Recap of Revelation 10:

• Brings us up to October 22, 1844.

Now we jump into Revelation 11.

Revelation 11:1-2
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. 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.

There is a lot of detail here.

We see the temple of God here and the court.

• It cannot be referring to a literal temple on earth as no such thing existed at the time of around 1844.
• This must be referring to the heavenly sanctuary.

John is asked to measure the temple, and the altar.

• However, those outside in the court, don’t measure it.
• The court there must be referring to the courtyard.
• Therefore, the altar in verse 1 must be referring to the altar of incense as the other altar that is in the sanctuary is in the courtyard, the altar of burnt sacrifice.

What is being used to measure?

• It is a reed, like a measuring rod.
• Most other translations mention that it is a measuring rod.
• The point is, the sanctuary is being measured.

Just imagine measuring of the sanctuary, the furniture.

• The focus is all on the sanctuary – the holy and most holy place.
• However, the worshipers in the sanctuary are being measured as well.
• This gives the idea of judgment.
• And we know that the investigative judgment begins right there at October 22, 1844.
• Matthew 7:1-2
  1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
  • Measuring gives this idea of judgment.
• So this is still following on clearly from what we have studied in Revelation 10.

But we are also given this idea of timing as well.

• Revelation 11:2 – don’t measure the court because it’s given to the Gentiles and they will tread under the holy city for 42 months.
• So in the sanctuary we are given a different application for this timing in the courtyard.
  • It is given to the Gentiles for 42 months.
• What is 42 months? Let’s start there.
  • It is 1260 days. Which we know to be the 1260-year time period where the papacy reigned for.
• The command is not to measure it, not to focus on it.
• So the Gentiles must be referring to the Catholic Church and when it had supremacy to persecute God’s people during the dark ages.
• Different names referring to different groups of people that we are already familiar with.

Who are the Gentiles? How can we know that this applies to the Papacy?

• Luke 21:20-24
  20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. 22 For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. 24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
• What is the time of the Gentiles here in Luke?
• There is a dual application.
  • First it was referring to the Roman armies.
• But secondly, it was referring to the time of the dark ages, the 42 months, 538-1798.
  • How do we know?
  • Read the very next verse.
  • Luke 21:25
    “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring;
• Remember the sun, moon and stars that we studied about in the sixth seal when it was opened?
  • The sun went black, the moon turned to blood and the stars of heaven fell to the earth.
  • That takes place leading up to 1844.
  • There was no such phenomenon around 70AD when the Roman armies came to destroy Jerusalem.
  • These signs were fulfilled in the context of the Gentiles being the Roman Catholic Church persecuting in the dark ages and how these signs were showing that persecution was coming to a close and judgment was about to begin.
• So the time of the Gentiles is referring to 538 to 1798 and the persecution of the Christian church by the Papacy.

Why the focus on the 42 months though?

• We are brought back to 538-1798 AD not so much for the beginning date, but rather the end date of 1798, which brings us much closer to the time of judgment in 1844.
• Even in Revelation 10, remember we saw the little book opened in the hand of the mighty angel?
  • That was the book of Daniel.
  • And it was sealed until the time of the end which is 1798.
• The focus is bringing us to 1844.

However, let’s continue in Revelation 11.

Revelation 11:3
And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”

Who are the two witnesses?

They are prophesying during a time period with which we are familiar with.

• 538-1798. The 42 months.

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

The 2 witnesses:

• They are 2 olive trees and also 2 lampstands.

First observation.

• They must be referring to something good because they are in sackcloth.
• Sackcloth was worn for times of mourning, discouragement, depression and crying out to God.
• The 1260 years of persecution was a time of mourning for those that were faithful to God.
• So because of this persecution, the 2 witnesses are in sackcloth.

So who are the 2 witnesses, 2 olive trees, 2 lampstands?

• John 5:39
  You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.
  • They are the scriptures of the Old and New Testament.
• The purpose of olive trees and lampstands is to provide light.
  • Psalms 119:105
    Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
  • Also, pointing to the word of God.

During the dark ages, the reason why it was called dark is because the Sun of Righteousness did not shine.

• Truth was thrown down and trampled in the streets.
• Heresy ran rampant.
• The doctrine of the Nicolaitans that we studied about in Revelation 2 infiltrated the churches.
• Tradition and man’s commandments was substituted for truth.
• Truth was clothed in sackcloth.
• The true Christian’s were in hiding.

Revelation 11:5
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.

How is the word of God able to do such a thing? To kill people with fire?

• Did that happen during the dark ages? No it didn’t.
• But look at what we read at the end of the book of Revelation.
• Revelation 22:18-19
  18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
• If we take away from this book, our names will be taken out from the book of life. And if we add to the word of God what is not written there, God will add the plagues to us.
• No such thing happened during the dark ages – people being consumed by fire by the word of God.
• It is because God’s judgments are delayed today. They are not immediate.
• But it does not render the sin of adding or subtracting from it any less offensive to God.

Revelation 11:6
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.

When you think of no rain in the Bible, what event comes to mind?

• The time of famine during the days of Elijah.
• Yes it was according to his word. But the words that Elijah spoke was verily the word of God.
• When he said there was going to be no rain, it was because God came and told him that there would be no rain.
• He was just the messenger.

And where do we see plagues strike the earth?

• Yes, there will be some in the future.
• But plagues in the past – it is the 10 plagues that fell on Egypt.
• And that is the same situation to Elijah. But in this instance, Moses and Aaron are the mouthpiece of God to Pharaoh.
• They were telling Pharaoh simply what God told them.

In these 2 situations, it is not the written word of God that is being highlighted, but the verbal word of God through the prophets to people.

• It is no different to the scriptures. Both are the words of God to man today.

So yes, the word of God did have such power back then.

Revelation 11:7
When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.

“When they finish their testimony”

• This must be referring to the end of the 1260 year prophecy.
• 1798.

Who is this beast from the bottomless pit that ascends to make war again the word of God, and kill them?

• What does a beast represent in Bible prophecy? It represents a
• Some nation, another power, would arise around the end of the dark ages to make war against the word of God.

Who is it? Let’s keep reading first.

Revelation 11:8
And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

What city is this referring to?

• It is pointing out two cities that it represents spiritually.
• Sodom and Egypt.

Let’s start with Egypt.

• Of all nations presented in Bible history, Egypt most boldly denied the existence of God.
• No monarch in history has ever dared to so openly rebel against the God of heaven despite great evidence of His existence. 10 plagues and yet he never repented.
• When the message was brought by Moses to Pharaoh, how did he respond?
• Exodus 5:2
  And Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, nor will I let Israel go.”
• Egypt represents atheism.
• But not only does this country that arises around 1798 have atheistic principles, it also spiritually has characteristics of Sodom.

What do we know about Sodom from the Bible?

• Jude 1:7
  Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
• Sodom is known for its licentiousness. The sins of the flesh.

What power would arise to make an attack on the Holy scriptures, and would also manifest the characteristics of the atheism of Pharaoh and the licentiousness of Sodom?

• This is fulfilled clearly in the history of France, namely the French Revolution in 1793.
• The country would decree that there is no God. And it would make an open attack on the Christian’s by the decree of the king.
• Bibles were burnt. And many were killed, with no regard of gender or age.
• When you look at the opening ceremony to the Olympics, where licentiousness was exalted, and Christianity made a mockery of – this is some 240 years later. It seems that nothing has changed.
• One only needs to go back to look into the French Revolution and you will see clearly the characteristics line up.

It also states – where also our Lord was crucified.

• Jesus was not literally crucified in France. But He was crucified in the person of His disciples, the Christian’s and followers of Christ during that time.
• When affliction falls on His faithful followers, Christ is represented being persecuted as well.

Revelation 11:9-10
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. 10 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.

For three and a half years there would be great persecution in France.

• Many were left unburied.
• Great persecution.
• Public burning of the Bibles.
• In 1793 the decree was passed by the French Assembly to abolish the Christian religion and to set aside the Bible.
• And 3 ½ years later this decree would be rescinded, granting a toleration to the scriptures.
• Thus ended the persecution of the Christian’s and the scriptures.

Revelation 11:11-12
11 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. 12 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.

The two witnesses would ascend up to heaven

• They ascended up high where all the people could see them.
• After 1798, as the book of Daniel was being opened, the Bible was being printed all over the world.
• The Bible society was established around that time.
• From 1798 and onwards, we see an increase of the Bible being scattered all over the world.
• Just like the Jews, they thought that they were going to destroy Jesus by crucifying Him.
• The resurrection of Jesus gave more powerful evidence of His mission and claim as the Messiah.

Notes of what happened to the Bible shortly after 1798.

• 1804 – British Bible Society was organized.
• 1816 – American Bible Society formed.
• Before 1804 – the Bible was translated into 50 languages.
• Since then, the Bible has been translated into 1,058 languages and dialects.

Excerpt taken from Uriah Smith – Daniel and the Revelation referring to Revelation 11:12

No other book approaches the Bible in inexpensiveness and the number of copies circulated. The American bible Society reported having printed and circulated, in whole, or in part, 7,696,739 portions in 1940; 8,096,069, in 1941; and 6,254,642, in 1942. The British and Foreign Bible Society reported for the year ending in the middle of 1941 a circulation of 11,017,334 copies; and in 1942, 7,120,000 copies.

A conservative estimate places the number of Bibles printed annually by commercial houses at six million. Hence the annual output of Bibles and portions has reached the enormous total of from twenty- five to thirty million copies a year.

From its organization up to and including 1942, the American Bible Society had issued 321,951,266 copies; and the British and Foreign Bible Society up to March, 1942, had issued 539,664,024 copies, making a total of 861,600,000 copies put out by these two societies alone. The American Bible Society said in May, 1940: “It is that nine tenths of the 2,000,000,000 people in the world might now, if they turned to the Bible, hear it read in a language they understand.” The Bible is exalted as above all price, as, next to His Son, the most invaluable blessing of God to man, and as the glorious testimony concerning that son. Yes; the Scriptures may truly be said to be exalted “to heaven in a cloud,” a cloud being an emblem of heavenly elevation.

It is estimated today that on average, 100 million Bibles are printed each year.

Revelation 11:13
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.

Commentary’s are not clear with regard to this verse. However, what we have studied in the past 12 verses clearly point to the French Revolution and the persecution of the Christian’s and the scriptures.

Revelation 11:14
The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.

The third woe is the blowing of the third trumpet.

Revelation 11:15
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.

This seventh trumpet takes place after 1844 because of what we have already studied in Revelation 10.

Notice what it says here though:

• The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our
• That seems to take place at the second coming.
• However, this process actually begins before that.

Daniel 7:13-14
13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

When was it that Jesus came before the Ancient of Days? That was at 1844.

• There is a need to go back and study the book of Daniel on this.
• But in 1844, Christ came, NOT to the earth, but to His Father.
• What happened when He came to the Father?
• He was given dominion, glory and a kingdom.

Christ would begin to determine the subjects of His kingdom from that point forward. That is from October 22, 1844.

Luke 19:12
He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.

• Christ went to heaven to receive the kingdom and also determine its subjects.
• At His return He would come for His subjects, the people.

Let’s go back to Revelation 10 about some detail on the sounding of the seventh trumpet.

• Revelation 10:7
  But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
• We saw last week that that mystery was how God was going to unite heaven and earth. That will take place at the second coming.

However, there is another mystery.

• Ephesians 6:19
  And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel.
• The other mystery is the gospel.
• The very gospel that the people of God needed to preach again at the end of Revelation 10 after their disappointment.
• And it is the gospel that we find in Revelation 14 – the everlasting gospel, the three angels’ messages.
• The gospel is referred to the gospel net in the second to last parable in Matthew 13. It is that which will bring in a multitude of people. But it will be God that will ultimately separate the good from the bad during the time of the judgment.

So then really the seventh trumpet begins right after 1844 and brings us all the way to the end of time.

Let’s keep reading first.

Revelation 11:16-17
16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, 17 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.

The host of heaven worships God.

Revelation 11:18
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.

Here is mentioned four distinct events:

1. The nations are angry.
2. God’s wrath is come.
3. The time to judge the dead and reward given to the saints.
4. The destruction of them that destroy the earth.

This all seemingly takes place under the banner of the seventh trumpet.

When do the nations get angry?

• Revelation 13.
• It’s the mark of the beast and the world wide conflict that will take place in the near future.

When does God’s wrath take place?

• Revelation 15.
• That is at the close of probation.

When are the dead judged and the saints rewarded?

• Revelation 20.
• That takes place during the 1000 years.

And the destruction of the wicked takes place at the end of Revelation 20 when fire comes down from heaven.

These events are separate and distinct.

Revelation 11:19
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.

And then finally, we see the temple of God opened in heaven.

• So far in Revelation we have seen Jesus only in the Holy Place.
• But now, the veil is drawn back and Jesus is now in the Most Holy Place at the Ark of the Covenant.
• According to the timeline of the sanctuary that we looked at in the introduction, this must now be after 1844.

What we will see from this point forward relates very much to the time beyond 1844 up to our time and even beyond. Now we are looking at some history, but a whole lot of prophecy.