Revelation 11

Chapter 11 THE LORD OF THE EARTH THE OF THE TWO . 11:1-14 THE MESSAGE AT THE OF THE SEVENTH TRUMPET. 11:15-19

1. The Temple of God. 11:1-2
2. The Two witness of God. 11:3-14
3. The Trumpet of God. 11:15-19

Revelation 11:1-2

I. 2 visions before the 7th trumpet sound:

1. The vision of the measuring of the temple. v.1-2

2. The vision of the 2 witnesses. v.3-14

II. The passage is very Jewish:

Temple, altar, court, measurement of the temple, 2 olive trees and lampstands, sackcloth, the holy city and the great city.

1. The Temple of God. 11:1-2 V.1 a) Temple of God on earth -

I. Measure to see if the temple, altar and man meet the Divine standard.

II. The Divine standard is Christ.

A. The Temple and Tabernacle was Types of Christ.

B. They Spoke of the Saviours Sacrifice for Sin.

C. They Witnessed of the Way to God Worked in Christ.

D. Christ is also the Divine standard for man.

1. He is the veil into God’ s presence. Heb.10:20
2. He is the last Adam. 1.Cor.15:45 3. He is perfect. Heb.5:9 4. He is the Man by which God measures perfection. Eph.4:13
3. The Father has given all judgment to the Son, because His perfect life is God’ s standard of the perfection for man. John 5:22; 27 III. The chapter begins and ends with God’ s temple.

IV. The temple is a real physical temple in Jerusalem, which have to be built before this chapter can be fulfilled. 2.Thess.2:4; Matt.24:15; Dan.9:27 V. This temple is not the millennial temple that God will raise during the millennial reign of Christ. Ezek. Ch.40-46 VI. The millennial temple will also be measured. Ezek.40:3-5, 47; 41:13; 42:15-20 VII. The temple is not the Church Eph.2:21, for it has a court, altar, the court is treaded down 3½ years and in context the temple is connected to the earthly Jerusalem. v.1-2, 8, 13

VIII. Measuring in Scripture is an act of an upcoming judgment. 2.Sam.8:2; 2.Kings 21:13; Isaiah 28:17; Lam.2:8; Amos 7:7-9 IX. Measuring in Scripture is also an act of protection. Jer.31:39; Ezek. Ch. 40-43; Zech.1:16; 2:1-8 X. The rod is used as an instrument of judgment in Revelation. 2:27; 12:5; 19:15

XI. There are 2 words for temple in the New Testament:

1. (Gr. Hieron) refers to the whole structure of the temple. Mat. 4:5; John 2:14
2. (Gr. Naos) refers to the sanctuary or the inner house. Matt.23:35; 27:51 XII. Here the word is Naos meaning he is only to measure the sanctuary. XIII. The altar is referring to the golden altar (Prayer), for the measurement is done in the holy place and not in the court. V.2 b) Treading down -

I. The nations will tread underfoot the court of the temple for 3½ years. Luke 21:24 II. The court here is perhaps the court of the Gentiles and not of the Jews.

III. Some suggest that the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem is in the outer court (The court of the Gentiles) and not on the actual place where the holy place of the great tribulation temple will stand.

IV. The temple can be build in such a way that the Dome of the Rock lies in the outer court and not in the holy place of the temple.

V. The word leave (Gr. ekballo) means to cast, so the court is cast out of God’ s favour.

Revelation 11:3-14

2. The Two witness of God. 11:3-14 V.3 c) Two witness -

I. A valid testimony in the Old Testament required 2 witnesses. Deut.19:15 Jesus sent his disciples out in pairs. Luke 10:1 II. These 2 prophets are prophets of the temple, for they appear only here in context with the temple.

III. They prophesy 3½ years.

IV. They are dressed in cloths of sorrow (Because of their message). Jonah 3:5-8 V.4 d) Trees before God - Zech.Ch.4 I. Who are these 2 witnesses?

A. They are the 2 olive trees standing before the Lord. They are sources of anointing.

B. They are the 2 lampstands standing before the Lord. They are sources of light.

II. There are no full satisfying answers of who they are, only suggestions. International Bible School - 102 - International Bible School C. They are the only 2 in Scripture of whom God took of their anointing and placed it upon another. III. Who are sources of light (Lampstands) today?

A. Through Moses the light of the law was given. John 1:17 B. Elijah is a representative of the light of the prophet’ s.

He alone is the one whose prophetic Spirit was moved unto the future.

IV. Surely 2 and perhaps 3 people’ s body’ s where taken into the presence of God:

A. Enoch was taken by God, but He was not an Israelite, the testimony of the 2 witnesses is to the Jews. Gen.5:24 B. Moses’ body were perhaps taken into God’ s presence after he died. Jude 9 C. Elijah was taken into God’ s presence by a chariot of fire. 2.Kings Ch.2

V. On the mount of transfiguration Jesus appeared for His 3 disciples, the disciples saw the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom, a reference to the 2nd Coming of Christ. Matt.16:27-17:13 VI. As the disciples were transported to the future they saw Christ 2nd coming, Moses and Elijah, what had they to do with the 2nd coming of Christ?

VII. If the 2 witnesses are not Moses and Elijah, then perhaps they will go forth in the similar anointing as they. VIII. Who has been a source of anointing (Olive trees) in their ministry time?

A. The Spirit upon Moses was put upon the elders of Israel. Num.11:23-25 B. The Spirit upon Elijah was put upon Elisha and John the Baptist. 2.Kings 2:9-15; Luke 1:13-17; Matt.17:10-13 V.5-6 e) Torment to mankind -

I. No one can Harm or Hurt these 2 witnesses within their 3½ years of witnessing and prophesying.

II. The 4 judgments that the 2 witnesses cause are similar to Moses and Elijah.

They Stop the rain, Strike the waters and Smite with plagues.

III. The judgments of Elijah:

A. Like Elijah the 2 witnesses cause fire to come upon their enemies. 2.Kings 1:3-12 B. Like Elijah the 2 witnesses can cause drought. 1.Kings 17:1-7; Jam.5:17; Luke 4:25 IV. The judgments of Moses:

A. Like Moses the 2 witnesses turn the waters to blood. Ex.7:14-25 B. Like Moses the 2 witnesses strike the earth with plagues. Ex. Ch.7-11 V.7 f) Testimony to mankind - The Person who Executes.

I. After 3½ years of testifying the beast will kill them.

II. The beast of the bottomless pit is a demonic spirit that posses the man Antichrist.

III. It’ s the first reference to the beast of 36 in Revelation.

IV. Antichrist will be in Jerusalem at this time. Dan.9:27; 12:11; Matt.24:15; 2.Thess.2:3-4 V.8 g) Testimony to Jerusalem - The Place Evaluated.

I. Jerusalem is so corrupted and sinful at this time that it is called spiritually Sodom and Egypt.

II. As in the days of Moses - Israel will be in slavery to Antichrist as in the days of Egypt. 2.Thess.2:3-4 III. As in the days of Elijah - Israel will be in apostasy as in the days of Sodom. IV. Their bodies will lays in Jerusalem. V.9 h) Three and an half days TV broadcast - The Public Exposure.

I. The 2 witnesses testified for 3½ years when they were alive, a their death their bodies will lay 3½ days for public view of all.

II. Perhaps Psalms 79:1-3, 10-11 could be referring to this event.

V.10 i) Thrill of mankind -

I. This is the only mention of joy in the tribulation period and that is because of the death of God’ s servants.

II. This verse reveals that they did use their power and judgments to torment the earth dwellers.

V.11 j) Terror to mankind -

I. By the breath of life the 2 witnesses is resurrected on the 3rd day like Jesus. Gen.2:7; 6:17; 7:15, 22; Ezek.37:5, 10 II. Their great happiness is turned into great fear.

V.12 k) Transported up from mankind -

I. The Ascension of the 2 witnesses.

II. This is the 2nd and last “ come up here” command in Revelation. 4:1

III. The Amazement of the ungodly spectators as they hear the audible loud voice.

IV. It’ s the only visible rapture into heaven in Scripture, were ungodly men sees the rapture.

V.13 l) Ten percent of Jerusalem destroyed -

I. Just after the 2 witnesses were resurrected a great earthquake happened in Jerusalem.

A. A tenth of Jerusalem collapses.

The tenth belonged to the Lord and can be a judgment for not giving it to Him. Lev.27:30-34 B. 7000 people are killed. II. The rest of the inhabitants of Jerusalem give God the glory because they heard the voice and saw the resurrection. 14:6-7; 16:9

V.14 m) Third woe -

I. This woe is released quickly.

II. The 3rd woe is the 7th trumpet, which contains 7 bowls. Ch.16

Revelation 11:15-19

3. The Trumpet of God. 11:15-19 V.15-19 is the “ Table of contest” for the rest of the book of Revelation.

V.15 n) Triumph of the Kingdom of God -

I. When the 7th angel sounded proclamations of the triumph of the Kingdom of God over the world are made.

II. Jesus began His ministry by proclaiming that “the kingdom of heaven is at hand” Matt.4:17, the content of the 7th trumpet causes the kingdom to overtake the world by force, its referring to the millennial reign of Christ. 20:1-10 Isaiah 9:6-7; Dan.2: 35; 44; 6:26; 7:14, 27; Zech. 14:9; 1.Cor.15:24-28 V.16-17 o) Thanksgiving of the elders -

I. His Power - The 24 elders gives thanks to God that He has taken control.

II. He gave man a chance to surrender willingly to Him during the outpouring of His grace (Church period) and during the outpouring of His judgments (Tribulation period). 9:20-21; 16:9, 11

V.18 p) Time of judgments and rewards -

I. His Plan - Man didn’ t repent but became angry against God for the judgments, this caused the wrath of God to be manifested. 16:14-16; 20:8-9; Psalms 2:1-6 II. This section Ch.4-11 ends with the judgment of the dead, the next section Ch.12-20 ends also with the judgment of the dead. 20:11-15

III. 2 groups of people are judged:

A. His Punishment - The destroyer is destroyed with the 2nd death - The Lake of fire.

B. His Promise - The Servants, Saints, Small and great are positively judged - They are rewarded. Psalms 115:13 V.19 q) Temple of God in heaven -

I. The Ark of the Covenant is seen in the temple of heaven, its perhaps referring to the manifest presence of the covenant God in reference to His people.

II. The content of the judgments of the 7th trumpet is seen from 16:1

III. 7 great openings in Revelation:

1. A door opened in heaven. 4:1

2. The seals are opened. 6:1-8:1

3. The bottomless pit is opened. 9:2

4. Temple of God opened. 11:19

5. Tabernacle of testimony opened. 15:5

6. Heaven is opened. 19:11

7. Books of Judgment opened. 20:12