April 6, 2008
“Measuring the Temple”
Revelation 11:1-2
The portion of Scripture that we are considering today and will consider for the next few weeks is definitely referring to the end times. The words “there shall be delay no longer” in chapter 10 are in reference to God’s judgment of the world and the coming of God’s Kingdom. God is patient. Yet the message here is that patience will one day end.
I. Measuring the temple must be done before judgment!
1. The temple referenced here is the church / God’s people -
A. The history of the temple begins with the tabernacle in the wilderness – Exodus 40:33-38
B. It continued with the temple of Solomon – 1 Kings 8:27
C. This temple was destroyed and built again during the time of Ezra and Darius the Mede – Ezra 3:10-12; 6:15
D. It was from this temple Jesus drove out the money changers, yet at the same time He presented Himself as the Temple – John 2:14-21
E. After Pentecost God’s people became the Temple of God – 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 2:19-22; Revelation 3:12
F. Most of the references to a temple in Revelation are obviously to a Heavenly Temple – Revelation 7:15; 11:19; 14:15; 14:17; 15:5-6; 15:8; 16:1 & 16:17
G. In the New Jerusalem there is no temple, except the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb – Revelation 21:1-2 & 22
2. Now there are passages that seem to indicate an end times literal earthly temple might be built – Matthew 24:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4
A. A temple could be built again, without being THE TEMPLE!
B. Even without a literal earthly temple the antichrist fulfill this prophecy spiritually by setting himself up as the head of the church
II. The measuring of the temple before judgment involves –
1. The mention of the altar and those who worship there / getting to know these
A. The altar is symbolic of Christ’s sacrifice – 1 Peter 1:18-19; Revelation 1:5; 5:9
B. The worshippers are God’s washed-in-the-blood people – Revelation 7:14-15
2. The beginning of judgment is shown in the separating these from those outside – Revelation 11:2, this is similar to the binding of the tares mention by Jesus in Matthew 13:24-30 it happens only at the end.
3. God’s people are separated out by their continued faith during very trying circumstances – Daniel 11:32; this is prefigured in what happened during the time of the Greek ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes a type of antichrist.
III. Note the mentioning of forty-two months - :2
3 ˝ years, time, times and half a time, 1260 days
We will speak about this more next week!
Application: Be a wholehearted Christian – Deuteronomy 6:4-5
