Revelation 11:1-14

1. measuring of the temple – Revelation11:1-2
1. there is obviously more to this measuring process than merely determining the size of the temple
1. the size of the temple is not given
2. the worshippers were to measured as well as the temple
3. how do you measure a worshipper
2. this type of measurement has to do with spiritual standards rather than physical standards
1. the temple, alter, and worshippers were to be evaluated in terms of their conformity to God’s standard
2. Israel is the first to be judged
1. the court of the Gentiles was not to be measured yet
2. God judges His people first to cleanse and purify them
3. then He judges His enemies to punish and banish them
3. the temple is rebuilt
1. by a covenant made by Israel with a godless dictator (first seal, rider of the white horse)
2. the new alter is an insult to the Lamb of God, Who offered Himself once for sins forever
3. the worshippers in the temple, though professing to honor God, had rejected Christ
4. therefore they all come short, when the measuring rod of God is applied
4. Israel is about to enter the time of her great suffering
1. God will use the heavy hand of wicked Gentile nations to chastise His people
2. the process will purify them
3. a hundred and forty-four thousand Jews will be saved
5. this judgment that is directed specifically against the Jews will last forty-two months (first half of Trib.)
2. God’s two witnesses – Revelation11:3-6
1. we are dealing with Jews in this passage, and Jewish law demanded two witnesses to have sufficient evidence in any matter
2. who are the two witnesses – 3
1. Elijah, Enoch, Moses, John the Baptist?????
2. almost all believe that one of them is Elijah (Malachi 4:5-6, Matthew 17:10-11 12) (Luke 1:17)
3. if the identity of these two were important, then God would have given us some clue
3. thing we do know about these two witnesses – 3-6
1. there are two of them - 3 (required be the law)
2. they will be empowered by God – 3
3. they are witnesses – 3
1. a witness is one who delivers the truth, explains it, attests it
2. they rebuke iniquity, unmask Satan's falsities, insist upon the prompt repentance of sinners
3. they demand obedience to God, point out the only way of escape from the coming damnation
4. they labor to turn people from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God
5. they witness for Christ, not as the bleeding and pleading Lamb of God, but as the avenger of his elect, who is about to break his enemies with a rod of iron
6. they are Judgment prophets sent to resist the antichrist, and to give the world its last warning
4. they were arrayed in the garb that symbolized judgment, calamity, and burdens of woe – 3
5. they are spoken of as the two olive trees and the two candlesticks which stand before God – 4
1. all agree that the allusion is to Zechariah's vision (Zech 4:11-14)
2. the point of the vision is that of light bearing, or being a witness
6. these two witnesses will have the power to destroy men – 5 [fire proceedeth out of their mouth]
1. all that try to hurt them shall be destroyed by fire
1. these are immortal and immune to all attacks until their mission is completed
2. all of God’s servants are immortal until God is through with them
2. it makes no difference what the liberals say about it, these prophets will blow their breath upon men and cremate them
3. they have enemies, just as all ministers of Christ do
1. gospel ministers have enemies, who often hate and persecute them unto death; but they are not at liberty to defend themselves
2. these witnesses live in another time
7. these witnesses have power to torment and afflict this evil world – 6
1. "as often as they will" reveals the confidence that God has placed in these faithful servants
2. God cannot trust you and me like this
3. God cannot trust some of us with money
4. the sending and ministry of these Witnesses is an act of mercy in the midst of wrath
1. some are rescued and saved
2. accept for these supernatural messengers the whole race would yield to the antichrist, and perish with him
3. how their ministry ends – Revelation 11:7-13
1. though their career was illustrious and crowded with miracles from beginning to end, is was very brief
1. these witnesses are immortal until their work is done
2. nothing can harm these witnesses until they have completed their testimony – 7
3. when the two witnesses have finished their testimony, the beast that ascended out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them - 7
2. their dead bodies will be denied a burial – 8 9
1. this is so great an outrage against common decency and humanity, that it is full of significance
2. even the worst criminals were awarded a burial on the same day of their execution
3. all law and right feeling is set aside with regard to these prophets of God
4. the exposure of their dead bodies tells of an extraordinary hatred and spite
5. it attests to the effectiveness of their witness, that the peoples hatred could not be pacified by their death
6. it shows the devilish intensity of the people, that it continued to reek and vent itself upon their lifeless bodies
3. the place of their death was Jerusalem – 8
1. Jerusalem is the place were God’s prophets die, and Jesus Christ was crucified
2. these two greatest prophets must also die in Jerusalem
3. God’s Word reveals the moral degeneracy of Jerusalem at this time
1. "spiritually is called" reveals that what come after should not be taken literally
1. thank God, the Holy Spirit makes it clear when something is to be spiritualized or symbolized
2. Revelation is to be taken literally except where it is clear that it is symbolic or spiritual
2. "Sodom and Egypt"
1. Sodom speaks of their sexual perversion
2. Egypt speaks of their idolatry and persecution of God’s people
4. the statement "were also our Lord was crucified" identifies the city as Jerusalem
4. their enemies will not be satisfied in killing them, but will gloat over their dead bodies for 3 1/2 days –10
1. the news of their defeat and execution will spread immediately throughout the world
2. the gloating and revelry of the happy spectator will knew no bounds
3. parties are in progress, gifts are being exchanged, and the whole world is jubilant
4. they will think that they are free at last, and the beast will become an international hero
5. Satan's dupes are so insane with lust and so blind to God's judgment that they will think since these two witnesses are dead, things will settle down
1. they are so ignorant of God's program they do not know that worse judgments are just ahead
2. how pitiful is the man who is so easily blinded by Satan
6. the party comes to an abrupt end – 11
1. the triumphs of the wicked is short-lived
2. their rejoicing is quickly turned into shock
3. "great fear" means an exceeding and great terror
4. the spectators were panic-stricken
7. by the power of God life is restored to them - 11
1. now an even higher and more glorious, and more indestructible life is given them
2. aren’t we glad that we serve a God with such great power and grace
8. the resurrected witnesses are quickly called home to heaven – 12
1. they had been faithful unto Christ, even unto death, and now God rewards their faithfulness
2. people who would not believe in the resurrection and ascension of Christ are now compelled to witness the resurrection and ascension of His witnesses
9. upon their departure from the earth, immediately the earth begins to tremble – 13
1. there could be no question as to the cause-and-effect
2. even the most hardened wretches are effected by this sudden turn of events
3. amazement, conviction, terror, strike in upon their guilty souls, and for a moment they acknowledge the hand of God and seem ready to repent
4. against their will they are forced to confess that God's almighty power is in it
4. two woes down, and one to come – Revelation 11:14
1. this refers to the woe of Rev. 9:12-21
2. it is mentioned here to introduce the 3rd and last great woe upon man
3. the 3rd woe is not the earthquake, but the casting out of Satan under the 7th trumpet (Rev. 12:12)
4. this announcement probably marks the midpoint of the tribulation period