Jesus literally died on cross in Jerusalem , that pile of dirt you mentioned in the middle east.
Jesus literally rose from the dead
It is a literal expectation that Jesus will return.
A proper interpretstion of scripture requires the discernment to determine when the language references literal events, places and people and when it is speaking figuratively. In this text Revelation 11 we are told that the words Egypt and Sodom are used figuratively while the city in which Jesus was cruicified ties the verse to a specific place.
There is too much licence in your use of associations and symbols and too much of a disconnect with described biblical realities
No, you do NOT have correct proper interpretation because you did not even compare Scripture with Scripture. Revelation 11 is not talking about a physical temple in the physical city. God is talking about His New Testament Congregation, the Holy City of the New Testament. Not Jerusalem in the Middle East.
Revelation 11:4-8 KJV
[4] These are the
two olive trees, and the
two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
[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.
[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.
[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.
[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.
Two olive trees and Two Candlesticks symbolize the Church which is the earthly representation of Christ. Remember The rule of sound hermeneutics, "The Bible is its own interpreter." You must not start with preconceived ideas about what it signifies, and search out the pertinent Scripture, it is not long before we see that the Olive Tree is indeed used by God to symbolize the Church, the New Testament Israel. Check yourself out with Hosea 14.
Hosea 14:5-7 KJV
[5] I will be as the dew
unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.
[6] His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be
as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.
[7] They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.
Christ (He) is Israel of God and the children of God who dwell under the shadow of THIS tree will have no scorching sun on them. When we are in Christ, we are like a green olve tree in the house of the Lord, Psalms 52:8. This is the Salvation and the hope of the Israel of God. Therefore, we are the Olive tree BECAUSE Christ "IS" this Olive tree. He is the Israel of the New Covenant in whom if we abide, we are sons of God. This is why the Gentile nations are grafted into THIS New Covenant Israrel, which is symbolized by the Olive Tree:
Romans 11:17 KJV
[17] And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being
a wild olive tree, wert
graffed in among them, and with
them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
Clearly! God is using a wild olive tree to symbolize the Gentile nations, and the natural Olive Tree to symbolize the representation of Covenant Israel into which believers are grafted in. For example, we, join with Paul, and the Apostles into Chirst, the TRUE ISRAEL of God, Ephesians 2:11-19), which this covenant tree merely represents. This is the New Covenant Church, and its is symbolized by the olive tree having Gentiles grafted into it that they become heirs (right along with the believing Jews) according to the promised made to Israel.
Likewise in Zechariah chapter four, the symbolism of two olive trees and the candlestick (lampstand) are signifying the Church.
Zechariah 4:2-6 KJV
[2] And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:
[3] And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.
[4] So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?
[5] Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
[6] Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying,
Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
The Lampstands and olive trees stand before God, not by their own power or by their own might, but by the Holy Spirit of the Lord. This again illustrating what we've been seeing of the two Witnesses. It is not by any power we have inherently, but because of the power of the Holy Spirit of God given us that we witness or have the testimony of Christ. Not by our own oil, but by the pure oil of the Olive tree. Not by our own light, but by the light of the candle. The two olive trees symbolize the anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth (Zechariah 4:14), not by their own power, but by power of God. This symbolizes the Church, anointed by the Spirit of God. Just as we read that the two Witnesses of Revelation also stand by the Lord of the earth.
Zechariah 4:14 KJV
[14] Then said he, These are the
two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.
The same thing revelation chapter eleven says of the
two candlestick/olive trees there. They stand before the God of the earth. They are the anointed ones, meaning they are those who are anointed by the Holy Spirit, by being in Christ. The oil for the light is not theirs, it is that given them.
1 John 2:27 KJV
[27] But the
anointing which
ye have received of him abideth in you, and
ye need not that any man teach you: but as the
same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
So we have seen from God's Word that the Witnesses represent the Church, the Candlesticks represent the Church, and the Olive Tree represents the Church, and that they are the anointed ones who stand before the God of the earth. All roads are leading to the same inescapable conclusion. This imagery represents the Church.
We, Christians, are the Two Witnesses as God defined it. Not two men. We spew fire out of our mouth. It is not what you think it is. Please check with Scripture yourself on what God actually means by this.
Jeremiah 5:14 KJV
[14] Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold,
I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and
this people wood, and
it shall devour them.
The Gospel, Word of God, comes out of our mouth as fire, as a witness upon those who reject the Gospel.
Now the city is the church, the New Testament representative of God's Kingdom on earth. The Lord was crucified was just outside the great city Jerusalem. He is talking about where Two Witnesses will be killed, in the
external church! This great city Jerusalem is the representation of the
church which is this city of the great king. It is not the indivisible city itself, but the EXTERNAL COVENANT CHURCH is the earthly representation of the city of peace. This is WHERE true witnesses (two witnesses) of God dwelled and prophesied. What city is this? Check with Scripture yourself!
Matthew 5:35 KJV
[35] Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem;
for it is the city of the great King.
Galatians 4:26 KJV
[26] But
Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the
mother of us all.
Revelation 21:10 KJV
[10] And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me
that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
All believers are residents of 'that great city' Jerusalem, and the external covenant church is the earthly representation of that Holy City. When Jesus spoke saying, '
ye are the light of the world, a city that is set on an hill cannot be hid,' He was talking of the
Church equating it to a city. The Church reigning on earth is the representation of this great city of light which Christ spoke about.
Hebrews 12:22-23 KJV
[22] But
ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the
city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
[23] To the
general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
The Church is the earthly representation of this city, and that is why Jerusalem is used as a sign, figure, or token of this spiritual Jerusalem. The believers being dead or lifeless in the streets [
plateia] or wide space of this great city signifies their state in the midst of the Church. The witness of God is no longer tolerated there and the power that these had to preach the Word of God there has been taken from them. They have been overcome and silenced by the beast released from the pit by God. This does not affect their Salvation of course, and that is why Revelation chapter seven says they all had to be sealed first. But the beast affects their witness or testimony in the Churches. They cannot effectively preach in the external covenant Church anymore because the spirit of Satan is ruling there, and the leaders have departed from the faith unto doctrines of devils. This is why God says of this great city that, it is '
spiritually' called Sodom and Egypt.
Because though the external Church still retains the name of Christ, spiritually speaking it has become as these two cities which were infamous for their
abominations and bondage to Satan. When God's people turn from God and forsake His laws, God speaks of them
in the spiritual sense as being in the bondage of Egypt and in the abominations of Sodom.
Selah.
Now, let see if you do your homework and come back with biblical rebuttal with SCRIPTURE, not personal opinions. Let hear this out from you else your interpretation of Revelation 11 is fatal flawed.
