Revelation 11:1-2 Transition from Trumpets to Bowls: Temple Measurements

Rev. 11:1   Then there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, “Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it.  2 “Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months.

Prayer and Bible Expo

What is given to John?  (11:1)

“a measuring rod like a staff”

Ø  John was given a reed to be used to measure the third temple in Jerusalem. The two rooms to be measured include the holy place and the holy of holies.

·      Ezek. 40:3 So He brought me there; and behold, there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze, with a line of flax and a measuring rod in his hand; and he was standing in the gateway.  4 The man said to me, “Son of man, see with your eyes, hear with your ears, and give attention to all that I am going to show you; for you have been brought here in order to show it to you. Declare to the house of Israel all that you see.”

·      Zech. 2:1   Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a man with a measuring line in his hand.

·      Rev. 21:15   The one who spoke with me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city, and its gates and its wall.

What is he told to get up and measure? (11:1)

“the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it”

Ø  The third temple will be in existence during the Great Tribulation, having been rebuilt for resumption of the ordinances prescribed by the Mosaic Law.

What is John told to not measure and what is the reason for leaving it out? (11:2)

Ø  “Leave out the court which is outside the temple . . .” (Rev 11:2).

·      Only priests could enter the two rooms within the temple. However, others could come into the outer court, which John is forbidden to measure, for it was given to the Gentiles and would be trod underfoot for 42 months.

§  Luke 21:24 and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

§  Is. 52:1  Awake, awake,

Clothe yourself in your strength, O Zion;

                                    Clothe yourself in your beautiful garments,

                                    O Jerusalem, the holy city;

                                    For the uncircumcised and the unclean

Will no longer come into you.

How long will the nations tread the holy city under foot?

42 months

Ø  Dan. 7:25 ‘He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.

What impresses you about Rev 11:1-2?

At the end of the age, Jerusalem is still the holy city of God.

What do you learn about God from Rev 11:1-2?

God has established epochs of time that cannot be averted.

How could this truth transform your life?

Read God’s prophetic Word with expectation of literal fulfillment in Messiah’s kingdom.

Father,

You are clothed in splendor and majesty, exalted in Your holy, heavenly temple. You chose Jerusalem, the city of the Mighty King, which was consecrated for Your name. Jesus the Messiah will return and establish His kingdom in Jerusalem and He will reign over all the nations in perfect wisdom, power, and righteousness. May He come quickly, bringing peace to Jerusalem. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Revelation 10:8-11 Transition from Trumpets to Bowls: The Little Book

Rev. 10:8   Then the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard again speaking with me, and saying, “Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land.”  9 So I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. And he  said to me, “Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.”  10 I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter.  11 And they  said to me, “You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.”

Prayer and Bible Expo

After the angel who stands on the sea and land swears, what does John hear? (10:8)

the voice, which he had heard from heaven, again speaking with him

From where does the voice speak? (10:8)

from heaven

What had this voice previously told John to do? (10:4)

“Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them.”

What does the voice tell John to do now? (10:8)

“Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land” (10:8).

In response to the voice from heaven, what does John do? (10:9)

“So I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book . . .” (10:9).

What does the angel tell John to do with the little book? (10:9)

“Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey” (10:9).

What happens to John after he takes the little book out of the angel’s hand? (10:10)

(cf. Psa. 119:103; Jer. 15:16; Ezek. 3:1-3; Heb 6:5)

“I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter” (10:10).

Ø  Psa. 119:103  How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Ø  Jer. 15:16    Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.

Ø  Ezek. 3:1   Then He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.”  2 So I opened my mouth, and He fed me this scroll.  3 He said to me, “Son of man, feed your stomach and fill your body with this scroll which I am giving you.” Then I ate it, and it was sweet as honey in my mouth.

Ø  Heb. 6:5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,

Concerning what must John prophesy again? (10:11)

“You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings” (10:11).

What impresses you about Rev 10:8-11?

The little book seems to represent the Word of God, which is as sweet as honey in the mouths of those who receive them, yet the judgment contained in the book makes the prophet’s stomach bitter.

What do you learn about God from Rev 10:8-11?

God’s Word comes from heaven, placed in the mouths of God’s prophets, and His Word results in sweet delight to believers and bitter judgment to scoffers.

How could this truth transform your life?

Delight in God’s Word, will, and ways, fully yielding to the Spirit in humble submission.

Father,

Your Word is good and endures forever. In Your Word, You reveal both blessing and judgment. Blessing is received through reading, hearing, and heeding Your Word. Judgment is for those who scoff, made bitter through unbelief, cursed with eternal condemnation for rejection of the Word of God, Your Son, the way, the truth, the life.

All Scripture was breathed by You and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. May You raise up faithful stewards who will wield Your Word, the sword of the Spirit, with alacrity, accuracy, authority, tenacity, and integrity.

Your Word is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. May Your people who taste Your Word today know that it is good. Your Word is the Sword of the Spirit. May You raise up servants to pray at all times in the Spirit, on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.

Jesus is the Living Word of God, the embodiment of truth and life, the light of men. Jesus is the way and the truth, and the life; no one comes to You but through Jesus. Jesus is the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Jesus will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Jesus will never die. May sinners respond to Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, Who died on the cross for the forgiveness of sin and Whom You raised from the dead on the third day, with conviction and commitment. May all who respond to Your Word with belief in Your Son be sanctified by faith in Him.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.