Revelation Chapter 11

Rev. 11:1&2, Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, "Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months."

Remember that the seventh trumpet has not yet sounded.

A word about the temple, we are told by Daniel that the sacrifice will be brought to an end in the middle of the seventieth week. To say that the sacrifice is going to cease, what does that presuppose? It presupposes that it has been reinstated. If the Antichrist is going to stop it when he sets himself up in the temple, then it must be in place before then. So it seems clear that the Jews reinstate their animal sacrifices. It is reported that there is a small group in Israel today, who have already built, after meticulous research, more than fifty of the implements used by the priests of the temple. They are training young Israelis to be priests if they qualify and one of the qualifications is that they must trace their genealogy back five generations to ensure that they come from such names as Levi, Levin or Cohin, because these are the descendants of the Levitical priest line of the Old Testament. So there is an active movement to reestablish the Levitical sacrificial system.

But now listen carefully, whenever it speaks about that temple it does not use the word that is sometimes used to describe the massive temple that existed in the days of Solomon. It does not describe the temple that existed in the time when Christ walked the earth, the Herodian temple. The word that is used is the word that could refer to the temple proper, not all the surrounding facilities that made the temple massive. So when it speaks about a temple in the tribulation, that could be a very small affair, which could be erected in a matter of days not years. So you do not have to think of an elaborate temple that would take many years to build. The kind of thing that the bible requires could be put up very quickly that would allow the reinstatement of animal sacrifices.

So there is a measuring of the temple but, not of the outer court because it belongs to the Gentiles. Even today, do you realize that, though Israel captured the city of Jerusalem and the temple mount in the six-day war in June of 1967, the temple mount is still controlled by the Arabs. Because upon the temple mount is the third most holy sight in the world to the Arabs. Incidentally it is not the Dome of the Rock as most people think, it is the El Aksa Mosque. The Jews still allow the Arab police to control the temple mount without interference from the Jews.

Forty-two months is referring to the three and one half years of the great tribulation during which the holy city is trodden down.

Rev. 11:3-6.

3 "And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth."

4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth.

5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner.

6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.

These two witnesses minister for 1260 days or three and one-half years. When do they start their ministry? In the middle of the seventieth week. What is described in this chapter is when they get killed. When do they get killed? At the end of the seventieth week.

Who are these two witnesses? The bible teaches in Malachi 4:5, that before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord, God will send Elijah the prophet, so it is most probable that Elijah is one of these two witnesses. Some people say that the second witness is Enoch and their logic is, Enoch like Elijah never died and since the bible says that it is accounted onto man once to die and since these two men never died they are the two witnesses. If these two do not come back and get killed then Heb. 2:27, would not be true. This logic is not necessarily the case. The verse says "it is appointed unto man once to die," it does not say that every man will die. Many people will miss that appointment at the rapture of the church. Enoch's relationship with God was such that he went up to God without dying. Now he may be one of the two witnesses', he is a good choice, but to use the logic that he has to be because he has never died is not necessarily the case. The third choice for the two witnesses is Elijah and Moses. These are the two men that were with Christ on the mount of Transfiguration. The disciples saw Christ in His resurrection body and with Him they see Moses and Elijah. Elijah was the one they thought of as being the mediator, the prophet and they think of Moses as the law. So if you have the law and the prophet at the transfiguration in Matt. 17, why can't they be the two witnesses. It is possible, but I don't know for sure who they are.

Just as John the Baptist was a type of Elijah, preparing the way for Christ's first coming, so these latter day witnesses, one of whom will be Elijah himself, will prepare the way for Christ's second coming. Jesus Himself said that "Elijah is coming and will restore all things" (Matt. 17:11). In so doing, Elijah will zealously strive to point the Jews to their true Messiah, to prepare their hearts to trust in Him in anticipation of the day when Israel's spiritual blindness is finally removed and the repentant nation "will look on [Him] whom they have pierced; and they will morn for Him" (Zech. 12:10).

The most important truth about the two witnesses, is that God will use them to do two things. #1. He will use them to "prophesy"--to proclaim the approaching condemnation on those who submit to Antichrist as king and to call their fellow Jews to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, their true Messiah, Redeemer and King. This they will do for 1260 days. #2. He will use them "to smite the earth with every plague as often as they desire. In this regard they will be a part of God's counteroffensive against Antichrist.

Rev. 11:7-10.

7 Now when they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.

8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

9 Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves.

10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

The beast is the Antichrist empowered by Satan. He will overcome and kill the two witnesses. Notice that the Antichrist could not kill them until they had finished their work, this is true of God's servants who remain faithful to Him. Their bodies will lay in the street for three and one-half days. It is a reproach of the worst kind against a family, for people to rile and mock a dead member especially public disclosure of the body. By the death of the two witnesses the Antichrist will be deluded into thinking that his rule is secure (when in reality it is over) and will, like the rest of the ungodly world, believe that his battle with the forces of God is finally won. This is the reason for the celebration of verse 10. The whole world rejoices at the death of these two witnesses who have caused so much trouble to the ungodly living on the earth. Remember this is a part of the sixth trumpet, the second woe.

Rev. 11:11-14.

11 Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.

12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.

13 In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand men were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.

14 The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.

Why did great fear come upon the ones who saw the two witnesses being resurrected? Because now they realize that they are not the victors, evil does not triumph and the day of the Lord's wrath is not over.

Without being dogmatic, it seems that God will raise up the two witnesses and take them back to Himself in this way for several reasons: their mission will be accomplished; the seventieth week will be complete; Antichrist's "authority to act" (Rev. 13:5) will be history; the surviving remnant of Israel will be saved; and Christ will be present to breathe life into their breathless bodies and send them up to heaven, as their enemies behold them. What a powerful testimony and time of rejoicing for the believing remnant of Israel as together with Christ they will see these things happen firsthand.

During that very hour there was a great earthquake, causing a third of the city to fall and causing seven thousand people to be killed, and the rest will be terrified and give glory to the God of heaven. The rest still have an opportunity to repent but apparently do not. The respond in fear and give glory to God only because of the tremendous manifestations of His power.

The second woe is past and the third woe is coming quickly. This third woe will be the sounding of the seventh trumpet, it will bring about the most significant transformation the world has ever know since its corruption by the sin of Adam and Eve.

Rev. 11:15-19.

15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!"

16 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God,

17 saying: "We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was and who is to come, because You have taken Your great power and reigned.

18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth."

19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.

It is hard for us to comprehend the full importance of the sounding of the seventh trumpet. To capture some of its overwhelming significance, we must see that it is in one sense the culmination of God's sovereign plan of redemption determined in eternity pass. It must be seen in the context of one of the most monumental events ever revealed to man--on a level with creation, the fall, the flood, the incarnation, the death and resurrection of Christ, and His second coming, for the sounding of the seventh trumpet marks the point at which God Almighty reclaims divine authority over the earth from Satan, the great usurper and consummate enemy of God, the ruler over the kingdom of darkness. It is particularly important to note that "the kingdom of the world [will] become the kingdom of our Lord [God the Father], and of His Christ" immediately after the seventieth trumpet is blown but, before the beginning of the bowl judgments, that begins the final wrath of God (Rev. 15:1).

For as our text continues to say. "the nations were enraged, and Your wrath has come... (V.18). Notice the nations are still there. If you take a look at Psalms 2:1-9, you will see that God scoffs at the nations and they are enraged because God has now taken authority and put His own in power to rule the earth. This is a parallel to what is taking place here at the seventh trumpet. Dan. 2:44, tells us that God's kingdom is set up and His kingdom shall consume all the other kingdoms.

It is interesting to note that (v.18) answers a question that many Christians have asked. When does the judgment seat of Christ that Paul talks about in (2 Cor. 5:10) sit. Another term that you know this judgment referred to is the Bema-Seat-Judgment, when does it take place? Pre-tribbers say that this judgment takes place in heaven while the seven year tribulation is taking place on earth, but this view is structurally unfounded. There are no verses that even hint, let alone support that idea.

This divine court, the Bema-Seat-Judgment, held by Jesus Christ, is where all the elect of God who have been resurrected or raptured will be judged according to their faithfulness to God. This is in great contrast to the Great White Throne Judgment at the end of the Millennium where the unsaved of all ages will be judged for the works they did without faith in God.

In his second letter to Corinth, Paul reminds every believer that "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive for the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad (2 Cor. 5:10). Paul also refers to this judgment in Rom. 14:10. In his first letter to the Corinthians, however, Paul gives a vivid and somber picture of what that judgment will be like. Turn to 1 Cor. 3:10-15,

1 Cor 3:10-15, According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

Many of these sad to say, will be those within the compromising church, untaught and thus unprepared for the fiery testing of Antichrist. Needlessly these will feel the full brunt of Antichrist's persecution, never the less, will be saved "as through fire."

The timing of the bema-seat-judgment is clearly pinpointed in the scriptures we have just read in Rev. 11:15-18, let's read them again. This judgment occurs right after the seventh trumpet is sounded. The significance of this is clearly evident: When the seventh angel sounds (v.15a), rule over all earthly kingdoms will be returned to God Almighty (vv.15b-17), still on earth after God's reign begins, the nations respond with rage (v.18a), and then believers will be rewarded at the bema-seat-judgment (v.18b). Immediately following will be the destruction of "those who destroy the earth" (v.18c) as carried out in the final bowl judgments of God's great wrath.

While Christ holds court for the church at the bema-seat, another judge will be holding an immeasurably more severe court over Satan and His final beast empire. Describing that divine tribunal, Daniel tells how he "kept looking in the night visions" until he saw the final beast who was "dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong." Let's read it in Dan. 7:9-11.

The execution of the sentence handed down by this divine "Supreme Court" will begin with God's final wrath in the bowl judgments. While His angelic reapers prepare themselves to administer that final punishment of God's enemies (in particular Antichrist and Satan's final beast empire), the saints of God will receive their rewards and be made ready to become the purified and spotless bride of Christ.

Verse 19, gives us a preview of the dreadful bowl judgments--with the heavenly temple opened to the accompaniment of lightning, thunder, an earthquake, and a great hailstorm--the bowl judgments are described further when John continues to recount this awesome vision (after a three-chapter interlude) later in (Rev. 15:1,5-8), so verse 19continues in chapter 15, verse 5 and following. We will discuss that later on. In between this we have chapters 12,13, & 14, they are inserted as an interlude between the trumpets and the beginning of the bowls in Chapter 15. I want to suggest to you that these three chapters are giving an overview of the conflict of the ages. It is inserted right where it is chronologically, sequentially, and appropriately correct because with the seventh trumpet Jesus returns to the earth to become King, to but an end to the conflict that has been going on through all of human history. What 12, 13, & 14 does is give us the strategy that Satan uses to try to win this conflict. It also will show us God's strategy and no matter how you cut it God is the winner. There is a rhythm to these three chapters that you must understand. What God shows us here is the fiery testing by Antichrist against professing Christianity, primarily through civil authorities, through the images of the beast and through taking the mark which will control the food supply. We will see this attack, and just when it seems to be unbearable, four times God will say " but", and you will see that there is a victorious overcomer that comes through it.

Now I want you to realize that what we are talking about is not a possibility, but prophesy and there is a big difference. The blessings of God are possibilities, the appropriating of them in your life depends upon you. With obedience comes blessing, with disobedience comes chastisement, it depends upon you. But when you get into prophesy it is no longer possibility. Prophesy says that the church going into the last days is going to be weak and compromising and will be subjected to severe testing that they have never known before. That is prophecy, not possibility. So to think that this truth that I am trying to teach you will be accepted by Christendom on the whole, is not going to happen because prophesy says otherwise. Sometimes prophesy scares people because it is very direct and we don't like what it says. You are taught something all your life, then when prophesy shows you something different you go on the defensive and become scared. But know this: PROPHESY IS NEVER GIVEN TO SCARE OR TO CAUSE US TO REACT IN FEAR, PROPHESY IS GIVEN SO WE CAN PREPARE FOR WHAT IS PROPHESIED, AND BE READY FOR IT, WHEN IT COMES TO PASS.

Yes, Revelation is bad news for those who do not heed the prophesy, but it is good news for those who are willing to heed, obey and prepare for they will be a part of the faithful people that will come through this period overcomers. Many will live through this period protected by God, others will willingly give up their life even though protection is offered them. There will be others that will give up their life because they are genuine Christians and they will not deny Christ when the test comes, but because they are not prepared, they have been in churches that have not taught them the truth of Revelation and when it happens they are going to be unprepared, therefore they will feel the brunt of the Antichrist's wrath. These people will still go in the rapture because when confronted with the choice to worship the Antichrist they will refuse and be killed instead but will be resurrected to go in the rapture.