Revelation 11:7
And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse highlights that the ultimate defeat and silencing of God's witnesses only happens after their divinely appointed work is fully completed, showing that their "killing" is actually a culmination of their finished testimony, not a premature end to it.
After the two witnesses have finished proclaiming God's message for a specified period, a monstrous power, described as a beast rising from the abyss, will be unleashed to wage war against them. This beast, representing a deeply evil and antichristian force, will ultimately overcome and kill these faithful witnesses, marking a dark moment of apparent triumph for wickedness. This event is not a random act of violence but occurs only after the witnesses have completed their divinely appointed task.
It might seem like God's faithful messengers are always vulnerable, but this verse reveals a crucial timing to their ultimate defeat.
Notice how the text says, "And when they have finished their testimony." This isn't just a casual observation; it's a divine timetable.
God's Sovereignty Over Time
This phrase signals that God's witnesses have a divinely appointed period to fulfill their mission. They are not left unprotected until their work is done. Only after they have completed their testimony—after God has achieved His purpose through them—does the beast gain power to conquer them.
A Completed Task
This emphasizes that their faithfulness and the impact of their message aren't measured by their survival, but by their obedience and completion of God's assignment. Their 'finished testimony' is the signal for the next phase, one that includes their apparent defeat but ultimately leads to God's triumph.
Who is this 'beast' that rises from the abyss to attack God's faithful? This verse introduces a powerful, terrifying enemy.
Revelation 11:7 introduces "the beast that rises from the bottomless pit." This isn't just a historical figure, but a potent symbol of evil's ultimate rebellion against God.
Originating from Darkness
Its origin from the "bottomless pit" (or abyss) immediately tells us its allegiance is not to God, but to the deepest realms of darkness and destruction. It represents a power that is fundamentally opposed to God's light and life.
Antichristian Nature
The commentators highlight that this beast embodies an "irreconcilable antagonism to Christ." It's a force that actively wages "war" against God's people and their message. While future chapters will detail its specific characteristics, here we see its direct, violent opposition to those bearing testimony for God.
Understand the original words
martyria · Greek Noun
A specific, formal public witness or declaration, particularly concerning the truth of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
therion · Greek Noun
A symbolic figure in apocalyptic literature representing a malevolent earthly power or empire empowered by Satan, diametrically opposed to God and His people.
abyssos · Greek Noun
The abyss, or the realm of the dead/demonic forces, representing a place of darkness and divine confinement from which evil emerges.
This verse depicts a climactic moment where the forces of evil, symbolized by the 'beast from the bottomless pit,' achieve a devastating, albeit temporary, victory over God's faithful witnesses. Understanding the long history of intense Roman persecution against Christians provides a backdrop for the visceral imagery of this seemingly final defeat.
c. 6th - 4th century BC
Daniel's Visions of Beasts
The prophet Daniel receives visions of powerful beasts rising from the sea, symbolizing oppressive empires that would war against God's people. This imagery deeply influenced later Jewish and early Christian apocalyptic thought.
c. 64 AD
Nero's Persecution of Christians
Emperor Nero scapegoats Christians for the Great Fire of Rome, initiating one of the first large-scale persecutions. This event cast a shadow of fear and demonstrated the brutal power that could be wielded against believers.
c. 95 AD
Exile of John to Patmos
The Apostle John is exiled to the island of Patmos, likely during a period of Roman persecution under Emperor Domitian. It is on Patmos that he receives the visions recorded in the Book of Revelation.
c. 110-180 AD
Persecutions Under Various Emperors
Throughout the second century, Christians faced sporadic but intense persecutions under emperors like Trajan, Hadrian, and Marcus Aurelius, highlighting the ongoing conflict between the nascent Church and the Roman Empire.
This Old Testament passage describes a horn making war with the saints and prevailing over them, mirroring the conflict Revelation describes between the beast and the witnesses.
Luke 18:8Jesus' question about finding faith on earth at His return echoes the sentiment that faithful testimony can face overwhelming rejection, leading to an apparent end, much like the silencing of the witnesses.
1 Timothy 4:1Paul warns of apostasy in later times, where people will turn away from the truth and listen to deceitful spirits, aligning with the 'beast' power that arises to oppose God's witnesses.
2 Timothy 4:7Paul's declaration of having 'finished the race' speaks to the completion of a divinely appointed task, similar to the 'finished testimony' of the witnesses before their end.
Revelation 13:7This passage directly states that the beast is given authority to make war on the saints and to conquer them, reinforcing the outcome described for the witnesses in chapter 11.
ellicottRevelation 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."
(7) And when . . . —Better, And when they shall have finished their testimony, the wild beast that goeth up out of the abyss shall make war with them , and conquer them, and kill them. Only when their work is done has the wild beast power over them. To every one there are the symbolical twelve hours in which…
barnesRevelation 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."
And when they shall have finished their testimony - Prof. Stuart renders this, "And whenever they shall have finished their testimony." The reference is undoubtedly to a period when they should have faithfully borne the testimony which they were appointed to bear. The word rendered here "shall have finished"…
This verse highlights that the ultimate defeat and silencing of God's witnesses only happens after their divinely appointed work is fully completed, showing that their "killing" is actually a culmination of their finished testimony, not a premature end to it.
After the two witnesses have finished proclaiming God's message for a specified period, a monstrous power, described as a beast rising from the abyss, will be unleashed to wage war against them. This beast, representing a deeply evil and antichristian force, will ultimately overcome and kill these faithful witnesses, marking a dark moment of apparent triumph for wickedness. This event is not a random act of violence but occurs only after the witnesses have completed their divinely appointed task.
After the two witnesses have finished proclaiming God's message for a specified period, a monstrous power, described as a beast rising from the abyss, will be unleashed to wage war against them. This beast, representing a deeply evil and antichristian force, will ultimately overcome and kill these faithful witnesses, marking a dark moment of apparent triumph for wickedness. This event is not a random act of violence but occurs only after the witnesses have completed their divinely appointed task.
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The text says the beast "conquers them and kills them." Does this mean God's people lose?
The language here—"conquer them and kill them"—is stark and can feel like a total defeat. However, the context of Revelation reveals this is an apparent victory for evil, not the final word.
A Temporary Triumph
As the commentaries note, this conquest happens after the witnesses have finished their testimony. This isn't a preemptive strike that stops God's work, but a permitted event within God's larger plan. The beast gains power only when their appointed task is complete.
The Pattern of Christ
This foreshadows the ultimate trajectory of God's people: through suffering, apparent defeat, and even death, leading to vindication and a greater triumph. It mirrors Christ's own suffering, death, and resurrection.
This isn't the end of the story for God's witnesses, but a pivotal moment that sets the stage for their glorification and the beast's eventual downfall.
c. 250-303 AD
Decian and Diocletianic Persecutions
These were empire-wide, systematic attempts to eradicate Christianity. The Diocletianic persecution, in particular, involved the destruction of churches and scriptures, and a brutal crackdown on believers.
c. 313 AD
Edict of Milan
Emperor Constantine issues the Edict of Milan, granting religious tolerance throughout the Roman Empire and effectively ending official persecution of Christians. This marked a significant shift in the Church's status.
Date uncertain, but placed within the symbolic 1260 days— this verse
The Beast's Triumph Over the Witnesses
The 'beast from the bottomless pit,' symbolizing a powerful, antichristian force, makes war on and conquers the two prophetic witnesses. This represents a time when the faithful testimony of God's people is seemingly silenced and overcome by evil powers.
"And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them," — This verse highlights that the ultimate defeat and silencing of God's witnesses only happens after their divinely appointed work is fully completed, showing that their "killing" is actually a culmi…
