We're in Revelation Chapter 11 as we continue our journey
through the Book of Revelation, the book in the Bible that says
a blessing comes to those who read it, to those that hear and
those that obey it. So that's what we want.
Revelation Chapter 11, this one John is writing, he says I was
given a read like a measuring rod.
This is the measuring rod, like a cubit that would use, and it
was the distance roughly they use between the elbow and the
tip of the finger. Used to be, I think it was about
18 inches or so, a Reed, like a measuring rod.
And the Angel stood saying, rise, Measure what?
The temple of God. This isn't the tribulation
period. Measure the altar and measure
those who worship there. So for John to be able to
measure it, there's got to be a temple.
He's not going to measure some visionary thing that doesn't
exist. So a temple is going to be
built, 3rd temple during the tribulation period, a new temple
will be built. The temple that Jesus taught him
in which he overthrew the money changers tables in was destroyed
in AD 70 by the Roman general Titus, just as Jesus predicted.
When there are saying Jesus, you know, we're over on the they're
on the Mount of Olives. And I said, oh man, look at
them, look at that temple, isn't it magnificent?
He says, hey, let me tell you something, Mark, chapter 13,
verse 2. Do you see these great
buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon
another that shall not be thrown down.
And we have in our little cabinet piece of the stones of
the buildings of the stones that were pushed over.
As you go to Israel, we see where they actually just,
they're just still lying there where they pushed them down the
Western Wall. Where they come up against is
purely the foundations. The temple was built on top of
those foundations. Today, the temple site, I think
it's about 35 acres, is vacant. There's no Jewish temple there.
There are two Muslim buildings on the site, the Dome of the
Rock, which is building with the golden top and you can't see it
in this picture, but the AL Aqsa Mosque.
In addition, the temple site is not under Israeli full control,
even though they want it back in the war to save further
conflict. They gave it over management,
partial management to the Muslims and so it's under a
split control system at this time.
The Israeli government maintains sovereignty over the Temple
Mount and is responsible for security, including priests,
police presence at the entrance and monitoring activity on them.
There's another group called the Exam, Islamic Waqf WAQF and they
are a Muslim, a religious authority.
We met them as we do on the Temple Mount.
They're often angry, especially to Christians.
They are responsible for the day to day management of the site,
including religious affairs like prayer times, religious services
for Muslims. In the book of Daniel, Daniel
the Prophet Chapter 9 verse 27 tells us about 1/3 temple that
will be built during the tribulation period, the 70th
week, the seven year period tribulation which we're in.
He says, I'm reading out of the new living translation.
The ruler will make a treaty. That is the ruler, that's the
Antichrist. The lawless one will make a
treaty with the people that is Israel for a period of one set
of 7A7 year period contract. Yep, peace for seven years
Israel signs the Antichrist signs done.
But halfway through after half this time he the Antichrist New
living translation says he will put an end to the sacrifices and
offerings to put an end. That means they have they have
in that time rebuilt the Temple and already begun the religious
services of Judaism all over again.
And as a climax to all these terrible deeds, he will set up a
sacrilegious object that causes desecration until the fight
decreed for this defiler is finally poured out on him.
So the Antichrist will make a covenant with the nation of
Israel during the Tribulation period, which is a period of
seven years. But halfway through this time
period he will breach this covenant and suddenly he will go
into the temple. Israel will witness this because
they're going about, they love the priests and everyone will be
worshipping there and the sacrifices are happening and
everything going on as per Old Testament.
And Jesus says in Matthew 2415, King you, King James says,
therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation spoken
of by Daniel the prophet, Jesus called Daniel the prophet
standing in the holy place. So he goes into the holy place.
Whoever reads, let him understand.
The Antichrist walks in, goes into the holy place, desecrates
the building, says everything stop.
Imagine he goes in with his army, with his storm troopers,
pushes all the precepts. So I get out of the road.
Stop, stop. Let's not finish that great
turmoil. He walks in, he says, I'm God,
I'm God. There's going to be no worship
of anyone or anything but me. Back to our text.
John is instructed to take a measuring rod and measure this
new temple, the altar and the people worshipping there.
As John is writing this, the temple has been destroyed for
some 20 to 25 years non existent.
The big question everyone asks is how is this new temple ever
going to be allowed to be built on this Muslim?
The third holiest site, I believe it is Muslim site with
the dime of the Rock and the AL Aqsa Mosque over in the corner
still being there on Tuesday evening, June 19th, 2007.
Doctor Asher Kaufman, who has a PhD and and he is a professor at
the Hebrew University and also a professor at Notre Dame, after
great research, said the location of the temple should be
for the rebuilding of the new temple in the northern position
of the Temple Mount where the Holy of Holies would be
situated. And that's that little building
just there, that little gazebo thing.
It's called the dime of the spirits or the dime of the
tablets that he believes, according to their measurements,
their research. Many other Bible commentators or
actually Hebrew commentators agree was the original threshing
floor of Aron. It's interesting because I've
gone, we've been there and I stood there and I was down on
that. It's the only piece of the Dome
of the Rock that doesn't have the the slabs on it.
And it's just the raw rock. And I was trying to get a bit
of, as I do a little bit of the rock and the guy come over and
say, what are you doing? Nothing, Just healing the stone,
but that's the location where they believe was the Holy of
Holies. Now, according to Doctor
Kaufman, you can see how far away the Dome of the Rock is.
It's another 90 odd metres away. Doesn't show that much in that
photo, but it's about that. And so a large wall could be
quite easily constructed to divide the two sites.
They rebuild here big war between separation.
Muslims are happy, sort of the Jews are very happy.
And if the research was correct, a large wall, as I said, could
divide the two sides. And it is this language that
fits with John being told read on in verse 2.
And he's measuring, he says, but leave out the court, which is
outside the temple. It's called the court of the
Gentiles, that area there, and do not measure it, for it has
been given to the Gentiles. And I will tread the holy city
and the foot for 42 months. It's interesting John's use of
the word temple when he's told to measure here in this passage.
Is not the usual word also used for the entire temple site of
the entire temple building. Remember this court of the
Gentiles, the holy place and the holy of holies.
But it's the Greek word for just the holy place alone.
Just measure the holy place alone.
The first room, John is told measure the temple and the
altar. Now the brazen altar is in the
courtyard directly in front of the temple temple.
By the way, that dime of the tablets or dime of the spirits,
it aligns with the gate that is bricked up at the moment.
The Muslims know that the prophecies that Jesus would come
through this gate and also. So furthermore, they bricked it
up and then they said, look, we'll put a cemetery here.
So like, you can't go over a cemetery either because then you
know it'd be unclean. So they've done that.
But that lines up directly with it.
In other words, John is told don't measure the area where the
Dome of the Rock, that location is now located.
Verse 3. I'll give power to my 2
witnesses. It's interesting. 2 witnesses
and they will prophecy. Now this word prophecy is not
speak of prophecy in the set the prophetic things to come in as
such because we know the Bible's already got them, but it's
foretelling it's it's speaking on behalf of actually each time
the Bible is taught the gift of prophecy in that sense is
occurring. The preacher is foretelling
explaining the word of God and they will prophecy 1260 days and
they'll be clothed. These two witnesses in
sackcloth, quite an appearance. This is during the tribulation
period. These two guys all of a sudden
up here in Jerusalem, they are given the power and says I will
give power. This is God speaking to my to my
2 witnesses. So they are given the power of
God. What for?
To speak forth the word of God to prophecy, which was twofold
in its cause and a twofold message warning people of the
judgments to come. We're going to go through them.
This is what's going to happen. Woe unto you.
These are the woes that have occurred.
The seals and the world people that are survived that path. 4/4
billion 4 billion the dead thus far, the people that have
survived, they know about these things that the events that have
occurred and there's more to come. 7 balls yet to come, but
also they will during here's the deal that will proclaim the
gospel of grace still and encouraging people come turn
your lives to God come by faith in Jesus Christ and his work on
the cross at Calvary they preach for 1260 days, 42 months 3 1/2
years. They are a tired garments as
prophets, old sackcloth. Now sackcloth is itchy sort of
gear and it's a sign sackcloth was a sign of mourning over sin.
It's a sign also put on of repentance and it's a sign of
humility. We come, they would put in the
old days, they would put sackcloth on and ashes upon
their head. It's a sign of of mourning.
So it's a humility to come forward.
They're saying come, come, come to God, come repent, hear what?
Hear what we're saying. God is doing this to people who
have been savage against him. It says in verse 4 these are the
2 olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the
God of the earth. And we're reminded of this back
in the book of Zechariah, a very similar language of two priests
who were used by God. And they are two lampstands
declared and, and olive trees. And these olive trees connected
to the main olive tree. In other words, what he's saying
here, lampstands, they're the light and they're, they got the
power, the flowing of the Holy Spirit connected directly to
God. That that's the, the picture
language here. They're not actually 2
lampstands and they're not 2 olive trees, but it's the
picture that these two a powerfully close connected,
empowered by the holy God. It says are they standing before
the God of the earth? So it reminds us of that time in
Zechariah chapter 4. God in this language is saying I
personally protect them. I personally empower MY2
witnesses. He says I will give power to my
2 witnesses. I will give power to my 2
witnesses and if anyone tries to harm them fire proceeds from
their mouth and people say well is that literal you know going
to happen? No I don't.
This is my opinion. I believe John is describing the
word of God comes out and it's powerful.
It just, you know when the word of God is spoken under the power
of God, man it, it, it, it, it hits you, it hits you and they
will speak. When people come, thou will
speak the word of God, thus says the Lord, And people will fall
down, drop, and all sorts of things will happen as they try
and come near them and cause harm to them.
And they'll have this protection and this power for 3 1/2 years.
Rain will not fall. They'll have power to go.
OK, stop. No more rain.
That reminds us of a certain profit, doesn't it?
And if they command it, no rains coming.
They have the power, it says, to turn water into blood.
Who's that? Remind you of another fellow
back in Egypt and I will have also it says the power to call
down plagues. Wow, who does that remind you
of? So verse 5, if anyone wants to
harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth, devours their
enemies. If anyone wants to harm them, he
must be killed in this manner. So they're not tangling.
They're not just, well, this is going to happen.
These have power to shut heaven so that no rain falls in the
days of their prophecy. They have power over waters to
turn them to blood and to strike the earth with all plagues as
often as they desire. The Bible teaches us that God
never leaves himself without a witness.
The book of Acts chapter 14, verse 17, Paul writes.
Nevertheless, Speaking of the Lord, he did not leave himself
without witness in that he did good, gave us rain from heaven,
fruitful seasons, filling us, filling our hearts with food and
gladness. We also see the same thing that
God always has a witness to his actions throughout the Bible
back as far as the book of Genesis.
Noah was the witness of the flood that covered the whole
earth. He survived it.
He saw it, survived it. Lot was pulled out of Sodom.
He can tell you Sodom. And Gomorrah was destroyed.
I used to live there. He's a witness.
Elijah on the Mount of Mount Carmel took on the 800 prophets
of Baal. False prophets, remember, he
says. I can tell you what happened on
the mount, on Mount Carmel when they did their thing.
And then I prayed and fire came down and consumed the prophets
and I slew. He took them out.
John the Baptist was another witness.
He came preparing the way. I'm telling you, the one that's
following me, He's the Messiah. Behold, the Lamb of God who has
come to take the sins of the world.
He's the witness 144,000 Jews chosen out of the 12 tribes used
as evangelists during the period of tribulation.
They're witnesses. But now these two extra special
witnesses, God raises 2 unique witnesses and he gives them
enormous powers. By the way, it's interesting,
the word for witness here is the Greek word MARTYS martyrs, from
which we get our English word martyr.
So it's interesting for many of God's people throughout the
ages, the price, the cost. And I think that's something
that we're not quite ready for yet, but we're we're going to
learn about it, the cost of being God's witness.
Has been their very lives. Who could forget a young man 29
years of age, always wanted to be a missionary, prayed and
prayed, wanted to go down to South America.
Then he takes off, kisses his wife goodbye.
The head off the first missionary journey, they land
their plane, they're going to take the gospel to the Orcas
Indians. And on that first attempt they
were killed attempting to share the gospel with them.
His name was Jim Elliott, and a famous quote from Jim Elliott,
age of 29, said this. He is no fool who gives up what
he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.
So who are these two witnesses? Are they Moses and Elijah?
I'll leave that for you to decide.
No one really knows. We had them on the mount of
Transfiguration speaking to Jesus, didn't we?
And he, they saw him in all his glory, the disciples.
Malachi gives us some interesting facts on this.
Malachi chapter 4, verse 4. Malachi says the last book
before then before Matthew, last book of the Old Testament.
Remember you the law of Moses, my servant God says, which I
commanded unto him, and horror for all Israel with the statutes
and judgments. Then it says in the next verse,
verse 5, Behold, I will send you Elijah.
That's why they thought to John. John, are you Elijah?
And then when Jesus was in Caesarea Philippi and said,
well, some say maybe you're Elijah because I know he's
supposed to come at this time, the last days, Malachi says,
behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of
the great dreadful day of the Lord.
What's that coming of the Lord? Now verse 7.
Now notice this when they finish their testimony that you know,
it could be a good thing to put on if I was going to have a
great plot finished my testimony.
When they finish their testimony, the beast that
ascends out of the bottomless pit, we know who that is.
Satan will make war against them, overcome them and kill
them. Now up to now they've been
protected by God, but now their ministry is finished.
So now home or there's more and he'll kill them.
And here what happens? This is in Jerusalem, the
streets of Jerusalem and their dead bodies, the two witnesses
will lie in the street of the great city Jerusalem, which
spiritually now God's going to call it something else.
It's called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was
crucified. So we know exactly the city is
Jerusalem. Matthew 1624, Jesus said to his
disciples, if anyone desires to come after me, let him deny
himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Do you know what that means? We all go, yeah, that's me.
I have decided, follow Jesus, no turning back.
And we sing that song, I've taken up the cross.
And we all say that verse 25 For whoever desires to save his life
will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find
it. Guess what?
The principle for every believer is that we have given our life
in service for God. For some of us. 2 witnesses,
James, the brother of John initially, and then Paul, and so
on and so on. All this stuff gave their lives
literally. And so Jamalia did for you and
I, we, it has the same bearing, this statement.
We say, oh Gee, we're having a tough time.
Hang on, hang on a minute. We have decided to follow Jesus
to take out that cross and a cross.
And I have a cross I wear around my neck.
But the cross is what it's a killing instrument.
The cross was to bring death. So when I say I sign up and I'm
a follower of Christ, that means I am fully committed to give my
life, not just I, but to actually surrender all that is
of me to the Lord. We need to remember that.
We need to remember that when we're leading people to Christ
and they're about to say, you know, well, this is going to
cost me. Actually, it's going to cost you
everything, everything you're going to surrender, everything
that you own, that you have, that is yours to take the cross
and follow Jesus. Otherwise you can't follow him.
Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
The two witnesses bodies lay lifeless in the streets of
Jerusalem, we're told for a specific time, 3 1/2 days.
Why is this in here? This is a deliberate act by the
Antichrist to bring disgrace to their bodies by the Antichrist.
Why? Because in the both Jewish and
Muslim culture, you die and within 24 hours you're buried.
You die and within 24 hours you're put put in the grave.
This is a deliberate act to let them be ashamed, be shameful.
It's a it's an act to bring disgrace to these two bodies.
The description God gives of the holy city instead of calling it
Jerusalem at this time while the two bodies are laying there 3
1/2 days instead of it being Jerusalem which means Salaam
Shalom Jerusalem meaning dwelling of peace or place of
peace Jerusalem. God called Jerusalem Sodom and
Egypt. Why I Jerusalem has become a
city of perversion the celebrating the death of God's
witnesses rejoicing over it. Secondly, why does he call it
Egypt? Because Egypt was had a God for
everything. Remember that's why the plague
come. Each plague came was against one
of the gods of Egypt, Egypt. And now in the holy of holies
was an idol, an image of the Antichrist.
That's not then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues and
nations. This verse wouldn't make sense
until satellite vision came in. That's why we're living in this.
You and I can watch the world events right now, live Olympic
Games. You know, we watch them live
everything now. Then those from the people's
tribes, tongues and nations will see their dead bodies 3 1/2 days
and not allow their dead bodies to be put in the graves.
Yeah, look at them. Yeah.
Make fun of them. And those who dwell on the earth
is that term again. Earth dwellers, those who dwell
upon the earth, those who don't want anything to do with God,
make merry, send gifts to one another.
They did that on October 21, when the Jews were slaughtered.
They sold sweets and celebrated in the streets. 911 same thing
occurred, celebration, clapping, cheering.
But in this situation, it's the world celebrates, makes Mary,
sends gifts to one another because the two prophets
tormented those who dwell on the earth.
How did they torment them? I spoke the word of God.
This tragic verse gives us an
insight into the heart of many of those earth dwellers we've
spoken about. So the entire world has been
watching and hearing these two witnesses proclaim the word of
God. The hearers now have no excuse
because again, two witnesses are telling them, giving them
another chance. Turn to Christ.
Turn to Christ, repent. When these two witnesses are
killed, allowed by God, the fallen world rejoices.
They exchange gifts in celebration.
The Antichrist may even proclaim it a world holiday and
Antichristmas Day. Let's have an Annie Christmas
Day celebrate and blames these two witnesses for all the woes
the world has been going through and experiencing.
It's their fault these two. Now they're dead.
Yay, now they're dead at his hand.
He's the all powerful one. God is watching on this.
So what did he do? Verse 11 Now after 3 1/2 days,
the breath of God, a life from God entered the two witnesses,
and they stood on their feet. Great fear fell on those who saw
them. And I heard a loud voice from
heaven saying to them, Ah, come up here.
And they ascended into heaven, watched worldwide in a cloud,
and their enemies saw them. In the same hour there was a
great earthquake. This earthquake is only in the
area of Jerusalem, and a tenth of the city of Jerusalem fell
damaged. So the party is over.
God intervenes after 3 1/2 days laying dead.
Suddenly, unexpectedly, the two witnesses stand back to their
feet, alive once more. A massive earthquake strikes and
7000 people are killed in Jerusalem.
In the earthquake, 7000 people were killed and the rest were
afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.
The second well was passed. Behold, the third well was
coming quickly. Then the 7th Angel sounded.
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.
This verse tells us plainly what's going to happen.
The kingdoms of this fallen world will be conquered by the
coming Kingdom of the Messiah. Daniel speaks of that.
Daniel chapter 2 verse 44. Let's wrap it up.
And the 24 elders who sat before God, this is in heaven on their
Thrones fell on their faces and worship God saying we give you
thanks oh Lord God Almighty, the one who is and was and is to
come because you have taken your great power and reign the the
nations were angry. Sounds like Psalm 2 and your
wrath has come and the time of the dead that they should be
judged. It's nearing that's the great
white throne judgement that you should reward your servants, the
prophets and the Saints and those who fear your name small
and great and just should destroy those who destroy the
earth. So on hearing the loud voices
announcing that God is taking over and the Kingdom of the
Messiah is to come to earth. The 24 hours remember they
represent the church in heaven respond and they praise the Lord
and adore him. Verse 18 encompasses it's a
summary of the entire tribulation period and the
Millennium to follow. It's in our way, a summary, as I
said, of the Book of Revelation, verse 19.
Then the temple of God was opened in heaven and the ark of
his covenant was seen in his temple.
Don't have to look for it. Don't have, don't have The
Ethiopians. They reckon they got it.
Well, the real ones in heaven anyway.
And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings and
earthquake and great hail. Revelation 11 opened with John
being told to go measure a temple on earth, and it ends
with the temple of God in heaven being open for all to come in
and see the glory and the wonder of God.
CS Lewis said aim at heaven and you'll get earth thrown in.
Aim at earth and you'll get neither.
Christ's Kingdom. This is what we're reading is
coming. Nothing is stopping it.
Everything's going to plan. We ought to get ready for it by
knowing it, by worshipping and serving our Lord right here and
now. We're going to see all this
marvellous event in heaven during this time.
Let's pray.