REVELATION SIMPLIFIED

 

CHAPTER 11.2

Gleanings from the Book of Revelation:

A Weekly Verse-by-Verse Bible Study Series

 

The

REVELATION TO JOHN

(The Apocalypse)

                                                                           

Chapter Eleven:

The Great Tribulation

(Parenthesis)

 

 

The Seven Temples

Continuing the study of Seven Temples in Scripture, discussed thus far:

1. The Tabernacle

The moveable tent where God dwelt amongst Israel after Sinai

2. Solomon's Temple

The first Temple building King Solomon constructed

3. Zerubbabel's Temple

The rebuilt Temple after seventy years of captivity

4. Herod's Temple

Herod the Great's magnificent expansion of Zerubbabel's Temple

5. Jesus the Temple (The Chief Cornerstone)

1. The physical Body of a Believer as a Temple

2. The community of believers (the Church) as a Temple

3. The cooperate body of believing churches – a Temple 

Simply, these will be the total of all true churches throughout the world whose belief is in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Descriptive of their character is the Seven Churches of Chapters 2 and 3.

 

The corporate association of churches will also include the Messianic body of Jewish believers, Jesus Christ being the Chief Cornerstone:

Ephesians 2:19-21 – Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the Chief Corner Stone; In Whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord.

 

Arriving at Chapter 11 and Verse 1, John is instructed to measure a Temple called:

6. The Tribulation Temple

A peace treaty is signed with Israel and the surrounding neighbors. Antichrist at this point will permit the construction of the Tribulation Temple in the first half of Tribulation. In an attempt to keep the Mosaic Covenant, the Jewish People who adhere to Judaism have long desired and asserted this Temple be built to reinstitute their traditional practices essential to Jewish worship.

 

Many believe it will co-exist on Mount Moriah alongside Islam's shrine, the Dome of the Rock. Advertently God is preserving His remnant. But the reawakening of Messiah's expectation will only provoke Antichrist's hatred and wrath.

 

7. The Millennial Temple

Ezekiel Chapters 40-48 speak of a future Temple. Although vague, the Millennial Temple and the eternal state are both in view of having slight modifications. Its specifications are detailed in Ezekiel Chapters 40:1 through 43:27.

 

However, when the Kingdom Age officially begins, Jesus will thus occupy two offices, that of Priest and King. Israel shall behold a sanctuary and priesthood in the Kingdom Age. And the city of Jerusalem will be the capital of the world.  Significantly, Jesus will make a grandiose entrance through the Eastern Gate, and the glory of Jehovah fills this Temple (cf. Ezekiel 43:5).

Ezekiel 43:4-5 – And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east. So the spirit took me (Ezekiel) up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house.

 

Temple Summary

After the Great White Throne Judgment, the world will have come full circle. There will be a new heaven and new earth as revealed in Revelation Chapters 21 through 22. Hence, no Temple exists in the eternal state. Conversely, God will once again dwell with mankind similar to the Eden experience.

Revelation 21:22 - And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it.

 

 

(Verse 1)

 

And there was given me (John) a reed like unto a rod: and the (mighty) angel stood, saying, Rise (stand up), and measure the Temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.

 

Review

Measure the Temple of God and the altar, and them that worship therein.

In keeping His promise to Israel, God will always seal and preserve a remnant unto Himself (cf. 1 Kings 19:18: Romans 9:27). John is instructed to measure out the Temple's parameters by doing three things with a measuring reed:

1. Measure the Holy Place (naos) in the Tribulation Temple

As a participant in his vision, the Apostle sets apart the inner sanctuary of the Holy of Holies. This will be necessary for the redeemed of Israel to continue the old sacrificial system practice and honor the Jewish feasts.

 

2. Measure the altar in the Tribulation Temple.

The altar, of course, will be the brazen altar of the inner courtyard where sacrifices will be reinstituted.

 

3. Measure those worshipping in the Tribulation Temple

God will distinguish between converted Jews who are faithful during Tribulation to those who are unredeemed and just keeping their traditions alive. Understand, this practice only takes place during the first 3 ½ years of Tribulation; up until the Antichrist (the Abomination of Desolation) sacrifices a sow and causes its desecration.

 

 

(Verse 2)

 

But the court which is without (outside) 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 court John is told not to measure is called the Court of the Gentiles situated outside the surrounding area of the inner courtyard. In New Testament Times Gentiles were forbidden to enter beyond its walls. So, the Temple proper was exclusively reserved for God's chosen people.

 

Temple Courts

Herod's Temple consisted of a complex system of walls, levels, gates, steps, chambers, and several courts all converging upon the Holy of Holies. The index below encapsulates its structure: 

1.  The Court of the Gentiles – The lowest outermost area for non-Israelites, sometimes called the Great Outer Court

a.  The Soreg (the balustrade) – A partition wall to prevent Gentile access into Israel's worship complex (cf. Numbers 1:51; Ephesians 2:14)

2.  The Court of the Women – Exclusive to women's worship

3.  The Israel Court – For Israelite men under the colonnade

4.  The Court of the Priests – For Priestly duties

a.  The Altar of Burnt Offering- For sacrifices

b.  The Laver – For cleansing

c.  The (golden) Altar of Incense – Inside the Holy Place where incense burned night and day symbolizing prayers

d.  The Veil – The Great Curtain of Separation

e.  The Holy of Holies – The highest level is the Inner Sanctuary containing the Ark of the Covenant (a chest where the tablets of stone were contained) – Above was God's presence

 

For it (the court) is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months

The Holy City

Several passages in Scripture substantiate the holy city is Jerusalem. For example:

Nehemiah 11:18 – All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred fourscore and four (284).

 

Isaiah 52:1 – Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.

 

Matthew 27:53 - And came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

 

Other names of the holy city include:

1.  Jerusalem, the City of Peace

2.  Zion (cf. Psalm 2:6)

3.  The Holy Hill (cf. Psalm 2:6)

4.  The City of David (cf. 2 Samuel 5:7)

5.  The City of our God (cf. Psalm 48:1)

6.  The City of the Lord (cf. Isaiah 60:14)

7.  The City of the Living God (cf. Hebrews 12:22)

 

Shall they tread under foot [for] forty and two months

For 1260 days Gentiles will tread down the inhabitants of Jerusalem as mire in the streets.

Isaiah 10:6 - I (Jehovah) will send him [in context, the king of Assyria (including his army)] against an hypocritical nation (a profane nation of Israel), and against the people of My wrath will I give him a charge (command), to take the spoil (booty), and to take the prey (plunder), and to tread them down (trample) like the mire (earth, clay) of the streets.

 

From the time Antichrist desecrates the Temple at mid-tribulation, the holy city of Jerusalem will be overrun and destroyed by Gentile nations:

Luke 21:24 - And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

 

Forty and two months

Prophetic Overview

 (cf. Daniel 7:25; 12:7)

After seventy years of Babylonian captivity, from the time King of Persia Artaxerxes I (Longimanus) issued the decree to rebuild the Temple in 445 B.C., a 490-year (70 weeks of years – Daniel's seventy weeks) countdown began. When the Jews rejected their Messiah, the interim of the unexpected Church Age (inclusive are the seven Church periods) interrupted the prophecy. Hence, seven years (the Tribulation) are yet to be fulfilled. 

 

The commencement of building the Tribulation Temple launches the Tribulation. This period will complete the remaining week (a heptad; 2520 days) of Daniel's prophecy. One-half of that is 1260 days (42 months), exactly when the Antichrist (the Abomination of Desolation) enters the Tribulation Temple and proclaims to be a god. So, the Tribulation is split in half. And the last forty-two months is the time frame for the length of terror called the Great Tribulation.

 

Old Testament Prophecy

Daniel's prophecy addresses the Temple and Antichrist in specific terms:

Daniel 9:27 - And he (Antichrist) shall confirm the covenant (a peace treaty) with many for one week (70^th Week of Daniel): and in the midst (middle) of the week (3 ½ years; 42 months) he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation (offering) [in the Temple] to cease (stop or end)…

 

In the middle of Tribulation, similar to history's Antichocus (Epiphanes) IV*, Antichrist will enter this rebuilt Temple and proclaim himself as a god. *[December 15, 167 B.C.].

Daniel 11:37 - Neither shall he (Antichrist) regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.

 

New Testament Prophecy

Jesus attests to this Temple:

Matthew 24:15–16 - When ye therefore shall see the Abomination of Desolation (Antichrist), spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place (the Tribulation Temple), (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains.

 

Paul's letter to the Thessalonians also substantiates Daniel's foresight:

2 Thessalonians 2:4 – [Antichrist] Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he (Antichrist) as God sitteth in the [Tribulation] Temple of God, shewing himself that he is God [emphasis mine].

 

So in the middle of the final week of Daniel, Antichrist will initiate the GREAT TRIBULATION from the Tribulation Temple that John is told to measure out in Verse 1.

 

Two witnesses or messengers who have the task of prophesying and preaching repentance before the final trumpet is sounded are introduced in the following study. 

 

 

QUESTIONS:

1.   What is the purpose of the Tribulation Temple?

2.   How long does the Tribulation Period last?

3.   Why is John told not to measure the Court of the Gentiles?

4.   Why were Gentiles not allowed to worship in the Temple?

5.   Identify the holy city.

6.   Describe the floor plan of the Temple.

7.   What causes the Great Tribulation Period?

 

 

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