Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Scripture

Outline

Revelation 1 - Introduction

Revelation 1:1-3 - Prologue & Benediction

Revelation 1:4-8 - Epistolary Introduction

Revelation 1:9-20 - A Vision of the Son of Man

Revelation 2-3 - The Seven Churches

Revelation 2:1-7 - The Letter to Ephesus

Revelation 2:8-11 - The Letter to Smyrna

Revelation 2:12-17 - The Letter to Pergamum

Revelation 2:18-29 - The Letter to Thyatira

Revelation 3:1-6 - The Letter to Sardis

Revelation 3:7-13 - The Letter to Philadelphia

Revelation 3:14-22 - The Letter to Laodicea

Revelation 4-5 - The Throne Room

Revelation 4:1-11 - A Vision of the Throne Room

Revelation 5:1-14 - The Lamb is Worthy

Revelation 6-8:1 - The Seven Seals

Revelation 6:1-8 - The First Four Seals

Revelation 6:9-17 - The Fifth and Sixth Seals

Revelation 7:1-17 - Who can Stand on the Day of the Lord?

Revelation 8:1-5 - Anticipation of Further Judgment

Revelation 8:6-11:19 - The Seven Trumpets

Revelation 8:6-13 - The First Four Trumpets

Revelation 9:1-21 - The Fifth and Sixth Trumpets

Revelation 10:1-11 - The End is Near

Revelation 11:1-14 - The Two Witnesses

Revelation 11:1-2 - Measuring the Saints

Revelation 11:3-14 - The Witness of the Church

Purpose of Book

The purpose of Revelation is to challenge/encourage believers, who are expectantly awaiting the reign of Christ, to live faithfully for Him despite worldly circumstances, persecution, and the cosmic battle between God and Satan.

Main Point

The witness of the Church occurs from the ascension of Christ until His second coming.

During this time the Church will face persecution, but those who harm them will face blazing, fiery judgment from God.

Revelation 11:1-2 - Measuring the Saints

Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months.

Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff

I was told, Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there

Rise and measure - both commands

Measure

Where true worship take place

Spiritual protection against the wrath of God

An allusion to Ezekiel 40-48 as Ezekiel measures the temple

Temple - God’s people

Place where Yahweh dwelled with His people - Heaven on earth

The altar

The entire church

Those who worship there

Saints

But do not measure the court outside the temple

Herod’s temple had an outside court for the Gentiles

Court for priests

Court for Israelite men

Court for Israelite women

Court for Gentiles

This is a reference to the reality that the church will face persecution, but will not be harmed by God’s wrath nor will their spiritual state be in question

Leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months

Leave that out - command

Trample the holy city

Forty-two months

Limited time alloted by God

Elijah

Exodus generation

42 years in the wilderness

Revelation 11:3-14 - The Witness of the Church

And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”

Grant authority to my two witnesses

Who are the two witnesses?

Specific individuals?

Church?

Daniel prophesied the people of God would be persecuted by the fourth beast

1,260 days

Symbolic for the time between Christ resurrection and His second coming

Sackcloth

Mourning because the church is proclaiming the need for repentance and the judgment that is coming

These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.

Joshua and Zerubabbel are identified as priest and king

Two olive trees

Two lampstands

And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes.

Those who harm the church will suffer judgment

If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed.

Those who harm the church will face the blazing, fiery judgment of God

They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may 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 kind of plague, as often as they desire.

Again, symbolic revealing judgment given on the ungodly

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, and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified.

The beast conquers and kills

Dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city

Persecuted church will be shamed throughout the world

Symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified

Sodom

Destruction

Egypt

Was entirely opposed to God

Where their Lord was crucified

Jerusalem?

Jerusalem was the place where Jesus was rejected and this now happens around the world

For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb, and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth.

Comparison to Jesus’ three days in the tomb