracle of the earth swallowing the flood out of the mouth of the dragon. This would further tie the two visions together, and support a model of two consecutive periods of 3.5 years which are separated by some great defeat of the enemy.
There is another interesting tie between the two witnesses and the woman clothed with the sun. I'm referring to an incident that happened in the life of Moses [related to the two witnesses] and the children of Israel while they were in the wilderness [related to the woman in the wilderness]. Sometime during their wilderness wandering, there was a contention between Moses and the priests of Korah over "who are His and who is holy." God showed that Moses was indeed his chosen when He destroyed Korah and his disciples:
Numb 16:31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that [was] under them:
Numb 16:32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that [appertained] unto Korah, and all [their] goods.
Numb 16:33 They, and all that [appertained] to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
Numb 16:34 And all Israel that [were] round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up [also].
Numb 16:35 And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.
Now, the woman in the wildness is associated with righteous Israel and the two witnesses are associated with Moses. In the story of the woman in the wilderness, after the dragon tries to destroy the woman with a flood
Reve 12:16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
In the story of the two witnesses, if any man would hurt them,
Reve 11:5 …fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
Each story has a strong allusion to the incident of Korah, namely the destruction of their enemies through two miracles of God. This Old Testament tie indicates the two visions may be referring to the same event.
7) Argument #7 (summary) - The miracle of the earth swallowing the flood out of the mouth of the dragon can be associated with the deadly wound to the beast's head. This would further tie the two visions of the Beast and the Woman clothed with the Sun together, and support a model of two consecutive periods of 3.5 years which are separated by some great defeat of the enemy.
It is interesting in chapter 12 we read of an incident that seems to have to no parallel anywhere else in the book of Revelation, and even seems to be out of place within the vision itself.
Reve 12:15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
Reve 12:16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
Reve 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
What and when does this mysterious flood take place? Some believe that the flood must refer to an army of men that Satan sends after the woman (righteous Israel) in order to attack her after her flight into the wilderness. We can assume that the attack occurs sometime after the woman has fled because John uses the phrase "as a flood AFTER the woman" instead of the opposite preposition he uses earlier "the dragon stood BEFORE the woman." The picture is that the dragon is to the back of the woman (because she is fleeing) and cannot easily access her (because she is in the wilderness).
There is biblical precedence in the Prophets that a flood refers to an army of men overtaking the land…Isaiah 59, Jeremiah 46-47, Daniel 9 & 11, & Amos 8-9. Moreover, "water" in Revelation 12:15 is the same Greek work as in Revelation 17 where John is given the interpretation of "water" used earlier in the vision of the Great Harlot.
Reve 17:15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
Although this does not necessarily support the idea of an 'army,' it certainly supports the idea that Satan sent out a mass of people to attack the woman, and it is logical to assume this mass of people is an army.
In addition, John is also drawing a direct parallel to the incident of Korah in the Wilderness in which Korah and his disciples are also swallowed by the earth. This supports that a literal flood is not swallowed, but those who in some manner attack God's appointed.
Although it requires a secondary inference, we can even a make a logical guess as to what 'army' makes an attack on the woman. Again in chapter 17, in the vision of the Great Harlot, we are given an intriguing parallel… In verse one John is told by the angel that
Reve 17:1 … I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters…
Yet when John sees the woman in the wilderness, she sits not on many waters, but John
"saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns."
We can only conclude that the beast consists of "peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues," but more importantly we have a direct connection within the book of Revelation between "waters" and the Beast. It is probably then that the waters that are swallowed by the earth in Revelation 12 are none other than the Beast's army.
Why does Revelation 12:16 say that the flood waters came out of the mouth of the dragon? In the description of the beast we are told "the dragon…gave power unto the beast," thus there is a strong connection between the dragon and the beast, especially the beast as the agent of the dragon. It also seems likely that the reason the beast is used by the dragon is because the woman is protected from the dragon in the wilderness, thus the dragon attempts other means [a flood] to destroy the woman.
This leads us to another logical conclusion. If indeed it is the beast['s army] that is swallowed by the earth, and the dragon's next line of action is to make war with the remnant of her seed, we have a strong parallel with chapter 13 in which the beast whose head has a deadly wound makes war with the saints. In other words, the deadly wound to the head of the beast is the same as the incident in which the flood waters are swallowed by the earth, i.e., it is referring to a significant defeat to the beast's army that attempts an attack on righteous Israel.
(8) Argument #8 (summary) - The miracle of the earth swallowing the flood out of the mouth of the dragon can be associated with the miracle of the two witnesses turning water to blood. This would further tie the two visions of the Two Witnesses & the Woman clothed with the Sun together, and support the conclusion that there are two consecutive periods of 3.5 years which are separated by some great defeat of the enemy.
It is interesting then that we also see the word "waters" in the vision of the two witnesses. Before we examine this connection, let's review the miracles that are credited to the two witnesses:
Reve 11:5 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.
Reve 11:6 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.
Many assume that because some of their miracles, especially their ability to strike the earth with plagues and turn water to blood, parallel many of the seven trumpets and plagues, the ministry of the two witnesses must occur during this same period.
This assumption, though, does have its complications. Although one of their miracles has a direct relationship with the seven trumpets & plagues, namely turning water into blood, their miracle of preventing rain for 3 ½ years seems to have no relationship to any of the plagues or even visions in the book of Revelation. In addition, fire consuming their enemies has no direct ties to the seven plagues or trumpets and has a stronger tie to the battle of Gog and Magog.
Is there another, better way to interpret the miracles of the two witnesses?
First, we have already seen that through the Old Testament account of Korah in the wilderness, there is a close tie between the miracle of the earth swallowing the flood and the enemies of the two witnesses being consumed by fire.
Second, it has already been surmised that "water" could mean a body of people, especially the beast['s army]. Therefore, the two witnesses turning water to blood could be another way of describing the destruction of the beast['s army].
Third, all the miracles listed have strong ties to the miracles of Moses and Elijah. The third miracle, shutting heaven so it did not rain is a direct allusion to the miracle of Elijah in which the heavens were shut up for a period of three to three and a half years. This allusion allows us to make even more connections with the previous vision. It was during this drought that Elijah was led to the wilderness where he was also miraculously fed, in Elijah's case, by ravens and a widow woman.
At the end of the drought, Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to a battle between God's. When God sent down fire upon Elijah's altar, Elijah had the prophets of Baal slaughtered at the brook of Kishon. So not only is there another possible of 'turning water to blood' but we see that at the end of Elijah's 3 ½ years in the wilderness, he battles and conquers the forces of the enemy. Elijah's "beast" Ahab, although 'mortally wounded' continues as King. In addition, Jezebel, has associations to the Great Harlot. The prophets of Baal are slain in the VALLEY of Kishon which could be connected to the earth SWALLOWING the flood.
In other words, there are several possible connection between the miracles of the two witness to the swallowing of the flood waters by the earth in the vision of the Woman Clothed with the Sun. This supports a model of two periods of three and one half years separated by a great defeat to the enemy. Since this defeat occurred during the reign of the sixth king just before the 42 months of war, this places the period of divine protection firmly before the period of great persecution.
(9) Argument #9 (summary) - The miracle of the two witnesses striking the earth with plagues can be associated with the deadly wound to the beast. This would further tie the two visions of the Two Witnesses & the Beast together, and support the conclusion that there are two periods of 3.5 years which are separated by some great defeat of the enemy.
Finally, the phrase to "smite the earth with all plagues," can be tied to the beast as well. The beast is described as having a "deadly wound." The word "wound" in the Greek is the same as the word "plagues" in 11:6. In addition the wound to the beasts head is said to occur by a sword, Rev 13:14, which corresponds well to the term 'smite' in 11:6.
[Another possible tie to Moses: at the end of the wilderness wandering, Balaam [Revelation 2:14] was slain with a sword because of the deception he caused Israel [Num 31:8,16]].
(10) Argument #10 (summary) - Since the other significant women found in the book of Revelation (the harlot and the bride of Christ) are interpreted as cities, it seems likely that the Woman clothed with the sun may also be a city. If so, there are strong ties to the prophecy of the Gentile nations treading the holy city, further refining the model of the two periods of 3.5 years.
As with most of the symbolism in Revelation, there is a wide range of interpretation regarding the woman in the wilderness. It will be admitted that the vision of the woman bears allusions to Eve, to Mary the mother of Christ, to the mother of Emmanuel, to Israel, and even to Elijah and Moses. Most interpreters in some way interpret the woman as the Church who is protected in the tribulation period to come (although some Historicists say she is Mary; e.g.: Matthew Henry). The flight of the woman into the wilderness seems to be a direct reference to a reference in Matthew
Matt 24:15 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:)
Matt 24:16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
This reference is to Daniel's prophecy of the abomination of desolation, which when set in place, would last 3 ½ years before the temple is cleansed. Since the woman's flight into the wilderness also lasts for 3 ½ years and since the mountains of Matthew 24 can be associated with the wilderness of Revelation, it is a fair conclusion that John is referring to those who would flee Jerusalem immediately before the great tribulation.
I believe, though, that while these interpretations are not necessarily 'wrong,' they completely miss the obvious parallel John makes which interprets the passage for us. As usual Occam's Razor is used to interpret the passage.
First, while John does not reveal the identity of the woman in the wilderness, he does reveal the identity of two other women closely associated with her. First, interestingly, there is another woman who is found in the wildernss
Reve 17:3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
This woman is a polar opposite of the Woman clothed with the Sun, for she is given a title "THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH," and she is "drunken with the blood of the saints."
But in the case of this woman, John does reveal her identity.
Reve 17:18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city…
Therefore, the woman is a city. Now the physical city itself and its buildings and streets are not the actual concern of the author, but the people that make up the city. The two are married together. The character of the citizens determines the nature of the woman. Although the identity of the city is a matter of debate, a probable conclusion is the great harlot is a corrupt Jerusalem. In Revelation 17:8, the city is called the great city. In Revelation 11 we are told regarding the two witnesses
Reve 11:8 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.
Since Christ was crucified in Jerusalem, and since the city is called the "great city" as in Revelation 17, it seems probable the city of Revelation 17 is Jerusalem.
The final woman associated with the Woman clothed with the Sun (who was the mother of Christ) is the Bride of Christ.
Reve 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
As before, John reveals the identity of the Bride of Christ.
Reve 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Again, the woman is a CITY, and again is a polar opposite of the Great Harlot.
Now the natural conclusion is simple. If the Great Harlot is the great city, possibly a corrupt Jerusalem, and the Bride of Christ is the holy city, the New Jerusalem, what might we conclude about the Woman Clothed with the Sun?
First, of course, is that she also symbolizes a city. Secondly, if the great city of Revelation 17 is indeed a corrupt Jerusalem, then the woman clothed with the sun must be the Old City Jerusalem, still holy before its corruption.
Why then does John not reveal the identity of the woman as he does the other two? How can we interpret the remaining parts of the vision? What is the wilderness, the flood, the place prepared of God?
If the woman is Holy Jerusalem before its corruption, John may very well interpret her identity in an earlier vision. Throughout Revelation, this great city is described as wicked and corrupt. Most of the other references to the city of Jerusalem which describe it in a positive light refer to the NEW Jerusalem. Only ONE reference, found in Revelation 11, describes the earthly-physical city of Jerusalem as holy:
Reve 11:1 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.
Reve 11:2 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.
Interestingly, only a few verses down, the same city is compared to Sodom and Egypt. How can the city by both Holy and spiritually like Sodom and Egypt? I believe John has given enough clues to draw the appropriate conclusion.
First, as we said before, the woman clothed by the sun is the HOLY CITY, the Old city of Jerusalem before its corruption, filled with the saints of God.
Second, as we concluded earlier, the flood waters sent out of the mouth of the dragon can be tied to the beast and to the "nations" (see Chapter 17 where John interprets the waters the great harlot sits upon). The term "nations" is the same Greek word as the term "gentiles" used in Revelation 11:2. Therefore the flood waters sent out of the mouth of the dragon can be tied to the "gentiles" who tread the holy city for 42 months.
Therefore, after Christ's ascension, the Gentiles remained in control of the holy city. It remained "holy" because it was still filled with the saints of God. These gentiles, though, persecuted the saints, although to a much lesser degree than during the period of great tribulation.
Third, the place prepared of God must therefore be the "temple and the altar" which was measured by John. This parallels the exodus when the Israelites entered the wilderness, for it was in the wilderness that the built up the tabernacle and altar. The nourishment corresponds to the manna which also corresponds to the word of God [Deut 8:3].
John simply seems to be saying that for a season after the ascension of Christ, the city of Jerusalem would remain "holy," and its saints would have access to God through the temple and its altar. Their worship continued in spite of the fact that the city was being trampled by the Gentiles.
Ultimately, after the period of Divine Nourishment, the city would no longer be holy. From chapter 11, we conclude that it is because the saints have been and are being killed. Just as Sodom was not spared because no righteous men was found in the city, the corrupt Jerusalem which had murdered many of the righteous saints and witnesses would be destroyed as well.
The corrupt Jerusalem would give way to the New Jerusalem. The picture John paints is simple. The Old Holy City of Jerusalem would become the Corrupt Great City of Babylon and eventually would be superseded by the New Holy City of Jerusalem. The character of the city reflects the character of the people within the city. It is only after the saints begin being killed that there are more wicked than righteous in the city, making the city into a great harlot drunken with the blood of the saints.
If the woman clothed with the sun is a city as the other two women are, then we are forced to conclude there are two periods of 3.5 years. The first in which the city is holy. The second in which the city is corrupt. The fact is, the city cannot be holy and corrupt simultaneously.
In further support of this, we are told that at the same time the city is holy, the temple and altar and its worshipers are separated from the Gentiles. The Great Harlot, on the other hand, is compared to the high priests! Her vesture is described below:
Reve 17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls…
Compare this to the vesture of the high priest:
Exod 28:6 And they shall make the ephod [of] gold, [of] blue, and [of] purple, [of] scarlet, and fine twined linen…
Exod 28:13 And thou shalt make ouches [of] gold;
Exod 28:14 And two chains [of] pure gold at the ends; [of] wreathen work shalt thou make them, and fasten the wreathen chains to the ouches.
Exod 28:15 And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; [of] gold, [of] blue, and [of] purple, and [of] scarlet, and [of] fine twined linen, shalt thou make it.
Exod 28:16 Foursquare it shall be [being] doubled; a span [shall be] the length thereof, and a span [shall be] the breadth thereof.
Exod 28:17 And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, [even] four rows of stones: [the first] row [shall be] a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: [this shall be] the first row…
A possible conclusion is that the priesthood and the temple had become corrupt. Paralleling Daniel's prophecy, this may also correspond to the abomination of desolation since the woman is said to hold a cup "full of abominations."
One may still argue that the sources outside of Revelation support an alternate interpretation, but I leave the reader with this final Old Testament passage. Remember that Zion is often used as a euphemism for Jerusalem and reread Revelation 12 in light of the following verses:
Isai 66:7 Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.
Isai 66:8 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.
Isai 66:9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut [the womb]? saith thy God. {not...: or, not beget?}
Isai 66:10 Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:
11) Interconnections and Conclusions
a) The Gentiles of Revelation 11:2 are tied to the Flood Waters of 12:15 are tied to the Waters of 17:1,15 are tied to the Beast of 17:3 is tied to the Beast of 13.
b) The Holy City of Revelation11:2 is tied to the Woman clothed with the sun of Revelation 12.
c) The Temple and Altar of Revelation 11:1 which is measured by John is tied to the place prepared by God in Revelation 12.
d) The Two Witnesses of Revelation 11 are tied to the remnant of the Woman's seed who keep the commandments of God and the Testimony of Jesus are tied to the saints of Revelation 13.
e) The War that the beast makes and overcomes the two witnesses is tied to the War that the dragon wages against the remnant of the Woman's seed is tied to the War the Beast wages against the saints.
f) The Flood Waters swallowed by the earth is tied to the miracles of the Two Witnesses is tied to the wound to the beasts head.
My interpretation are events are the following:
a) Jerusalem, the home of the righteous Israel, the Zion of Isaiah 66, gives birth to the Messiah.
b) The Messiah, Jesus Christ, is caught up to heaven where immediately Satan the accuser is cast down, no longer having a "place" in heaven to accuse the brethren.
c) Satan, because of his fall, desired to torment those in Jerusalem, both the Jews and Christian Jew and Gentiles, but is limited in what God allows him to do. In lieu of this, he utilizes Gentiles to tread the down Jerusalem, the Holy City, causing what havoc he is allowed. The witnesses for Christ are strong at this time, growing in power and number, due in part to the martyrdom of the brethren. The Jews still retain access to God through the Temple and her priests and altar which have not yet been completely corrupted.
d) At the end of 3 ½ years, Satan utilizes the Beast ("Rome") which is composed of the Gentile nations, to attack Jerusalem and the enclosed saints. This occurs during the reign of the sixth king of "Rome." The Beast, though, suffers a great loss, at least in the eyes of those living in Jerusalem, and is believed to be dead. This loss infuriates the Beast and Satan and they retaliate in great force, bringing even more Gentile armies to Jerusalem for its destruction.
e) This onslaught & war continues for 42 months. During this period many righteous Jews and witnesses for Christ are killed. They are rewarded though with an immediate resurrection and reward in Heaven. The righteous, though, are not only attacked by the beast but by many of the corrupt citizens of Jerusalem. That is, the wicked within its walls begin to kill the righteous Jews and the witnesses for Christ. It is this abomination that begins the 42 months that ultimately brings the destruction of the once holy Jerusalem. In fact, Jerusalem has lost so many saints that it is no longer considered holy, but a "harlot." The priesthood has also become corrupted, leaving no true path to God for the Jews except through Jesus Christ. That which was waxing old and about to vanish was soon to be replaced by that which was better, perfect and everlasting.
f) Jerusalem, a now wicked city, is completely by the Gentile nations (the Beast) as well as civil war (the harlot killing the saints). Just before her final destruction, the remaining righteous citizens, as in the case of Sodom, are called out.
g) This unholy Jerusalem is superseded by a greater, better, newer Jerusalem from Heaven. There the High Priest is Jesus Christ and all its citizens are holy priests. But not only do the righteous deceased have access to Jesus Christ and God, but now all of mankind have a right to enter the city through the blood of Christ [NOTE: the wicked cannot enter the city! This is NOT universalism!]. It is now that the tabernacle of God is with men and not just limited to the Jewish nation.
CONCLUSION) Therefore there are two consecutive periods of 3.5 years. The first period is a diametric mirror, a polar opposite of the second period. In the first, the city of Jerusalem is considered holy. The saints, both righteous Jews and witnessing Christians, are divinely protected by God admist a limited persecution by Satan. After the end of this 3.5 years, although God will always retain a remnant, the Divine protection is removed and Jerusalem, which has become wicked and corrupt, begins to suffer great persecution. At the end of both periods we see a great battle. The first battle is a battle of deception…the Beast is wounded but comes back in even greater force. The second battle is a battle of truth… the Beast, the harlot, and all its worshipers are conquered by the Jesus Christ, the Faithful and True Judge, the Alpha and the Omega.
