REVELATION LESSON 24

    We will begin this lesson in Revelation 11:1 "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."

    This angel is telling John to take a measurement of the temple and
the people. We read in Ezekiel 40:5, that this reed is nine feet long
(six cubits). This seems to be a similar message in Ezekiel to the one
here in Revelation.

    The terrible thing in all of this is that among the outer court
(the unsaved) are many nominal Christians, who are believing that they
will be saved. This seems to be just asked of John to make him aware
of the multitude of true believers who will be in the very presence of
God.  It is, also, to remind him of those so-called Christians that
have brought compromise and pleasing of the flesh into God's church.

    The outer court for the Gentiles means just this, the believer who
is a Christian in name only, not in deed. The faithless portion of the
church that we read about in 2nd Timothy 3, has a form of godliness
but denies the power.  This outer court is not the place for believers
to be.

    This statement about the "...temple...and them that worship
therein..." is speaking of the true believer's  who collectively make
up the temple (body of Christ).

    Revelation 11:2 "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."

    I would like to say again here that the Bible (and especially
Revelation) must be understood by its signs and symbols through the
spirit, and cannot be understood literally. As any dream or vision has
to be interpreted, so does Revelation.

    This outer court, as we said, is the worldly church. In other
words, too worldly for God. He is saying (throw them out) they are not
part of the elect. They are not part of the body of Christ.  The inner
court makes up the body of believers.

    We see here in this forty-two months that the holy city is trodden
down; that the believers in Jesus "...holy city..." will go through 3
1/2 years of trials and tribulations. All through Revelation, the
"...holy city..." is symbolic of the body of believers.

    Revelation 11:3 "And I will give [power] unto my two witnesses,
and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred [and] threescore days,
clothed in sackcloth."

     Here again, we see approximately 3 1/2 years. The Bible is very
explicit about what "...witnesses..." are. When you receive the
baptism of the Holy Ghost, you receive power to witness to the world.
The "...two witnesses..." are the written and the spoken Word of God.
How much more power can you have?

    These two witnesses are the spoken and written Word of God. Some
believe they are the Old and New Testament, many believe law and
grace, some even believe they are Moses and Elijah. I believe this is
the Word ( Jesus). I do not believe there are two literal witnesses.

    I believe true believers in Christ, preachers, and ministers of
all kinds will speak and write this message. These, who tell the truth
will be in  "...sackcloth..." because they will not be accepted by the
masses of the nominal church.

    The lukewarm church will not want to hear the message that these
true ministers of God will bring.  They will be preaching holiness and
righteousness. They will have a message of warning to the people,
REPENT AND LIVE UPRIGHTLY BEFORE GOD FOR THE LORD IS COMING. These
nominal folks do not want to hear that the Lord is coming back. They
do not want to hear the truth. They say things will continue on as it
is. They do not want to believe the end of the Gentile age is here.

    I am really concerned with my Christian friends who are going to
church and doing things that make them feel good, rather than going to
please God. This is a "feel good" religious group now a days, not
holy, just happy.

    Those who preach to itching ears will have large congregations,
but few saved. God is coming back; you better get your life right.

    God is a holy God. He does not fit His life to our life. We fit
our life to please Him. God is absolute and unchangeable.

     These witnessing, "...in sackcloth...", the Word are in mourning
trying to make people realize what they are doing. These are the two
olive trees and the two candlesticks standing before God.  These are
the Jew and Gentile believers who are willing to risk everything to
get people into the kingdom. Candlesticks are the churches and the
olive trees are crushed to make olive oil. The churches have to have
the Holy Spirit of God to be a Light to the darkened world. The olive
oil makes the Light that shines in darkness.

     The preachers and teachers who bring the true written and spoken
Word of God will be persecuted 3 1/2 years by Satan. True men and
women of God are willing, if necessary, to even lay their lives on the
line to save others.

    Revelation 11:4 "These are the two olive trees, and the two
candlesticks standing before the God of the earth."

    We explained that the two olive trees produce oil (Holy Spirit),
which is fuel to keep the Light burning in the two candlesticks
(churches).  Jesus is walking in these churches. These are the true
churches who tell the truth.
    Revelation 11:5 "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."

    I believe the "...fire that proceedeth out of their mouth..." is
their spoken Word set on fire of the Holy Ghost. This fiery word
convicts them and brings them to a place of repentance. Those who
reject Jesus will be destroyed by the fire that descends on this earth
during the wrath of God. We also read in the Scripture that we must
not come against God's anointed. Do not run them down. God will fight
for them.

    Revelation 11:6 "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."

     Here is the reason so many people believe that Moses and Elijah
are the two witnesses, because these are some of their special things
they did when they were on the earth before. The Bible says in John
chapter 14, that true believers in Christ can do even greater miracles
than Jesus did when He was on the earth, when we do it through His
power and in His name.

    John 14:12 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on
me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than
these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."
    John 14:13 "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I
do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."
    John 14:14 "If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do [it]."

    It just couldn't be much plainer than this, could it? You see all
believers can do these things in Jesus' name. The power is not ours.
It is in Jesus' name. Whatever we need to do to bring the people to
God, is what Jesus will do.

    Revelation 11:7 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."

     Who is this talking about?  The enemy is not trying to attack the
world, or the nominal church.  He is after those who are preaching and
teaching the truth, regardless of what people want or think.  These
are the ones who are a threat to Satan. He ascends from the bottomless
pit and makes all out war against these true teachers and preachers.
He even thinks for a while that he has killed them (gotten rid of
them) but, Oh! What an awakening! The devil knows he is running out of
time, and he doesn't even bother nominal believers. He wants to
destroy those sold out to God. The devil thinks he has won at the end
of V-7.

    Revelation 11:8 "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."
    These bodies lying in the street shows great scorn and contempt,
even rejection. These are the churches who will not compromise and
consequently lose most of their members, and the devil thinks he will
even close them up and get them shut up. He will kill them.

    God did not promise us that we would not suffer. In fact, when he,
knocked Saul to the ground with the Light, He told Saul that He would
show him what great things he would suffer. Christianity, that does
not require self-sacrifice, is probably not the true church. We must
crucify our flesh. We must die to self to live for Jesus. If you are
living for God, the world is going to hate you. The world is going to
rejoice when it appears the true church has been defeated.

    Revelation 11:9 "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."

    You see for 3 1/2 years it will appear that the true church is
dead and ready to be buried. You see this degrading will be against
the true church and its people by the worldly people. These people of
the world will be glad that very few are coming to church.

    Three and one-half years it will look like dead bones, but these
bones will come back to life. The people will say leave them out there
and let all the world see they are dead. We will see in the next
lesson when they come to life and are raptured into heaven.

    Other scriptures to read and study: Luke 21-24, Matthew 24-14,
Hosea 6:5, Daniel 7:7, Deuteronomy 32:32, and Ezekiel 16:46.


    Memorize St. John 14:12-14.






















                      REVELATION QUESTIONS 24


1.  What was the reed like unto?
2.  What was John told to do?
3.  How long is this reed?
4.  What is the terrible thing about the outer court?
5.  What does Gentile mean here?
6.  Who are the temple?
7.  Dreams, visions and revelations must be --------, not taken
    literally.
8.  Who is the Holy City?
9.  How long shall they face great tribulation?
10. Who will He give power to?
11. How long will they prophesy?
12. What or who are the two witnesses?
13. What will the witnesses be wearing?
14. Why?
15. What will the true preachers bring forth in their messages?  Two
    things.
16. Why should we repent and live uprightly?
17. This "feel good" religion makes us ------ not -------.
18. What are the two olive trees?
19. What are the two candlesticks?
20. Who will be persecuted 3 1/2 years by Satan?
21. What proceedeth out of their mouth?
22. What is this in laymen language?
23. What do these have power to do in the days of their prophecy?
24. Why do many believe the two are Moses and Elijah?
25. What Scripture in Jesus' words promises that we can do even
    greater works?
26. This beast, that makes war on the Christians, comes from where?
27. Who are a threat to Satan?
28. Sodom and Egypt mean what?
29. What two things do the bodies in the street indicate?
30. What did Jesus tell Saul?
31. How does the world feel about sold out to God believers?
32. How long will they see the dead bodies?
33. What two messages will we see in next lesson?
34. Write John 14 :1 2-14 .
35. What is your opinion of the lesson here?  Do you believe in the 7
    year tribulation that Christians will be raptured before the 7
    years, in the middle of the 7 years, or at the end of the 7 years?
    Why?