a study by Rev. Paul A. Bartz

Introduction -- The Antichrist

Chapter 11 continues the vision of Chapter 10, and speaks of the visible church on earth and the measurement of that church; who is Christian and who is not. The false Christians are an enemy of the true Church and of Christ. Not all members of the visible church are saved Christians. Many have rejected the Word in part or in all. In fact, Chapter 11 seems to portray a situation in which the saved, Bible-believing Christians are a minority within the church. Thus far, all commentators agree.

Most reformed and Lutheran commentators also agree that here we get into the identity and reign of the antichrist within the church. So it is now necessary for us to survey Scripture as to the description of the antichrist and who he is, in order to understand this and the following chapters.

We warn you that this search will require an open mind.

1 John 2:18-27: How many antichrists are there?

• Where does he come from?

• What does he do that we can identify him?

• Does he do this openly (v.26)?

• What is the way we can avoid being deceived?

1 John 4:1-6

• Again we read "many false prophets have gone out into the world." Where have they gone out from?

• What additional information is given about the antichrist's denial of who Jesus Christ really is here in this text?

• What is another indicator of the Antichrist listed in this text (v.5)?

• How are we to tell those who are really the Lord's from those who follow the Antichrist (v.6)?

2 John 6-11

• What is the command we must walk in, in order to avoid being "led astray by the Antichrist?"

• Does the Antichrist's teaching lead to heaven (verses 8-9)?

• Are we to have fellowship with the Antichrist or any of his teachers (verses 10-11)?

1 Timothy 4:1-10 has long been associated with the Antichrist by Christians. Verse 10 suggests the same faith in Christ alone as the antidote for the false teaching (also v. 6). And we note again that this text describes these false teachings as within the church and therefore a threat to Christians.

• What are some of the false doctrines taught by the Antichrist?

• Verses 5, 7, 8, and 10 all deal with the nature of true sanctification. This strongly suggests that the Antichrist's false doctrine also offers these additional man-made rules (v. 3) as "sanctification."

2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 -- On the basis of what we have seen already we can begin to picture the Antichrist a little. This text also identifies the terms of "man of lawlessness" and "son of destruction" with that same image.

• When he is fully manifested, where will the Antichrist be found?

• What does the Antichrist do?

2 Thessalonians 2:6-13

• Who is behind the Antichrist?

• For what purpose would the Antichrist provide evidence that supernatural power is behind him?

• Will many be deceived?

• Why does God send delusion (see Romans 1:18-32)?

• How long will the Antichrist be in place (verse 8)?

Let us then summarize:

The Marks of the Antichrist:

1. Apostasy: A defection from the Christian teachings, deceives with lies.

2. Has a seat in the Temple of God (The Christian Church).

3. Acts like God.

4. Not Satan himself but, under Satan's control; his kingdom is built by lying signs and wonders.

5. His "seeds" were around at the time of the Apostles and he will remain until judgment day.

   (Obviously not a single person, but an institution.)

With what institution can we compare all of this in order to make an identification?

1. Apostasy: Consider the Canons of the Council of Trent:

   Canon IX
   If anyone says that the ungodly is justified by faith alone in such a way that he understands that nothing else is required which cooperates toward obtaining the grace of justification and that it is in no way necessary for him to be prepared and disposed by the movement of his own will, let him be anathema. (means "damned to hell with no hope of salvation")

   Canon X
   If anyone says that men are justified without the righteousness of Christ, by which He has merited for us to be justified, or that they are formally just through it; let him be anathema.

   Canon XI
   If anyone says that a man is justified either solely by the imputation of Christ's righteousness or solely by the remission of sins, to the exclusion of the grace and charity which is poured out into their hearts by the Holy Spirit and stays with them, or also that the grace by which we are justified is only the favor of God; let him be anathema.

   Canon XII
   If anyone says that justifying faith is nothing else than trust in divine mercy, which remits sins for Christ's sake, or that it is this trust alone by which we are justified; let him be anathema.

   Canon XXIV
   If anyone says that the received righteousness is not preserved and also not increased before God by good works but that the works are only the fruit and signs of the justification obtained, not also a cause of its increase; let him be anathema.

2. Within the church.

3. Receive great glory and praise from men; claims to speak as God from his throne. Adds rules like forbidding marriage and foods.

4. Lying signs and wonders.

5. An institution whose seeds were around at the time of the Apostles.

Hence, we can clearly see why all branches of the Reformation churches have historically seen the papacy in the Bible's description of the Antichrist. The Augsburg Confession has one entire article affirming on these and other Scriptural bases that the Roman Papacy is the Antichrist.

11:1 -- Measuring the Temple of God, the Altar, and those who worship. Temple of God is an Old Testament term for the Church on earth. This is the total number of all the saved living at any given time on earth, excluding false "Christians" -- those who cling to the church for one reason or another, but are still not saved. This is also called The Church Militant.

The Altar draws our attention to their worship -- the center of whom is Christ the Savior. He is the Altar and place all Christians come before for their sacrifice for sin. Worship is used here in the pure sense of true worship of Christ: glorification of Him and humbling of the self. This is the goal Christians strive for so their worship may be untainted.

And those who worship -- These, too, must be measured.

11:2 -- The outer court is not measured, nor is the city, for there are found those who have succumbed to antichristian temptations which destroy faith and the ability for true worship. These have little interest in the true worship of Christ. The Holy of Holies is measured.

What is the standard of measure? The rod or staff? It is the Word of God. In our lives, it measures what is God's will and what is saving faith. In the church's teaching and practice, it gives us our standard for belief, work, and business in this world. God's Word from His very mouth is flawless good practice. Paul describes this judgment of the work of the church in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15.

The Outer Court of the Temple is part of the Temple. But we see it grouped here with the city at large. This court is the members of the visible church who don't measure up to membership in the invisible church. The objective standard of God's Word rules them out. This part will be trod underfoot with the rest of the city. The word here translated "Nations" (NASB), "non-Jewish people" (Beck) or "Gentiles" (several others) is usually translated "Gentiles" when used in opposition to "Jews." The Greeks also used this word to refer to non-Greeks. The word is used to make a distinction between the people who are the subject of the context, and those who outside the group that is the subject of the context. Here the subject of the context (those being measured) are true Christians. So in this context, it refers to "non-Christians." This indicates that at this time the unbelievers will have their way in the world including (for they are grouped with the world) the false Christians who are not involved in true worship.

11:3 -- This will happen for 42 months or 1260 days as verse three states. (42 x 30 = 1260). This is also equal to 3 1/2 years. It may also be the same as "a time, times (plural = 2) and a half" in Revelation 12:14, Daniel speaks of similar events with the same language (Daniel 7:25, 12:7). But what is this period of time?

Millennialists will usually take the Revelation 1260 days as literal and the Daniel 1260 days as figurative -- each day representing a year, for a total of 1260 years. The church age. Non-millennialists usually take the 1260 days of Revelation as referring simply to a limited set period of time in which the church would be an influence in the world. This seems to fit best both with the flow of action and the intent of Scripture. Otherwise we get preoccupied with date setting, which doesn't seem to be God's point here since He does not give us the additional information we need to do that.

The point: During the church age (when the Gospel spreads and the church grows) the unbelievers and false Christians will continue to "tread underfoot" or trample and treat with insult and contempt, God's Word and Sacraments. They will even do this as part of the visible church. But the point here is that in God's eyes they are excluded already from the Church, though outwardly they are part of it. This tells believers: "Do not fear them" and "They still need the witness of God's Word to change them."

There is no time of peace in the outward sense of the church militant. When we stand unified, it is a blessing for the purpose of Gospel outreach. When we are divided because either there is false doctrine or the world attacks us, we must fight with the pure Word, knowing that only God's Word can, finally, create true unity in this world. These are messages desperately needed by the Christians in our day -- and days past -- who experience the pain and sorrow of false sons and need their Savior's voice to remind them that these problems come not from the church, but from sin.

The conditions described here have always existed in the church, but at times the earthly church has strayed further from God's Word than at other times. The furthest the visible church has strayed from the Word in its history was just prior to the Reformation. That understanding fits perfectly into the time flow of this portion of Revelation, especially in light of the coming of the "two witnesses."

Two witnesses -- The power and authority to speak comes from God -- for this is God speaking. "Prophesy" means not just foretelling the future. The more common meaning for "prophesy" is to bring the Word of God to bear on the world -- both law and Gospel. The church's task is to tell the unbelieving, unheeding, profane world what God says. Much of this rejection also contains the element of delusion in thinking which happens to people on account of sin. This has been mentioned earlier in Revelation.

The two witnesses represent the ministry of the Word and the fact that this ministry shall continue, despite the reign of the Antichrist and his teachings of works righteousness. Even at the time of Luther, believing Bible scholars understood this to be a reference to the Reformation, with Luther being one of the witnesses. The two witnesses have been traditionally understood as the two branches of Protestantism which continue to work irreparable harm to the rule of the Antichrist.

11:4 -- As two olive trees and candlesticks, they stand before the Lord on earth, serving Him in making their witness of salvation by grace. Olive trees and candlesticks were symbols of beauty and peace in the first century. In addition, both olive oil and candlesticks were used in worship.

11:5 -- The fire that proceeds out of their mouth, killing the enemies of God, is the Word of God. This language is normally used to describe the judging function of God's Word on earth (as in Jeremiah 5:11-14) against those who spread false religion in God's Name. The Lutheran Confessions' "Power and Primacy of the Pope" is very clear in using Scripture to condemn Roman works-righteous theology. And it served to call millions of Gospel believing Christians out of the Roman Church.

11:6 -- Here the reason for this preaching is again underlined. Withholding of rain and dew calls to mind Elijah (I Kings 17:1) for whom this was done because, as Jesus says (Luke 4:24-25), the people did not heed his preaching and repent. Turning the waters into blood was done for Moses because Egypt's king refused to listen to God's Word. The other plagues also remind us of this. The point is that God's people are not helpless or powerless. Those who become our enemies on account of the Word, also become God's enemies. The strong angels of God serve believers. Prayer taps the power of God Himself. All of this is going on even as the wicked think that they can do as they please. And the devil, who knows better, will try to convince believers of their powerlessness so that they will not use the great power God has given to them.

What is the greatest of all sins? It is dealt with here. Rejection of God's Word. This is the greatest sin in Scripture, for it is the sin of unbelief. When Jesus died on the cross, He made forgiveness available to all, but forgiveness becomes ours only after the Word has worked faith. Therefore, so long as there is unbelief, there can be no forgiveness. Even believers must fight unbelief (Lord, we believe; help our unbelief) for in the believer, loss of salvation begins with a little unbelief ("Ah, that's not important") or a little sin (which is a product of unbelief) and unless reversed by repentance and grace, leads inevitably to damnation.

11:7 -- These two witnesses shall finish their testimony and shall not be cut off before they are done. The death sentence was passed on Luther when he was only 37 years old, yet he died of old (63) age -- never having stopped his work. Rome was literally unable to kill him or the Lutherans for the work was not completed. But on a broader scale, their witness continues through those who faithfully continue to confess the truths of God's Word that they taught. Thus, just as the institution of the papacy is characterized as the antichrist, so the churches that came out of the Reformation and have remained faithful to the Word of God remain the "two witnesses" long after the reformers themselves left this world.

The wild beast is from the abyss or deep -- or in plain English -- hell. This is a major concept in Revelation and the subject of "Reel Five," chapters 12-13. There we are provided more detail about the wild beast. Commentators are divided as to whether the beast is the Antichrist or a servant of the Antichrist. But Scripture indicates that there is more than one beast (Revelation 13:11-12) but clearly, that the beast serves on the same side as the Antichrist. While the Antichrist is the institution of the Papacy, the beasts represent individual agents who excelled especially well in their antichristian activities such as specific popes and particular movements.

The Reformation went well with the pure Gospel being spread across the land until Luther's death on February 18, 1546. The Evangelical witness was complete. Four months later, the pope issued this bull (Historical Introduction to the Book of Concord, pp.94-95):

"From the beginning of our Papacy, it has always been our concern how to root out the weeds of godless doctrines, which the heretics have sowed throughout Germany . . .. Now it has come to pass, that by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, our dearest son in Christ, Charles, the Roman Emperor, has decided to employ the sword against these enemies of God."

The result was the Smalcald War. In those areas where papal forces were victorious, those who believed and confessed the Gospel of justification by grace through faith alone, were given two choices, either:

1. Renounce this faith and confess faith in the statements of the council of Trent, or

2. Die.

Italy alone provided more than 12,000 foot soldiers, plus mounted horsemen to stamp out the Evangelicals. The pope's own statement indicates that the Emperor, Charles the Fifth, was his agent -- the beast or agent of the Antichrist who made war against the gospel. And the Lutherans were by and large overcome and killed. All the Lutheran Dukes were captured and killed, along with any Lutheran pastors and theologians the papal forces could get their hands on.

11:8 -- Their dead bodies shall lie in the street -- It was the custom of the Roman Catholics to not bury the bodies of heretics and often to even display the decaying corpses in the streets as a warning to others who might be tempted to become Lutheran.

Which is figuratively called . . . -- Literally the place which bears the burden of this display is "spiritually" called Sodom, and Egypt -- and spiritually, it is the same (kind of) place where the Lord was crucified. Here the actual indication of typical language is clear: this place is a type of Sodom, and Egypt, and unbelieving Jerusalem as it was at Jesus' time. This language identifies the Reformers with the prophets.

Many of the Reformers, including Luther, compared Rome to Sodom and other pagan cultures. And most commentators agree. It was a place of moral perversion and profaning of things holy. The reference to Jerusalem at the time of Christ's Crucifixion adds the element of pious self-righteousness on the part of the religious leadership to the picture. It was against Rome that the blood and the bodies witnessed to heaven, and God saw Rome's guilt as if the bodies of the saints were actually strewn in its very streets.

11:9 -- The comparison with Christ shows the rejection of God's Word by the persecutors and in their perverted reasoning, they believe that display of the death of real saints is a proud victory to be proclaimed. That this is a time of devilish joy among unbelievers in Romanism, is made clear in verse 10. History records that the Emperor's victory in the Smalcald War was quick, decisive, and completed literally in an air of exultant joy. It was one of the few wars he ever won, as Charles was quite inept as a military leader. Verse 10 continues to report this air of exultant joy.

11:11-13 -- It will help to understand how heaven speaks from its perspective about spiritual things on earthly to understand these verses. We see an example of this speaking in Matthew 17:10-13. In earthly terms it would have appeared that John the Baptist had restored nothing. He preached for a short time, was jailed and then executed. Yet, says Jesus, John had restored all things by faithfully preaching the Word of God which pointed directly to Jesus Christ. From heaven's perspective, John's work was much more successful than it was from Earth's perspective -- even as far as the believer can see. Likewise, the language of these verses look from heaven's perspective. The Reformation restored the pure Word of God to the church on Earth in a manner which the Roman church could never crush, as they had with previous reformers.

Of course, at their deaths in the Smalcald War, the faithful immediately realized eternal life, for God is not the God of the dead! (11:12) Furthermore, at the conclusion of the Smalcald War, it was obvious to the Roman forces that Lutheranism could not be eradicated. It would live on, despite their best efforts. This caused an "earthquake" or shake-up in Roman leadership, with many losing their respected and powerful positions in the church and Roman civil system. One commentator says, applying verse 13 to this historical event, that it was indeed thousands that lost their honor and positions across the Holy Roman Empire because Lutheranism was here to stay.

In addition, because Lutheranism was here to stay, many in the Roman Church did grudgingly give God glory. Pope Julien is quoted as saying in anguished voice, "So you have the victory after all, you Galilean." (Pope Julien is sometimes referred to in non-Roman Catholic circles as "Julien the Faithless.")

The sixth trumpet concludes at verse 14.

11:15-19, the conclusion of Reel 4 -- Just as all the other Reels have ended in heaven, so Reel 4 is indicated concluded with these verses which return us once again to the heavenly temple.

1. In 11:1 the Church is measured by a rod. As we have seen, the standard of measuring the faithfulness of the church or the Christian is the Word of God. Is it possible to operate the visible church in disregard for the Word?

   Is it dangerous?

   Is there any precaution we can take against this happening?

2. Millennialists claim the Antichrist is mainly a political figure. How does 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 refute that claim?

3. In what ways did God hold back the hand of the Roman Catholic church at the time of the Reformation so that it would not be crushed?

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