Sound The Trumpet : Revelation 11:1-2 Part #1

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“Revelation 11:1-2 Part #1 - Exploring Revelation”
by Art Sadlier
August 14th, 2020

As we come to Revelation 11 we have another interlude, a pause in the story line of the book. In this chapter we learn about the temple, the two witnesses and the seventh trumpet. The chapter begins with a temple on earth and ends with the temple in heaven.

The previous chapter ends with the instruction that John must prophesy to many peoples , and nations, and kings. We find John doing just that as this chapter opens. "And there was given me a reed like a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein (verse 1). This is the temple that is going to be built during the tribulation period. During the first half of the tribulation period anti-christ will be the protector of Israel. America must be replaced as the protector of Israel.

Anti-christ will enable Israel to build the temple, signing a false peace treaty with her, and protecting her while she builds the temple and establishes the worship. His reason is quite clear, Satan not only wants to be worshipped by the world, but he wants to be worshipped in the very place that God has been worshipped, the temple" (2 Thessalonians. 2:4). He wants to replace God as he stated in Isaiah14:14, "I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High."

The earthly temple shows man as he is in earthly worship. He is found to fall greatly short of the worship as we see it in the heavenly temple worship of verse 19. Remember, the earthly temple was fashoned after the true temple in heaven, the Lord had instructed Moses to build the tabernacle after the pattern of the heavenly temple (Exodus 25:40).

The temple of Revelation 11:1 is the tribulation temple will have so deteriorated in its worship that it will actually be opposed to Christ. The early temples pointed toward Christ but this one will deny and oppose Him. Jerusalem in that day will be like Sodom and Eygpt, verse 8. The worship of this temple will end in the worship of the image of anti-christ.

There are places today where the worship of Christ is a dead thing, they worship a Christ that is merely an example. They do not see Him as He really is, a divine/ human Saviour who has shed His blood for sin and lives to impart eternal life and power for living a life that pleases God.

The temple that John tells us about is measured to see if it meets our Lord's purpose and intentions, our Lord is indicating that the world religion of the last days does not meet His requirments or approval. Notice, the inner temple was to be measured, the outer court was to be left to the gentiles and was not to be evaluated. God is here concerned about His people Israel, the time has come to deal with them again. The church age is here now ended and Israel is to judged and restored. That is the main purpose of the tribulation period, though not the only purpose. (See Zech. 13:8-9)

Two previous temples had been destroyed, the first in 586 B.C., the second in 70 A.D. Scripture foretold about the time between the second destruction and this new beginning of God's working with Israel. We read in Hosea 3:4-5, "For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without an ephod,and without teraphim: ..." That period of time has ended as we read this chapter. Hosea goes on to talk about the last days concerning Israel, "Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days."

So the context here is God's dealings with Israel to judge and restore her.

Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13