Two Witnesses | Revelation 11:1-3 | Richard Caldwell

Scripture

• Revelation 11:1–3

About this sermon

Introduction: God’s work in His world manifests His absolute sovereignty. One demonstration of that sovereignty is His ability to give us futuristic prophecy. God can announce the end from the beginning, because He controls history. He determines all things and nothing can overrule His choices. But His work in the world also manifests an amazing and merciful consistency. To His work of physical judgment, God adds His work of prophetic declaration. It is not unusual for God to send His messengers BEFORE His judgment comes. It is not unusual for God to send His messengers DURING the time of His judgment. It is not unusual for God to send His messengers AFTER the time of judgment. God warns. God offers mercy. God interprets His acts of judgment. God reviews His acts of judgment and applies to the people still listening that which He has done. All of it demonstrates His glory, but often also demonstrating an amazing grace and mercy. IN OUR VERSES TODAY WE WILL SEE GOD DOING THIS VERY THING. We are still looking at an interlude in the book of Revelation. The 6th trumpet has sounded. Two woes have been described. And now, before the 7th trumpet sounds and before the 3rd woe arrives, God gives ADDITIONAL (parenthetical) INFORMATION. As we have already talked about, these interludes (three in the book of Revelation) are for the encouragement of God’s people. John is given a little scroll to take into his mouth, and we see NOT ONLY THE NATURE OF HIS CALLING (bittersweet), BUT ALSO what amounts to a recommissioning (chapter 10). God’s people can look forward to God’s acts of judgment upon the world with a sense of joy, even though there will also be a sense of bitterness and grief. And we see TWO MESSENGERS who will serve to deliver God’s warnings and His interpretation of events during the last half of the tribulation period. We will see that these two messengers will be used by God in a very powerful way for a witness to those who will be judged and as messengers for an awakening among the Jewish people who will be saved. We will examine these verses in more than one sermon, so today I want to answer some basic questions and look at a few principles that emerge from the first three verses. I. THE MEASURING OF THE TEMPLE (vs.1-2) Right away there are some important questions to answer. Is this a literal temple and altar, and if so, which temple and altar does he have in mind? Now, the book of Revelation, according to the best information, was written at the end of the first century. Sometime in the mid to late 90’s. The temple in Jerusalem had already been destroyed in AD 70. But the vision John is given seems to be based on his knowledge of a temple LIKE that one, and a message that his readers could associate with it. A. WHAT HE IS TO MEASURE (vs.1) John is given a reed that is like a staff. He is told to take it and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and those who worship in it. 1. THE TEMPLE It seems clear that John isn’t being asked to measure the entire temple complex, but the inner temple made up of the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. That is, where the priests functioned and where the men of Israel had access. The ALTAR spoken of is the brazen altar located in the Court of the Israelites. But John is told to measure the worshipers EXCLUDING the place where Gentiles were located, so Jewish worshipers are in view, those that would have gathered in the Court of the Israelites and the Court of the Women.

Topics

• Bible Study
• Evangelism
• Prophecy & End Times