You will recall that in Revelation 8:13 John saw an angel flying through heaven, and heard him say with a loud voice, "Woe, woe, woe to the inhabiters of the earth! We have already seen what the first two woes of judgment are. The first woe would be a plague of locusts coming up out of hell and spreading over the earth (9:1-12). This plague of locusts symbolically represents the universal spread of false religion that must come in the last days This plague of locusts is that strong delusion which God will send upon men, who received not the love of the truth (II Thess. 2:1-12).
The second woe of judgment, according to John's vision (9:13-21), will be a terrible time of war, such as the world has never seen. In this war, one third of the earth's population will be killed.
Then we had a word of assurance to comfort and sustain our hearts. In chapter 10, John saw the Lord Jesus standing as universal Monarch over the earth and the sea, ruling everything precisely according to the book of God's eternal purpose. You cannot help noticing that throughout this book we are given repeated assurances of these three facts: (1.) 0ur Redeemer is in control of the universe. (2.) The Church and Kingdom of God is safe. And (3.) the people of God will be Triumphant in the end. The Lord takes great care to comfort and assure his elect that victory is sure. We are more than conquerors through him that loved us and gave himself for us. The gates of hell shall not prevail against his Church. We shall, in the end, tread upon the neck of Satan and triumph over all our enemies.
There is a reason for this often repeated assurance: It often appears that we are losing ground, and that our defeat is inevitable. In chapter 11, we are given a description of God's final act of judgment before the final destruction of the earth. Our text for this evening is Revelation 11:1-14. Here again, we are assured of the safety and triumph of God's Church, though for a time her defeat appears to be certain. They describe OUR FINAL TRIAL AND ULTIMATE TRIUMPH. (Read verses 1-14 with me.
Proposition: In these verses the Lord shows John and us what will happen in those days just before the end of the world and the second coming of Christ.NOTE: It is impossible for us to tell whether we are living in the period of the first woe, when false religion engulfs the world, or when false religion engulfs the world and the true worship of God almost entirely disappears. But of this I am sure: THE WORLD HAS NEVER BEFORE SEEN SUCH DAYS OF SPIRITUAL DARKNESS AND RELIGIOUS DECEPTION AS THE DARKNESS AND DECEPTION OF THE DAY IN WHICH WE ARE LIVING. The darkness and deception of these days is so great that, were it possible, even the elect people of God would be deceived. And darker days than these are coming!
We will go through these fourteen verses consecutively. As we do, I will call your attention to four things in the passage:
I. First, I want you to see what is implied by THE MEASURING OF THE TEMPLE (vv. 1-2).
It should be needless for me to say that this is all a symbolical picture. To seek, as many do, a literal interpretation of this chapter is to miss its message altogether.
A. JOHN WAS COMMANDED TO MEASURE THE TEMPLE OF GOD (v. 1).Specifically, he was commanded to measure the sanctuary, containing the holy place and the holy of holies, "the altar and them that worship therein." This sanctuary, or temple, of God symbolically represents the Church, the people of God, all of those in whom Christ dwells by his Spirit. All true believers, worshipping God in spirit and in truth, are measured, protected and sealed. The Lord did not command John to measure the size of the temple, as though he needed information. The command was to measure, or mark out for protection, the people of God. That is what the measuring means. Though God will inflict his judgments of wrath upon the wicked, persecuting world, his Church is safe. Without question, the saints of God will suffer severely with the world, they will not perish with the world. God's elect are protected against eternal doom. How do we know that this is the meaning of John's vision?
1. The temple of the Old Testament was a type of the Church, which is called the temple of God throughout the New Testament (I Cor. 3:16-17; II Cor. 6:16-17; Eph. 2:21).
2. The temple of God is defined in the text as meaning only the holy place and the holy of holies, the inner sanctuary where only the priests of God were allowed, "the altar, and them that worship therein".
Clearly, the text refers to true believers, God's royal priesthood, who continually worship in the holy place, offering up the spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise to God through Christ Jesus (I Pet. 2:5,9).
3. The measuring of the temple in Ezekiel's vision was for the same purpose as the measuring of the temple in this vision. It was for the protection of God's sanctuary, to separate the precious from the vile (Ezek. 40:3-5; 22:25-26).
B. THE OUTER COURT OF THE TEMPLE WAS NOT TO BE MEASURED (v. 2).God's special care and protection does not extend to those who are believers in name only. This "court which is without the temple" represents all false religion and all false professors' of religion. This outer court is to be trampled under the feet of the heathen, precisely because God is determined to destroy all false religion. The world invades the false church and possesses it. Worldly religionists welcome the ideas and principles of the world. They feel perfectly at home in the world. They are of the world. And the world loves its own.
1. This condition of worldliness in the church will last throughout the gospel age, represented by the time of forty-two months.
Even in the New Testament era, the true people of God were plagued with men and women in their midst who were governed and motivated by the principles of the world and the religion of the world.
2. Surely, no one will question the fact that the great curse of this age is the utter worldliness of the church. The church of the twentieth century has joined the world, and the world has joined the church.
NOTE: The greatest mission field in the world is that society of men and women who are called Christians, who gather in churches around the world in the name of Christ. II. Secondly, John was given instruction regarding THE LORD'S TWO WITNESSES AND THEIR TESTIMONY (vv. 3-6). Who are these two witnesses? Many suppositions have been given. Some say they are the law and the gospel. Some say they are Enoch and Elijah. Some say they are Moses and Elijah. And others say they represent certain men who have appeared in history, or shall yet appear in the days ahead. It seems to me most reasonable to assume that these two witnesses are another representation of the Church of God. Why is the Church represented by two witnesses? Perhaps the two witnesses represent both the Church as a whole and her spokesmen, pastors and preachers sent out into the world to preach the gospel. Perhaps there are two witnesses, because the Lord sent his disciples out two by two. Perhaps the two witnesses are mentioned to verify the truth of their testimony. In the mouth of two witnesses a thing is established. But I am inclined to think that the Church is here represented by two witnesses because she is always represented by two witnesses in the world, her pastors and evangelists (or missionaries).The Church, as an organization, functions through its pastors and missionaries, those who preach the gospel. These witnesses will carry out their work for 1260 days. That is another symbolical figure. It is a definite period of time, but it represents an unknown, long period of time. It is the same amount of time as the forty-two months of verse two. It represents the entire gospel age, from Christ s ascension until his second coming.
In order to give us a clear picture of the Church and its mission of evangelism, by the preaching of the gospel, throughout this age, these two witness are described by four characteristics. A. THOSE MEN WHO PREACH THE GOSPEL ARE, UNDER GOD, THE MEANS BY WHICH HIS GRACE IS BESTOWED UPON MEN (v. 4).Like olive trees, they bring with them the oil of grace, the blessings of the Spirit of God, and the light of the gospel. Gospel preachers are not priests. They cannot confer or withhold the grace of God! But as they preach the gospel, where they preach the gospel, and only where they preach the gospel, God bestows his saving mercy upon men.
B. GOD'S SERVANTS, AS WELL AS HIS CHURCH IN GENERAL, ARE UNDER SPECIAL, DIVINE PROTECTION (v. 5).It is written in the Book of God, "Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm" (I Chron. 16:22). That simply means you best do nothing against any of God's elect or any of God's preachers. That which is done to the people of God is done to God himself. Just as Jeremiah's enemies were condemned by his words, those who oppose God's kingdom today shall be condemned by the gospel we preach (II Cor 2:14'16).
C. THOSE WHO PREACH THE GOSPEL, AS SPOKESMEN FOR CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH, HAVE POWER OVER MEN AND POWER WITH GOD (v. 6).
As Elijah had power to shut the heavens, so that it did not rain (I Kg. 17:1), and Moses had power to turn the waters of Egypt into blood (Ex. 7:20), God's servant's in this gospel age, if their message is rejected, have power under God to condemn the unbelieving.
This power is not absolute; but it is real (Luke 10:3-12). Not only does the Lord judge men according to the prayers of his afflicted people (Rev. 8:3-5), but he judges men according to the gospel we preach (Matt. 16:19; John 20:21-23; Rom. 2:16).
D. GOD'S SERVANTS, HIS CHURCH, AND HIS KINGDOM WILL ACCOMPLISH AND FULFILL THE MISSION FOR WHICH WE HAVE BEEN SENT INT0 THE WORLD (v. 7).
The gospel of Christ will be preached throughout the entire world. And all of God's elect will be brought to Christ in saving faith by the preaching of the gospel.
But this present gospel age is going to come to an end (Matt. 24:14). God's Church and his witnesses will finish their testimony.
III. So the third thing John saw was THE DEATH 0F GOD'S TWO WITNESSES AND THE JOY OF THE WORLD BECAUSE OF THEIR DEATH (vv. 7-10).
The beast, antichrist and his religion the outer court religionists, will arise from hell with great, worldwide power; and kill these two witnesses. What does this mean? It does not mean that all of God's saints and all of his faithful servants will be literally killed though many may indeed be physically tortured and put to death, and put to death by men who think they are doing God's service But there will be true believers and true witnesses upon the earth when Christ comes again (Luke 18:8) "They will be few in number, but there will be some. God will not leave himself without a witness in the earth. And the gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church of God (Matt. 16:18). Remember, the text is a symbol, a picture. It is not to be taken literally. Its meaning is this: There is a day coming when the true Church of God and true gospel preachers will be almost totally eradicated from the earth, so much so that the Church will be looked upon as a dead corpse in the earth, altogether without life and power.
For example, in Russia today, there is much religion. Billy Graham's popularity there and his vast audiences demonstrate the fact that the Russian people have not lost their love of religion. But in Russia, the true Church of God is so thoroughly suppressed that it is practically dead. It is laughed at, mocked and ignored.
That is precisely what is going to happen just before our Lord's glorious advent. The voice of God's Church will be silenced and smothered by the religion of antichrist. It will lie, like a dead corpse, on Main Street in the world. The religious world and the political world, Sodom and Egypt, which crucified our Lord will join forces again to silence his Church. For three and a half days, that is for a brief but definite period of time, the Church in this world will be as though it were dead. It will cease to have power and influence. Its prophets will be slaughtered. And those who remain will be so few that they cause no disturbance in the world.
Before we look at verses 9 and ten, several things should be carefully noted and remembered.
1. This will be a time of terrible trial and religious deception (Matt. 24:22-25; Rev. 20:7-9).
2. This time of heresy and religious deception must come. God has ordained it (II Thess. 2:1-12; I Cor. 11:19).
3. When this prophecy comes to pass, our Lord will still be in control of his creation, perfectly accomplishing his will.
4. In this time of great apostacy, God's elect will perfectly safe. They have been measured, marked, and set apart by God for protection.
5. In this reprobate age, God's elect have abundant reason for thanksgiving and praise. We are preserved and kept from delusion only by God's eternal, electing love and saving grace (II Thess. 2:13-16).
In verses 9 and 10, John tells us that, while the corpses of God's two witnesses lie in the street, the world will throw a party, They will celebrate rejoice and gloat over the death of these two witnesses. They will send each other presents, to celebrate the defeat of God's Church. They will laugh, and say, "These men will not torment us any more! We will never have to hear these bigots again! God has avenged us!" But their joy is premature. God is not finished just yet. The end has not yet come. The Lord has not yet turned the final page of the book.
IV. The last thing John shows us in these verses is THE REVIVAL AND FINAL TRIUMPH OF THE TWO WITNESSES (vv. 11-14).There is a day coming I do not know how long or how brief the day will be, but there is a day coming when the Church of God will be revived, when the servants of God will be heard, when the truth of God will be declared again in heavenly power! The dog "of Rome and the peddlers of free will will go begging for a hearing in that great day, men and women will hear the servants of God proclaiming his free and sovereign grace. If I have to live through the hell that precedes that glory day, I sure would like to be around when it comes! I may not live to see it. But this is what is going to happen.
A. GOD WILL REVIVE HIS CHURCH IN THE LAST DAY (v. 11).After a time of apparent death, God will send the Spirit of life into his Church again. Just before the second coming of Christ, the true Church of God will be restored to life, honor, power and influence! I do not know that there will be a massive awakening. Our text does not suggest that. But the text does suggest that in the last day, the religion of antichrist will be exposed for the sham it is, and that the people of the earth will know that the gospel of God's free and sovereign grace in Christ is the truth of God.
B. IN THAT LAST GLORIOUS DAY THE CHURCH OF GOD WILL BE TRIUMPHANT (vv. 11-12).When God restores life and power to his Church, the two witnesses, the religious and political worlds will be frozen with fear. Then, the end will come. A voice will be heard, as the voice of the archangel, saying, "Come up hither!" As the saints of God; both the living and the dead, ascend in a cloud of glory to meet the Lord in the air, "their enemies beheld them! This verse does not speak of a mysterious rapture. This speaks of the glorious resurrection of the sons of God (I Thess. 4:13-18).
C. IN THAT SAME HOUR GOD'S JUDGMENT WILL BEGIN TO FALL UPON THE EARTH (v. 13).It appears from this passage that on the very eve of Christ's appearing in judgment, perhaps immediately preceding it, the earth will begin to shake. Multitudes will be slain immediately. And those who remain will be terror struck. They will not repent. But they will give "glory to the God of heaven", our Lord Jesus Christ (Phil. 2:9-1.1). Now the stage is set. This is the beginning of the end. "The second woe is past, and, behold, the third woe, cometh quickly" (v. 14).
Application:
1. Are you prepared for the great and terrible day of the Lord?
2. Let us, who are born of God; live as those who look for a new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness (II Pet. 3:11-14).
*