Revelation 11:1-6 - God Always Keeps His Word

I want to remind us that God always keeps His Word! Jesus Himself said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Matthew 24:35). Most of the prophesies in the Old Testament concern the second coming of Jesus Christ! Jesus promised His disciples in John 14:3, “…I will come again…”. At His ascension the two angels said, “This same Jesus will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” Peter also told us that we should “know that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming?” (2 Peter 3:2-9). In other words, they would forget how God kept His promise concerning the coming judgment of the flood. I’m afraid we might not join the scoffers but many of us are not living like we believe that Jesus is going to come again. Peter went on to warn us that Jesus would come like a thief in the night when we are most unaware of what is happening around us! (2 Peter 3:10) When we read and study about these terrible judgments that will take place before the second coming of Jesus to the earth, it almost too hard to believe that something like this can happen! But my friend, I assure you every prophecy concerning this awful time will be fulfilled! When we come to Revelation 11, we are looking at the middle of Tribulation period. Here John is first told by the angel to measure the temple that has been rebuilt in Jerusalem. God is basically saying here that this is my property, and I am about to come and possess it once again! But before then, forty-two months (three and a half years) “the times of the Gentiles” still need to be fulfilled. Here the angel is talking about the last half of the Seven-year Tribulation. Then the angel tells us about God’s two witnesses who will prophesy for one thousand two hundred and sixty days (three and a half years) and they will have great power and will be clothed in sackcloth. We believe here that the angel is speaking of the first half of the Seven-year Tribulation.  This helps explain Revelation 7 where the 144,000 Jews, descendants from specific tribes of Israel, are sealed. I believe these 144,000 are saved through the witness of these two special anointed men. And as they all proclaim the Gospel to every nation, every tribe and to every language group in the world, hundreds of thousands, probably millions will trust Christ and be saved even during this time of tribulation. But remember the Antichrist is also revealed and is in process of taking control politically, economically and religiously, in these first three and half years. At this point also in the middle of the tribulation, six of the seven trumpets have sounded and before this chapter is over the seventh angel will sound the seventh trumpet and the last woe of God’s judgment will happen. We will study these two witnesses in more detail tomorrow! Today we need to take heed to the witness of Peter when he also told us: “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance…Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation…” (2 Peter 3:8-15)