REVELATION
LESS0N 17
ARE WE LIVING IN THE END TIMES?
Revelation 11:1-2 11 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.
At the close of Chapter 10, john was commissioned to prophesy
about many people, nations, tongues and kings; About the events, about the
gentiles and about two particular people, called the two witnesses. More is given
about the king who rules nations and the residents of heaven.
The bible speaks of four temples in Jerusalem. The first two
temples, Solomon’s and Herod’s, have already been built and destroyed. The final
two temples, the tribulation temple and the millennial temple are yet to be built.
They are spoken of in great detail in biblical prophecy.
When God begins to close out the age, he will focus his attention
on Israel and the temple. As we go over this it is good to recall the old
testament prophecies, there are several passages of scripture referring to the
temple in the end time.
Jesus spoke of the abomination of desolation that Daniel the
prophet spoke of. Indicating that at the end of time in the middle of the
tribulation period a temple would be desecrated by the anti-Christ. In order
for this to be fulfilled it must first be rebuilt. Paul predicted that the anti-Christ
in the middle of the tribulation would defy God by sitting in the temple of God
and presenting himself to the world as God.
In order for him to do this the temple has to be rebuilt. From this
we learn that Israel will become the storm center of the world during the
tribulation period. The nations of the earth will gather against Jerusalem. She
will be captured and half of the Jewish people will flee to exile.
This struggle over Jerusalem and the temple will trigger the second
coming of Jesus Christ and the battle of Armageddon. Israel is Gods weapon of
battle and he will use her to break the nations in pieces.
The struggle over Jerusalem is already underway. The Palestinian
authority says Jerusalem will be the capital of their new Palestinian state. However,
Israel is moving to make Jerusalem their capital.
The Jews want to build their new temple on the same site two old testament
temples were built. Solomon’s and Herod’s. The preparation plans and building
plans, the garments, musical instruments, the menorah and more are all prepared
and ready to go.
The problem is the Palestinians want to keep this same site for
their existing Al-Aqsa mosque and dome of the Rock Mosque. They indicate that
moving or tearing one or both of these religious buildings down will trigger
world war three.
The anti-Christ will work out a temporary peace plan. The tribulation
temple will be rebuilt, but Jerusalem and the tribulation temple will be in the
line of fire until the second coming of Christ Jesus.
This temple must be rebuilt before the tribulation period midpoint,
because that is when the anti-Christ will defile it. So it seems somewhat clear
that the temple will be rebuilt during the first half of the tribulation
period.
If the Muslims could stop the Jews from rebuilding the temple on
the temple mount they would. The world leaders at this time will designate it
as an international site to be shared by everyone.
John was given a reed and told to measure the tribulation temple. Measure
the alter and count the worshipers. This is significant because in the last
days the temple and one of its two original alters will be rebuilt. The rebuilt
alter was called the alter of Gold or the alter of incense.
The alter was located inside the temple. The alter that will not
be rebuilt was called the bronze alter. It will not be rebuilt because it was
located outside in the outer court. The gentiles will rule the outer court.
Well until the next lesson, stay in the word, be ready for what
God has planned for our lives.
Brother Andy.
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