Measurements, Messengers and Mayhem, Part 1

I want you to hold on to your hats, get your thumbs all limbered up, because we're going to have to look at some scripture tonight, and it's going to open your eyes to some incredible truths as we examine Revelation 11 measurements.

Messengers and may. You know, God's always been looking for some men. Long before the Marines ever came along, God just looked for a few good men. It says over in Ezekiel 2, verse number 30, And I searched for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the gap for me. 1 Chronicles 16: says, For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth, that he may strongly support those whose heart is completely his. But of all the people in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, there are two men that far excel.

All the other men. There are two men that have been given a unique assignment. Their ministry is not very long, it's only for three and a half years. But it's probably the most powerful ministry known to man. It will be a worldwide ministry. Everybody will know about them. Everybody will know them by name. Everybody will be able to see them. Everybody will be able to watch them operate. They are very powerful men, exceptional men, fearless men. And in the darkest days of man, these men will proclaim the wonderful message of God's grace.

And you would think that as great as these men are, the world would be drawn to them. They would repent of their sin. They would follow the Messiah. But quite the contrary. The world hates them. The world despises them. And these two witnesses take us up to the sounding of the seven trumpets. These two witnesses are ones who prophesy during the latter half of the tribulational period. And I want to remind you of the words of Matthew 24, verse number 14, that says, And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world.

For witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come. When will the end come? The end will come. When all the nations of the world have heard the gospel, that's when Jesus Christ will come back to earth. And how will they hear? 144,000 Jewish evangelists. Some of the Gentiles that have been converted, the angel that flies around in mid-heaven proclaiming the gospel, and two witnesses, two messengers, two men, unlike any other man. And they will preach the gospel, and the world will hear, and the world will see what God wants to do through two men completely comm to Him.

Which leads us to Revelation chapter 11. Before we meet these two men, there are two verses that deal with measurements. Of the temple. And I got to be honest with you, when I first started this, I thought to myself, I'll just kind of glaze over the first two verses, get to the two witnesses, because everybody wants to know the identity of the two witnesses.

Who are these guys? Where do they come from? And how is it they're able to do what they do? And why is it the beast is able to overcome them? And why is it people don't repent upon the preaching of the gospel through these two men? And people are caught up into who these two guys are. And if you read different commentaries, they kind of brush over the first two verses.

So, I decided not to do that. I decided to spend all of our time tonight on the first two verses. So, you'll come back next week and figure out who the two witnesses are in Revelation chapter 11. But I promise tonight that you will see things you've never seen before. And you will understand things in a way you've never understood them before. By looking at just two verses. Two verses that I believe provide the greatest fulfillment of prophecy. In the New Testament. Let me read them to you.

And there was given me a measuring rod, like a staff. Someone said, Rise and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and those who worship in it. And lead out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it. For it has been given to the nations, and they will tread underfoot the holy city for forty-two months. We have three points. The first one is this: the measurement of the temple.

Second point are the messengers and their testimony. The third point is the mayhem before the triumph.

We're going to cover just point one tonight: the measurement of the temple. Two things I want you to see. That which is included, that which is excluded. Inclusion and exclusion. The measurements of the temple. Now the question comes: why is John told to measure the temple? What significance does that have? Once you understand this, the lights go on. Once you grasp this, you begin to understand what a dispensationalist is. Big word. Most of us can't even spell it, let alone define it. But if you understand Revelation 11, 1 and 2, you begin to put all these things together, you begin to understand the book of Revelation in greater detail.

The text says, There was given me a measuring rod like a staff. John gets to participate in the vision. I mean, this is a remarkable thing. This isn't something he just sees. He's able to participate in it. As you recall, in Revelation 10, he was able to participate in the eating of the little book. So John becomes actively involved, and I want you to go first with me: the inclusion.

What's included in the measurement? Very significant. What is a measuring rod? A measuring rod is a reed-like plant that grew to the height of 10 to 15 to 20 feet. It's kind of like a yardstick. It was hollow and lightweight and grew in the Jordan Valley. Over in Ezekiel 40, verse number 5, Ezekiel took a sim ro. And it was nine feet in length, and he was told to measure the millennial temple. So here John is told to take this rod, this measuring rod. It could also be as sturdy as a staff. And in fact, in the Old Testament, it's used to describe a staff.

And so he was told to take this rod and to measure. The temple of God and the altar and those who worship in it. Now, the first thing that pops into my mind is that there are no physical dimensions here.

John doesn't come up with any physical dimensions. He doesn't give any physical dimensions because it doesn't deal with physical dimensions. Listen very carefully. When God told someone to measure something, it was measured for one of two reasons: one, destruction, or two, protection. Measure this, because my judgment will come upon this city, or upon this land, or upon this people, for destruction. Here in Revelation chapter 11, there's a measurement. But this measurement isn't about destruction.

It's about protection. And that which he's going to watch over is those who worship at the altar in the temple. Very significant. Why? Because, as one author said, it's best to see this as God's measuring off Israel. Symbolized by her temple for salvation and for his special protection, preservation, and favor. The prophecies yet to be given to John will thus distinguish between God's favor toward Israel and his wrath on the pagan world. End quote. Listen very carefully. John is told to measure a temple.

There is no temple in his day. It's 95 A. In 70 A, the temple was destroyed. Christ said in Matthew 24. That there was going to come a time in which this temple would be destroyed and not one stone would be left standing up on top of another. That happened when Titus invaded Jerusalem in 70 A and slaughtered over a million Jews. That's what happened. John knows there is no temple in Jerusalem. And yet, in this vision, he's told to measure the temple of God. Now, the temple is naos, that means it is the holy place.

You have the Holy of Holies, where the high priest could go in once a year, Yom Kippur. And then you have the Holy Place around that, which only the priests could go into. Okay? And then you have the altar, which only the Jewish people could go to. And that's where they would offer their sacrifices, and that's where they would pray. And as the incense on the altar would go up to heaven, they could see the smoke going up, and that's where their prayers would be. And John is told. Measure off the temple, measure off the altar, which we presume would be the brazen altar, because that's where those who worship gathered.

And he is to measure those who worship in it. In what? The place where the altar is, that is the brazen altar. Measure off those people. Measure off that temple. Because, you see, I have a plan, God says.

And that plan is to protect a certain group of people. This is important for John. Remember, this is one of the interludes, an interlude that gives you inspiration. The last thing John remembers is a nation that rebelled against the Messiah, who turned their back on him. The next thing he remembers is the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A and the temple with it. He knows there's no temple. All of a sudden, God says, Measure the temple.

Measure the altar. And those who gather around the altar to worship in it. Why? Because God is going to protect them, He's going to preserve them. He's got a plan for the nation of Israel. A plan that John needed to see that would give him great encouragement because his people had turned their back on the Messiah. Now note, John knew, John knew about a temple. Listen very carefully. Solomon built the first temple.

Zerubbabel built the second temple. Herod built the third temple. The Jews built the fourth temple. Excuse me. Herod built the third t The fifth temple is in the millennium, and the fourth temple is here in the tribulation.

John knew of a millennial temple. How did he know that? The prophecy in the Old Testament. Listen to this verse, Amos chapter 9, verse number 11. In that day, I will raise up. The fallen booth of David, and wall up its breaches. I will also raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old. Amos is prophesying about the fact that God is going to rebuild the temple. The Jews will look for that day. Where the Messiah would rule and reign from the temple, and they would have their land, a land that was promised to them with their Messiah as their king.

So we know there's going to be a temple. During the tribulation. Now, people say, well, doesn't there have to be a temple before the tribulation begins? No. The Jews could book the temple up in one day if they need to. One week. It's not a big deal. But we do know this. There will be sacrifices. There will be a temple. And there will be the Antichrist who, in the middle of the tribulation, three and a half years into it, desecrates that temple by setting him up as God. Now listen very carefully. The Jewish people, the Orthodox Jews, they want their temple back.

They do. They have a problem because they went ab on Mount Moriah. The problem with that is the Muslims have put the dome with a rock. On Mount Moriah. Have you seen any pictures of Jerusalem or been to Jerusalem? That big golden dome is the dome of the rock. And that is the second most sacred place in the Islamic world.

It's the place where the Muslims believe that Muhammad ascended Into heaven. The Orthodox Jew wants a temple and they want it on Mount Moriah. The problem is, the Muslims have the Dome of the Rock on Mount Moriah. So when we were at Israel this past spring, I asked our tour guide, I said, why do you guys let the Muslims do that? Why don't you guys just go in and tear that baby down? I mean, you guys got your independence. I mean, you guys are wearing and ready to go here. And just go in and say it over.

He, Oh, we can't do that. I said, why not? He says, it's a political nightmare. We're tired of fighting people. We'd have one big battle on our hands. Okay? I said, well, according to the Bible, you're going to have your temple back. He says, we are? I said, absolutely. And we got into a little bit of a discussion about the tribulation, the Antichrist, and it kind of went over his head. But the bottom line is this. Twenty-six met from the dome of the rock is the dome of the spirits. It's an open courty, open are.

And there 's a doctor by the name of Asher Kauf. Who's a godly Jewish engineer, professor of physics at Hebrew University, who has done extensive study on the exact location? Of the Temple of Solomon. And he believes, along with many other scholars, believe that the Holy of Holies The holy place, the temple, was not there where the dome where the rock is now presently located, but is 26 meters. Away from there at another location. If that's true, if that's true, the nation of Israel could build a temple without disturbing the dome of the rock.

They could do that. Now, is that true? I don't know. Do I care if that's true? Not really. I'm not going to be here for one. But know this. The Jews will have a temple back. There will be a sacrificial system enacted. And they will be able to do what they once did. This is very significant. Very important. Now, how they do that, whether or not the Antich is able to Fine some way in the Muslim world to get these people to tear down their temple or whatever he's able to do, we don't know. But the Jewish people.

Are loyal to the Antichrist for a period of time. And we'll talk more about that in days ahead. But listen very carefully. What's going to happen during the tribulational period is there's going to be a reinstitution. Of the law. And the Jewish nation is going to go back to the sacrificial system. And they're going to begin doing what they've always done, or used to do, offering sacrifices for their sins. And this is going to carry on for a long period of time, probably three to three and a half years.

And Jews by the score are going to flood back to Jerusalem. Just flood back to Jerusalem. Thousands of them, millions of them. Why? Because they will begin to see what needs to take place in their lives in order to obtain a sacrifice for their sin. But something's going to happen. There's 144,000 Jewish evangelists. There are many Gentiles that have been converted. There are these two witnesses. And something's going to take place in the life of the Jewish people. They're going to realize as they begin to search their Bibles that the sacrifices they're offering is not going to atone for their sins.

And they're going to begin to slowly realize, I believe, that there was a Messiah and they missed him. And Jewish people are going to begin to be converted. And turn to Jesus Christ. And I believe it will be at that time that the Antichrist says, that's it. No more. It's over. Goes into that temple, goes into that holy place, desecrates that temple. Says, I am God. You must worship me. You must fall down before me, or you will die. It's at that time that he begins to unleash his fury upon the nation of Israel.

I believe that Zach 12 prophesies this time. Listen very carefully. Verse number 10. And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and of supplication. so that they will look on me whom they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one who mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn. In that day there will be great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning of Had in the plain of Megiddo.

And the land will mourn, every family by itself, the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves, the family of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wiv By themselves, etc. etcetera. Down to verse 1 of chapter 13. In that day, a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for imp. I believe that with the preaching of the 144,000 Jews, I believe through the preaching of the angel that flies around in mid, through the converted Gentiles that preach the gospel.

These Jewish people are going to begin to mourn and to realize they killed their Messiah, and Christ Himself will embrace them, and they will be H children. And it says in verse number 8 of chapter 13, And it will come about in all the land, declares the Lord, that two parts in it will be cut off and perish. but the third will be left in it, and I will bring the third part through the fire, refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested.

They will call on my name, and I will answer them, and I will say, They are my people, and they will say, The Lord is my God. That's what's going to happen. And that's what's going to turn Antich against them. And that 's when He desecrates the temple. Because the Lord does not return until Zach chapter 14. That's when He returns. And God is going to protect his people and watch over his people. So important to understand. That John is told, John, take a measuring rod, measure the temple. Measure the altar, that brazen altar, that place where those who worship gather.

Because I got a plan and I got a purpose. And that plan is for your people, my people, the nation of Israel. And I'm going to preserve them, and I'm going to protect them, and I'm going to watch over them, and I'm going to take care of them because they're my people. That leads us to point number two: the exclusion.

The exclusion. And hopefully, I'll be able to wrap this up for you. And it says in verse number two, and leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it.

Now, what's that? Well, you got the Holy of Holies, right? Which only the high priest goes. You have the holy place, which only the priest can go to. And then you have the cour where the brazen altar is that only the Jewish people can go to, and that's where they. Offer sacrifices and their prayers to God, and outside that is what is called the court of the Gentiles. Listen very carefully. So significant. John is told, don't measure that. Why? Because I don't have a plan. Ready for this? I don't have the plan.

I don't have a purpose. I don't have a promise. I do not have a covenant with the Gentile nations. I only have it. For Is. Listen very carefully. So significant. Don't measure that. Don't measure it. Why? Because I am under no obligation. I have no covenant responsibility with the Gentile people as a nation. I only have that with my people, Israel. Oh, this is so good. Why? You know what that tells you? That tells you, ready for this? That the church is not in the tribulation. How do you know that?

Colossians 3:11. Colossians 3:11 tells us what? In Christ, there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised. Ephesians chapter 2, verses 14 and 16 says, The middle wall of partition has been broken down. They're all one. When you come to the tribulation, John is told, don't measure the court of the Gentiles. Why? Because that partition is back up again. Remember, we are in the 70th week of Daniel's prophecy. The first 69 weeks, the Jewish system was enacted.

The law was enacted. Between the 69th and 70th week is what? Church age. The middle wall of partition comes down. Jew and Gentile are one. The church is gone. Now you're in the 7 week contain prophecy. There's a mill wall of partition between Jew and Gentile once again. It tells you that the church will not be here during the tribulation because during the church age, they are all one. That middle wall of partition is broken down. But now it's back up again because God, although he will save Gentile people, he will do that, right?

Just like he saved Gentile people in the Old Testament, Israel was the vehicle, Israel was the visual aid of God's mercy. That's how Gentile people were saved. In the Old Testament. When you come to Daniel's 70th week, when you come to the tribulational period, again, 144,000 Jews. Become the vehicle by which the gospel once again is presented to a Gentile world. This is so significant. And that's what makes a dispensationalist a dispensationalist. There's a distinction between Israel and the church.

The promises given to Israel will be fulfilled just as God said and just as the curses were fulfilled for Israel. The church is not spiritual Israel. There is a clear distinction in Scripture between the two. God made a promise to his people, he will keep that promise. God's made a promise to you, hasn't He? To preserve your life, to protect you, to secure you for all eternity. Who are these two witnesses? What do they say? How does God use them? You come back next week and we'll try to finish the rest of the chapter.