Two Witnesses - Rumor notes 69

Revelation 11

3 I will give [power] to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred sixty days, clothed in sackcloth." 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands, standing before the Lord of the earth.

I will give power

There is a compelling error in translation here to correct. The word power is not in the Greek. If we were to translate it more literally, this could read: I will give of myself to my two witnesses...

This makes a huge difference in how we perceive the meaning of this passage. To give power or to give of Himself may or may not mean the same thing, depending on how we define the idea of power. Most of the time power is something humans crave, but generally they want to use it in very different ways from how the Lamb uses and defines power. One of our stanch principles used in this study is that no interpretation is to violate the truth that God is just as Jesus reveals Him to be. The especially applies to the issue of power as it is one of the core issues of contention in this war.

To expand on this a bit more, the next phrase fits well with this insight from the Greek. To prophecy means to speak on behalf of God, to share what is received from God in ways that edify, warn, correct and clarify the truth as it is in Jesus. With this meaning of what prophesying is all about, it would make sense to receive Jesus so as to best be able to speak on God's behalf rather than what is usually imagined when thinking of the word power.

Here are a few more related things Jesus has promised to give to us.

I will give to eat of the tree of life

I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne

I will give freely to him who is thirsty from the spring of the water of life

The bread which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh

I will give you rest

I will give to you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven

I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to withstand or to contradict

I confer on you a kingdom

The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many

The man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all

This issue actually becomes key for examining the nature of the testimony and actions of these two witnesses. Let us keep in mind to compare their testimony with how the Lamb testified about His Father while living under intense pressure among sinners here on earth.

my two witnesses

Yahweh said, "Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous, I will go down now, and see whether their deeds are as bad as the reports which have come to me. If not, I will know." The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham stood yet before Yahweh. (Genesis 18:20-22)

Notice that the 'men' who went on to Sodom were likely angels, while the One remaining to talk with Abraham was likely the pre-incarnate Christ. There can be discrepancies between how God relates to situations compared to how angels or other witnesses deal with situations. Understanding this requires an appreciation of the nature of the overall war and the nature of the freedom God gives to all His servants to think for themselves and even deviate to His view of things without censure or acting as a dictator. This too is one of the pivotal issues in the war between goodness and evil, for without this freedom it is impossible for love and respect to thrive and flourish.

The two angels came to Sodom at evening. Lot sat in the gate of Sodom. Lot saw them, and rose up to meet them. He bowed himself with his face to the earth, and he said, "See now, my lords, please turn aside into your servant's house, stay all night, wash your feet, and you will rise up early, and go on your way." They said, "No, but we will stay in the street all night." (Genesis 19:1-2)

Moses went out, and told the people the words of Yahweh: and he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the Tent. Yahweh came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was on him, and put it on the seventy elders: and it happened that when the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but they did so no more. But there remained two men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the Spirit rested on them; and they were of those who were written, but had not gone out to the Tent; and they prophesied in the camp. There ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses, one of his chosen men, answered, My lord Moses, forbid them. Moses said to him, Are you jealous for my sake? would that all Yahweh's people were prophets, that Yahweh would put his Spirit on them! (Numbers 11:24-29)

At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he who is to die be put to death; at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death. (Deuteronomy 17:6)

One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sins: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established. (Deuteronomy 19:15)

This is one place where I sense that a principle of creation is being laid out plainly. This is highly significant for appreciating the methods that God chooses to stick with to overcome the vicious and subtle attacks of the enemy who has been undermining confidence in His ways, motives and integrity since the inception of sin. God does not demand that we establish what we believe to be truth simply because God says something. Rather God allows even His own testimony to be tested and evaluated by corroboration and evidence provided by at least two or three other witnesses. This challenges a great deal of theology in our world, but it also gives us insight into the nature and disposition of the God who has all power but never abuses that for His own advantage.

Behold, I and the children whom Yahweh has given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from Yahweh of Armies, who dwells in Mount Zion. When they tell you, "Consult with those who have familiar spirits and with the wizards, who chirp and who mutter:" shouldn't a people consult with their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living? Turn to the law and to the testimony! If they don't speak according to this word, surely there is no morning for them. They will pass through it, sore distressed and hungry; and it will happen that when they are hungry, they will worry, and curse by their king and by their God. They will turn their faces upward, and look to the earth, and see distress, darkness, and the gloom of anguish. They will be driven into thick darkness. (Isaiah 8:18-22)

Where then are your wise men? Let them tell you now; and let them know what Yahweh of Armies has purposed concerning Egypt. The princes of Zoan have become fools. The princes of Memphis are deceived. They have caused Egypt to go astray, who are the cornerstone of her tribes. Yahweh has mixed a spirit of perverseness in the midst of her; and they have caused Egypt to go astray in all of its works, like a drunken man staggers in his vomit. Neither shall there be for Egypt any work, which head or tail, palm branch or rush, may do.

In that day the Egyptians will be like women. They will tremble and fear because of the shaking of the hand of Yahweh of Armies, which he shakes over them. The land of Judah will become a terror to Egypt. Everyone to whom mention is made of it will be afraid, because of the plans of Yahweh of Armies, which he determines against it. In that day, there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan, and swear to Yahweh of Armies. One will be called "The city of destruction." In that day, there will be an altar to Yahweh in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to Yahweh at its border. It will be for a sign and for a witness to Yahweh of Armies in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to Yahweh because of oppressors, and he will send them a savior and a defender, and he will deliver them.

Yahweh will be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know Yahweh in that day. Yes, they will worship with sacrifice and offering, and will vow a vow to Yahweh, and will perform it. Yahweh will strike Egypt, striking and healing. They will return to Yahweh, and he will be entreated by them, and will heal them. (Isaiah 19:12-22)

Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled. Who among them can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say, "That is true." "You are my witnesses," says Yahweh, "With my servant whom I have chosen; that you may know and believe me, and understand that I am he. Before me there was no God formed, neither will there be after me. I myself am Yahweh; and besides me there is no savior. I have declared, I have saved, and I have shown; and there was no strange god among you. Therefore you are my witnesses," says Yahweh, "and I am God. (Isaiah 43:9-12)

Don't fear, neither be afraid. Haven't I declared it to you long ago, and shown it? You are my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? Indeed, there is not. I don't know any other Rock. (Isaiah 44:8)

After six days, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves. He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light. Behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with him. (Matthew 17:1-3)

Here we find a supernaturally arranged event specifically set like a courtroom where a witness is evaluated and substantiated through use of corroborating witnesses. This was because of enormous pressure by religious leadership to convince everyone not to trust the witness of Jesus, and this pressure was felt keenly by His own disciples. They were under constant pressure to doubt His authenticity as the true Messiah because His actions and teachings did not seem to square with how religion taught the Messiah should act when He came to deliver God's people and empower them to rule the world as they longed to happen. Thus God prompted Jesus to bring along three witnesses from His disciples to the top of a mountain where God brought His own most influential witnesses previously taken to heaven under special circumstances, possible so this very event could take place at this time.

Moses represented in the mind of the Jewish people the epitome of the Law, while Elijah was a prime example of what they referred to as the prophets. The Old Testament Scriptures were in their common vernacular called the Law and the Prophets. It was their stories and testimony and how they were being interpreted by religious authorities that was the primary issue of divisive contention related to the credibility of Jesus and His ministry of revealing the truth about His Father to not only the world, but for the onlooking universe as well. By arranging for these three specifically to be lined up together in front of three other men brought to become witnesses on earth, God personally gave His own clearest testimony possible as to who should be given the most credibility and authority in our thinking about which testimony is to carry the most weight when it comes to how we view God.

A voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him!" (Luke 9:35)

This symbolic event is inferred in various other places such as when Jesus begins by reviewing the writings of Moses and then the prophets to explain how they were to be understood in light of His own life, death and resurrection when He spoke with two disciples on their walk to Emmaus shortly after His resurrection. He wanted their faith to established, not by special revelation of His identity but grounded in a correct understanding of the history of salvation as recorded from ancient times. Their testimony was never intended to be the final word of truth, for as Jesus pointed out to the Pharisees, the Scriptures were designed to point to Himself as the far greater revelation in contrast to their incomplete and partial testimony. He was the one who alone would be the full revelation of the truth about God that far supersedes every other testimony of any witness. This is here affirmed by God declaring emphatically that it is Jesus Christ who we are to listen to and believe, implying that neither Moses nor the prophets are to be given priority over the testimony of the Son of God who alone clarifies and reveals the truth that alone can set us free from the power of sin.

If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother. But if he doesn't listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector. Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven. Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:15-20)

He called to himself the twelve, and began to send them out two by two; and he gave them authority over the unclean spirits. (Mark 6:7)

Now after these things, the Lord also appointed seventy others, and sent them two by two ahead of him into every city and place, where he was about to come. (Luke 10:1)

Here we again find a principle that is too often ignored. There could be far more effectiveness in our witnessing if we took these instructions of Jesus more seriously. I can testify from my own experience that when two people work in tandem while sharing good news about God that their effectiveness is exponentially more effective than when one person works alone. There are many reasons for this which could be enumerated of which I will offer just a few, not the least of which is the previous principle already pointed out, that a matter is to be settled on the word of at least two witnesses, not just one.

A person witnessing solo has to occupy their entire attention the whole time with what they are saying or doing with little opportunity to reflect or regroup their thoughts or consider the effect they are having on others. But when two people in harmony with each other work together in love, one can pick up from the testimony of the other to bring in a different perspective, giving the first person time to regroup internally, observe better the reactions of those listening, and pay closer attention to the quiet promptings of the Spirit about the direction of the conversation or their own disposition. Then the first person can pick up the narrative again, giving the other time to reflect and listen. This also allows the listeners exposure to more variety and perspectives than if only one person is testifying alone.

When there are two people working together, there will always be at least a slightly different perspective on what is being presented as well as ability to objectively observe what is going on with their partner. If they have learned to be honest and trusting of each other and are both tuned to the same Spirit of truth and love, they can sense when the other person might be in danger of deception or confusion and can alert them in kind ways and help them retune to the voice of God. There are many nuances involved in a healthy relationship between two people when working together to attract others to the passionate love of God, and God designed this to be the best and safest way for us to serve Him as well as the most effective means by which His love may be demonstrated, making God's attractiveness more readily seen in the interactions of those thus bonded with each other.

Behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was sixty stadia from Jerusalem. They talked with each other about all of these things which had happened. It happened, while they talked and questioned together, that Jesus himself came near, and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.

Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

"You are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send forth the promise of my Father on you. But wait in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high." (Luke 24:13-16,27,48-49)

It's also written in your law that the testimony of two people is valid. I am one who testifies about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me. (John 8:17-18)

When the Counselor has come, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will testify about me. You will also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning. (John 15:26-27)

But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets; (Romans 3:21)

A man who disregards Moses' law dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses. (Hebrews 10:28)

There is one more example of witnesses that I would like to look at briefly that I believe may assist us as we evaluate the testimony of these two witnesses in Revelation. It is easy to miss noticing them, but there is recorded two or more different witnesses in the following story that have opposing testimonies, and the effect of their testimony had a great deal of influence on the ability of Jesus to carry out His work in a specific region that needed His good news very much. The story is given in two places with some interesting details useful for unpacking it found in one or the other versions of this story. It would be well to read both versions completely and compare them paying close attention to the testimony of everyone involved in this story and their opinion about the presence of Jesus. A short version is in Matthew 8:28-34 while much more is found in Mark 5:1-20 and another in Luke 8:26-39.

The story involves Jesus arriving on the shore in an area called the Gadarenes or Gergesenes, the first being a larger region encompassing the second. Upon arrival on shore, Jesus and His disciples are confronted by either one or two men (depending which account you read) who are clearly demon-possessed and out of control. The texts provide various details about them indicating that no one was able to contain them with chains or any other means of control and they they lived among the tombs rather than in a house and went around naked. They were also cutters, meaning they were into self-abuse which is no surprise given their condition of demonic control.

Most are familiar with this story and how Jesus had words with the demons inside these men who identified themselves as Legion. Part of their interchange involved the demons accusing Jesus of coming to torment them and begging Him to not command them to go into the abyss, a fascinating reference alerting us to things in a much larger context in which this story took place. The demons then begged Jesus to allow them to invade a large herd of pigs nearby, which permission was granted to them. Of course we know as soon as this happened the pigs went wild, likely similar to how the possessed men had acted previously. This resulted in the pigs self-destructing by plunging off a nearby cliff and drowning in the sea below or possibly killed on the rocks at the bottom.

At the end of this story it becomes clear that these men (or man, depending on which version one assumes as more accurate) become witnesses in the surrounding region to testify about what had happened in them as a result of encountering Jesus. What is less noticed is that they were not the only witnesses testifying about this encounter, for there were people present who witnessed this event, and there is hint that possibly even others injected their version of what had just transpired. This makes for a lot of testifying going on in this story with both immediate as well as long term consequences for the ministry of Jesus in that region.

Those who fed them fled, and went away into the city, and told everything, including what happened to those who were possessed with demons. Behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus. When they saw him, they begged that he would depart from their borders. (Matthew 8:33-34)

Those who fed them fled, and told it in the city and in the country. The people came to see what it was that had happened. They came to Jesus, and saw him who had been possessed by demons sitting, clothed, and in his right mind, even him who had the legion; and they were afraid. Those who saw it declared to them how it happened to him who was possessed by demons, and about the pigs. They began to beg him to depart from their region. (Mark 5:14-17)

When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country. People went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus' feet, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who saw it told them how he who had been possessed by demons was healed. All the people of the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from them, for they were very much afraid. He entered into the boat, and returned. (Luke 8:34-37)

I wonder if the disciples of Jesus might have been included among those who it says saw what had happened and told others their version of what had happened and the crowds arrived. Either way, the prevailing reaction to the stories of the witnesses that likely included the men themselves, produced such consternation in the public mindset that the consensus was that Jesus simply needed to leave immediately, to which He complied without resistance.

What is noted as happening some time later is how Jesus returned to this region and had an opposite response from the people, likely due to the change of heart they had after having time to reconsider all the testimonies and extended time for the healed men to share their story repeatedly and incessantly until people began to see the real truth about the situation. This has important implications for us as well, for we must learn to be gentle and respectful of people's freedom to make wrong decisions on the basis of strong emotions in reaction to testimonies that may arouse fears that dominate their thinking. Given more time they may be able to reflect and reconsider more thoroughly the evidence and become willing to change their stance about the real truth.

This perspective may prove helpful as we move through the evidence concerning the testimony of these two witnesses here in Revelation 11.

they will prophesy one thousand two hundred sixty days, clothed in sackcloth

They told me, "You must prophesy again over many peoples, nations, languages, and kings." (Revelation 10:11)

Worship God, for the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy. (Revelation 19:10)

This verse corresponds directly with our current passage, for a witness is one who testifies, and the angel tells John here that the testimony of Jesus, the star witness of all witnesses, is the very Spirit of Prophecy. Therefore we need to examine these two witnesses by how much the Spirit of Jesus is seen indwelling them to empower them to give testimony that confirms the testimony of Jesus. It is not a matter of all or nothing, but rather how much a witness corroborates with the truth.

The question is this: Does the testimony and actions of these two witnesses correspond completely with the testimony of Jesus concerning the truth about His Father? Or is their testimony, in actions even more so than in words, contain discrepancies with the testimony of Jesus the Son of God? Keep this in mind as we look at more evidence about various witnesses.

But there remained two men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the Spirit rested on them; and they were of those who were written, but had not gone out to the Tent; and they prophesied in the camp. (Numbers 11:26)

Names are often important in Scripture and can convey enormous significance to a passage, this case in point being one of them. The name Eldad literally means, God has loved, and the meaning of the name Medad literally is loving, affectionate. These two men had not come up with the others to stand around the tent of meeting but were with the people in the camp where they were ministering, and both of their names related to God's love, a message we need for us today.

The Spirit of Yahweh will come mightily on you [Saul], and you shall prophesy with them, and shall be turned into another man. (1 Samuel 10:6)

Knowing how the story of Saul went downhill not long after this, it might be a little surprising that God gave Saul such a gift from the very beginning. But then it should not be, for God does not judge people and treat them as they deserve but rather relates to us without partiality and equipped Saul with what he needed to carry out his function as king. Had Saul not chosen to take a different path and allow pride to disconnect him from God's gifting and plans for him, Saul's story could just as easily turned out the opposite from what it did. He began his career as a new creature, a different man from what he had been before, filled with God's Spirit.

This should alert us to the reality that simply because someone has received an outpouring of God's Spirit and even prophesied does not mean they have any more assurance that they will not choose a different path down the road. Freedom of will is central to living in a relationship of love, for without freedom love cannot even exist. God leaves everyone free to choose their own direction and experience the outcome of those choices, even while He does everything possible to attract and equip them to come to Him and depend entirely on Him to avoid the terrible outcomes of the alternatives.

Moreover, David and the captains of the army set apart for the service certain of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with stringed instruments, and with cymbals.... (1 Chronicles 25:1)

It will happen afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions. (Joel 2:28)

Follow after love, and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

(1 Corinthians 14:1)

Now I desire to have you all speak with other languages, but rather that you would prophesy. For he is greater who prophesies than he who speaks with other languages, unless he interprets, that the assembly may be built up. (1 Corinthians 14:5)

For you all can prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted.

(1 Corinthians 14:31)

These past few verses bring out some important insights about prophesying that should not be missed. Musicians and musical skill is an important expression of prophecy, especially since the right brain can store words that are couched in music differently than when simply spoken or read. Thus it is accessible in ways different than what most of our stored memory is accessed which is especially useful when we are in an intense emotional situation that prevents us from thinking clearly. Putting God's thoughts to music and learning it in this format accomplishes far more than simply learning words and facts, not the least being the deep bonding that can take place between people who participate in such worship together. Music is one of the most effective ways to awaken the heart to bond with other hearts including to God's heart. This is why music can be so important in the work of prophecy, for it can cause the message to have far greater effectiveness than when it is simply spoken.

Notice what Paul is seeking to convey to us in the passages he writes about the role of prophecy in the assembly. The main purpose of prophesying is for the purpose of building up, strengthening, encouraging and bonding together the body of Christ in the persons of His believers who compose His body. Maybe this could be a clue as to why the body of Christ is so weak today, if we fail to allow this most important gift to flourish and minister to us as God designed it should.

Surely the Lord Yahweh will do nothing, unless he reveals his secret to his servants the prophets. The lion has roared. Who will not fear? The Lord Yahweh has spoken. Who can but prophesy?

(Amos 3:7-8)

Just because people prophesy should not lead us to assume they are really speaking the truth on behalf of God. Remember that Lucifer was the first false prophet, for it was his role in heaven to convey the truth about the invisible God to the rest of the intelligent beings throughout the universe. While he may well have fulfilled his purpose for many eons, at some point he chose to begin misrepresenting the heart of the Father to created beings, and the result is the tragic effects of his rebellion which is a long and expensive experiment with alternative ways of social control and organization. Throughout history false prophets have followed in the same path of relying on deception to further their own selfish agenda. So just because a prophet claims to represent God, we must test their disposition against the only reliable standard that defines the real truth that alone will set us free.

Many will tell me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?' Then I will tell them, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.' (Matthew 7:22-23)

You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, 'These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. And in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrine rules made by men.' (Matthew 15:7-9)

The purpose of prophesying is very similar to the purpose of testifying – to influence the thinking of others to view God in a better light. This means the heart must be involved and in tune with the heart of God if our testimony or prophecy is to bring about the kind of results that glorifies God.

A wonderful and horrible thing is happen in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will you do in the end of it? (Jeremiah 5:30-31)

For it is a rebellious people, lying children, children who will not hear the law of Yahweh; who tell the seers, "Don't see!" and to the prophets, "Don't prophesy to us right things. Tell us pleasant things. Prophesy deceits. Get out of the way. Turn aside from the path. Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us." (Isaiah 30:9-11)

Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say you to those who prophesy out of their own heart, Hear you the word of Yahweh: Thus says the Lord Yahweh, Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! Israel, your prophets have been like foxes in the waste places. (Ezekiel 13:2-4)

You, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy you against them. (Ezekiel 13:17)

Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and tell them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Shouldn't the shepherds feed the sheep? (Ezekiel 34:2)

For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with. (1 Corinthians 13:9-10)

What does it mean to prophesy in part? Does this include the spirit of partiality? To be partial implies the involvement of personal bias or favoritism, a disposition to ignore one side of an issue or certain people and choose to give biased favor to others. Scripture makes it clear that God does not assess people in a spirit of partiality. All of us are His children and He passionately loves each one individually with a love that will never be suppressed or diminished regardless of whether or not we respond positively to it. But the same cannot be said about us, and this spirit of partiality, favoring our own preferences, opinions and presuppositions infects every area of our lives. This is one reason that prophets are not to be the last word when it comes to determining what is true, faithful, reliable and especially what accurately reveals the truth about God's heart and His disposition towards us.

We just read from the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel about false prophets who claimed to speak on behalf of God but their hearts were not in tune with His heart. This means they were prophesying with partiality, whether that word meant incomplete or whether it meant biased in ways that misrepresented the truth from God. But what we find near the conclusion of the great chapter describing true love written by Paul, is that there is coming a time when there will be no more partiality, no more incomplete picture of what is true, what is real, how we perceive God to be. When that which is complete has come into clear view, the shadows of darkness and misapprehensions about God linked to the lies that have blinded so many to be afraid and suspicious of Him will be vaporized in the light of the glory as brought to us by His Son Jesus Christ, the explicit and complete revelation of God.

Measure Those Who Worship - Rumor notes 68

 Revelation 11

1 A reed like a rod was given to me. Someone said, "Rise, and measure God's temple, and the altar, and those who worship in it. 2 Leave out the court which is outside of the temple, and don't measure it, for it has been given to the nations. They will tread the holy city under foot for forty-two months.

Rise and measure God's temple, and the altar, and those who worship in it - Review

The cities of refuge were 6 out of 48 cities designated for the Levites to live in scattered throughout the land of Israel and symbolize the people of God who will make up the ultimate city of refuge – the New Jerusalem. (Numbers 35:2-6)

Behold, the angel who talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him, and said to him, "Run, speak to this young man, saying, 'Jerusalem will be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of men and livestock in it. For I,' says Yahweh, 'will be to her a wall of fire around it, and I will be the glory in the midst of her. (Zechariah 2:3-5)

The standards of measure involve heart issues and moral condition.

I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the plumb line. The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters will overflow the hiding place. (Isaiah 28:17)

You, son of man, show the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern. (Ezekiel 43:10)

measure God's temple

Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. (Exodus 25:8)

Originally the temple was a sanctuary. The word sanctuary is used today to designate a safe place, an area of protection. Not only the temple but the cities of refuge served as safe places.

In this way God, being determined to show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath; that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to take hold of the hope set before us. (Hebrews 6:17-18)

This idea of refuge runs like a thread throughout history and Scripture and is part of the revealing of God's heart and God's ways of relating to sinners in the pattern, not only for the sanctuary but in the social arrangement of God's people.

They will not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of Yahweh, as the waters cover the sea. It will happen in that day that the nations will seek the root of Jesse, who stands as a banner of the peoples; and his resting place will be glorious. (Isaiah 11:9-10)

Ultimately the heart's of God's children will be a safe city of refuge in which God may find rest, peace, fellowship and joy.

It happened as they went on their way, he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. (Luke 10:38-39)

Don't you know that you are a temple of God, and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him; for God's temple is holy, which you are. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)

What agreement has a temple of God with idols? For you are a temple of the living God. Even as God said, "I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they will be my people."

(2 Corinthians 6:16)

God's temple that is in heaven was opened, and the ark of the Lord's covenant was seen in his temple. Lightnings, sounds, thunders, an earthquake, and great hail followed. (Revelation 11:19)

For a more in depth exploration of measuring the altar, see the document on the Altar Syndrome.

measure...those who worship in it

But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to be his worshippers. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:23-24)

He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, Christ; from whom all the body, being fitted and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in measure of each individual part, makes the body increase to the building up of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:11-16)

Again we note that the measuring being referred to in his passage is not the typical kind of measuring we usually think of. This is about character, disposition and likeness – on other words, what is being evaluated, measured, assessed is the condition of all who make up the occupants of the temple of God. In this last passage what becomes clear is that the standard of measure is the fullness of Christ.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: who in time past were no people, but now are God's people, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God. If it begins first with us, what will happen to those who don't obey the Good News of God? (1 Peter 4:17)

Worship is all about identifying with and receiving identity from, sources of value from which we derive perspective, sense of identity, our reason for existence and on which we depend to provide for what we need and want. Human beings will always worship, for it is impossible to be human and not reflect an outside source by how we think, act and relate to ourselves and others. Humans are created to image God, but we are free to choose what god we will believe, emulate, admire and obey. This lies at the very heart of the war we are all involved in that is about who we will choose to serve.

When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the children of men, he set the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel. For Yahweh's portion is his people. Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. (Deuteronomy 32:8-9)

Leave out the court which is outside of the temple, and don't measure it, for it has been given to the nations

Then brought he me into the outer court; and behold, there were chambers and a pavement, made for the court round about: thirty chambers were on the pavement. The pavement was by the side of the gates, answerable to the length of the gates, even the lower pavement. Then he measured the breadth from the forefront of the lower gate to the forefront of the inner court outside, one hundred cubits, both on the east and on the north. The gate of the outer court whose prospect is toward the north, he measured the length of it and the breadth of it. (Ezekiel 40:17-20)

Then said he to me, The north chambers and the south chambers, which are before the separate place, they are the holy chambers, where the priests who are near to Yahweh shall eat the most holy things: there shall they lay the most holy things, and the meal offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; for the place is holy. When the priests enter in, then shall they not go out of the holy place into the outer court, but there they shall lay their garments in which they minister; for they are holy: and they shall put on other garments, and shall approach to that which pertains to the people.

Now when he had made an end of measuring the inner house, he brought me forth by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east, and measured it round about. He measured on the east side with the measuring reed five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about. He measured on the north side five hundred reeds with the measuring reed round about. He measured on the south side five hundred reeds with the measuring reed. He turned about to the west side, and measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed. He measured it on the four sides: it had a wall round about, the length five hundred, and the breadth five hundred, to make a separation between that which was holy and that which was common. (Ezekiel 42:13-20)

This is highly relevant to the instructions we find in Revelation 11 regarding the outer court. There are even more significant clues we have yet to examine here as well, but consider this point about separation between the holy and what is common and think about what that means in reality. What does it really mean that something is holy or common? How do we perceive the meaning of these words, and is it possible that we have been conditioned by traditions and subtle replacements of definitions of words that keep us looking at the wrong things to determine this differentiation?

Therefore when he comes into the world, he says, "Sacrifice and offering you didn't desire, but you prepared a body for me; You had no pleasure in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin. Then I said, 'Behold, I have come (in the scroll of the book it is written of me) to do your will, O God.'" Previously saying, "Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you didn't desire, neither had pleasure in them" (those which are offered according to the law), then he has said, "Behold, I have come to do your will." He takes away the first, that he may establish the second, by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:5-10)

Be extremely cautious about rushing to judgment as to the meaning of this enormously significant passage. Do not ignore the plain, strong emphasis here insisting that God is not pleased with nor desires offerings and sacrifices for sin. This is repeated over and over for very good reason, that reason being that we are so entrenched in lies about God and the nature of sin and how we imagine the problem of evil must be resolved, that we can ignore the plainest statements right in front of us. This is especially true in this case. What this states is the annihilation of an entire system of thinking, living, relating to God that must be replaced with a new way of thinking radically different from the former.

The entire book of Hebrews is an exposé on this very issue. It is a direct assault on the mentality promoted in Satan's counterfeit system designed to keep us afraid of God and imagining that God relates to sinners like we do, rooted in the balance system of good and evil with its motivations of rewards and punishments. Offerings and sacrifices quickly devolved into the mindset of appeasing offended deities and became the standard by which nearly every religion in the world defines how we are to relate to God. This runs so deep in the psyche of humanity that it is extremely difficult to even identify or admit. Yet this doctrine of demons that is at the very heart of paganism has totally taken over the teachings of Christianity until anyone even questioning it becomes the target of strong attacks and is denounced as heretical. Yet it is this core truth about the nature of God's character and how He intends to solve the sin problem that must be clarified and that will be the separating factor between those who worship God as He designed them to do from those who worship a fiction of God as pagans do. This is the difference between the holy and the common, the holy and the profane.

Take note of the meaning of the word leave here that makes this truth even more clear.

Leave, literally: to eject, cast out, drive out, send away.

What does that remind us of in Scripture?

The child [Isaac] grew, and was weaned. Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking. Therefore she said to Abraham, "Cast out this handmaid and her son! For the son of this handmaid will not be heir with my son, Isaac."

The thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight on account of his son. God said to Abraham, "Don't let it be grievous in your sight because of the boy, and because of your handmaid. In all that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice. For from Isaac will your seed be called. I will also make a nation of the son of the handmaid, because he is your seed."

Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and a bottle of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder; and gave her the child, and sent her away. She departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. (Genesis 21:8-14)

Why is this so significant and what does this have to do with not measuring the court of the temple?

Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, don't you listen to the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the handmaid, and one by the free woman. However, the son by the handmaid was born according to the flesh, but the son by the free woman was born through promise. These things contain an allegory, for these are two covenants.

One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which is Hagar. For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to the Jerusalem that exists now, for she is in bondage with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written, "Rejoice, you barren who don't bear. Break forth and shout, you that don't travail. For more are the children of the desolate than of her who has a husband."

Now we, brothers, as Isaac was, are children of promise. But as then, he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. However what does the Scripture say? "Throw out the handmaid and her son, for the son of the handmaid will not inherit with the son of the free woman."

So then, brothers, we are not children of a handmaid, but of the free woman. Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don't be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. (Galatians 4:21 – 5:1)

We must have a mature appreciation of the reality described here and not be confused by the false arguments that use this passage to insist that freedom means liberty to violate the Laws of God with impunity. The entire system of argumentation and theology blanketing the world today is saturated with the wine of Babylon that intoxicates and distorts perceptions about reality. This is why we must know the real truth that sets us free but does not deny the reality of principles of creation that are reflected by the Law of God which is eternal and outlines the very attributes of love.

This measuring process taking place here in Revelation 11 is a correlation to what we call judgment. The reason Peter says that judgment begins at the house of God is because judgment is all about exposing inner motives, thoughts and attitudes with the light of the truth as brought by Jesus. He is the light that has come into the world as a human being, unveiling the truth about our Father's heart, disposition and thoughts. In other words, God sent His own beloved Son to judge the Father, for judgment means to expose, to reveal what has been hidden to make it plain for all to observe and evaluate. Thus the Father is the first to offer Himself to be judged, for He has nothing to hide from us that might incriminate Him.

In this process of judgment where light exposes what is hidden, everyone becomes involved in judgment, for light exposes everything and everyone around it, not just some. This is the true nature of judgment and we must appreciate this to come free of our fears, for judgment is always in our favor as we embrace our true identity as defined by Christ our representative and high priest in heaven. Christ represents God to the universe and to us, and at the same time He also represents humanity to the universe and with God. The separating factor of sin is not God or even Jesus passing arbitrary sentences based on what we do. Rather, judgment is how we choose to relate to the testimony of Jesus about God's heart that becomes the unifying or separating catalyst.

It is Jesus, the Lamb of God, the hero of Revelation and the leader in the entire war between light and darkness, who exposes the truth that God is light and love, and in Him is no darkness at all. It is Jesus who declared that the Father judges no one, and additionally that Jesus did not come to judge or condemn but to save. So what is the factor in true judgment that brings about separation between those who serve God and those who do not? What is it that separates the temple being measured with this reed like a rod, from the outer court that is given over to the Gentiles to be trampled?

If anyone listens to my sayings, and doesn't believe, I don't judge him. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects me, and doesn't receive my sayings, has one who judges him. The word that I spoke, the same will judge him in the last day. (John 12:47-48)

Yahweh's voice calls to the city, and wisdom sees your name: "Listen to the rod, and he who appointed it." (Micah 6:9)

It is becoming more and more clear in this study how this separation will affect each one of us. It is our choices, our decisions as to how seriously we take the words of Jesus that determines the outcome of our judgment that separates who is part of the temple and who will be left outside.

it has been given to the nations. They will tread the holy city under foot for forty-two months

The adversary has spread out his hand on all her pleasant things: for she has seen that the nations are entered into her sanctuary, concerning whom you did command that they should not enter into your assembly. (Lamentations 1:10)

Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who nurse infants in those days! For there will be great distress in the land, and wrath to this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. (Luke 21:23-24)

Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be, unless the departure comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction, he who opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped; so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God.

Don't you remember that, when I was still with you, I told you these things? Now you know what is restraining him, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season. For the mystery of lawlessness already works. Only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way. Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth, and destroy by the manifestation of his coming; even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn't receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. Because of this, God sends them a working of error [a strong delusion], that they should believe a lie; that they all might be judged who didn't believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-12)

Does this mean that God sends people a strong delusion to believe a lie? Is God complicit in the rejection of truth on the part of those who are lost? This is a question that has troubled many and must be addressed directly. What is going on here?

God never compels anyone to believe the lie. What happens is that when His offers of grace are persistently rejected and repulsed, the outcome appears as if He did. Our continued rejections of His offers of mercy, grace and truth about Him means that we use our will – our piece of divine authority – to repulse His Spirit and harden our heart against love. The more we do this the more He is forced in respect for our freedom of choice, to withdraw His Spirit that alone provides any effective internal resistance against the enchanting power of the father of lies. Once God's Spirit is compelled to withdraw from us, there is no effective inhibition left within us to resist evil or to repent, for repentance is a gift from God (Acts 11:18; 2 Timothy 2:25; James 1:17) that must be embraced willingly. Repentance is not something we can work up in ourselves but has to be accepted and acted upon. When we persistently refuse to give God's Spirit access to our heart, we hand over to the enemy the authority of our will, and he casts his spell over our soul until our capacity to repent becomes permanently disabled (1John 5:16). Thus the strong delusion is the enchanting power of evil that moves into every vacancy created by the withdrawal of the presence of God in the heart.

But the Spirit says expressly that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, through the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron; (1 Timothy 4:1-2)

Branding with a hot iron is an allusion to how cattle are branded to signify to all who possesses them.

But know this, that in the last days, grievous times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good, traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof. Turn away from these, also. (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

tread the holy city under foot for forty-two months

Does this time prophecy also give us clues for understanding the meaning of the measuring process and what the result might be of separating the holy from the common? Notice that Jesus in predicting the fall of physical Jerusalem, intermingled this with events that would happen much later when spiritual Jerusalem would fall as well. He referenced fulfillment of the times of the Gentiles. This likely corresponds to the period during the Dark Ages when sinister doctrines of Satan infected the citadel of apostate Christianity that ruled the Western world with ruthless tyranny. Roman apostate Christianity absorbed pagan concepts of God so thoroughly that the gospel lost its light of love, becoming a legalistic reign of terror. This is after the working of Satan, for Satan always seeks to infiltrate those who know the truth but hold it in the context of pleasure in unrighteousness.

It is this specter of a distorted, dark version of the gospel treading down the holy city of God that enters the temple of God's children to hold them hostage. This matrix of enchanting and threatening lies compose the inebriating wine of Babylon that induces confusion and darkness. It is corrected by making a distinction between the false and the true, the light and the shadows, restoring the true temple to what it means to be holy to the Lord and and cleansing it of the demonic doctrines of demons held by Gentiles. This is when the measuring reed like a rod brings separation between the truly holy and what has been profaned and amalgamated with error. This is why the outer court is released to be occupied by the Gentiles, for they have corrupted the pure simplicity of the gospel by pagan concepts that are incompatible with the revelation of God's goodness in our Savior Jesus Christ.

This confrontation between the false gospels promoted by religion and the truth of God is seen in the chapter of Micah 6 where God contends that a sacrifice mentality was never His intent as part of true worship. What we find in the two witnesses we are coming to in the following verses is not God's original design, but rather a mixed message testimony resulting from confusion brought in by the enemy that affected minds of God's followers throughout the Old Testament period. With the arrival of the pure gospel in the life and teachings of Jesus, the darkness is challenged and the veil removed from the hearts of all who are willing to listen to the One who appointed the rod, the only valid measuring tool of those who compose the true temple of God on earth.

The holy city that was trod underfoot for 1260 years involved the lives of devoted followers of the Lamb who were severely persecuted. It is true followers of the Lamb who make up the New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven at the end of this book. This is radically different from the old Jerusalem that Paul says is in bondage with her children like Hagar. The measuring of the temple is the process of separation between these two cities just as there had to be a separation between the two first sons of Abraham, so that the inheritance would decidedly reside with the son of promise.

Will this number of 42 months be repeated in these last days of history? I am not convinced it will not be so, though I am reluctant to make definite speculations about when or how. I suspect that numbers used for previous long-term prophecies that again show up in Revelation may well be recycled, only this time without the multiplying factor of the day for a year principle. But that is another discussion we are not ready to take on at this point.