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Here is a great church to attend in Trumbull County, Ohio
FAITH Baptist Church
1401 Shaw Avenue, Niles, Ohio 44446
(330) 652-8151
10:00 a.m. Sunday School
11:00 a.m. Morning Worship
6:30 p.m. Evening Worship
6:30 p.m. Wednesday Services
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CHAPTER 11
VERSE 1: (Chapter 11)
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RISE and MEASURE
"And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein."
A "reed" is a measuring tool that measures about ten feet. That is why this verse says it is "like unto a rod". It is very long. The Lord tells John to "Rise". The Lord tells us to "Rise" too. He tells us to get moving and work for Him. In John 9:4 Jesus says: "...the night cometh, when no man can work". There will come a time when we will not be able to 'work' for the Lord. It may be the dark days of the Tribulation or it may be just our own health. So be wise and live each day in service to the Lord.
The Lord had lots of work for John yet, even as a 'senior citizen'. Not only was John given the large job of measuring the whole temple of God, he was to measure the altar, too. And then John was to measure all "them that worship therein". He did not 'measure' each person. He counted them all. That still was a lot of work to do.
The temple that John is told to measure is the literal temple, and so is the altar. The people inside the temple are literal Jews. Israel has always been God's chosen people. In the chart below, notice the last square. The Romans tried to destroy God's temple and removed His sacred items. God is going to restore His literal temple again. We will be studying that further on in Revelation.
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Even though this event of John measuring the temple of God will be during the Tribulation Period, it does have a spiritual application to us today. As the verse says, it is "the temple of God." It belongs to God. The altar represents the Sacrifice that Jesus made for our sins. Only the people who will come to the altar of Christ can dwell in the temple. When we accept the atoning blood of Jesus, we will belong to God. 1 Corinthians 3:16 tells us: "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?"
Rose Book of Bible Charts, Maps & Time Lines​
Rose Book of Bible Charts, Maps & Time Lines is a very helpful tool. It tells what archaeologists have found today. It tells of the sundial that was calibrated to tell time and seasons. Their charts also tell about when the Roman army invasion of Jerusalem and the sacred temple items taken.
VERSE 2: (Chapter 11)
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MEASURE NOT the Court
"But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months."
The Lord now instructs John not to measure the court. The court is the large area that surrounds the temple. God has a specific plan for this area. God has allowed all the unsaved to approach here. King Solomon built the first temple of God's around 1014 BC and finished it up around 1003 BC.( Ussher). Gentiles were never allowed into the inner areas of the temple, even during Jesus' time here on earth. This shows that there is a separation between God's people and the unsaved.
The Lord says: "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." ( 2 Corinthians 6:14-18).
During the Tribulation Period, Satan and his demons will have their influence on millions of people. These gentiles will come up against Jerusalem and besiege it for 42 months, which is 3 1/2 years. This is half of the Tribulation Period.
VERSE 3: (Chapter 11)
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GOD's Two WITNESSES
"And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
Now the Lord is revealing to us that during the first half of the Tribulation Period, He is going to give power to two of His special witnesses. These two witnesses will witness for the first half of the Tribulation Period. That is the "thousand and two hundred and threescore days". This equals 3 1/2 years. Remember, the Tribulation Period lasts 7 years. 3 1/2 is half of 7 years.
These two witnesses of God's are going to have mighty power to preach the gospel to everyone on the earth. The Lord Jesus Himself spoke of the first half of the Tribulation in Mark 13:8-13: "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginning of sorrows. But take heed to yourselves; for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. And the gospel must first be published among all nations. God is giving one last, powerful offer to allow people to get saved. Most will not, but those who refuse will never be able to say that they weren't told! For three and a half years, the gospel will go forth with power to all the earth.
God's two witnesses here are going to be clothed in "sackcloth". Sackcloth is a coarse, dark fabric made mostly of goats' hair. It is worn as a sign of extreme grief and repentance (Genesis 37:34; Jeremiah 4:8; Matthew 11:21; Luke 10:13). These two witnesses will be proclaiming that people need to be extremely sorry for their sins and repent of them. Repent means to turn away from sin. These two witnesses are going to be extremely powerful, but mankind will keep hardening their hearts.
Who are these two witnesses? There are three main theories on who these witnesses are. One theory if that they are Moses and Elijah. Some people think this because the power these witnesses have duplicate what Moses had in Egypt when Pharoah refused to let God's people leave. Also because it was Moses and Elijah that appeared with Jesus during the transfiguration (Matthew 17:3-4).
A second theory is that the witnesses are Elijah and Enoch. Others believe this theory because neither Elijah and Enoch died physically. They were both taken up physically into heaven (Genesis 5:23 & 2 Kings 2:11). Another aspect is that both Elijah and Enoch were prophets that pronounced judgment on sin (1 Kings 17:1 & Jude 1:14-15).
A third theory is that these witnesses are just ordinary people who God chooses to be the witnesses. So, who exactly are these two witnesses? The next verse gives us more of a description about these two witnesses.
MOSES
ELIJAH
ENOCH
VERSE 4: (Chapter 11)
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GOD's Two WITNESSES
God had told us about "the two olive trees" back in the Old Testament. Zechariah ask the LORD this question of the vision he saw: "...What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?" (Zechariah 4:11) God answers this question in verse 14 of Zechariah 4: "...These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the LORD of the whole earth."
We know that one of these chosen men will be Elijah. This is found in Malachi 4:5: "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:" There is a saying that states "everyone likes a good mystery". This is one of God's mysteries. He will reveal it to us when He decides it is time to send the two "annointed ones" to earth. The earth will probably not recognize either of the two witnesses. They definitely will not welcome them. The next few verses tell us about the power these two witnesses have and what the world will do to them.
VERSE 5: (Chapter 11)
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DON'T HURT the WITNESSES
"And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed."
God will be giving these two anointed ones the power to breathe fire out of their mouths. This is not talking about the Word of God coming out of their mouths and devouring God's enemies. This verse means there will be literal fire coming out of the two witnesses' mouths. The proof is in the second half of this verse: "...and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed." In what manner? In the manner of the fire coming out of the two witnesses' mouths. This will be literal fire and literal death.
God is warning people ahead of time, 'Do NOT hurt these two witnesses!'. God is sounding out His warning here. God says in this verse: "...if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed". It is not the choice of the two witnesses to decide to kill someone or spare someone. It is a command from God. These two witnesses MUST obey God, so they MUST kill anyone who tries to hurt them.
Some people may say they didn't know that God told them not to hurt these two witnesses. But God put it right there in writing for everyone. Others may say that they didn't read it. That doesn't matter either. Leviticus 5:17 says: "And if a soul (person) sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD; though he wist (know) it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity." God does not allow the excuse of ignorance. He gave us His Bible. He gives us preachers. He gives a 'light' in our hearts that want to seek God (John 1:9). It's people's own sin that they themselves don't pick up the KJV Bible and read it. It was written on an 8th grade education level!
VERSE 6: (Chapter 11)
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The WITNESSES' POWER
"These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will."
God had given His prophets these powers before. In 1 Kings 17:1, Elijah prayed and God held back the rain for three and a half years (also see James 5:17). When there is no rain, it causes great famine. Crops won't grow. Animals lack water. Humans lack water.
God had also given His prophets in the past the "power over waters to turn them to blood". In Exodus 7:17, God said: "...In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood."
God will give these two witnesses power over all plagues. Here is just a partial list of different plagues mentioned in the Bible:
THE PLAGUE OF:
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Blood (Exodus 7:14-25) The waters of Egypt were turned into blood. Fish died, rivers stank. Lasted for seven days.
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Frogs (Exodus 8:1-15) A countless number of frogs came out of rivers and open waters. They covered the land and overran homes and businesses.
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Lice (Exodus 8:16-19) All the dust (dirt) of the land of Egypt became lice. Lice were all over man and animals.
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Flies (Exodus 8:20-32) Swarms of flies filled the air, filled houses and were all over the ground...bothering both man and animals.
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Murrain (Exodus 9:1-7) Murrain is an infectious disease that affects domestic animals. The cattle, sheep, camels, horses, and other animals used for human needs were plagued with murrain. Murrain invades the red blood cells and can be carried by ticks.
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Boils (Exodus 9:8-12) A boil is a very painful, pus-filled lump under the skin. It is caused by a bacteria infection. A cluster of boils is called a carbuncle. Cluster of boils connect to each other causing even more infection and pain.
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Locust (Exodus 10:3-20) These locusts were not like the ones that will appear during the Tribulation Period. These locusts were mild in comparison to the locusts to come. The locusts during Moses' time ate all the fruit, vegetables, and all the green foliage. The locusts that are to come will be attacking people instead of the vegetation.
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Darkness (Exodus 10) There was thick darkness over all of the land of Egypt during the time of Moses. This darkness was so dark that the Egyptians could not go out of their homes. They could not even see a few feet in front of them. It was too dangerous to walk anywhere. They could not even take care of their animals. During the Tribulation Time, Revelation 6:12 tells about the sun becoming black as sackcloth. That's pretty dark.
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Death of the first-born (Exodus 11:4-12) Because Pharoah refused to obey God, God killed the oldest child of every Egyptian. The Lord had been long suffering with Pharoah. Pharoah went through all these plagues and still refused to listen to God. God sent plenty of warnings. The first-born would not have died if Pharoah would have surrendered to the Lord. This is how people will be like during the Tribulation Period. In fact, people are like this today. What will it take for you to surrender your heart to God?
VERSE 7: (Chapter 11)
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The BEAST ATTACKS
"And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them."
These two witnesses of God's will only have a certain amount of time on this earth. We ourselves only have a certain amount of time on this earth also. These two witnesses have three and a half years to proclaim the Word of God to give people another chance to turn to God. We, as Christians, have a limited amount of time to serve the Lord and tell others about Him. These two witnesses will have finished their testimonies in just three and a half years. The Lord has given most of us more time than that. Are we working on our testimony? Are we witnessing for our Lord? Are we running the race? "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain" (1 Corinthians 9:24).
Next, we read: "...the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit". At the end of the three and a half years, when these two witnesses have finished warning people, Satan will come up against them. The devil hates it when we tell others about the Lord and what the Bible says. Satan will attack any Christian who will live for the Lord, especially those who are faithful enough to share Christ's salvation with others. 1 Peter 5:8 reminds us to "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour".
Next we see that the Beast is going to make war against these two witnesses. Not only is he going to make war with them, but he is also going to get the victory over them. It is going to be a fierce battle. The Beast will "overcome them". The devil will think he has the upper hand. In front of everybody, the Beast will physically kill these two witnesses of God's.
These witnesses are going to be hated by almost everyone. Remember, these witnesses have caused everyone who tries to hurt them to die (verse 5). These witnesses have also brought numerous plagues, like the ones mentioned above, upon the whole earth. You can say everyone will logically hate these two witnesses. These two witnesses caused the people much pain and suffering. The world wants these witnesses dead. The world does not want to hear about sin and judgment. The world just wants to 'love everybody'. They think everyone just needs to get along and be happy. They do not want these two witnesses telling them that they need to repent and turn to God. The world does not want to hear the Word of God even today.
The Beast is going to kill these two witnesses. Wait till you see what happens to their bodies in the next few verses! The battle is not over.
VERSE 8: (Chapter 11)
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Two DEAD BODIES
"And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified."
So the Beast, in this verse, has now physically killed these two witnesses. God did not allow Satan to kill these two prophets until after they have finished their testimony. The Beast is going to physically kill these two witnesses in Jerusalem. The Lord was crucified in Jerusalem, in a part called Golgotha which is just outside of Jerusalem's walls (John 19:17). These two witnesses will be killed in the streets of "the great city", Jerusalem, "where also our Lord was crucified".
After the Beast has these two witnesses killed, he is going to purposely let their bodies lay in the populated streets of Jerusalem for everyone to see. Look at the next verse...
VERSE 9: (Chapter 11)
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EVERYONE SEES The Bodies
"And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves"
Here the Lord reveals to us who all is going to see the dead bodies of these two witnesses. The Lord tells us that not only do people in Jerusalem see the dead bodies, but the whole world will see them. "...people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies". In other words, many different nationalities of people. People of many different languages and from many different nations shall see the dead bodies of these two witnesses of God's. How can this be? Centuries ago, this question may have perplexed people, but today we know this is very easy. We have the internet, we have television, and we have iphones! We have instant access to all news at any time we desire. There are also alerts that can be sent out about national headlines. The death of these two witnesses for God will definitely go forth on national headline news. Everyone will be seeing the bodies of these two witnesses on their social media, laying dead in the streets of Jerusalem.
People everywhere will be able to see the dead bodies of these two witnesses laying in the streets of Jerusalem. The bodies are going to lay in the streets for "three days and an half". People all over the world will be able to watch the news and social media, and see the bodies lying dead. There will be no doubt that these bodies are dead bodies. God is allowing their bodies to lay in the streets to prove to the world that the bodies are indeed dead. The bodies of these two witnesses will draw world wide attention.
For three and a half days, no one will put, or be allowed to put, the bodies of these two witnesses in a grave. God controls all events, even these bodies lying in the streets. Guess what all the people of the world are going to do? Read on and see ...
VERSE 10: (Chapter 11)
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REJOICING by the Unsaved
"And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
It's a worldwide celebration! The whole earth is rejoicing. People are having parties and "making merry". Everyone is celebrating! It's better than Christmas time! People and nations are giving gifts to each other. Everyone is happy! This will be a three and a half day long continual party!
The whole world will be rejoicing together because God's two witnesses are dead. The people will think that they cannot be tormented any more. They will feel that they have obtained 'peace'. This goes on for only three and a half days. At the end of three and a half days, this happens ....
VERSE 11: (Chapter 11)
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GREAT FEAR
"And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them."
So it was all over the news. Everyone will be talking about the death of God's two witnesses. People will be rejoicing because these two Christians will not be able to annoy them anymore. People get annoyed today when someone tries to witness to them about the Lord. Most people don't want to hear that Christ came to die for their sins so they would not have to spend their forever home in Hell. Those who witness to others do it out of love and care for the unsaved. These two witnesses will come to tell the world about God and His coming judgments. The world does not want to listen. So, the world will kill these two witnesses, just like they have killed other witnesses before them. However, there will be worldwide rejoicing, and the bodies will lay in the outer courts for all to see. Then this will happen ...
After the three and a half days, "the spirit of life from God" will enter into these two witnesses. They will open their eyes. They will get up to their feet. They will stand there for a moment as they look upon all the people. The news media will be covering this event. Others will be on their social media panicking over these two witnesses coming back to real life. "Great fear" will come upon people. They will be terrified. Hopefully, some of the people will realize that what these two witnesses will have said are true. Hebrews 10:31 tells us that: "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God".
Please note here: In this verse we see the "the spirit of life" comes from God. God puts "the spirit of life" into every human being. God puts "the spirit of life" into everyone when we are conceived. Every little baby in the womb has the "the spirit of life". And if that baby is killed, in the womb or out of the womb, it will go up to Heaven because it has "the spirit of life". We will see our babies in Heaven someday.
VERSE 12: (Chapter 11)
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The GREAT VOICE
"And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them."
These two witnesses will be standing in the midst of many people. The people will know for certain that these witnesses were definitely dead. These two witnesses will look around upon all the people, then they will lift their eyes to the sky as they will hear the "great voice" from God calling them. A great voice from Heaven was heard when John baptized Jesus. Mark 1:11 states: "And there came a voice from heaven, saying". The voice mentioned in Mark 1:11 is not described as a "great voice". God's voice in Mark 1:11 was one of praise. The voice that will sound during the Tribulation Time will be one of anger. Anger because the people will kill God's two witnesses and will refuse to listen to His Word.
This "great voice" will call out to His witnesses. God will say to them, "Come up hither". God will have given the people another chance and the people will refuse again. So, God will leave the world without these two witnesses. He will call His witnesses home to Heaven. And just like Jesus ascended into Heaven, Acts 1:9: "...and a cloud received Him out of their sight", these two witnesses will ascend up into "heaven in a cloud".
"And their enemies beheld them" ... God calls these people "their enemies". James 4:4 says: "...whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." People living during the Tribulation Period will witness these two prophets rising up into the air and disappearing into the clouds. Great fear will be upon these people. They will know the power of the two witnesses. They will testify to the death of the two witnesses. They will see with their own eyes the prophets rising up into the air. And they will know in their hearts that more of God's judgment will be coming because of what they had just did to God's two witnesses.
VERSE 13: (Chapter 11)
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Here Comes the Judgment
The SECOND WOE
"And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven."
People during this time will hear the two witnesses preaching the gospel. The people will see the dead bodies of the witnesses laying in their streets. The people will see the two witnesses literally rising into the clouds. Then, as everyone is talking about this latest event, a "great earthquake" will shake their entire city. This earthquake will be so devastating that it will cause one tenth of the city to collapse. Picture one tenth of your city falling into shambles as the ground shakes profusely! This earthquake is going to be so awful that "seven thousand" people will die in it.
The people will be in denial of the authority that these two witnesses will be God's spokesmen. They will not want to submit to God's Word. In Numbers 16 is the account of people, in B.C. 1471, who did not want to submit to God's authority. Numbers 16:30-33 is what Moses said to the people during his time: "But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD. And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave assunder that was under them: And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation." This earthquake caused great fear upon these people. The earthquake that will take place during the Tribulation Time will cause those who mock God's two witnesses to perish in this earthquake. There will be "seven thousand" of them killed. The people that survive this earthquake will give "glory to the God of heaven". We need to fall on our faces today and ask God to forgive us!
VERSE 14: (Chapter 11)
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The SECOND WOE is Past
The THIRD WOE will Come
"The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly."
There will be three Woes during the Tribulation Period. The First Woe will be those horrible looking locust that hurt people which we studied in Chapter 9. The Second Woe will be the awful earthquake that will destroy one tenth of the city because people will refuse to listen to God's Word that will be preached by His two witnesses that will leave in a cloud.
The Second Woe marks the end of the first three and a half years of the Tribulation Period. The first half of the Tribulation Period will end at this point, and the second half of the Tribulation Period will begin. Satan will come on the scene soon. God will use the first three and a half years of the Tribulation Period to give people one last chance to come to Him before Satan is loosed.
Before the Third Woe unfolds, there will be another intermission. We had stopped at the Sixth Angel with the Sixth Trumpet in Chapter 9. Then there is an intermission in Chapter 10 with the "Little Book". This intermission takes our eyes off of the earth for a moment to show us what is going on in Heaven. After this intermission, the two witnesses appear and the Second Woe will occur. After the Second Woe, the Seventh Trumpet will sound, and reveals another intermission. This intermission is also of the Heavenly scene. As the Seventh Angel sounds his trumpet, the Heavenly scene unfolds again...
VERSE 15: (Chapter 11)
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The SEVENTH TRUMPET Sounds
"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever."
The seventh angel will sound his trumpet. Then there will be "great voices" heard throughout all of Heaven. All the herald angels will be declaring "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever".
When man sinned in the Garden of Eden, it opened the door for Satan to try to rule the earth. Not only is Satan called the "the prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2), but he is also called "the god of this world" (2 Corinthians 4:4). When Satan tried to tempt Jesus in the wilderness, Satan "saith unto Him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me" (Matthew 4:9). Satan has the power to 'bless' people with earthly possessions.
When this Seventh Trumpet sounds, there will be a great victory felt in Heaven as the kingdoms of the world will be ripped out of Satan's hands and given back to God. The part of this verse that says "our Lord, and His Christ", verifies John 3:16 that God the Father sacrificed His Son to reclaim the world: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son". Jesus is the Christ, the Sacrifice given by God the Father, to reclaim the world. And "He shall reign for ever and ever" both in Heaven and on the earth. That is what all Heaven will be shouting about when the Seventh Trumpet sounds!
VERSE 16: (Chapter 11)
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The Four and Twenty ELDERS
"And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God."
We learned about these twenty-four elders back in Revelation 4:4. These twenty-four rulers with crowns upon their heads will fall down on their faces and worship God.
There are seven accounts where these twenty-four elders fall down before God recorded in the book of Revelation. They are found in Revelation 4:4; 4:10; 5:8; 5:14; 7:11; 11:16; 19:4. From the very beginning of time, the number seven has indicated perfection.
VERSE 17: (Chapter 11)
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The Four and Twenty ELDERS Speak
"Saying, We give Thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to Thee Thy great power, and hast reigned."
This is what the twenty-four elders are saying to God. They are giving Him thanks, which we should all do too. They are acknowledging that He is "Lord God Almighty". They also acknowledge that God is alive and powerful today, "which art", meaning present time. They acknowledge that He has always existed, "and wast", meaning in the past from before time ever was. And they acknowledge and verify that He will come back to the earth to reclaim it, "and art to come".
Then the twenty-four elders state that He is going to come to the earth to reclaim His power over it, "taken to Thee Thy great power". The elders also declare that God has always "reigned".
The world does not want Christ to reign. They do not want Him to reign in their hearts. They do not want Him to reign on the earth. People are going to get angrier at God as He comes to reclaim His earth. Nations are angry at God.
VERSE 18: (Chapter 11)
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The ELDERS continue speaking
NATIONS are ANGRY
GOD is going to JUDGE
"And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth."
We see here that "the nations were angry" with God. They will be upset because God will send His two witnesses to speak about judgment and salvation. The people will hold a grudge against God because they will think it is His fault for all the famines, earthquakes, and the pain-causing locusts. They will be blaming God for everything. They will be very angry at Him. They will not realize that it is their own sin that is causing God to bring this judgment upon themselves.
God's "wrath is come". Hebrews 10:31 reminds us that "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Hebrews 10:30 also states that God says: "...Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord". 2 Thessalonians 1:6 God states: "Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you". The Tribulation Period will be a time of God's wrath upon sin.
Our verse here continues to inform us that this "is the time of the dead". This is not talking about the physically dead. It is talking about people who are spiritually dead. People who have refused to accept Christ as their own Saviour. Anyone can be saved IF they would believe that Jesus died for their sins, repent of their sins, and ACCEPT Him into their heart. Christians were 'dead spiritually' before they asked Christ to come into their hearts. Ephesians 2:1-5 reveals this: "And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins: Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us. Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)". A great definition of 'spiritual death' is found in the Old Scoffield Bible on page 1251. It describes "Spiritual death is the state of ..... man still in his sins; Prolonged beyond the death of the body, spiritual death is a state of eternal separation from God in conscious suffering". (Note: Revelation 2:11; 20:6,14; 21:8).
Next in this verse, we are told "that they should be judged". Unsaved people will have to appear before God at the 'Great White Throne Judgment'. We will be studying this in Revelation 20.
Next we read "...Thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great"... There is also a throne that all Christians must be judged at. It is not the Great White Throne, which we will study more in Chapter 20 of Revelation. Christians will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ. This is told to us in 2 Corinthians 5:10: "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." This is where many unsaved people think that God weighs their good works and if their good outweighs their bad works then God will let them into Heaven. This is NOT true. People get into Heaven by the blood of Christ. Christians will be rewarded for doing good, not in order to get saved. It doesn't matter how many good works a person may have, if that person has not accepted the blood of Jesus to cover their sins, then that person will have to spend eternity in Hell. Unsaved people will not receive a reward from God for doing 'good'.
There are two distinct judgment thrones in Heaven. One is the Great White Throne where the unsaved will be judged (Revelation 20). And there is a throne called the Judgment Seat of Christ where saved people will be judged. Every Christian will stand before Jesus when He is sitting on His Judgment Seat. Christians will stand before Him and give an account of their life to Him. We are encouraged and warned about this in 2 Corinthians 5:10: "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." Christians will be held accountable for what they do for the Lord while here on earth. 1 Corinthians 3:13-15 verifies this: "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved;" When you read the entire chapter of 1 Corinthians 3, you can see very clearly that this is speaking about Christians, not the unsaved. We should be living everyday for our Saviour. It will be a shameful time when we give account to our Saviour, Who died for us, and we have nothing to show on how we lived for Him.
Lastly in this verse, we read "and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth". This is still the twenty-four elders speaking. They are talking to God. They are saying that they are thankful (verse 17) that God is going to "destroy them which destroy the earth". God created this beautiful, perfect earth (Genesis 1:1) for us. Mankind allowed sin to come into our world. Today, we still allow sin in our world. Humans have continually abused God's creation. We have not taken the best care of what He has entrusted to us. But even more important is the fact that we have allowed sin to have dominion over us and our world. We have not put sin out of our own lives, like the sin of lying, adultery, abortion, sodomy, etc., etc., etc., and we have not endeavored to remove these sins out of our world through proper laws. Now these sins have dominion over our earth. God will "destroy them which destroy the earth".
VERSE 19: (Chapter 11)
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The TEMPLE of GOD is OPENED
"And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in His temple the ark of His testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail."
A temple is a sacred place. A temple is a place for respect and honor. This temple is God's temple. It is the highest of sacred places. It holds the highest place of respect and honor.
In America, we have the Supreme Court of the United States. The Supreme Court has the ultimate responsibility over all other U.S. courts. It is the highest tribunal of our nation. The Supreme Court of the United States has the final declaration of law. These words are written above the main entrance of the Supreme Court Building ... "EQUAL JUSTICE UNDER LAW"
EQUAL JUSTICE UNDER LAW
Most of us have been in a smaller court room, whether as a witness or to pay a traffic ticket. A few people have been to higher circuit courts, and even fewer people have been all the way to the Supreme Court. It is nerve wracking enough to go to the lower courts, but it is even more nerve wracking to have to be present in the Supreme Court.
When walking into the Supreme Court, it may feel very overwhelming with its grandeur pillars and marble steps. The courtroom itself seems majestic with its own air of honor and respect. Fear may be felt as the Chief Justice may look at you. Having all these emotions inside of you, let's imagine one step more. Let's imagine the chief justice is very angry and full of rage. No one wants to even be in his courtroom. Not only is the judge upset, but he is totally out of patience. He has warned and warned the people to change. The judge knows these people continually refuse to change. This is the end. No more leniency. No more mercy. No more time.
This is how it will feel when "the temple of God was opened in heaven". God knows He has warned and warned the people to change. God knows these people will refuse to be sorry for their sins and accept His Sacrifice. God will have no more leniency on them.
When God opens His temple, "and there was seen in His temple the ark of His testament". The "ark of His testament" is the cross Christ hung on. Hebrews 9:15 tells us: "And for this cause He is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions..." When the temple of God opens in Heaven, everyone will see that it is Jesus and His Sacrifice on the cross that saves us. Jesus says in Matthew 26:28: "For this is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." God's temple will illustrate John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Most people will refuse this Gift from God.
Psalm 7:11 says: "God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked everyday." When "the temple of God" opens and people see the "testament" of Christ, they will be very afraid. They will be afraid because they will know He is angry with them. People will know that He has warned them over and over. And people will realize that they had refused to accept Christ as their Saviour.
How do we know God is angry with the unsaved? He tells us in this verse ... "and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail." It will be a very frightful time for the unsaved. If you think a chief justice would be scary if he yelled or threw his gavel, it will not compare to the "lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail." These are all signs of God's anger. Romans 1:18 warns us: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men..." God, in His Holy fury, will rain down greater lightnings than anyone has ever witnessed. His thunderings will be ear shattering. His earthquake will move the entire world and the hail will be very "great" in size. If you are reading this, and have not yet asked Christ to come into your heart and be your Saviour, you should definitely do that now. You do not want to go through this and you are not guaranteed tomorrow. "Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." (Proverbs 27:1).
