Rev 11
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So tonight we continue our journey into Revelation or the Unveiling of Jesus Christ.
Tonight we will be discussing the third temple, the two witnesses, the ark of the covenant and more. Lots of interesting and provocative things.
1 Then there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, “Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it.
2 “Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months.
Here, the new temple is measured. There are some who take this as symbolic but it really makes no sense. Why measure an allegory?
A reed like a measuring rod: In Ezekiel 40-43, there is an extended passage where a temple is measured. The temple in Ezekiel is the temple of the millennial earth, but this temple seems to be before that temple. The temple in Ezekiel is measured extensively, including the outer courts
17 Then he brought me into the outer court, and behold, there were chambers and a pavement made for the court all around; thirty chambers faced the pavement.
18 The pavement (that is, the lower pavement) was by the side of the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates.
19 Then he measured the width from the front of the lower gate to the front of the exterior of the inner court, a hundred cubits on the east and on the north.
The exciting part is that preparations are being made now to rebuild the temple and reinstitute the sacrificial system.
Pictures- Temple Implements
The abomination of desolation, spoken of by Jesus and Daniel, will occur there. I believe the antichrist will be instrumental in getting it built.
Notice V2,
2 “Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months.
Note: 42 months, 3.5 years, time, times and half a time, and 1260 all become a theme. (Half of 7)
The outer court need not be measured because it has been given to the Gentiles. Perhaps this is because the outer courts of this rebuilt temple include the Islamic Dome of the Rock shrine, which currently stands on the temple mount and is a point of great contention between Jews and Muslims.
When the city of Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 A.D. by the Romans, they destroyed the city so completely that the foundations of the old temple are not easily found. Most have long assumed that the Dome of the Rock shrine stands on the place of the old temple. But new research gives some evidence that the temple may have stood to the north where the Dome of the Rock shrine is today, and that if the temple were to be rebuilt at its old place, the Dome of the Rock shrine would be in its outer courts. If this is the case (and the research is by no means settled), then it would explain why the angel told John leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles.
YouTube Video: Rebuilding the Third Temple, 6’14”
We move on 2 the two witnesses
3 “And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.
5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way.
6 These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.
7 When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them.
8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.
9 Those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb.
10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
11 But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them.
The two witnesses. By the word of 2 witnesses let every word be established. Examples of two witnesses? Jericho, Abraham, Mount of Transfiguration.
Empowered by God to witness for 1260 days.
These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands: The witnesses have an unique, continual empowering from the Holy Spirit, as shown in Zechariah's olive trees and oil lamps picture.
2 He said to me, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps on it with seven spouts belonging to each of the lamps which are on the top of it;
3 also two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on its left side.”
4 Then I said to the angel who was speaking with me saying, “What are these, my lord?”
5 So the angel who was speaking with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.”
6 Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel saying, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.
7 ‘What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain; and he will bring forth the top stone with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!” ’ ”
8 Also the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will finish it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you.
10 “For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven will be glad when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel—these are the eyes of the Lord which range to and fro throughout the earth.”
11 Then I said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right of the lampstand and on its left?”
12 And I answered the second time and said to him, “What are the two olive branches which are beside the two golden pipes, which empty the golden oil from themselves?”
13 So he answered me, saying, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.”
14 Then he said, “These are the two anointed ones who are standing by the Lord of the whole earth.”
Who are they? We are not specifically told but they seem to have similarities to Moses and Elijah. Elijah is certain (Mal 4:5),
5 “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.
Every Jewish family celebrates passover with an open chair at the table. Why? in case Elijah shows up. The Jews are expecting Elijah.
The second Witness is open to discussion. Some see John the Baptist or Enoch. My opinion is Moses & Elijah who represent the Law and the Prophets, also met with Jesus on the Mt of Transfiguration. (Some see Enoch, why? He didn’t die and it’s appointed unto man to die once, then the Judgment. But what about Lazarus or the widow at Nain’s son? The both died twice?!)
Look at what these witnesses do,
5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way.
6 These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.
These verses remind us of what both Elijah and Moses did during their ministries.
You might remember Elijah calling down fire from heaven;
9 Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him, and behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. And he said to him, “O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.’ ”
10 Elijah replied to the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.
11 So he again sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he said to him, “O man of God, thus says the king, ‘Come down quickly.’ ”
12 Elijah replied to them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.
13 So he again sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. When the third captain of fifty went up, he came and bowed down on his knees before Elijah, and begged him and said to him, “O man of God, please let my life and the lives of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight.
14 “Behold fire came down from heaven and consumed the first two captains of fifty with their fifties; but now let my life be precious in your sight.”
and of course we remember Moses and the plague of blood in Egypt;
19 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their pools, and over all their reservoirs of water, that they may become blood; and there will be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.’ ”
20 So Moses and Aaron did even as the Lord had commanded. And he lifted up the staff and struck the water that was in the Nile, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, and all the water that was in the Nile was turned to blood.
21 The fish that were in the Nile died, and the Nile became foul, so that the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile. And the blood was through all the land of Egypt.
Notice the last part of Verse 6 ...and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.
These 2 witnesses have incredible power but only for a time.
Notice V 7-8
7 When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them.
8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.
When their mission is finished they are Killed by the beast that came up from the abyss (Apollyon).
Notice their bodies are left in the street for 3.5 days. This will happen in Jerusalem, which is mystically called Sodom and Egypt.
As an aside you may not be aware that Israel is the most pro-gay state in the middle east.
Egypt is symbolic of the world in scripture.
Notice 9-12, this will be some interesting live TV!
9 Those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb.
10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
11 But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them.
12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them.
Notice here the whole world is watching. (Not possible until our generation) I am sure this was seen as hyperbole 75 years ago.
We see the World celebrating and gloating over their deaths and give each other presents. This is like their Christmas!
Miraculously, at the end of 3.5 days they come back to life on live TV. They experience a personal rapture while the world watches.
V13-14 closes this section
13 And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe is past; behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
In the same hour they are raptured there is a severe earthquake and a 10th of the city fell and 7 thousand die. Interestingly what does 10% indicate to a Jew, the tithe.
30 ‘Thus all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord.
31 ‘If, therefore, a man wishes to redeem part of his tithe, he shall add to it one-fifth of it.
32 ‘For every tenth part of herd or flock, whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the Lord.
The 7,000 who are killed is an odd statement in the Greek, Literally it says; names of men,7,000. Some suggest this indicates VIP types or perhaps there is a role or book of names held by God that there names blotted out from.
So the second woe is past and the third woe is still to come.
V15 -18 Christs reign begins
15 Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,
“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”
16 And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God,
17 saying,
“We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who were, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign.
18 “And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”
This can appear a little confusing as it sounds like the end of the story, but its only an glimpse at what is to come.
William Barclay, quote
The Revelation of John, Volume 2 The Forecast of Things to Come (Revelation 11:14–19)
WHAT makes this passage difficult is that it seems to indicate that things have come to an end in final victory, while there is still half the book to go. The explanation, as we have seen, is that this passage is a summary of what is still to come. The events foreshadowed here are as follows.
(1) There is the victory in which the kingdoms of the world become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Anointed One. This is really a quotation of Psalm 2:2, and is another way of saying that the messianic reign has begun. In view of this victory, the twenty-four elders—that is, the whole Church—break out in thanksgiving.
(2) This victory leads to the time when God takes his supreme authority (verse 17). That is to say, it leads to the thousand-year reign of God, the millennium, a thousand-year period of peace and prosperity.
(3) At the end of the millennium, there is to come the final attack of all the hostile powers (verse 18); they will be finally defeated, and then will follow the last judgment
The chapter closes as we move back to the present at that time.
19 And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm.
This is very interesting from a number of points. First, is this the Ark that Moses made the copy of in the wilderness or is this that Ark that Moses made? Second, the Ark is open and you never read of the Ark open so as to see inside. This was forbidden. We learned that from Indiana Jones LOL.
Ark of the Covenant is a interesting topic in itself as no one knows for sure where it is. As an aside, the Ark was lost or hidden just before the invasion by the Babylonians. It was not listed among the things taken back to Babylon. This also lets you know that the Ark was not in the second temple, the one of Jesus’ time. Most people do not know this.
If you haven’t yet come to the realization that Jesus is coming back soon you need to wake up. One way or another at some point, some sooner than later, your time in this life is going to end. Make sure tonight that you are right with God and that you know that you know Him.
Pray