You may turn to Revelation chapter 11 as you're still standing. You can tell who are visiting, can't you? Perhaps. Revelation chapter 11, we will have at least two sermons going through the first 14 verses of chapter 11. As we're in the interlude of the trumpets, the first part of that interlude is in chapter 10 and now it spills over to chapter 11. I want us to read verses one through 14 We'll focus on verses 1 through 3 this morning. Please hear the word of God as I read Revelation 11 verses 1 through 14. Then 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. but leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it for it has been given to the Gentiles or the nations and they will tread the holy city underfoot for 42 months. And I will give power to my two witnesses and they will prophesy 1,260 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 as often as they desire. And when they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them, and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom in Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three and a half days and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. Now after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, come up here. And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. In the same hour, there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell, and the earthquake 7,000 people were killed and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe is past, behold the third woe is coming quickly, which leads us to the seventh trumpet as well. This is the word of God and may God by his spirit teach us and convict us according to his will this morning. You may be seated. Well, I just read the first 14 verses of Chapter 11, and it all made sense to you and you have no questions whatsoever. But before we look at those verses and only the first three, I think it's wise, especially since we've been away from Revelation for at least three Sundays unavoidably. It's good to see how we got here, and we've been looking at the book of Revelation and this trumpet series is the third of Seven cycles in the book of Revelation in chapters one through three was the first cycle where we saw Christ walking amid the lampstands, which showed the security of the churches by Christ. And he's sending letters to the churches to give encouragement and warnings to them. And these were specifically the churches of Southwest Asia in the 90s AD. This represented all the churches in this age. Cycle two is chapters four through seven, where Christ opened the seven seals of redemption and judgment upon the rebellious world. And in those seven seals, between the sixth and the seventh seal, there was an interlude. There was an interlude where he had the sealing of the 144,000 on earth. That was the church on earth, militant, and securing them in heaven. That was the church victorious in heaven. And the church was sealed and empowered in the midst of tribulation and persecution with security guaranteed in that interlude. And then in that second cycle, then the seventh seal came, which represented the final judgment and deliverance at the return of Christ. And so we keep cycling through the same things during this time between Christ's first advent and the second advent. And then we get to chapters eight through 11, which is where we are currently, where we have the seven trumpets of warning, warning of deliverance of his people but judgment on the enemies of God. And we've said that these trumpets reflected the deliverance of God's Old Testament people from their trial in Egypt. And there you had judgment upon Egypt by plagues for their oppression and their idolatry. And Pharaoh's heart grew hard and would not repent. And so in the seven trumpets we see those sorts of things happening there here as well. And these trumpet warnings, these trumpet judgments were more intense, and they are specifically against the unsealed, against those who are not Christians, although Christians will suffer and be persecuted in the midst of it. And with the fifth and sixth trumpets, you might remember the curtain was peeled back to show the demonic forces, but under God's control, but the demonic forces behind all of this And we saw the inhabitants of earth were in despair, wanting to die, but they could not. We saw them as idolaters who rejected Christ and persecuted his people, and they refused to repent. And their hearts grew hard. And then with the seven trumpets, there's an interlude before the seventh and final trumpet, and that's where we are right now. And so this interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets is in chapters 10 and 11. And what God does here, just like he did with the interlude in the seals, he graciously gives a pause so we can take a breath. John can take a breath, his readers can take a breath before the seventh and final trumpet is sounded, which then represents the final judgment and the return of Christ. And like the first interlude that was in the seals, this is a pause to give comfort and confidence to us, to John, that we might then continue as faithful heralds of the gospel sent in the midst of a tribulation of a hostile world against Christ and his gospel and his church. You might remember again that all the seals and the trumpets and the interludes describe the same time period of the time between Christ's first advent and his second. And the interludes were meant to give reassurance to the people of God surrounded by their enemies as they bear testimony of the gospel, and as they suffer as a result, knowing that God will protect his people and empower his gospel. And so on the particular interlude of the trumpets in chapter 10, we saw the first half of this second interlude, if you will. We saw that very thing, that God protects his people and empowers his gospel. There is a vision of a Christ-like mighty angel who reminded of Christ's gospel and judgment and the sovereignty of it, the certainty of it, the salvation of it, to give great confidence and assurance to John and the readers and even us today. And then John, if you remember, was given a little scroll to eat. It was sweet in his mouth, but bitter in his stomach. And that scroll represented the word and the gospel of Christ and the related judgments that were becoming. And then John then would identify with this and he would go and speak it forth to the peoples and the nations and the tongues and the kings. In this book, being sweet and bitter, it was reminded us of the sweetness of the gospel and its effects, but its bitterness was that to remind us of the impenitence that people would not repent and the judgment that would come as a result and the persecution even that would come to Christians as a result. And that prepares us then for the second half of the interlude, which is chapter 11, verses 1 through 14. And I've entitled this sermon, and next week could be entitled the same thing, because it will be part two, the temple and the two witnesses. Or maybe it's even better to say one temple, because there is only one, and two witnesses. And we really see the same thing in chapter 11 as what we saw in chapter 10, as what we saw in the first interlude as well. I think we'll see that, and there's an outline in your bulletin. It's rather small, but there's an outline in your bulletin. We'll look at these three verses, verses one through three. We'll look at the temple and the times and then the two witnesses. That's the best I could do with the alliteration, the temple and the times and the two witnesses. We'll focus most of our time on what is this temple and with a little bit of temple theology perhaps. Well, before I do that, though, I think we have to pause and actually play our cards first and actually express what we think Chapter 11 is talking about in general. Then it makes sense to go back and fill in the reasons why. I think it's best to state what Chapter 11 represents. And I think considering the context of Revelation as a whole and its recurring themes and considering the New Testament teaching and the Old Testament prophecies, It's clear that what we have in chapter 11 is the same thing as what we've seen in the other interlude. Like the seal's interlude gave us an assurance and a motivation for the church and for the Christian in the midst of tribulations of this age and persecution by showing the sealing of the church on earth by the spirit of God and the guaranteed security of her in his presence in heaven forever, then the church can go forth in confidence until Christ returns. And like the first half of the trumpets interlude that we saw in chapter 10 gave assurance and motivation to the Christian and to the church in the midst of tribulations of this age and persecution by showing the sovereignty and the certainty of Christ and his gospel and his judgments and then recommissioning her to go out and prophesy to the nations to enjoy the sweet but don't be alarmed by the bitter that will come. So the church can go forth in confidence until Christ returns. The same thing occurs in this second half of the interludes in the trumpet. It's to give assurance and motivation to the Christian and to the church by again showing her that she is marked out and owned by God and protected by God. By the spirit of God, she is in the presence of God now and will be in eternity. And by the spirit of God, she, the church, is enabled to go forth as a bold witness into a hostile, bitter world And even death is but her entrance into glory. And the church can go forth in confidence until Christ returns. And so what do we think the second interlude, the second part of the second interlude is about? Well, I believe the temple that's being measured is the church being spiritually and eternally protected by God, just like he sealed the church in the first interlude. And the two witnesses represent the church spiritually equipped to go forth with the gospel, just like John was in chapter 10. And the church is both protected and empowered, but the church is vulnerable to persecution in this life, in this age, this present evil age, as Paul tells the Galatians, as God wills. And this is ongoing throughout the inter-advental age, The age we live in even now until the age to come arise when Christ returns. That's really the same general truth that we see throughout the book of Revelation. In this life there'll be trials. Sometimes it'll be better than others depending on what time you live and what location you live. But there'll be difficulties. The gospel will win. The church goes forth protected but with the power of the gospel. And so she should be faithful. Those who are outside of Christ should take the warning then that they need to come to Christ now, which is really the theme of what the book of Revelation is. So we look at the temple and the two witnesses both of the church, protected but going out with the gospel, but being vulnerable in this life, but being eternally and spiritually protected. So let's go ahead and look then at the temple. Let me read verses one through three again. It's been a while. Verses one through three. Then 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, but leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it for it has been given to the Gentiles or the nations and they will tread the holy city underfoot for 42 months. And I will give power to my two witnesses and they will prophesy 1,260 days clothed in sackcloth. Some commentators would say this chapter is maybe the most difficult in all of the book of Revelation. I don't know if that's true but it can be difficult. And this chapter may be the most important one of the whole book of Revelation because how you decide chapter 11 is basically plays your cards on what you think the whole book is talking about. I think there's some truth to that. I think it might be helpful then with that in mind to compare Our view, and I could be sort of funny and say the right view, with some other views that may be prominent, and I do mean that humorously. I don't claim to be perfect in my knowledge of these things. Perhaps the predominant view in our day is, about the temple, is the literal or the futurist view of our dispensational brethren. And rather than seeing the symbolic purposes of the book of Revelation, They try to strictly use a literal reading of things like the temple and the rod, and try to do something literal rather than the symbolic purposes of the book of Revelation, which it was written for. And the dispensational view would hold that God's plan for Israel and the church are fundamentally and eternally different, that there's two entities, the church and Israel. They're two separate things. And they are forever, that God's not done with Israel. To them, Revelation primarily addresses God's plans of ethnic Israel and the future events to come surrounding ethnic Israel. I think there's problems with that already. If Revelation primarily addresses God's plans of ethnic Israel and future events to come, there are problems already. First of all, I think scripture is clear. There's no distinction between Jew and Gentile. All by faith in Christ are one, in the church of Christ. There is no division between Jew and Gentile. The point of Israel was to bring Christ and to be a type fulfilled in the church of Christ. And the old covenant made the way for and is replaced by the new covenant established by the blood of Christ. And the repeated sacrifices of Israel are fulfilled in the one time sacrifice of Christ. And the Old Testament physical temple was destroyed purposely to make way for the New Testament spiritual temple of the Church of Christ. And now the wall between Jew and Gentile is torn down in Christ, and there is one people of God. It was always meant to be that way, and the scripture reveals this to us clearly. Also, Revelation chapter one verse three seems clear when it says, blessed are all who read and keep what is written, as it gives you the introduction to the book of Revelation. Blessed are all those who read and keep what is written in this book. And this cannot be true if Revelation is focused on one ethnicity or some future event for a specific people. But Revelation was meant to be useful to all Christians of all time, for the time is near, John writes at the beginning of Revelation. How do the dispensationalists, our brothers who are dispensationalists, how do they see the temple then? Well, they see it as a literal, physical temple. What's being described in verses one through three would be a literal, physical temple that would be reconstituted in Israel on Mount Zion someday. And so they're looking for a physical temple to be reconstructed with sacrifices and rituals reinstated even sacrifices of animals. And it assumes that Ezekiel 40 through 48 prophesies of a literal temple with the reinstituting of the sacrifices, which that is not the case. Well, there's problems with this. Jesus predicted the destruction of the temple and the destruction of Jerusalem in Matthew 23 and 24, but he never prophesied a rebuild. There is nothing of that. He said this would be destroyed. And Christ himself fulfilled the purpose of the temple with his own sacrifice, by providing access to God. The veil is torn. There's no need for the temple. God is with us in Christ Jesus. By his spirit, we don't have to go to a physical location. I think Richard Phillips sums this up pretty well. He said, God destroyed the temple in AD 70. precisely because he was judging the Jews' rejection of Jesus' atonement. That's not anti-Semitic, because most reject Jesus' atonement as well, but the temple was destroyed precisely because God was judging the rejection of Jesus' atonement, and a rebuilt temple would merely reestablish this rejection of the blood of Christ. I think it's key. A reconstructing of a temple with sacrifices is a way of saying Christ's sacrifice was not sufficient. We're going back, and haven't we been learning about that in the book of Hebrews? It would be thrusting a fist up in the face of Christ. Philip says, even if we believe in a millennial Jewish nation, as dispensationalism teaches, the idea of God's restoring Israel to the very temple that he destroyed is simply bizarre. See, if you're going to say something harsh, you always quote somebody else, so it doesn't look like you're saying it. If such a temple were built by the Jews, it would stand as a monument to the unbelieving rejection of the cross of Jesus Christ. And so we reject the view that we're speaking about a literal temple to be rebuilt with sacrifices reinstituted because scripture doesn't teach that. It goes against our Lord's sacrifice and work completely. Another view would be a literal past view of the predest who looks at most of Revelation dealing with AD 70 with the destruction of the temple. And it assumes that Revelation was written in the 60s. And the major emphasis of Revelation for them is the destruction of the temple in AD 70. And so they have a partially literal view. They would say that the temple is the church, the outer court would be the unbelieving Jews, and the holy city would be ancient Jerusalem. As Douglas Kelly would say with this view, this foretells what we see in these first few verses of Revelation 11. It foretells how God would let unbelieving Jerusalem be trodden down under for 42 months by the Gentiles, but he has John measure the true saints, that is the true temple. Those would be protected, speaking specifically about the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in AD 70. But there are problems with this. And we've said before, it's highly unlikely Revelation was written in the 60s. The witness of the early church attests to John writing this in the mid-90s. The persecution of Nero in the 60s doesn't match with the persecution we see in the book of Revelation. That did not extend into Asia where you had the churches of Asia being written to. And even the churches that are written to in the first few chapters of Revelation match with the churches in the 90s, not the 60s. The other problem with Preter's view that this is actually describing somewhat of the destruction of the temple in AD 70 is that it arbitrarily uses symbolic and literal reasoning in the same understanding. It's taking a literal event of AD 70 and the destruction of the temple, but yet spiritualizing some parts of it to make it fit. If it's a literal event, then the temple must be literal, not just the spiritual Christians who are saved out of it, so to speak. I think also one problem I would have is like our dispensational brethren, I think our preterist brethren focus so much on Jewish themes in Israel that they miss the main points of Christ and his church. They were still taking Israel and we can't take our eyes off of that and we can't let go and look ahead to what God has promised to us and done for us in Christ Jesus. And so they take the particular Jewish themes rather than looking at those themes that are applicable to the church of all time. Well, our understanding of the temple, and now it says, what is the temple in your outline? Our understanding of the temple is it's not a physical temple being described in verses one through three, but it's a spiritual temple, it's the church. I think that's best and most consistent with understanding the symbolic interpretation of the book of Revelation, We're not being liberal by using symbols to understand Revelation, because that's what it's meant to be. We're not denying the literal meaning of Scripture, but we're trying to read Scripture as it was actually written literally to be understood. Like Pilgrim's Progress uses allegory to get specific truths across, Revelation is written in much the same way. Richard Phillips says, symbolism is Revelation's method of communicating historical reality. Historical reality of the age in which John's readers are living and both the original readers and the readers today. So we think the temple here is primarily, it is the Christian church. It's the Christian church being sealed, like in the first interlude, being protected in the midst of the tribulation of this age. And so I'd like to see, I think that's what the New Testament teaches, I think that's what Christ shows us, and I think that's also what the book of Revelation is consistent. We'll look at those three things Again, this will be the bulk of what we look at today. We think this is the church because it fits in with what New Testament teaches, what Christ would show us, and also what Revelation shows us in context of the book. The temple in the New Testament is primarily the Christian church. When you read the New Testament and you see the word temple, it's primarily speaking about the Christian church. The biblical theology of the temple is not about a building, but it's about God's presence with his people. It's about God's presence with his people and God's Spirit being in and with them. God is with us in the church by the power of the Spirit through Christ. And specifically in the corporate gathering of the church. And so you can look at 1 Corinthians 3 verses 16 and 17. 1 Corinthians 3 verses 16 and 17 where Paul writes, do you not know that you are the temple of God? That's a plural. Do you not know? church in Corinth, that you are the temple of God. It's kind of plain and clear. And that the Spirit of God dwells in you. The Spirit of God dwells in you. You are the temple of God. If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy. Which temple you are. A little bit later in chapter 6 of 1 Corinthians, now he speaks to individual Christians and he says, you are the temple of God as well. Individual Christians have the Spirit in them. God within, so they are referred to as temples as well, but the church as a whole is called the temple of God, with God's presence dwelling there. 2 Corinthians 6.16 says much the same thing. 2 Corinthians 6.16, and here Paul says, and what agreement has the temple of God with idols? Can you imagine the temple of God and bringing idols into it? That's supposed to convict us. We represent the temple of God. How dare we bring those things that are foreign, that are defiling to the temple of God into our midst? It's an encouragement to us as individuals, but as a church as well. What agreement has the temple of God with idols? We are the temple of the living God, Paul says in 2 Corinthians 6.16. We are the temple of the living God. And then he quotes from the Old Testament. Now this, if you're reading the Old Testament, you see this much. We saw it even in our men's study yesterday morning. And God said, I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God and they shall be my people. That's repeated over and over and over in the Old Testament. Looking forward to the church and the founding of the church where God will dwell with his people and they will be his people and he will be their God. That's language of the Old Covenant. dwelling with their people, being their God, and them being his people, which is now fulfilled in the church of Christ, God's true temple forever. Look to Ephesians chapter two, and you might want to turn there, because you're getting sleepy. I've talked a lot. Ephesians chapter two, starting in verse 11. I want us to walk through verses 11 through 22, because I think it's helpful to understand this whole temple theology, but also how the two have become one. It's a beautiful passage. Conrad preached out the first 10 verses of Ephesians 2 a few weeks ago, and he did okay. And we like those first 10 verses of Ephesians 2 where it talks about this is how you were before Christ, this is what Christ did, but then this is who you are in Christ and what he's called you to do. It's a beautiful 10 verses of scripture that gives you the outline for your testimony to give to others. What we have in verses 11 through 22 now, it's almost like that, but it's corporately. Verses 11 through 13 is, here's what you were before Christ, Gentiles and Jews. You're both in the flesh, and you need Christ. Verses 14 through 18, but Christ, through him, being redeemed by him, you're no longer separated from God, but you're also no longer separated from each other. And then verses 19 through 22, because of Christ, you're one household, with one foundation, one cornerstone. You're one temple, one dwelling place with God. It's a wonderful, wonderful route through verses 11 through 22. Let me start with verse 11 of Ephesians two. Therefore, remember that you remember this is right after you've been redeemed by Christ, but God has saved you though you were dead in your sins. And he's given you work to do that's been planned before the foundation of the world to do. And then he says, verse 11, therefore, remember that you once Gentiles in the flesh who are called uncircumcision. So he's speaking to Gentile Christians. Gentiles in the flesh and being called uncircumcision, that was derogatory. That meant the Jews would call the Gentiles unclean. You are uncircumcised, man. Stay out of my house. I don't want anything to do with you. That was derogatory. They were in the flesh. You're unredeemed. But then also derogatorily called the uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision made in the flesh by hands. By what is called the circumcision, the Jews would be proud of their physical circumcision. You're not circumcised. We're the chosen ones. But they themselves only had the circumcision of the flesh, but not the spiritual circumcision of the heart. And so both Jew and Gentile were in the flesh, and neither were spiritually circumcised. Understand that as the foundation. Verse 12, that at that time you were without Christ. I think it's both. Both Jew and Gentile need Christ because only Christ can unite you to God. Only Christ can unite you together. Being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel means they are apart from the blessings that the Jews had being separated from the nations. And strangers from the covenants of promise, they're unaware of the promised blessing that was supposed to come to all nations through the Jewish nation. That's ultimately Christ. Having no hope without God in the world They were not my people, and God was not their God. But then you have that beautiful word, but, maybe two words, but now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off, speaking of the Gentiles, have been brought near by the blood of Christ. So it kind of dovetails, parallels with, by grace you've been saved in the first part of Ephesians chapter two. So before Christ, both Jew and Gentile in the flesh, they were separated from God and separated from each other. But now in Christ Jesus, you who are once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. So those who are not my people would now be my people, the remnant theology that goes throughout all of scripture. Then you get to verse 14. What did Christ do? This is wonderful. For he himself, speaking of Christ, is our peace. He makes peace with God for us. He makes peace between us as well. Who has made both one, Jew and Gentile. They're not separate. They're one and has broken down the middle wall of separation. There's a wall of separation that separated Jew from Gentile in the courtyard. Of course, there's also a wall of separation that separated anyone from the holy of holies in the temple. Christ has broken them both down. We now have access to God through Christ. We have access to one another. There's no more separation. Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, the difficulties between them. And it's a wonderful thing. The Jew and the Gentile are both still in their flesh. Christ came in the flesh. His flesh was torn, circumcised, if you will. The Jew and Gentile in their flesh could have circumcised hearts and be made one people in him. and therefore there's no more sacrifice to be made. There's no more need for a physical temple. That is the law of commandments contained in ordinances. In other words, he's abolished the law of commandments. He's abolished the sacrifices, the rituals that the Jews would have and the Gentiles would not. There's no need for those things anymore because both Jew and Gentile are not separated from God. So as to create in himself It's a wonderful thing. In himself, Christ has created how many new men? One. So as to create in himself one new man from the two, thus making peace. No longer separate from God, no longer separate from each other. and that he might reconcile them both to God in how many bodies? One body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity, the division between them. And he came and preached peace to you who are far off and to those who are near, both Jew and Gentile. For through him, we both, Jew and Gentile, have access by one spirit to the Father." So the church is formed. It's not just Jew and Gentile, that describes everybody. You're either a Jew or a Gentile, but in Christ we are one and there's no difference. Therefore we see what happens because of Christ, what follows in verses 19 through 22 is wonderful. Now therefore, now therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners to each other or to God. Gentile now, all those disadvantages you had because you weren't part of the covenants of promise, Now you have all the advantages and more because you're part of the spiritual temple of God in Christ. Now, therefore, you're no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the cornerstone. Because of Christ, you're one household of God with one foundation, one cornerstone, which is Christ himself. In whom in Christ the whole building, Jew and Gentile being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. The temple theology of the New Testament is The Church of Christ is the dwelling place of God, where the Spirit of God is, where the presence and the power of the Spirit of God is, uniting all those who are in it in Christ and together. The temple represents God with us, where God dwells with his people, and as he dwells with and protects them and empowers his people by his Spirit, Peter says in 1 Peter 2, coming to him, to Christ, as to a living stone, he's there first. He was rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious. You also, Christian, whether you're Jew or Gentile, as living stones upon the living stone are being built up into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. That's the temple of God in the New Testament. It's a spiritual temple, which is far greater than any physical temple that could ever be made or even imagined to be rebuilt. I said we look at the New Testament, we look at Christ, we look at Revelation. I'm also looking at the clock. The temple itself that we're talking about is fulfilled in Christ and his people. It's fulfilled in Christ and his people. It's what the New Testament teaches, but it's also it's fulfilled in Christ and his people. It's a spiritual temple, not a physical temple. Christ himself claimed to be. The temple. He was God with us. And he was indwelt by the Spirit himself. In John 1, verse 14, we read that the word became flesh and he dwelt among us. And the word for dwelt means he tabernacled among us. He was God with us, among us. And in John 2, he says, destroy this temple as he points to the physical temple that was destroyed and not to be rebuilt. Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up. He's speaking of himself as the temple. that will never be destroyed. And in him, the church of Christ is the temple. Christ was the temple. He's God with us. He's the dwelling place of God. He's filled with the spirit of God. In his incarnation, it was done by the power of the spirit. He was baptized by the spirit. He's filled by the spirit, even raised by the spirit of God, the scripture says. And then he sent the spirit. And when he sent the spirit on Pentecost, It was like when the Spirit filled the temple and the tabernacle of God in the Old Testament, the Spirit filled the church and it was glorious. And so the Spirit lives in us as a church, and particularly in the church, and the church is the new and final temple of God, but we'll find out if my time doesn't run out, and it's not in its final form, so take heart. We have to get to Revelation 21 and 22 before we can see that. So the temple in the New Testament is the spiritual temple of the church. The temple is fulfilled by Christ and his people according to Christ himself. And the temple in Revelation says the same thing. It makes sense if you're trying to understand what does this temple mean in chapter 11? What does the rest of the book of Revelation speak of when it speaks of the temple? It's the same thing. The temple is never said to be a physical temple in the book of Revelation, but it's always a spiritual heavenly one. In Revelation 3, Verse 12, in the letter that Christ wrote to the Church of Philadelphia, Christ writes, he who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. I think that's spiritual. We're not like Lot's wife, who will turn into some sort of a pillar of something, and now this is spiritual. If you and you overcome in Christ and if you're in Christ you will, I will make him a pillar standing firmly in the temple of my God and he shall go out no more. It means there's nothing to worry about in the end. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is the church of Christ, which comes down out of heaven from my God and I will write on him my new name. In Revelation 7 verse 15, in Revelation 7 verse 15, This is with the sealing of the saints and their security in heaven. Verse 15, these are the ones who come out of the great tribulation. They are sealed just like the temple is measured in chapter 11. And they washed the robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb. In Revelation 7, 15, therefore they are before the throne of God and they serve him day and night in his temple. and he who sits on the throne will dwell among them. The temple is where God is, where his presence is, and where he dwells, and where his people are and will be. I won't bore you completely if I haven't already, but in Revelation 11, 19, Revelation 14, verse 15, Revelation 15, Revelation 16, all of these references to the temple speaks of a heavenly temple, and God and his temple, the glory of God there in heaven, Then you get to Revelation 21. You might want to turn there. You go to Revelation 21. Now we actually see the fulfillment of this temple. And if you are a Christian, this is glorious and you can't wait. If you're not a Christian, what are you waiting for? And this is no physical temple here in Revelation 21 and 22. It's actually speaking about a new heavens and a new earth. And as one commentator said, in a sense what you have with The church in Revelation 21, everything is temple because God's presence is everywhere and we are there and there's no limits, there's no boundaries, there's no walls to keep us in or keep anything out. In fact, the doors are said to be open all day and all night. In fact, there is no all night, it's all day all the time because there's no worries. In Revelation 21, verses one through four, now I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. In verse 2, then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. This is the church of Christ. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, behold, the tabernacle of God is what? Is with men. And he will dwell with them, that same language again. And they shall be his people, that same language of old and New Testament both. God himself will be with them and be their God. Now this is where there's no sin. It's been eradicated. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain for the former things have passed away, just as we would read if we read the latter half of Revelation chapter seven, the same description of what happens in the end. Time doesn't allow us to read the whole chapter, but then what you see in verses 6 through 8, the Lamb offers the fountain of living waters to all the inhabitants of this temple, of the church, but to those who are still in their sin, they are cast into the eternal fire and the second death. And that's a warning to all who are here today. Do not delay. Today must be the day of your salvation. Come now. And then in verses 9 through 21, You have a whole lot of descriptions. They're physical descriptions, but they're meant to be symbolic just like all of the rest. I've seen accounts of this and how many miles of a cube big this is. It's not meant to be a physical representation of something that we take a ruler to. It's meant to describe something greater than that. And so we have in verses 9 through 21, we have, Holy Jerusalem, the church described in glorious terms that make you just, when you picture it, you think this is marvelous, but it's even more marvelous than what you can picture because it's symbolic of something greater. And a warning is that even the description of hell is symbolic of something even worse. And it's interesting, in verses 9 through 21 of Revelation 21, This holy Jerusalem is being measured there as well by a gold reed, which seems like it's even like the last measuring. It's during a final state. It's secured. It's interesting here, there's no court that's left unmeasured. Everything is measured, so it's all in its perfect state. And then you get to verses 22 through 27 in Revelation 21. And then John says, but I saw no temple in it. So actually there is one reference in the book of Revelation where a physical temple is referenced. This is it. When John was looking, I don't see a physical temple. Yes, that's right. For the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple, brother and sister. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it and the Lamb is its light. We're Baptist, we should say amen, we should say glory be to God. It also says that the nations of those who are saved will walk in its light, and the gates will not be shut at all by day, because there's no defilement or sin in it, and nor will it be allowed in it, and sin has been eradicated, and only those written in the Lamb's book of life are in this church, in this temple, And so Ezekiel 40 through 48 finds its fulfillment in Revelation 21 and 22, the perfect temple, God dwelling with his people. And even Ezekiel 48 ends with this, after all of those descriptions and measurings of things which wear us out, it says, and the name of the city from that day shall be the Lord is there. The temple is where the Lord is and where his people are and where they dwell in his presence and by his spirit. So I submit that the temple ultimately is God's presence dwelling with his people, and it points to Christ and his people. And Revelation 11.1 is describing a church of Christ where God dwells by his spirit to empower and to protect her in the midst of the tribulation of this present evil age, as Paul tells the Galatians in chapter one. So that's what the temple is. The next question is, well, why is it measured? What's this measuring about? Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. Well, because there's only so much time, and we do have part two at least coming up next week, the measuring symbolizes God's protection, his preserving of his people, his ownership over his church. It's the same as his sealing the church in Revelation chapter seven. It's the same concept in Ezekiel chapters 40 through 48, where there's measuring there as well. This is mine, I've measured, I'm protecting, I'm preserving it. In Revelation 11, there's a perfect and pure heavenly Jerusalem being measured and being secured, and it's being a reminder to John and all those who'd read it, no matter what kind of tribulation you have in this life, you are secure in Christ in the things that matter most. Nothing unclean is allowed in it. It's protected and preserved spiritually. It's the prized possession of God, and it will be protected. That's what the measuring stands for. Well, in verse two, it says, but leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles, or the nations, and they will tread the holy city underfoot for 42 months. So now we have to look at the times, and because you have to have alliteration, or you guys will walk out, 42 months doesn't start with a T, but later we'll see times and times and half a time, which is 3 1⁄2 years. 42 months is 3 1⁄2 years, and 1,260 days is 3 1⁄2 years. And so there's something symbolic going on with 42 months, 1,260 days, 3 1⁄2 years. And you even see 3 1⁄2 days a little bit later on, even in the book of Revelation. But the first thing is, what about this unmeasuring? We measured the church, yay, but now we've got something that's unmeasured. Well, what's being shown here is that the church is measured but yet unmeasured to some extent. Though God's temple is secure in heaven, she's vulnerable on the earth is what's going on here. The outer court, the courtyard represents the tribulations and persecutions in this life, in this age. We are not in the age to come yet. That's Revelation 21, 22. The church is protected eternally and spiritually in the sanctuary, but will suffer as a witness venturing out into the world, is what is going on here in verse two. We do not have yet the fullness of the security of our final state where there's no sin and there's no more tears. We read about that, we long for that. In Revelation 21, everything is measured. There's a golden reed that is used and everything is measured, everything. There's nothing left out. Why? Because that's the state of perfection Christ has returned and you have the consummation of all things. Here, however, in chapter 11, we're not there yet, and so the courtyard is not measured. What it's symbolizing is that we are perfectly protected and secured in Christ, but we're vulnerable. We're persecuted, but preserved, and it makes sense. The bride is like the bridegroom, Christ, who is given over to trial and tribulation, even to the point of death. But even in death, we obtain life, ultimately, through Christ. And Christ has told us, in this world we'll have tribulation, but He has overcome the world and so shall we. It's guaranteed. What about the 42 months? Looking at symbolic, like every other number in the book of Revelation is, you have 42 months in verse 2, you have 1,260 days in verse 3, you have three and a half days in verses 9 and 11 actually. And the idea of 42 or 1,260 or three and a half, you see it throughout scripture in Daniel chapter seven. Daniel prophesies a period of suffering for the people of God, which is a time and times and a half a time. That's one and two and a half, that's three and a half. That's three and a half years or 42 months. We think it describes the time where Antiochus Epiphanus oppressed the Jews and desecrated the temple for what, three and a half years in 167 BC to 164 BC. I think it's even better to see what happens in Daniel chapter 9, verse 27, where it's prophesied that the Messiah would establish a covenant for a week. In the middle of that week, there'd be an end of sacrifices and rituals, and that's the destruction of the temple. We're now in the last three and a half days until Christ returns. Israel wandered for how many years in the wilderness? You're going to say 40, but it was actually 42. Israel wandered in the wilderness for 42 years. Two years passed before they were condemned to the 40 more. It's actually accounted to that they had 42 encampments during those 42 years. So 42 represents the time in the wilderness with difficulties, the time of judgment as well. Elijah prayed for three and a half years that there'd be no rain and then he went into exile and it did not rain for three and a half years. It's the same sort of thing. So that symbolism of 42 months or time, times and a half a time or 1,260 days speaks of a time of suffering or tribulation for the people of God, and sometimes upon the temple of God. So we'll see that as we come along. In Revelation 11.3, there's 1,260 days that the two witnesses will prophesy. We'll see again in Revelation 12, there's a vision of the woman who gives birth to the child, which is Christ, and the woman is the church, and he ascends to the throne, and it says that the woman fled into the wilderness where she has a place prepared by God that they should feed her there for 1,260 days, speaking about the time even now where the church is in the wilderness, but God is giving her a place, nourishing her, feeding her, waiting until the time of Christ. In Revelation 13, the beast from the sea is given authority to blaspheme God and to blaspheme the tabernacle, that's us, and to make war with the saints for 42 months. This is the time we're in. And so this 42 months is the time between the two comings of Christ, marked by trials and tribulations from different angles, just like the book of Revelation does this. The temple of the Holy Spirit is sealed and measured and owned and protected by God, though it will be trampled by the nations according to his will and under his sovereign care. As you live in this world as Christ's witnesses, you'll be persecuted as witnesses, but God will raise us up. As we sojourn in the wilderness, God feeds us and protects us, but there will be war and travail, and we're called to remain faithful. If you're in Christ, you're sealed by the Spirit, you're sealed in his church, you're measured and protected and owned by Christ, and you'll dwell with him. God is with us, he empowers us by his Spirit as we go out like two witnesses in Revelation 11, three. And looking at the clock, that'll be next time. But I think the two witnesses is the church. The church goes out two by two when Jesus commissioned them. Two, so it could be a witness that is proved by two or three witnesses. I think that's what we see with the rest of the description of these two witnesses. It's clearly the church. So you have the secured church, which is the temple in verse one, sent out as the witness of the church until Christ returned in verse three. I'm trying your patience, but I can't help but think how this fits in with. First, Peter one versus three through nine, which we're trying to memorize as a church. Our memorization versus in this month and last month, blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his abundant mercy, has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. It's by Christ we're redeemed with an incorruptible undefiled that cannot fade away redemption. We're sealed, we're measured, but it's ready to be revealed fully at the last time when Christ returns. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you've been grieved by various trials, We're in the 42 months. That the genuineness of your faith being much more precious than golden parishes, though it is tested by fire, that's not easy, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. When we'll see him as he is, we'll be made like him. That's the fullness of our faith, and so it goes on to say, whom having not seen you love, though now you do not see him, yet believing you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, then the salvation, the complete salvation of your souls, made like Christ. I have three quick applications. I'm sorry for the length of the sermon this morning, with just three verses, and we didn't even get to the three verses. Three things, expect tribulation, but know that God is with us, and be Christ's temple. Expect tribulation, know that God is with us, but be Christ's temple. Expect tribulation, know that you are secure in Christ, and the church is secure in Christ. Nothing can snatch us out of his hands, but we are sojourners here. And all of the New Testament teaches that we are in this present evil age, but we will be preserved for the age to come. So expect tribulation, but know that God is with us. Know that God is with us. God has been with us. He is with us, and he will be with us. God has been with us. Christ, the son of God, the word became flesh, that by his flesh torn and his blood poured, we could be redeemed from our flesh and our sin and be bought and owned by him, begotten again by his abundant mercy, which is a living hope to us by the resurrection of Christ from the dead. sealed and empowered by Christ, measured by the Father as sons and daughters. God has been with us and God is with us. Christ by His Spirit indwells us, He seals us, He empowers us, He provides supernatural power and grace to meet whatever God has called us to do or even to suffer through or to rejoice in while purifying our faith to His praise, honor, and glory. God has been with us, God is with us, and God will be with us. We've been measured, church. We've been sealed with an inheritance incorruptible that does not fade away, that is reserved in heaven for us, kept by the power of God, revealed fully in the age to come at the revelation of Jesus Christ, when we will actually see him as he is, will be made like him, will dwell with him perfectly in his light forever in the perfect state. And so we expect tribulation. Know that God is with us, but be Christ's temple. Be Christ's temple. Temple is made for witness and for worship. The temple is made for worship and witness. So worship is the highest priority that we have in this life. And the Lord's Day Sabbath is the highest priority we have, coming corporately as the temple of God, worshiping, offering up praises. Don't forget that. And then during the week, we're to offer up our lives as living sacrifices as well. And we're to be a witness as the temple for God's glory in obedience to Christ's command with the power of the spirit, taking the power of the gospel for the salvation of souls. And God is with us. Let's pray. Dearly Father, I do pray that the length of this sermon will not take away the importance of the privilege, the undeserved privilege that we have of being redeemed by Christ and being his people with him dwelling with us by his spirit and guaranteed forever we are sealed We are measured, we are secured, and whatever difficulties we have in this life is trivial compared to the glory that awaits for us in the age to come. We thank you, Lord, even in this life. It's a victorious life because we serve you and we know that Christ is already won, the evil one has been defeated, death has already been defeated, and souls will be saved by the power of the gospel of Christ, and we are secure in him. Help us then to be the church, to rejoice that you are with us, you will be with us, you have been with us. In the midst of difficulties, may we be the church that worships and witnesses for Christ. And Lord, we do pray that those who are outside of Christ, Lord, they see the glories of Christ, but they also see the warnings of judgment, and you'd move upon their hearts, Lord, that they'd repent of their sins and place their faith in Christ and come to Him even this day. It's in Jesus' name we pray these things. Amen.