Yesterday was all about the good news being sweet and sour. Today is about just how hard some people find it to swallow.
v1-6-
1 Then I was given a measuring stick, and I was told, “Go and measure the Temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers. 2 But do not measure the outer courtyard, for it has been turned over to the nations. They will trample the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will be clothed in burlap and will prophesy during those 1,260 days.” 4 These two prophets are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of all the earth. 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire flashes from their mouths and consumes their enemies. This is how anyone who tries to harm them must die. 6 They have power to shut the sky so that no rain will fall for as long as they prophesy. And they have the power to turn the rivers and oceans into blood, and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they wish.
The fact that John is told to measure the temple and count its worshipers shows how God is building walls of protection around us as his people to protect us from persecution...the number of worshipers being counted shows there is a place for all of God's followers who remain faithful to him. So it's no good saying you've turned your life around and you're living for him...you've actually got to REMAIN FAITHFUL and DO WHAT GOD IS ASKING US THROUGH OUR QT's. Those people left outside will be put through some major suffering.
The two prophets sound a little similar to Moses and Elijah...Moses had the power to call plagues on Egypt (Exodus 7-11), and Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18).
Throughout Revelation there are a load of different numbers. 42 months is 3 and a half years. This is exactly half of the perfect number 7, which maybs shows incompleteness and imperfection.
v7-14-
7 When they complete their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the bottomless pit will declare war against them, and he will conquer them and kill them. 8 And their bodies will lie in the main street of Jerusalem, the city that is figuratively called “Sodom” and “Egypt,” the city where their Lord was crucified. 9 And for three and a half days, all peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will stare at their bodies. No one will be allowed to bury them. 10 All the people who belong to this world will gloat over them and give presents to each other to celebrate the death of the two prophets who had tormented them. 11 But after three and a half days, God breathed life into them, and they stood up! Terror struck all who were staring at them. 12 Then a loud voice from heaven called to the two prophets, “Come up here!” And they rose to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched. 13 At the same time there was a terrible earthquake that destroyed a tenth of the city. Seven thousand people died in that earthquake, and everyone else was terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. 14 The second terror is past, but look, the third terror is coming quickly.
The beast (thought to be Satan) comes and kills the two witnesses. They were winning, now they've lost, but they manage to win again somehow. God's truth remains victorious...their message- God's plan- march on in spite of this death and then even death appears to be defeated, just as Christ defeated death.
We hardly ever face death when we share our faith or when we're on mission. Why should Satan need to threaten our lives when sometimes fear of embarrassment and rejection can stop us before. To be honest, if Jesus has truly changed our lives, then we should be able to find a way to let others know.
Have those people close to you heard what Jesus has done for you?
Many people see the message of Jesus as irritating and tormenting and they'd love to see it defeated (v10), but when Jesus returns, His witnesses will be raised to life with Him and the gospel will be shown to be the truth. CHRISTIANS CAN BE KILLED, BUT THEY CAN'T BE DESTROYED. They'll live forever with Jesus :D
v15-19-
15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven: “The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.”
16 The twenty-four elders sitting on their thrones before God fell with their faces to the ground and worshiped him. 17 And they said, “We give thanks to you, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is and who always was, for now you have assumed your great power and have begun to reign.
18 The nations were filled with wrath, but now the time of your wrath has come. It is time to judge the dead and reward your servants the prophets, as well as your holy people, and all who fear your name, from the least to the greatest. It is time to destroy all who have caused destruction on the earth.”
19 Then, in heaven, the Temple of God was opened and the Ark of his covenant could be seen inside the Temple. Lightning flashed, thunder crashed and roared, and there was an earthquake and a terrible hailstorm.
So, the seventh trumpet is sounded. There is now no turning back. The coming judgments are no longer partial, but complete. God is in total control and he unleashes his full wrath on the world and those who refuse to turn to him through thunder, earthquakes and hailstorms. When his wrath begins, there is no escape.
Throughout the bible, God gives rewards to his people for their good deeds and on what they deserve. But obedience and immediate reward are not always linked....if they were, good people would always be receiving rewards. They would end up doing good deeds out of selfishness, and not God's obedience. Our greatest reward will be eternal life with God in heaven!!
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