THE SIXTH TRUMPET (Part 3)

This is a chapter of equals. The 10th chapter, having brought us to understand that Daniel’s Time-of-the-End prophecies were now being fulfilled, has set the stage for us to understand some of the principles of chronological symbolism. Chapter 11 in its own way tells us that 42 months, 1260 days, and 3 ½ years are all equal periods.

Thus, we know that the symbolic year has 360 days, and the symbolic month has 30 days. The Old Testament had, in a way, told us rather clearly that a day stands for a year in prophecy. It did not tell us exactly how long that year was or how long a month was.

This 11th Chapter gives us other symbolic equals: we find that the TWO WITNESSES are the same as the TWO OLIVE TREES and the TWO LAMP-STANDS and the TWO PROPHETS (whose names are IMPLIED in Verse 6). We also learn that the Great City (i.e., Babylon) is also typed or called by the names of Sodom and Egypt.

Revelation Chapter 11

VERSE 1 “Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.”

Because Daniel had prophesied that his own book would be shut up until the Time of the End, and because Chapter 10 helps us to understand that it is, indeed, NOW the Time of the End, THE BOOK OF DANIEL IS READY TO BE OPENED. This book, which is also a key to understand much of the rest of the Bible, thus provides the Church with a new UNIT OF JUDGMENT — a new standard of measurement: an opened Bible.

While it is very true that the book of Daniel could not be understood before the end of the French Revolution, it IS important to realize that the opening of Scripture had begun in a significant way earlier — in the days of Martin Luther. The doctrines (horses) were so very powerful (lions’ heads) that they slew 1/3rd of men — i. e., they created a whole new segment of Christianity (Protestantism). Thus, during the period of the sixth Trumpet, the Church was furnished, as it had not been since the days of the Apostles, with a reliable standard of measurement (an open Bible). This is how Verse 1 opens.

THEN I WAS GIVEN A REED LIKE A MEASURING ROD:

This reed like a rod (this measuring rod, like a staff — like a guide for sheep) is the much- opened understanding of Scripture.

This is PART of that message to Philadelphia, “I have put before you an open door which no one can shut.”

AND THE ANGEL STOOD, SAYING:

Then there is a voice with the gift of the rod.

Whose voice?

There are two clues.

It is likely that this is the same “voice from heaven” as was heard earlier in this trumpet (Rev 10:4, 8).

It is likely that this voice is Jesus himself, the Shepherd of the Flock. This is strengthened by reading into Rev 11:3 which says “MY two witnesses.” The ownership must be God or Jesus; the latter seems the best choice in the context.

RISE AND MEASURE THE TEMPLE OF GOD, THE ALTAR, AND THOSE WHO WORSHIP THERE:

The voice says RISE. This is probably the awakening of the Church at the Reformation. Then it says MEASURE. To measure is to consider something to see if its dimensions are suitable.

The Church was to begin measuring the TEMPLE, the ALTAR, and the WORSHIPERS. This was all REQUIRED of the Philadelphia Church. It had thrown Papacy overboard and needed to reconsider much of Christianity.

The TEMPLE is God’s Plan — that in which He dwells. (The symbol has many specialized meanings. The Church IS the temple because the Church embodies the plan of God.) So here, the sixth Church is asked to look again at God’s purposes for the Church as compared to the newly opened Scriptural freedom of Protestantism.

They are to measure the ALTAR. This was of special import to Protestants. Before Luther, the mass was the sacrifice, the altar. That was now discredited. Luther’s doctrine of Justification by Faith made a new priesthood of believers (in his words.) The concept of INDIVIDUAL SACRIFICE and CONSECRATION was the NEW measurement of the altar.

The Church was also to measure the WORSHIPERS. In Rev 9:20-21 it is pointed out to us that the old standards for the worshipers were not acceptable to God. Those who would serve Him must now stand before Him with a new concept of their individual relationship with Him.

VERSE 2 “But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months.”

BUT LEAVE OUT THE COURT WHICH IS OUTSIDE THE TEMPLE, AND DO NOT MEASURE IT:

BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING NOT TO BE MEASURED. The “court” outside the temple was not to be the concern of the saints.

We learned from the tabernacle arrangement that the court condition represented people who often claimed they were Christians (professed believers), but whose lives were not fully consecrated to the narrow way of sacrifice with Jesus. The court dwellers are not spiritually-minded people; they do not dwell in the “holy” (The spirit begotten condition). These Christians are NOMINAL CHRISTIANS (Christians in name only). Thus, they are simply to be left alone — to be ignored as much as possible.

The saints must measure, concern themselves, only with things in the holy. Jesus’ wheat and tares parable seems to refer to this point in history when the disciples ask “shall we root out the tares?” The answer was NO. This will only disrupt the wheat with what they should actually be involved with. The wheat must stay in the holy; don’t bother measuring the court.

FOR IT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE GENTILES:

Verse 2 continues regarding the court: “It has been given to the Gentiles” i.e., to those “who say they are Jews, but are not” (Rev 3:9). Since “Jews” in Revelation symbolize Christians — true Christians, — Gentile (believers) represent those which are not yet to the point where God can recognize them as true Christians.

These “GENTILES,” however, DO HAVE A PURPOSE IN GOD’S WORK.

AND THEY WILL TREAD THE HOLY CITY UNDERFOOT FOR FORTY-TWO MONTHS:

This verse stipulates that the court is GIVEN to them to allow them to accomplish the work of TREADING UNDER FOOT THE HOLY CITY for forty-two months — the 1260 years which ended in A.D. 1799 at the Time of the End.

We thus have TWO classes in Christianity. Jesus called them Wheat and Tares; Daniel called them the Host and the Sanctuary. Revelation here calls them “me” (John — the Church) and “The Gentiles.” The “me” class is also here termed THE HOLY CITY. (Interestingly, Numbers 33 lists 42 sojourning’s of Israel. The meaning is obscure if there is a connection.)

Continued with next post.