Revelation 10 was about the ending of the time allotted for
men to choose salvation, and the seventh trumpet is ready to sound. In
Revelation 11 we read that God is “sizing up” His people by measuring the
temple and the altar. The lives and the works of the Christian Church will be
evaluated and there will be two faithful stewards of God’s testimony to present
His findings.
Peter tells us that we are “like living stones, (and) are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ . . . But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” (1 Pet 2:4-5, & 9). There comes a day when we (who assemble together into the “spiritual house”, or temple . . . who offer up our lives as spiritual sacrifices at the “altar”) will be measured.
John is instructed to leave out the court of the Gentiles, and not measure it. Gentiles are the unsaved, those who could not possibly measure up to the stature of the fullness of Christ, for they do not have Him in their lives. We see God’s judgments against the unsaved when afflictions and wars, crime and crises come to the earth. But because the Lord cannot expect them to be “living stones” that fit into His building, the Gentiles are not measured along with the Christians.
The Gentiles “trample” the holy city for 42 months. To trample is to obscure and mar something that is valuable. This term is used in Ezekiel to address the careless polluting of what God had given to His people. “Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? Must my flock feed on what you have trampled and drink what you have muddied with your feet?” (Ez 34:18-19).
The Gentiles trampling the holy city is an illustration of the powerlessness of the Church. The Old Testament Temple was to be a witness to the unsaved, that they might choose the Lord. That is the reason the Gentiles could gather in the outer court. Now the Church is the witness to the unsaved, and each one of us individually is a part of that witness. And yet, instead of the lost becoming saved, we see here a picture of them abusing the witness. Therefore the Lord sends His word against those who have hardened their hearts against His people.
Measuring the Church is followed by God’s witness concerning His findings. He has two witnesses who “stand before the Lord of the earth” and give His words to its inhabitants. The Lord tells us in Jeremiah that prophets which stand in His counsel turn people away from evil, restoring them to God (Jer 23:22). However, false prophets speak from their own minds and prophesy peace to those who despise the Lord (Jer 23:16-17). The next lesson will be about God's two witnesses.
Peter tells us that we are “like living stones, (and) are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ . . . But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” (1 Pet 2:4-5, & 9). There comes a day when we (who assemble together into the “spiritual house”, or temple . . . who offer up our lives as spiritual sacrifices at the “altar”) will be measured.
John is instructed to leave out the court of the Gentiles, and not measure it. Gentiles are the unsaved, those who could not possibly measure up to the stature of the fullness of Christ, for they do not have Him in their lives. We see God’s judgments against the unsaved when afflictions and wars, crime and crises come to the earth. But because the Lord cannot expect them to be “living stones” that fit into His building, the Gentiles are not measured along with the Christians.
The Gentiles “trample” the holy city for 42 months. To trample is to obscure and mar something that is valuable. This term is used in Ezekiel to address the careless polluting of what God had given to His people. “Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? Must my flock feed on what you have trampled and drink what you have muddied with your feet?” (Ez 34:18-19).
The Gentiles trampling the holy city is an illustration of the powerlessness of the Church. The Old Testament Temple was to be a witness to the unsaved, that they might choose the Lord. That is the reason the Gentiles could gather in the outer court. Now the Church is the witness to the unsaved, and each one of us individually is a part of that witness. And yet, instead of the lost becoming saved, we see here a picture of them abusing the witness. Therefore the Lord sends His word against those who have hardened their hearts against His people.
Measuring the Church is followed by God’s witness concerning His findings. He has two witnesses who “stand before the Lord of the earth” and give His words to its inhabitants. The Lord tells us in Jeremiah that prophets which stand in His counsel turn people away from evil, restoring them to God (Jer 23:22). However, false prophets speak from their own minds and prophesy peace to those who despise the Lord (Jer 23:16-17). The next lesson will be about God's two witnesses.
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