Rev. 11:1-14 The Two Witnesses & the Temple of God

 

Intro: There are many scenes in the Bible that I am looking forward to seeing when we get to Heaven – ( Hope replayed or God’s Time)

A)   God parting the Red Sea – ( Look on their faces )

 

B) Shad …. In the Fiery Furnace – ( The Look on Neb’s Face )

1)                           The Crucifixion /  The Resurrection. / Peter showing up at the Door

 

C)Those are some of the many scenes that I am anxious to look back at

 

D) But the scene we are looking at today in Rev. 11 is another one that I am

    anxious to see – ( Not looking back – we will see it unfold first Hand )

          1) Read v.1-14

 

Divide this section into 3 parts

1st the Measuring of the temple

2nd the Measuring of the Worshippers

3rd The Two Witnesses

 

 

1st the Measuring of the Temple : - John was given a measuring rod – consisted of a reed plant – grew in Jordan valley 10-15 ft. long / walk staff

A)    John was told to take that Staff & to "Measure the Temple of God..."  

     "Measure the altar..."

 

B)    This refers to the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies, & the Altar of Incense in the Holy Place / but  not the outer court of the Temple.

1) He was not to Measure the Outer Court

 

 

Now The REASON John was told to measure the Temple is 2 Fold

A)   #1  Measuring speaks of Ownership   ( Property Line )

 

 

B) In Zechariah 2 there is an instance where the city of Jerusalem is                 measured just prior to being judged.

     1) In Ezekiel 40 the Temple of  God is carefully measured with a reed.

 

C) There is also another instance of measuring in Revelation 21, where             the New Jerusalem is measured.

 

A)   In all of these cases the act of measuring primarily seems to signify that the objects or areas being measured belong to God in some special way.

1)                 So it speaks of OWNERSHIP

 

 

Secondly, the measuring of them is an EVALUATION of His property.

A)    In Zechariah 2 WHEN the city of Jerusalem was measured it was found

        to be spiritually Lacking ( The Evaluation wasn’t Good )

 

B)   So the Purpose was for Ownership & Evaluation

 

 

WHICH TEMPLE :

A)    There were 3 Temples in Israel’s History – the First was built by Solomon in 1050B.C. & Destroyed by the Babylonians in 586B.C.

 

B)    The temple was rebuilt in 536 B.C. by Zerubbabel ( considered the 2nd temple )

1)                 The Third temple – Herod’s Temple – ( some Controversy) – Herod really expanded & remodeled the temple in 20 B.C.

 

A)    Herod’s Temple was very Elaborate & Ornate – it took Decades to finish & no expense was Spared

1)                 It was this temple that Jesus prophesied of in Matt. 24 – that not one stone would be left upon another

 

A)    That prophesy was Fulfilled less than 40 yrs later when The Romans led by general Titus over threw Jerusalem in A.D. 70

B)   The temple was ransacked / set on fire / gold melted – between the stones in their greed to get gold – stones were turned over one by one

1)                 And for 2,000 yrs – the Temple has been absent in Israel

 

 

In the late 600’s  the unthinkable happened the Muslims built a Mosque on the old Temple Sight – Mosque of Omar – Doom of the Rock

A)  It stands to this day  - Although the Israel regained control of Jerusalem in 1967 – 6 day war

 

B)  Israeli General Moshe Dayan allowed The Arabs kept control of the temple Mt. – ( a gesture that he himself never really explained)

1) Didn’t make sense - Biggest sources of Contention to this day

 

C)   If you go w/ us to Israel in 2001 – go on the temple Mt. – Hide your Bibles / can’t Pray – very intense place )

1)               Anyone who even tries to Desecrate the Mosque in any way the Arabs pronounce Jihad or Holy War on -  ( Brutally deadly)

 

But John is told here in the Trib. To Measure the temple – that means that the temple is going to be rebuilt – How is it going to happen ?

A)    How is the Mosque going to be replaced ?  -  2 scenarios

 

#1 – Ezk. 38 – Battle – Arab nations for all intensive purposes will be wiped out – ( Muslim religion rendered a death Blow ) Mosque replaced

 

Or #2 -  In Dan. 9 we are told that in the Beg. Of the trib. Time The Anti Christ comes on the Scene & makes a Cov. W/ Israel for 7 yrs

A)   Now we are told in the Middle of that 7 yr. Cov. – the Anti-Christ goes

into the temple /Abomination of Desolation ( Dan.9 / Matt. 24 / 2Thes. 2:4)

 

B)   The fact this event takes place in THE TEMPLE – gives us a clue that part of the Cov. Israel establishes w/ the AntiChrist

1)                 Will center around him – helping them rebuild their temple

 

A)   So it is Possible that the AntiChrist – Helps solve the Arab Israeli conflict & comes up w/ a way for both groups to coexist on the temple Mt.

1) Ask an Orthodox Jew today – who is waiting for the Messiah to come How they know when the messiah will come ?  REBUILD TEMPLE

 

 

There is a very strong movement today in Israel to rebuild the Temple there on the Temple Mount. !!!

A)    There is a group that has already begun to gather the materials for the

     Temple.  ( TEMPLE INSTITUTE)

 

B) They have gotten large amounts of Cedar wood

1) And they now say that they have enough Cedar for the new temple.

              They are gathering gold and money to rebuild the Temple.

 

C)There are 2 schools where they are training young men w/ the last name

    Cohen – which means Priest / trained to Sacrifice animals

1)                 60% of all the instruments needed for Temple worship to take place according to O.T. regulations are in Place

 

 

Now this 2nd scenario involving the AntiChrist – finding a way to help the Israeli’s & the Arabs to co- exist on the same Mt.

A)  Is interesting in light of the investigation by Physicist & an Archaeologist   by the name of Dr. Asher Kaufman has done .

 

B)  After spending 16 yrs studying the Temple Mt. Area / Dr. Kauffman came to some remarkable conclusions

1)               In an Incredible article 1983 Mar./ April – Biblical Archaeological review – Kaufman  Unveiled a great Misconception

 

A)  All these yrs people have thought that the Dome of the Rock is sitting on the Spot of the Original Holy of Holies

1)               When in Actuality the true Location is 100 meters north of there

Where the Muslims have set up a Little Gazebo Like structure

Now Below this gazebo like structure is a flat piece of bedrock from the original temple

A)   Which Kaufman believes is where the Ark of the Cov. Sat in the Holy of Holies

 

B) Now There is also a jagged piece of bedrock from the original temple in

     the Dome of the rock /

1) But the fact that it is Jagged – unlikely spot for Ark to have sat

 

C)Now this spot where this Gazebo sits is Not only more logical, this site

     seems more historical.

1)                 You see, according to the Mishna -  the highly esteemed book of Jewish oral traditions –

 

2)                 when the priest stood in the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement, he could look through the veil, through the door, and see the Eastern Gate directly before him.

 

A)  Now  This makes Dr. Kauffman’s assertion even more intriguing. For if you stand in that Gazebo 100 meters north of the Dome of the Rock,

1)               the Eastern Gate is in plain view.

 

In addition, when the Muslims built the gazebo – like they gave it two names: 

A)   The Dome of the Spirit, and the Dome of the Tablets.

 

B)   Which would seem to indicate that even Islam recognized this site as the spot where the tablets – the Ten Comm. within the Ark of the Covenant, 1) and the Spirit – the Shekinah, chabod, glory of God over the Ark of the Covenant had been.

 

C)   So according to Kauffman and most scholars, the Temple could be rebuilt and the Dome of the Rock would remain standing.

 

D)   Now If that is the Case &  – And the AntiChrist – some how – convinces both groups to allow this –

1)                 That would put the Dome of the Rock in the outer court

 

A)    Which is very intriguing in light of what John is told in v. 2   "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.

 

B)   42 Months or 1,260 days is 31/2 yrs which would make up the time of the 2nd ½ of the Trib. Known as the Great Trib.

1) When the Anti Christ turns on Israel & heavily Persecutes the Jews

 

 

II. Now John is also told to Measure those who Worship in the temple –

A) REASON: God is the judge of man's worship/   And  God is the judge of

       man's character / Sees the Real You 

 

A)   God Knows men’s hearts – Comes seeking Worshippers who will Worship Him in Spirit  ( With all their Hearts ) And Truth ( Sincerity)

 

B)   Application for us – We just spent some time in Worship – Singing songs to the Lord – ( What did the Lord Find here ?)

1)                 As He came seeking worshippers – what did He see – as He looked at our hearts

 

A)    Did He find – mouths  – singing – ( I love you Lord )– while the mind was thinking –I can’t wait to get to the beach today – hope Rob is Short)

                              WASH CAR / MOW THE LAWN / STORE

 

1)                 Did He see people – singing – as they looked around the room / I wonder who is here today – who is not here

 

A)   When we come together to worship the Lord – does He find some of us just going through the ROUTINE – going through the MOTIONS

1)                 Sing 5 songs – have a message & go home

A)   If that is all that this has become for anyone  here – I have got some bad news for You – You have become RELIGIOUS

1)                 Religion is all about – Rituals & Routines – where there is no heart / No Passion – ( Misses out on the Vital Thing : RELATIONSHIP)

 

THAT IS WHY WE NEED TO BE HERE – LOVE GOD & ENJOY GETTING TOGETHER W/ OTHERS TO TELL HIM SO !!!!!!

A)    It is my Prayer that – as we come together at any one time in this building

   that it would be w/ a heart & Passion to seek God- Build RELATIONSHIP

 

B)    To Establish INTIMACY – and that we would be cultivating that type of PASSION individually at home as we seek the Lord DEVOTIONALLY

1) As we come before Him in PRAYER -   Fervent –

 

C)   So that when we gather together here Corporately – it would just be the OVERFLOW of what is ALREADY going on in our HEARTS

 

 

III.  The Two Witnesses : Why TWO

A) According to 2 Cor. 13:1 The Lord declared that In the mouth of 2 Witnesses every word would be Established

 

A)    John 20:12 TWO ANGELS AT THE TOMB – Easter morning

1)                 Mrk 6 – Jesus sent out His disciples in groups of Two

 

A)    What about Numbers 13 /Moses sent in  12 spies –Yes but 10 of them were good for Nothing  ( Only 2 gave – RIGHT REPORT )

1)                 Joshua & Caleb exhorted Israel to BELIEVE GOD & TRUST GOD

 

A)    See this pattern of two throughout the scriptures – for In the mouth of 2 Witnesses every word would be Established

 

 

Now I want us to quickly note 7 things about these 2 Witnesses

A)   #1 – Their Message v.3 Says they were sent to Prophesy

B)   Now in the N.T. that word Prophesy usually means something different. From how it is used in the O.T.

1)                 In the O.T. it is used to PREDICT – events that were to happen in the Future

 

A)    In the N.T. it simply means to Proclaim God’s Word / God’s Mind & God’s Heart

1)                 I think these guys Ministry Probably was Comprised of Both

 

A)   A Predicting / A warning of the Future Judgement that awaited – all those who would take the Mark / who would continue to reject God

1)                 But along w/ that Warning & Predicting would come a PLEADING for men to REPENT & turn to the Lord

 

A)   This is the thing I love about the Book of Rev. is the Effort that God Extends to those on the Earth to Get right w/ Him !!!!

1)                 Why Trib. 7 Yrs. & Not One Swift Swoop ?

 

A)   ONE REASON is that the Lord will be giving man – 7 Yrs to Repent & to turn to Him – 7yrs or 2,520 days

 

#1 Their Message / #2 – THEIR ATTITUDE – V.3 

A)   Revealed in their Dress – ( Not Armani Suits – but SACKCLOTH

 

B)   Their wearing of sackcloth will be an OBJECT LESSON for the World / of their great Sorrow for the Wickedness of the World

1)                 This would be a special sign to the Jews w/ whom it was a custom to wear Sackcloth in times of great MOURNING & DISGRACE

 

A)   It would be an indication to them of the Lord’s Heart concerning their Spiritual Condition !!!!

 

 

#3 Their IDENTITY : Who are these guys v.4   These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth.

A)   Ref. toZech. Ch. 4 / Where the Prophet  Zech. Has an endtimes vision of these 2 olive Trees in the Holy place next to the Lampstand

 

B)    Those two Olive Trees  provide a perpetual flow of Oil to the Lampstands

1)                 Priest no longer would have to fill the Lampstands w/ oil / Lampstand Represented the Holy Spirit

 

A)    Zech. Asks what is the meaning of this? He is told  – that it not by might nor By Power says the Lord !!!!

 

 

Now these two witnesses will be Endowed w/ Great Power from the Lord  - But Who are these guys ( Not sure – but seem Moses & Elijah)

A)   Elijah for Sure – Mal. 4:5 Predicted that Elijah would return before the Messiah Came

 

B)   What about John the Baptist – He came in the Spirit of Elijah

 

C)   Elijah didn’t Die – Heb. 9:27 Appointed unto men once to die …..

1)                 Led many to think that – the 2nd be ENOCH

 

A)   But anyone whom the Lord – Brought back to life like Lazarus. Ended up Experiencing death twice – so that wouldn’t Rule Moses out

1)                 The Jews believed that the Promise that the Lord made in Duet. 18:15 to raise up a Prophet Like Moses – was evidence of his return

 

Also in Matt.17 it was Moses & Elijah who appeared at the Mt. Of Transfiguration w/ Jesus ( Sneak Preview of Coming Attractions)

A)   It is Also Interesting that There is a strong similarity between the

judgements inflicted here & those pronounced by Moses/ Elijah in the O.T

 

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.

 

B)   We read  in the Old Testament that Elijah prayed and it didn't rain for 3 - 1/2 years (James 5:16-17).

1)                 Moses turned the waters of the Nile to Blood / Plagues on Egypt

 

A)    So it is quite Probable that these two Witnesses are Moses & Elijah

 

#4 – Consider Their Power & Protection v.5,

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.

 

A)    Similar to Elijah / 2 KINGS 1 - when the king of Samaria sent 50 men to bring Elijah to him they said:

"Thou man of God, the king has said 'Come down'".

 

B)    And Elijah answered and said: "If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men." And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

 

C)    That happened 2 other times / King sent 2 more groups – the 2nd  experienced the same fate as the First

 

D) But when the 3rd captain came w/ his men he fell on his knees before Elijah, and pleaded with him, and said to him: ( RIGHT RESPONSE )

"Man of God, please let my life and the life of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight.

15  And the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, "Go down with him; do not be afraid of him."

 

OUR GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE !!!!!/  Burn up / Burn Bright

 

D)   For 31/2 Yrs these two Witnesses are Invincible – No one not even Anti-Christ can do anything to them – 31/2 Yrs Preaching

1)                 Good thing to Note – The ENEMY HAS no power over them until their Ministry is complete      Same is true of us !!!!!

God knows the number of our days, and there are certain things that God           would have us to do and accomplish for His glory.

A)   No one can stop the purposes of God for my life. No one can take my life until God's divine purpose for my life is accomplished.

 

B) He will preserve me until all is finished.

1)                   I don't believe that I should then be foolish and play on the freeway or jump out 50 story buildings because I am indestructible until God is through with me.

 

C) If I acted like that He would probably say: "I'm through with you"

 

 

When the Lord says it is time – the Beast Kills them – note v. 9,10 When these guys are Killed the Whole World Celebrates v.9

Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies 31/2 days  not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves.

 

Aa) Technology advances – Satellite all the World sees !!!!

 

A)   Morbid – bodies lay in the Street for 3 ½ days – as People Celebrate DEAD WITNESSES DAY – They give gifts / make merry

1)                 Like a 2nd Christmas

 

A)    Why are they so excited – v.10 because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

 

C) The earth is going to feel that it has finally rid itself of anything that

      would remind it of God and they can finally do what they want.

     1) That is why man tries so hard to not have to deal with God !

 

D) That is why intelligent men choose to believe the foolishness of                EVOLUTION !!

      1) No God... No accountability  for one's actions !!!

           That is why men "exchange the Truth of God for a lie".

These people are going to feel Finally their Conscious will give them a Rest – But Watch what Happens next – (I can’t wait to see this)

 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.    

 

A) Here we see – God Brings them to Life – breath of life from God entered

     ( Guys that is what we need – Breath of God in us )

 

B)Bring us to Life be Witnesses for Him!!!!

 

B)    After 31/2 days – God Brings them to Life & the world watches them ascend to Heaven –

1)                 Replay over & over on the Evening News

 

Lastly their Impact –

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

 

A)   Many believe that the “REST” mentioned here refers to the inhabitants of Jerusalem – Jews

 

B)   At this point – the Remaining Jews are Converted –

 

C)   It is Shortly after this Earthquake & this Scene that the Lord returns

 

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

QUICKLY – SOON – expresses the imminencey of the last WOE