John's Prophecy of the Temple and the Worshippers of God

Good evening.

I had a reaction this morning, sitting in the pew that I've not had in all the years I've been here and not caught me a bit off guard. I had to stop and think what you you at and as I reflected on it afterwards.

I thought that it was in reaction to the sermon that God had laid a mark to preach tonight because of what was that reaction. It was just it was instinctive.

I just went like this to fasten my seatbelt like I was sitting in my car sitting in the pew. I don't need a seatbelt you might need a seatbelt tonight is a challenging portions of God's word in an effort to try and interpret the book of the Revelation would been given this revelation by means of vision John on the island of Patmos receives this revelation and John is not one to give commentary on what is been what is been revealed to him and what is given to us.

He writes down what he hears. He writes down what he sees and very few times does he say this means that an even when he does say this means that you're still wondering what does that mean for instance the text for this evening. Revelation 11 verse three and I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy 1260 days, clothed in sackcloth and the knees gives this commentary. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth like that doesn't help me but doesn't help me.

We were forced to make a decision very on in our study in the book of the Revelation to take a literal interpretation approach or a figurative representative interpretation approach. Let me just remind you of a couple of things. This kind of set the context for tonight if you bring a little hermeneutic to the text that you're going to insist that what you read is got to have a literal interpretation. You can be lost very very quickly. Let me show you what I mean. Chapter 1 Jesus was standing in the midst of seven golden lampstands.

What does that mean seven golden lampstands well, they represent the churches to which John was writing. We read in chapter 1 out of his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword Jesus have a literal tongue that's double-edged and sharp like a sword well know were forced to bring a representative or a symbolic interpretation to that what they did me.

Well, it represents the gospel. The gospel has a double edged aspect to it. Judgment on the one hand, for those who reject salvation.

On the other hand, for those who believe the same is true of numbers when we encounter those in the book of Revelation 7 is a number that depicts wholeness or completeness. We encounter the seven spirits before the throne, we learned that means here is the representation of the Holy Spirit in all of his fullness hundred and 44,000.

We take that literally we take that symbolically do we take that figuratively. Well we learned in chapter 7 that represents the great multitude of the redeemed from both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Remember representative of 12 prophets and 12 apostles, you multiply the 12×12 you get 144. You multiply that times a thousand you get 144,000 so that number is representative of all the redeemed of all the ages when we come to our text tonight. I want to read to you from just one introduction of one commentary so that you can understand not only what this commentator says, but this is representative. Most of the commentators introduce their commentary on this chapter with similar words and this is can stem out there from his commentary. Some of consider this chapter, one of the most difficult to interpret in the entire book of the Revelation. This passage may well be called the prox interpret is undoubtedly one of the most difficult in the whole Apocalypse in it. John refers to the temple. The holy city and the two prophets who were killed by the beast and after 3 1/2 days are resurrected and ascend to heaven.

Does John intend all this to be understood simply as it is given the literal temple in Jerusalem to people prophesying for 1260 days who were killed by the Antichrist raise from the dead and ascend to heaven a great earthquake that kills 7000 people in the survivors of which glorify God.

Lots of questions well what we make of what were looking at this evening.

Let's read again the short passage that I was given a read like a measuring rod and the angel stood, saying, rise, and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there but leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles, and they will tread the holy holy city underfoot for 42 months and I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy 1260 days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies and if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner.

These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy and they have power over waters to turn them to blood and to strike the earth with all plagues is often as they desire to read a measuring device was given to John. John becomes a participant. A participant in a Revelation. It's a bit parabolic.

He's given a reed like a measuring rod. It seems as though he's given that by the angel of the angel stood and speaks to him to rise and measure the temple and remember the angel from chapter 10 was I think either the Archangel Michael the Archangel Gabriel one of the two that word measure is a bit deceiving and I think were we can understand what is being communicated. There, in relationship to three things he's to measure three things measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.

And then there something he's not. To measure in verse two but leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles, and they will tread the holy city underfoot for 42 months. I think what is synonymous with the measuring is protection. It is a marking out and or three things he is to mark out to measure to set protection upon in verse two. It's clear. Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, do not protect it. Do not set it aside for it is been given to the Gentiles, and they will tread the holy city under foot for 42 months now her back to that critical watershed issue. The temple is John talking about the literal temple. The temple of the Old Testament, which was destroyed in A.D. 70. Is that what's being referred to a literal temple to measure if you insist that is the interpretation that it has to be understood literally, it raises some questions. The first question I would have is what would be the purpose would be the purpose of the rebuilding of the Temple and the reconstituting of the temple would be the purpose if that is the plausible explanation why would that be in the plan of God because it seems to contradict the flow of progressive revelation that the temple in the Old Testament was preparatory was a shadow. It was a type it was pointing to what that which will give way to the antitype Hebrews chapter 10 tells us that when Christ offered himself as a sacrifice he made the Old Testament sacrifices obsolete, unnecessary, so if there's going to be a reconstituting and rebuilding of the temple. It seems that the temple is there for the offering of sacrifices and I have a hard time reconciling in my mind why God would direct the offering of sacrifices, animal sacrifices, when his son came and offered himself as the sacrifice, which is the sacrifice never to be repeated, and makes every other sacrifice unnecessary. Matthew chapter 27 verse 51. We have the record of that phenomenon of the veil in the temple being torn from top to bottom. When Jesus died on the cross of Calvary. God was putting an end to this symbol, because the reality had come. New temple sacrifices in a rebuilt temple would deny the sufficiency of Christ in his atoning work and in A.D. 70.

God destroyed the temple.

He allowed it to be destroyed precisely because he was judging the Jews and their rejection of Jesus as atonement. So a rebuilt temple. It seems to me would merely reestablish the rejection of the blood of Jesus Christ and calling to question his sufficiency so until I can get those things reconciled. II cannot hold to a literal interpretation that this temple that John is to interpret her John's to a measure is the reconstituting of a literal physical temple, God is not going to return his people to a rebuilt temple that he destroyed so that forces us then to consider this symbolically or representative lay as opposed to literally what John is describing here is not future events. John is describing events that his readers are living through that the church of Jesus Christ is living through today. It is very applicable. Therefore, let's think about these things.

The temple then I was given a reed like a measuring rod in the angel stood, saying, rise, and measure the temple of God, the temple of God. What does New Testament say about this Wilson just a couple of verses of Scripture that clarifies this force. First Corinthians chapter 3 I'm sorry. Second Corinthians chapter 6 what agreement has the temple of God with idols for you are the temple of the living God.

As God has said, I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God and they shall be my people. Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean and I will receive you, I will be a father to you and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. The church of the Lord Jesus Christ is the temple of God.

Listen to what Peter says.

First Peter chapter 2 verse four coming to him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. We are that temple of God. We are living stones that make up the temple of God, God's chosen not to dwell in a building any longer. He's chosen to dwell in the hearts and lives of his redeemed people.

That's what's going on there. Revelation was talking about the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's the temple. The reference to temple there and then he says he's to mark those are measure those or set them aside protect them, not only the temple of God, but the altar and those who worship there.

The altar Jesus Christ is our altar. He is the place where we go is believers and offer spiritual sacrifices. We offer the sacrifice of praise we go to him. So we have this the temple. Then he says the people of God.

Those who worship there. Those who are the redeemed, those who are blood bought those who God has set his affections upon and drawn to himself. Those are the ones when they are measured they are identified as belonging to God, and under his protection and is good to know that good to know that God has claimed us for his own that we are owned by him, and with that ownership comes his commitment to protect us and to watch over us and to preserve our lives now I think it's important understand that what that protection of God means in this context we know from chapter 6 in our study, there verse nine through 11, that many will be martyred in looking ahead into chapter 13 in verse seven God is going to give the beast power to make war against the saints in order to conquer them.

So what are we, how do we understand that God is going to protect us and preserve us. Well, it's clear that God will protect his people not from not from physical harm.

But from spiritual harm.

There will be difficult days ahead. There will be those who will give their lives in martyrdom, God will protect the souls of those who have committed themselves to him. So I think that's what's being said here now it says leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it. Do not set it apart.

Do not put protective guardrails around it, for it has been given to the Gentiles, and that reference to Gentiles is not a reference to non-Jews but it is a reference to nonbelievers. Those who are outside the realm of God's protection. Those who are not a part of the temple. Those were not a part of the altar. Those who do not worship. It is been given to the Gentiles, and they unbelievers the enemies of the gospel, the enemies of Christ, the enemies of followers of Christ, they will tread the holy city underfoot for 42 months they will tread the holy city underfoot for 42 months remake of this expression holy city, listen to this quick study the Old Testament calls Jerusalem the holy city because it was the place God had chosen to dwell with his people. Psalm 48 the Jews in Jerusalem called themselves citizens of the holy city is a 48 verse two Daniel spoke prophetically about the holy city chapter 9 verse 24. Nehemiah noted the restoration of Jerusalem and the Jews resettled in the holy city. Nehemiah 11 verse one and verse 18. But in the New Testament there only a couple of references to this expression. One is at the beginning of Jesus his earthly ministry, and one is at the end of Jesus his earthly ministry.

The first is in the temptation of Christ by the devil himself. We read in Matthew chapter 4 in verse five that the devil took him up into the holy city, set them in the pinnacle of the temple and said if you are the son of God, cast yourself down that reference and then a reference in Matthew chapter 27 verse 53 when Jesus died on Calvary's cross. There were graves that were opened and those who were were a written those who were raised appeared in the holy city, according to Matthew chapter 27 verse 53 but after that.

The term holy city no longer occurs wise that because God took up residence not in Jerusalem but in the church. In short, the New Testament shows that earthly Jerusalem lost its claim to be called the holy city when the Holy Spirit changed his dwelling place from Jerusalem to the hearts of God's people, the saints, and they are persons of every nation, tongue tribe and people in together.

They are the residence of the holy city, the new Jerusalem so the Christian church is symbolically called the holy city. So when it says here they will tread the holy city, they will have power to make war to create havoc to bring persecution to God's people. The church, the trampling of the holy city had refers to a period of persecution that Christians are going to suffer and have suffered throughout the ages were my fear too soft in this country. We've known very little person.

I sat here and sang the hymns with you mighty 4% is our God, and I was thinking about the believing church in Ukraine and how singing that song what would meet meant to them as opposed to sitting where were sitting in the other two hymns we sang.

Similarly, that context would change an awful lot so it says again there in verse two that these nonbelieving haters of God haters of his church haters of his gospel haters of his followers. They will tread the holy city underfoot for 42 months, a set period of time. I think were bound. If we have been forced to interpret the temple in a representative way in a symbolic way that were forced to do that with these numbers as well. Were not talking my opinion I don't think were talking about 1260 days, a set period of time a short period of time that God is going to define and God and set the limits and got a set the parameters of that now I know that's not very satisfactory. So, let me offer you some some references to Scripture. I think it will help us in Luke chapter 6 and verse for 45 were told about the ministry of Elijah and listen to this verse.

Luke six verse 45. That was not Dawson Luke 645 deny.

Maybe it was no anyway. You know the Bible tells us not only I'm I'm confident it's in Luke, but it's also in James that Elijah had a ministry where he shut up the heaven for 3 1/2 years for 42 months.

I think it's interesting in the context that verse six tells us about this to witnesses.

These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy. Here's a reference to two witnesses that prophesy and one of the effects of their prophecy is the heavens are set up. There is no rain makes you wonder if maybe Elijah is not in mind there, but will deal with that. Lord willing.

Next week went by the way, were not going any further. Verse two tonight so when I say we need to fasten up our seatbelts would move fairly quickly through the first 10 chapters Revelation we are in we are in the spiritual weeds. If I could put it that way.

So it's going it is going to require time to think through and take our time and slow down. I proceed to prayers this evening that were offered for clarity, I been asking God for clarity because this is really challenging material to understand the children of Israel. They wandered in the wilderness for 42 years two years. I wandered around until the penalty for their unbelief was brought upon them and so there was two years and then there were 40 years.

Remember, all the men who were under certain age or over certain age were to die. That was the penalty so 42 years. When you go back to Exodus and you read about the encampments. One of those places. It's similar to genealogy with a camp here. They camped there and you just can't skip over what I read through that this week and I enumerated the number of encampments you how many there were 4242 encampments to what 20 making well this is talking about 42 months they will tread the holy city underfoot for 42 months to suggest to you that the experience of the new covenant believer. The church of the Lord Jesus Christ is similar to that which the people of God faced in the wilderness, they were traveling. They were pilgrims they were sojourners and they were making their way through difficulty through tribulation on their way to what the promise land. We are travailing we are Pilgrim and we are sojourners, aliens in this country we are making our way toward heaven and there are many obstacles along the way.

There are difficulties there are persecutions there are challenges and that's part I think of what's be our attention is being drawn to hear.

I think also we think about the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, that it was approximately 42 months, about three and half years that he was on this earth, and he warned his disciples. The warnings are in the New Testament Scriptures that we should be surprised by suffering and persecution. We should anticipate expected prepare for, be steadfast in the face of it I think is what he saying there's more that what I think will further help explain this were just touching on this 42 months because that's going to come up a number of times here see it again there in verse 11 of chapter 11 now after 3 1/2 days the breath of life from God entered them, though it's talking about that same period of time. It's a it's a time. It's a reference to the time of tribulation, the time of intense tribulation that was prophesied by Daniel can read about that Daniel chapter 7 verse 25 chapter 12 verse seven reference of tribulation prophesied by Daniel and for Daniel it was way out into the future.

But for John it had begun starting with the resurrection of Christ, and continuing until his return. John is writing to churches. He's trying to galvanize churches. He's trying to strengthen the churches to warn them of difficulty in tribulation, and to remind them of the promises of God that there is safety and protect protection for the people of God by God's design and again that does not mean that there will be physical harm. There will be. There has been an it will continue until Christ pulls the final curtain on this. Of church history so the Solder Ct., Gentiles, they are permitted to touch the outer court and to trample on the holy city, but note again for a limited time for 42 months. They're not able to destroy the church because the church is the inner sanctuary as we sang Martin Luther's him is power is great, but he will not overcome he will not prevail because God will see to it that his churches preserve so I think that's the message from this these first couple of verses this evening. The goddess committed himself to the safeguard of his church. He gave himself his son for his church. He has redeemed us. He's taken ownership of us.

He has assumed responsibility for our souls, keeping and the body they may kill God will safeguard our souls when we wrestle with this question will why would God in his sovereign power able to control all things. Why would he ordain this.

Why would he warn us of this tell us of this wisest going on. Why is why is Thursday persecuted church around the world raises questions in our minds doesn't does more to us than our physical bodies right.

Our souls are going to live forever, and God will keep us keep us in the faith, keep us trusting him.

He was relying upon him keeping us in the difficult hour that 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. Are you included in the number by the way, are you part of the people of God are you one who frequents the altar of God. I think the reference thereto. The altar of God is a place where incense is offered not were sacrifices offered because Christ is offered himself once and for all, never to be, but is the people of God. We go to that place where we offer prayers to God. Incense rises to him. We are praying to him. We are worshiping him where thanking him where committed to the ministry of prayer that is descriptive of the people of God and those who worship there. This is our delight to be with the people of God to worship with the people of God to worship our God in spirit and in truth.

This is a safe place, but there is outside the court which is outside the temple it's been given to the Gentiles. God has done, that it has been given to the enemies of Christ, the enemies of the gospel. Those who oppose us. Those who would kill us and they will tread the holy city, the people of God underfoot for 42 months, so let's intensifier prayers think we're we can be pretty self-serving in our prayers. We are very fervent and earnest, and those things that pertain to us was things that touch us but not so much when it's things that come to our attention that don't personally affect us, but may we grow in our in our urgency and our perseverance in praying for what seems to me to be the most pertinent thing that's front and center in our face is the church in Ukraine. The church in Russia. Those believers is heart wrenching. We've heard reports we've received messages, perhaps on our phone of Christians gathering, singing, worshiping, praying to God. This passage is real to them. What's being described here by John is touching them and who's to say it's not coming here and coming quickly. So let's let's look to God must be sure that where near to him walking with him not to distant from him in fellowship with him enjoying his blessings in his presence in our lives and be thankful for God's kindness allows us together and laces worship like this where we can enjoy worshiping our God and is not something were doing alone were doing it with community of faith brothers and sisters that we've come to know and love and look to and realize they have a testimony of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. God is brought us together and this is this is good, but it's temporal and it's all preparation for what were going to be doing throughout all eternity.

Let's look forward to that.

Rejoice in that and thank you for your prayers as we continue to make our way through Revelation communicated to somebody they the challenges I was facing, and they said well nobody would hold it against you if you just quit. I said I can't quit I can't quit were going where angels fear to tread.

They say, but God will help us and prefer for a good many of us would not heard any other interpretation of the book of Revelation. Apart from a literal interpretation. The dispensational pre-millennial interpretation of the book of Revelation. So this is new to us for noodle. Many of us so withhold your judgment. Keep studying, praying, and I think as we continue to move through these next couple of chapters. Things will begin to dovetail in become clear wish that I could be a bit clearer in my presentation I spent an awful lot of time in preparation for this.

Sometimes I've come to the conclusion. Sometimes a little is much you have more thoughts in your head than you could possibly deliver it sometimes makes for not us clear of presentation as you would like. So I God to help us make God's understanding as we seek to know him and his word better. Let's pray father thank you tonight for your word. Thank you for the fact that you are controlling redemptive history for your own purposes.

Lord we thank you for the fact that were kept by the power of God, we thank you for the fact that you have loaned us. You have redeemed us. You have paid a terrible cost to make us your own.

Therefore, we have confidence that you will be with us that you will preserve us that you will keep us by your power until that day that we are in your presence. Lord help us as we continue to live out our lives in this world, help us not to be ashamed. Help us to be bold in our witness.

Help us to understand and not be surprised by those who would oppose us. Those who would be against us and against the Christ, that we claim to know and love.

Lord we ask that you work in hearts and lives it would be others who at present are marked as unbelievers that would come into the fold would come and be made a part of the temple would be made worshipers of you do it for the good of those we know and love for your own honor and glory say we pray in Jesus name, amen