SCRIPTURE READING: Revelation  11:1-19

GOLDEN TEXT:  Revelation 11:3, 15

Revelation chapters 10-11:14 is inset material. This information is necessary to bring us up to date on information that is not recorded in the story flow, but it helps to tie things together that we find in the prophecies through out the rest of the Bible. The Book of Revelation is a master outline that brings everything together from Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, the Minor Prophets, the Psalms, etc.

Revelation 10 looks back over the past and it ties in with Revelation 11. When we come to Revelation 11:14 we are at the same period of time as the ending of Revelation 9:21 where the second woe is past, then the story flow continues in Revelation 11:15.

1. Did an angel give the apostle John a reed like a measuring rod? (Revelation 11:1.) A reed is straight and narrow. Did Jesus say that God’s way of life is straight and narrow? (Matthew 7:14.) Did the angel tell John to measure the temple, the altar and those who worship at the temple? (Same verse.) Did the apostle Paul tell the converted saints in the Church of God in Corinth that they were the Temple of God? (1 Corinthians 3:16-17.) What is a good definition of "measure"? (Matthew 7:2.)

Note: First, Paul said that the temple is the Church. Secondly, the altar represents those who oversee the worship within the Church. In ancient Israel, it was the Levites and the priesthood. Today, the ministry oversees the worship of the people in God’s Church. Paul states in 2 Corinthians 3:6 that the elders of the Church are ministers of the New Covenant. This indicates that the ministry in the Church is to be measured. Thirdly, those who worship in the temple, referring to individual members of the Church, must be measured. The Greek word translated "measure" can mean one of two things: either "determining dimensions" or "apportioning what is due." We will be judged and measured according to how we judge and measure.

2. Was John to measure the court outside of the Temple? (Revelation 11:2.) Is the Church called a royal priesthood and a holy nation? (1 Peter 2:9.) Does judgment first begin with the Church or House of God? (1 Peter 4:17.)

Note: This shows that the people who are NOT members of the Church of God (the holy nation) but those who are of the Gentile nations are not to be measured at this time because they do not have God’s Holy Spirit and there is nothing to base a measurement on. The measuring process is being accomplished on all people who are recipients of the God’s Holy Spirit, those in the Church of God. Why is the Church being measured? The Church is to be the bride and will be married to Jesus Christ. The apostle John records in Revelation 19:7: "Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." The Church must make herself ready. How? You can start with repentance of breaking God’s Law and you begin to obey God and keep ALL of His Ten Commandments and to live by every word of God (Matthew 4:4.) Re-read the messages that Jesus Christ gave to the seven Churches as recorded in Revelation 2 and 3 to see what He told them to overcome.

3. How long will the Gentiles, which means nations, tread the holy city underfoot? (Revelation 11:2, Luke 21:20-24). What does treading the city underfoot mean?

Note: Forty two months is equal to 1260 days, or three and one half years. To ‘tread under’ simply means to have authority over. This refers to the "beast" having authority over Jerusalem for 42 months. Once the seventh trumpet sounds (Revelation 11:15) Jesus Christ will have ALL authority over every nation, then the "beast" will no longer have any claim on Jerusalem. It appears the end of the "treading under foot" refers to the beast’s loss of any further authority over the kingdoms of the earth, but there is still the horrible Battle of That Great Day of God Almighty that must be fought (Revelation 16:14-16).

4. Will God empower two special servants to be His witnesses? (Revelation 11:3.) How long will they prophesy and how will they be dressed? (Same verse.)

Note: God’s two witnesses will fulfill what the apostle John was told in Revelation 10:11 "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings." John has recorded a lot of information on end time events that the two witnesses could proclaim. There is also the "little book" (Revelation 10:9-10) with further prophetic information that was both sweet and bitter that John was not allowed to record that could be proclaimed by the two witnesses who were dressed in sackcloth which pictures humility.

5. Were these two witnesses compared to two olive trees and two lampstands? (Revelation 11:4, Zechariah 4:1-5,11-14).

Note: The two olive trees are the two anointed ones who serves the Lord of the whole earth and these two witnesses are like lampstands bearing the light (truth) of God to a dark (sinful) world.

6. Will the two witnesses be invincible? (Revelation 11:5-6.) Can they cause it not to rain and do they have the power to kill people by fire like Elijah did? (2 Kings 1:10-12). Can they strike the earth with plagues and cause the water to turn to blood like Moses did? (Exodus 7:14-25.)

7. What happens when the two witnesses finish their testimony? (Revelation 11:7.) What city will their dead bodies lie in the streets of? (Verse 8.) How many days will the people see their bodies lying in the streets? (Verse 9.) Will the people rejoice and be merry and send gifts to one another? (Verse 10.) Did these two witnesses really torment the people who dwell on the earth?

Note: Remember that the two witnesses are witnesses of God and proclaiming His message and announcing each of the seven trumpet plagues just like Moses did with the ten plagues of Egypt (Exodus 7-12.) Many times the messenger is killed due to the message. Jesus Christ was the messenger of God who preached repentance and proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom of God (Mark 1:1, 14-15) and He was beaten, crucified and killed (Matthew 27:26.)

8. What happened after three and a half days? (Revelation 11:11.) What did the voice from heaven say and what happened then? (Verses 12-13.)

Note: The two witnesses preach for three and a half years and come on the scene three and a half days before the "beast" invades Jerusalem and they die three and a half days before the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. The two witnesses are resurrected in the first resurrection when Jesus Christ returns.

Scriptures

Scripture Reading: (Revelation 11:1-19 NKJV) Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, "Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. {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. {3} "And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth." {4} These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. {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. {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. {7} When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. {8} And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. {9} Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. {10} And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. {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. {13} In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven. {14} The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.  {15} Then the seventh angel sounded: And 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!" {16} And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, {17} saying: "We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned. {18} The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, And the time of the dead, that they should be judged, And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, And those who fear Your name, small and great, And should destroy those who destroy the earth." {19} Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.

Golden Text:   (Revelation 11:3 NKJV) "And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth."

(Matthew 7:14 NKJV) "Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

(1 Corinthians 3:16-17 NKJV) Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? {17} If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

(Matthew 7:2 NKJV) "For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.

(2 Corinthians 3:6 NKJV) who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

2. See Scripture Reading

(1 Peter 2:9 NKJV) But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

(Matthew 4:4 NKJV) But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"

3. See Scripture Reading

(Luke 21:20-24 NKJV) "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. {21} "Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. {22} "For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. {23} "But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. {24} "And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

(1 Peter 4:17 NKJV) For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?

4. See Scripture Reading

(Revelation 10:9-10 NKJV) So I went to the angel and said to him, "Give me the little book." And he said to me, "Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth." {10} Then I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter.

5. See Scripture Reading

The Gold Lampstand and the Two Olive Trees

(Zechariah 4:1-5 NKJV) Now the angel who talked with me came back and wakened me, as a man who is wakened out of his sleep. {2} And he said to me, "What do you see?" So I said, "I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps. {3} "Two olive trees are by it, one at the right of the bowl and the other at its left." {4} So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, "What are these, my lord?" {5} Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, "Do you not know what these are?" And I said, "No, my lord." (Zechariah 4:11-14 NKJV) Then I answered and said to him, "What are these two olive trees; at the right of the lampstand and at its left?" {12} And I further answered and said to him, "What are these two olive branches that drip into the receptacles of the two gold pipes from which the golden oil drains?" {13} Then he answered me and said, "Do you not know what these are?" And I said, "No, my lord." {14} So he said, "These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth."

6. See Scripture Reading

(2 Kings 1:10-12 NKJV) So Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, "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. {11} Then he sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty men. And he answered and said to him: "Man of God, thus has the king said, 'Come down quickly!'" {12} So Elijah answered and said to them, "If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men." And the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

The Plague of Blood

(Exodus 7:14-25 NKJV) So the LORD said to Moses: "Pharaoh's heart is hard; he refuses to let the people go. {15} "Go to Pharaoh in the morning, when he goes out to the water, and you shall stand by the river's bank to meet him; and the rod which was turned to a serpent you shall take in your hand. {16} "And you shall say to him, 'The LORD God of the Hebrews has sent me to you, saying, "Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness"; but indeed, until now you would not hear! {17} 'Thus says the LORD: "By this you shall know that I am the LORD. Behold, I will strike the waters which are in the river with the rod that is in my hand, and they shall be turned to blood. {18} "And the fish that are in the river shall die, the river shall stink, and the Egyptians will loathe to drink the water of the river."' " {19} Then the LORD spoke to Moses, "Say to Aaron, 'Take your rod and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their streams, over their rivers, over their ponds, and over all their pools of water, that they may become blood. And there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in buckets of wood and pitchers of stone.'" {20} And Moses and Aaron did so, just as the LORD commanded. So he lifted up the rod and struck the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants. And all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. {21} The fish that were in the river died, the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink the water of the river. So there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. {22} Then the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments; and Pharaoh's heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the LORD had said. {23} And Pharaoh turned and went into his house. Neither was his heart moved by this. {24} So all the Egyptians dug all around the river for water to drink, because they could not drink the water of the river. {25} And seven days passed after the LORD had struck the river.

7. See Scripture Reading

(Mark 1:1 NKJV) The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

(Mark 1:14-15 NKJV) Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, {15} and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."

(Matthew 27:26 NKJV) Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.

8. See Scripture Reading

9. (Matthew 24:21-22 NKJV) "For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. {22} "And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.

(Matthew 24:27 NKJV) "For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

(Matthew 24:30-31 NKJV) "Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. {31} "And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

10. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NKJV) For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. {17} Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

11. See Scripture Reading

12. See Scripture Reading

13. See Scripture Reading

14. See Scripture Reading

(Revelation 15:1 NKJV) Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.

15. See Scripture Reading

(Revelation 5:10 NKJV) And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth."

(Revelation 1:6 NKJV) and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

(Revelation 20:4-6 NKJV) And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. {5} But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. {6} Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

16. See Scripture Reading

17. See Scripture Reading

18. (1 Corinthians 15:50-58 NKJV) Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. {51} Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed; {52} in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. {53} For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. {54} So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." {55} "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?" {56} The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. {57} But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. {58} Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

(Acts 23:6-8 NKJV) But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, "Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!" {7} And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the assembly was divided. {8} For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection; and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.