The Gospel Will
Triumph
– Revelation
Eleven –
Revelation 11 begins
with John being given a reed and instruction to measure the temple. The
application here is that God is making a separation between the clean and the
unclean for the purpose of judgment. The children of God will be protected and
the worldly unbeliever and even the worldly in the worldly church will be
rejected. The worshippers are to be measured by the word of God.
This chapter shows
beyond doubt that the gospel will triumph. Early in the history of the church
the gospel was preached with remarkable success. This was followed by a time
when the gospel was seemingly crushed. However, the
Revelation chapter eleven closed with the
sounding of the seventh trumpet. (Revelation 11:14-19) This provided a picture
of God's final judgment on
The
command to measure the
The temple that was
to be measured was not the Jewish Temple. Likely that
The altar was to be measured. The altar
refers to the worship itself, the doctrine and practice of the faithful portion
of the church. God wanted people to understand how the atonement was made, and
the true method of justification before God. There was no pardoned without
sacrifice. It is by the sacrifice of Jesus that the only method of
reconciliation with God has been provided. We must make sure that we believe
correctly concerning what Jesus has done for us.
The worshippers
were also to be measured. It was important that their lifestyle, character, and
behavior be in harmony with what is taught in the word of God. Those who are
not faithful to God will be allowed to be in contact with His faithful people
for an extended period of time--described as three and one half years--to bring
severe persecution against them. Through this time there is protection promised
for God's faithful church.
The description of the two witnesses –
Revelation 11:3-6. The message of the two witnesses is that the gospel
will triumph. It is easy to see that the figures behind the two witnesses are
Moses and Elijah. The power to shut heaven that it rain not, have power over
waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues certainly
reminds us of these two Old Testament greats. God's two witnesses, the Law and
the Prophets testify to the fact that Christ is Divine.
The true
There have been
times when God used literal fire to punish or destroy the wicked. Here the fire
is symbolic but the message is the same. This is much like when God said to
Jeremiah "...I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood
and it shall devour them." (Jeremiah 5:1) Those that oppose God's church
and God's word face certain destruction.
The
two witnesses are slain and arise again – Revelation 11:7-13: During
the miraculous age of the church the gospel was preached with great success.
(Acts
The beast is
mentioned with no introduction. He had been around sense the Garden of Eden.
Satan constantly makes war against the
After a short,
indefinite period of time – three and a half days – God’s power would cause
The
seventh trumpet is sounded – Revelation 11:14-19: The seventh trumpet
(third woe trumpet) pronounced final judgment on
In the seventh
trumpet we have final victory for the faithful of God and final defeat for
those that rebel against Him. Sinners were angry about God's faithful church.
The answer to man's wrath was the coming of God's wrath upon the wicked world.
At the final judgment the righteous will receive their heavenly reward. The
wicked also shall receive their reward simultaneously with the reward of the
righteous. Are you ready for that final day?
The gospel is God's
great news that Jesus died for sinners. Jesus said, "He that believeth and
is baptized shall be saved." (Mark