We now get the first mention of the beast. The beast is Satan's instrument, signified by his coming up from the Abyss. The beast will overpower and kill the witnesses, but not until the witnesses have finished their testimony. So there are two key lessons here. The task of the church is not easy, there are no promises of an easy life, but God is in control. The beast is not allowed to kill the witnesses until their task is finished.
In middle-eastern culture bodies were buried quickly, so to leave the bodies lying in the street was a sign of the contempt they were held in. The great city has variously been identified as Jerusalem, Rome or Babylon. The comparison with Sodom seems to rule out Jerusalem. Sodom and Egypt stand for wickedness and oppression. Then we are told that it is where the Lord was crucified, and that would count in Jerusalem's favour. Maybe the simplest explanation is that it is not meant to refer to any particular city.
The people gazed on the bodies for three and a half days. This represents a short time of evil's apparent triumph.
The people of the earth will be glad that the witnesses have been killed, celebrating by sending each other gifts. This would mean that there will come a time when the church is apparently defeated and the world will rejoice.
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