In our ongoing review of the book of Revelation, we now offer chapter 11.
There is the story of an elderly lady who attended every church service for over 50-years. She always enjoyed the teaching of the Lord. Her favorite events were the fellowship dinners. She loved to serve others and was always found in the kitchen acting as a chef, or in the dining hall, acting as a waitress.
And her favorite thing of all was serving desert. She said that brought more smiles to peoples faces than anything else.
One day, she missed church service and after the service, the pastor called her to check on her. She said she had some good news and some bad news, and for him to come over right away and she would explain.
He hurried over and found her as pleasant as always with a gentle smile on her face and a gracious manner about her. She served him coffee and began to speak:
"I have not been feeling very well lately, so I went to my doctor and he ordered a series of tests. Those tests came back Friday. The good news is I am dying, and they have only given me about another month to live. The bad news is, I will not be serving at any more fellowship dinners."
She went on to say that she always looked forward to serving desert at those dinners because that was the best part of a meal. And she asked the pastor that, at her funeral, she would have a fork in her hand as she lay in her casket. The pastor asked why, and she said, "Because it will remind everyone that the best always comes at the end, and just as desert follows a meal, heaven will follow my life."
And so, we find that in the book of Revelation, we are seeing what life on this earth really consists of and what God does to bring about His good life - given at the end of this worldly life.
In VERSE 1, we read,
“Then I was given a measuring reed like a rod, with these words: “Go and measure God’s sanctuary and the altar, and count those who worship there.”
A rod was a stick about 10 feet long that was used for measuring. The reed given to John would have, therefore, been the same length. He was told to measure temple’s sanctuary and to count the number of people in it.
This would make clear that there would be a temple at the time of John’s vision. The temple has always played a very important role in God’s dealing with the Jewish Nation. Many scholars believe that since everyone would already know the exact dimensions of the temple, John was to measure the character of the temple. In other words, did it really represent a place that truly worshiped the Lord God, or was it a place that only represented yet another line of traditions that meant nothing spiritually to the Jewish people?
And to measure the number of people in it, is thought to represent the measuring of the people’s character. That is similar to our churches today in that many people may come through our doors, but not all of them are true believers. Just as many people come to church for a variety of reasons, many will go to the temple for various reasons, too – and not all are for Godly reasons.
INFORMATION ON THE TEMPLE:
Solomon built the first temple on Mount Moriah, just outside of Jerusalem, in 1050 B.C. A little more than 400 years later, the Babylonians destroyed it. A second temple was built some 70-years after that. About 20 years before Jesus was born, King Herod had this temple enlarged and remodeled. He was trying to win over favor of the Jews.
He had pure gold melted down and “painted” on all the interior walls. It was this temple that Jesus referred to in MATTHEW 24:2 when He said, “There shall not be one stone left standing.”
Forty years after Jesus’ resurrection, General Titus of Rome ordered his army to ransack Jerusalem. He gave orders not to destroy the temple, but a Roman soldier disobeyed the general and set fire to the temple. The fire burned so hot it melted all the gold and it ran down between the stone blocks as it melted. Thus, the Roman soldiers, in their greed to take all the gold, took all the blocks down so they could scrape the gold out from in between them. This made Jesus’ prophecy come true.
But, talking about temples, there will be another one built. This will be the temple that John refers to in his vision in the book of REVELATION.
In the Institute of Temple Treasures, in Jerusalem, you can see that they have already made all of the things that go into this temple. They have fashioned all the spoons, goblets, plates, and more in the same way the originals were made.
They have made all the wall hangings and cloths just like the originals, and have even dyed them using the same techniques used then. Everything is completely ready – except for the temple. They have made a fairly large replica of a temple outside Jerusalem, but it is only a model. The real one is yet to be built. There is even a school that teaches young priests how to properly prepare an animal for sacrifice according to the traditions of the past.
So, does this mean we might see the temple rebuilt before the Rapture? We don’t know. There is one obstacle in the way at present. That obstacle is a mosque known as the Dome of the Rock.
In the late 600’s (after Jesus), a man by the name of Omar build a mosque over a rock that is believed to be where the prophet Muhammad left his footprint as he leapt upward and an angel took him to heaven.
So, if this Islamic site is there, how in the world could they build a temple there without causing all Muslims to immediately come against them? Archeologists have found in the last 20 years or so that there is a flat rock 300 feet to the north of the Dome. They believe that is the actual place of the original temple for several reasons.
First, because it is flat, and therefore more accustomed to building a temple on it, where the rock at the Dome is jagged and uneven. Also, because in the original temple, the priest could stand in the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement, look out the veil and through the door and see the Eastern Gate right in front of them. That cannot happen at the Dome of the Rock site.
On this northern site, the Muslims built a gazebo-like structure over the rock. And they gave it two names: “The Dome of the Spirits” and “The Dome of the Tablets.” So it would seem that, even if they are not aware of it, the Muslims actually do recognize this northern flat rock as the place that held the Ark of the Covenant. They knew it represented the 10-Commandments (tablets) that rested in the Ark and God’s glorious Spirit that rested over the Ark.
And if the temple were to be built there, the Dome of the Rock would remain outside the temple sanctuary in its outer courtyard of the temple. And that brings us to the next verse:
VERSE 2:
“But exclude the courtyard outside the sanctuary. Don’t measure it, because it is given to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for 42 months.”
John was told in verse 1 to measure the number of people who worshiped in the temple. In verse 2, he is being told not to measure the people outside the sanctuary. Remember that the Dome of the Rock would be in the outer courtyard of the temple. That would be ruled by Muslims, which is even today getting more and more support from the rest of the world who are not Christians.
We are seeing people of all beliefs coming together and calling for the division of Jerusalem so that the Jews can “own” half and the Muslims can “own” half. There are a couple of problems with that. The first problem is the part the Muslims want is the eastern part, or the part where the wailing wall is, and the second problem is that they would never be satisfied with just that half; they would wage war to get it all.
But we are told that Jerusalem will be trampled upon for 42 months (3½ years). During the 6-day war in 1967, Israel launched a preemptive strike against the Arabs and recaptured the city of Jerusalem. The leader of Israel at that time, Moshe Dayan, would have kicked all the Muslims out of Jerusalem, but for reasons even he could not explain, he let the Muslims retain control of the 35 acre parcel that housed the Dome of the Rock. Thus, he helped fulfill the prophecy that “it is given to the nations (non-Jews) and they will trample the holy city for 42 months.”
VERSE 3:
“I will empower My two witnesses, and they will prophecy for 1260 days, dressed in sackcloth.”
God will send two of His chosen ones down to earth and they will give testimony about God for 42 months, or 3½ years. They will be dressed in sackcloth, or the same clothing worn in the Bible when men of God mourned. These two will mourn the fate of what is coming.
VERSE 4:
“These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.”
Likening these two witnesses to olive trees is significant in that the spiritual meaning of olive trees denotes a perpetual outpouring of God’s Spirit; or a non-stop anointing of His Holy Spirit. Lampstands are the spiritual ones that emit the light of God into the darkness that surrounds them. The church is a lampstand as it gives forth the light of Jesus into the darkness of a sinful world. And these two witnesses have a continual anointing of God’s Spirit as they emit the light of God into this dark world.
VERSE 5-6:
“If anyone wants to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and consumes their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, they must be killed in this way. These men have the power to close the sky so it does not rain during the days of their prophecy. They also have the power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with any plague whenever they want.”
There have been many who have wondered who these two witnesses are. I believe they are Moses and Elijah. Here are the reasons I believe this.
In 2 KINGS 1:12, it tells how Elijah was given the power to call down fire from heaven. He prophesied that the king would die of an injury and the king sent out 50 men to capture Elijah and bring him to the king. When they caught up with Elijah, they told him to come with them and this is what Elijah said:
“If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your 50 men.” And so a fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his 50 men.”
That passage goes on to tell how the king sent 50 more men out to capture Elijah, and the same thing happened to them. A third set of 50 men who were sent by the king pleaded with Elijah for their lives and he spared them. (You should read this story, it is quite interesting.)
In JAMES 5:17, it reads,
“Elijah was a man with a nature like ours; yet he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and for three years and six months, it did not rain on the land.”
In 2 KINGS 2:11, we are told how Elijah never died, but ascended into heaven on a fiery chariot. And the Old Testament ends with the promise of Elijah’s return.
MALACHI 4:5:
“Look, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome Day of the Lord comes.”
I believe the other witness is Moses, because (as referenced in verse 6) they will have the power to turn water into blood and to bring about any plague they so desire. In EXODUS, we read that when Moses was dealing with the Pharaoh, trying to get the Israelites released from slavery in Egypt, Moses caused the water in the Nile River to turn into blood. He also causes plagues, such as the flies and the frogs.
Also, in MATTHEW 17, Moses appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration representing the Law, and Elijah appeared there representing the prophets. (Another passage that is very interesting and that you should read.)
The final reason I believe the second witness to be Moses is that in JUDE 9, we read that the archangel Michael was arguing with Satan over the possession of Moses’ body after he died. This could very likely be Satan’s attempt to keep Moses from coming back as one of the witnesses!
VERSE 7-8:
“When they finish their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, conquer them, and kill them. Their dead bodies will lie in the public square of the great city, which is called (prophetically) Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified.”
After 3½ years, the two witnesses will finish their work and at that time the antichrist will come against them and cause them to be killed. And then, for all the world to see that he has won, he will leave their dead bodies there as proof.
Jerusalem, the only city that God calls His own and the only city that Jesus wept over is now described as Sodom and Egypt because its inhabitants have summarily hated, rejected, and plotted the murder of Jesus Christ.
VERSE 9-10:
“And representatives from the peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will view their bodies for three and a half days and not permit their bodies to be put into a tomb. Those who live on the earth will gloat over them and celebrate and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who live on the earth.”
The entire world will be able to see these witnesses prophecy and will see them be killed and lie on the sidewalks of Jerusalem because of CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, MSNBC, FOX NEWS, and other news agencies. Television will bring it to them in real time. And the whole earth will be glued to their televisions like never before.
People hate to hear the truth, especially when that truth disagrees with what they want to do. That is why people hate the word of God so much; it convicts them of their evil sin and they hate that. And because of this reasoning, the world will hate these two witnesses. They will be so glad they are dead that they will send gifts to each other in joy of their deaths. This will be the only time people will rejoice in the Tribulation.
VERSE 11-12:
“But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet. So great fear fell on those who saw them. Then, they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” They went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies watched them.”
The witnesses will lay there for 3½ days and the antichrist will feel very proud of himself for conquering them. But after this time, they will rise up, and people everywhere will be overcome with great fear!
I think these two men are also a symbol of us today. We are to testify about Jesus Christ to the world. We will be attacked, slandered, and possible physically beaten down. But if we remain in Christ, we will soon be raised up in front of our enemies and they will be a little afraid of us.
I worked at the Post Office and when I became serious about the Lord, it must have really shown in my actions and words, because people all of a sudden began making fun of me and giving me snide comments. But I remained steadfast in my faith. I tried not to talk too much on the job about the Lord, letting my actions reflect my “new” self.
Pretty soon, I began to notice that when something bad happened to those people who scoffed at me, they would come up to me and quietly ask me if I would pray for them or for a particular situation. Some would even say that since I “had an in with God” my prayers would probably be answered.
No matter what the world throws at you, if you remain diligent, you will eventually be seen as the victor and not the victim.
After the witnesses arose, and after that invoked fear among the world, they heard a voice calling them from heaven. Then, they obeyed the command and went to heaven, being carried in a cloud while the whole world watched.
VERSES 13-14:
“At that moment, a violent earthquake took place, a tenth of the city fell, and 7,000 people were killed in the earthquake. The survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe has passed. Take note: The third woe is coming quickly!”
At the same moment that the two men ascended into heaven, a violent earthquake occurred. There is a fault that goes through the middle of Jerusalem into Northern Africa. It is called the Rift Valley. Scientists say that when it separates, there will be a major quake. This will cause a tenth of the great city to collapse, killing 7,000 people.
In some manuscripts, it correctly refers to; “7,000 men of names.” This means that 7,000 men of notoriety, or well-known men of that time, will be killed in the earthquake. And if 7,000 notable men are killed, there must also be thousands of ordinary citizens who lose their lives as well. All this happens while the television cameras are still on and people everywhere can see what is happening. And this would cause terror in the hearts of all who witnessed this destruction.
The survivors “gave glory to God” does not mean they sang songs or began to love God. We see that throughout the bible, when God showed His wrath, people were filled with fear and immediately acknowledged His sovereignty over them. But as we will see in Verse 18, people were also full of anger towards God for letting this happen!
This is the end of the second woe. But we have been given a dire warning: “Take note – the third woe is coming quickly!”
VERSES 15-18 act as an announcement of something about to happen.
“The seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Messiah, and He will reign forever and ever!’ The 24 elders, who were seated before God on their thrones, fell on their aces and worshiped God, saying: ‘We thank You, Lord God, the Almighty, who is and who was, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign. The nations were angry, but Your wrath has come. The time has come for the dead to be judged, and to give the reward to Your servants – the prophets, to the saints, and to those who fear Your name, both small and great and the time has come to destroy those who destroy the earth.”
The third woe has come! And woe be to the people who denied their God! We are given two distinct signs that the third woe has come. In verse 17, it says: “because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign” and in verse 18, it says “The time has come for the dead to be judged.”
Time is up! God’s judgment is no longer coming - - it is already here! He has begun to reign and it is time for the dead to be judged! This does not mean those who are no longer alive. It means those who are spiritually dead; those who have rejected Christ no matter what God has done to get them to.
When verse 18 says, “time has come to destroy those who destroy the earth,” it is not talking about people who litter the earth. It is talking about people who do not use the gift of this world as God intended its usage. We do not use the gift of harvest to feed the hungry; we store grain and watch it rot before we offer it to those who need it. And when we do offer some, the receivers use it to their own political advantage before they ever distribute it to those who are the neediest.
We have polluted this earth, no so much with garbage, but with sinful activities and disrespect towards God. And now, it is time to pay the price for our actions.
VERSE 19:
“God’s sanctuary in heaven was opened, and the ark of His covenant appeared in His sanctuary. There were lightnings, rumblings, thunders, an earthquake, and severe hail.”
For hundreds of years, people have searched this earth for the Ark of the Covenant. There are even stories that the remnant of Jewish believers in Ethiopia have somehow obtained it and has hidden it for a thousand years. Will it ever be found? I don’t think so.
In JEREMIAH 3:16, it tells us that in the last days, the ark will not even be mentioned – probably because people will have focused so much on what their worldly desires are that they just forget about the ark. But here in verse 19, it says the ark appeared in God’s sanctuary.
And the “great hail” mentioned in the last half of verse 19, sets the stage for the great things John is about to experience as we go into chapter 12.
In summary, God has given us thousands of years to repent and turn back to Him. We have ignored Him, denied Him, argued with Him, and more …. and then when His promise of wrath comes, we stand up with a stiff neck and demand to know how a good God could do something this horrible to us!
After all the warnings, God finally says, “Time’s up!” And we see the end of man’s reign and the beginning of God’s reign here in chapter 11.
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To see more of our studies on the book of Revelation, go to:
http://www.bruceballministries.com/d_revelation_series.html
