Revelation chapter 11

Introduction  TO Revelation chapter 11

The measuring of the temple (Rev. 11:1,2)

                The Church (true temple) and the true Christians (worshippers) are set apart (measured) from people who are nominal Christians (the outer court) and non – Christians (Jerusalem) for a symbolic period of 42 months.

The purpose of two witnesses (11:3-13)

1.       Proclaims God’s message to the church.

2.       To proclaims the gospel of salvation.

3.       To proclaim the warning of judgment with authority for a symbolic period of 1260 days (11:3-6)

4.       The beast (the final antichrist) makes was against the Prophets, overpowers and destroys the Prophets in short period 3.5 years (11:7-10)

5.       The two prophet’s Death, Resurrection  and ascending to heaven (Rev. 11:11-13)

End of Second Woe

             The Second wow started in the chapter 9:13 and ending here at chapter 11:14

Sounding of Seventh Trumpet (Rev. 11-15:19)

·         The seventh angle bowled the 7^th trumpet

·         Praising song of 24 elders

·         Opening of Heaven

Allusions in revelation 11 to Daniel Chapter 7-12

·         The true worshiper

·         The Beast

·         The waging the war against the saints and defeating them

·         The power the holy people broken

·         The “how long” it is symbolically 3.5 year (1260 day according the bible one year = 360 days)

·         The final judgment         

·         The Kingdom of God 

Revelation 11:1 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.

“a reed like a measuring rod”

 Reed is κάλαμος [kalamos] , the same word which described the mock scepter given to Jesus along with His crown of thorns (Mtt. Mat. 27:29). The soldiers used this “scepter” to beat Him on the head (Mtt. Mat. 27:30; Mark Mark 15:19).

Kalamos (measuring rod) refers to a reedlike plant that grew in the Jordan Valley to a height of fifteen to twenty feet. It had a stalk that was hollow and lightweight, yet rigid enough to be used as a walking staff (cf. Eze. Eze. 29:6) or to be shaved down into a pen (3Jn. 3Jn. 1:13). The stalks, because they were long and lightweight, were ideal for use as measuring rods.1

“And the angel stood, saying”

This phrase, the angel stood, is omitted by the MT and NU texts which render the voice speaking with John anonymously: “someone said.”³ If we follow the reading of the TR text, then the angel speaking with John would seem to be the angel of Revelation Rev. 10:1+ which told him he must “prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings” (Rev. Rev. 10:11+). A few verses later, the voice speaking with John asserts ownership of the two witnesses as if speaking for God in the first person: “And I will give power to my two witnesses” [emphasis added] (Rev. Rev. 11:3+). Whether the voice is that of an angel or from the throne, the speaker has full divine authority.

Other references

Ezel. 40:3He took me there, and behold, there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze. He had a line of flax and a measuring rod in his hand, and he stood in the gateway.

After the measurement over Lord spoke to the Ezekiel

(vNrf;fpNay; 43:7) mth; vd;id Nehf;fp: kDGj;jpuNd> ,J ehd; ,];uNty; Gj;jpuhpd; eLNt vd;nwd;iwf;Fk; thrk;gz;Zk; vd; rpq;fhrdKk; vd; ghjgPlj;jpd; ];jhdKkhapUf;fpwJ@ ,dp ,];uNty; tk;rj;jhUk; mth;fSila uh[hf;fSk; vd; ghpRj;j ehkj;ijj; jq;fs; Nkilfspy; jq;fs; Ntrpj;jdj;jpdhYk; jq;fs; uh[hf;fspd; gpNujq;fspdhYk; jPl;Lg;gLj;Jtjpy;iy.

Ez. 43:7 And He said to me, "Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever. No more shall the house of Israel defile My holy name, they nor their kings, by their harlotry or with the carcasses of their kings on their high places.

(rfhpah 2:1) ehd; vd; fz;fis VnwLj;Jg; ghh;j;jNghJ> ,Njh> jd; ifapNy msTE}y; gpbj;jpUe;j xU GU\idf; fz;Nld;.

          Zac.  2:1I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand.

(rfhpah 2:2) ePh; vt;tplj;Jf;Fg; NghfpwPh; vd;W Nfl;Nld;@ mjw;F mth;: vUrNykpd; mfyk; ,t;tsT vd;Wk; mjpd; ePsk; ,t;tsT vd;Wk; mwpAk;gb mij msf;fpwjw;Fg; NghfpNwd; vd;whh;.

        Zac.  2:2  Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what  is the breadth thereof, and what  is the length thereof.

John is told to “measure” three things:

(1) The temple of God;

(2) The altar; and

(3) Those who worship there.

The temple and altar are to be literally measured whereas the presence of the worshipers is merely to be noticed and recorded.4 The act of measuring indicates a separation between a portion which God recognizes (the Temple, altar, and worshipers) versus a portion he rejects (the outer court, see below).

Verses 1 and 2 indicate there will be a distinction between Jew and Gentile in this period.

The two earlier Jewish temples were divided into four areas:

o   First, the sanctuary itself, which only priests (not even Levites) could enter (this is called the temple of God);

o   Second, the area the men of Israel could enter (this included the altar);

o   Third, the court of the women in which Israelite women worshiped God; and

o   Finally, the court of the Gentiles.

John’s instruction was to measure the first three, thus symbolizing God’s interest in, and protection of, the Jewish nation. Chapter 12 confirms this interpretation, for it describes the divine protection symbolized here.

Five distinct temples are alluded to by the Scriptures.

1)      Solomon’s temple

·         Was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 587 B.C.

2)       Antiochus Epiphanies

·         After the exile to Babylon many exiles returned in company of Zerubbabel, Jeshua and Nehemiah constructed the temple in 538 B.C. (Ezra 2:1-2)

·         Pillaged and consecrated to Jupiter the temple in 168 B.C.

3)      Herod’s magnificent temple

·         Was reduced to ashes by Titus in A.D. 70.

4)      The fourth temple,

·         The edifice described in this chapter, is to be the focus of attention during the Great Tribulation. The man of sin, the son of perdition, will also sit in “the temple of God τὸν ναὸν τοῦ θεοῦ [ton naon tou theou] ” (2Th. 2Th. 2:4). This refers to a rebuilt Temple yet future to our time, often called the Tribulation Temple.

5)      Final Temple,

The fifth temple will be the Millennial Temple described in Eze. Eze. 40:1-Eze. 47:1.⁷

“The altar”

The altar was the location where sacrifices were offered. We know that the Tribulation Temple will have an altar because during The 70th Week of Daniel the Antichrist is said to make a covenant which appears to provide, in part, for sacrifices to be offered on such an altar. In opposition to his covenant “in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering” (Dan. Dan. 9:27b). “By being mentioned separately from the Naos (in which was the golden altar of incense) it looks as though the brazen altar of sacrifice was intended. The word will suit either.”⁹

“those who worship there”
τοὺς προσκυνοῦντας [tous proskynountas] , present tense participle, the ones presently worshiping. At the time of the measurement, worship is in progress. There is an intentional contrast between John’s instructions to measure the ones worshiping in the temple versus to leave out the outer court which is given to the nations. Worship within the temple is recognized by God, whereas the activity of the outer court is dismissed.

“the outer court “

Preterist View	Symbolic View	Futurist View
It refers to the literal first century temple that was destroyed by Titus.	It uses the symbol of the temple to refer to God’s people, the church.	It refers to a literal future temple to be constructed before the Second Coming.
A literal temple	A symbolic temple	A literal temple
The 42 months refer to the time of the Roman War to the fall of Jerusalem.	The 42 months are symbolic of a time of testing.	The 42 months refer to the halfway mark in a future great tribulation.