Revelation 11: The Jewish Temple Will be built again

On this site, I try to keep to topics based on three ideas.

Bible prophecy; trying to read and correctly determine what the Bible says is in our future.
Prepping; If Bible prophecy is true (it is), then maybe things are going to get a little messy soon. If so, can we or should we get ourselves ready for something? If so what are we getting ready for?
Proper interpretation of Scripture; There are now and have been over the centuries, many people who have taken a ‘crack’ at interpreting Scripture. Many have really missed the mark by a mile, while many others have done an outstanding job of interpreting the Word. You don’t have to believe my interpretations, but I do try to stick to simple, accepted forms of hermeneutics that provide a framework for giving a consistent interpretation in all of the Old and New testaments. How do you like my big fancy word?

You must stick to sound principles of interpretation in order to stay consistent when looking for the meaning of a particular part of the Bible.

The Jewish Temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem.

The Bible does not give any room for that not to take place. Before Jesus was crucified, he told his close friends that they were to look in the future for a special event to take place. That special event was known as the “Abomination that causes desolation.”

That was to take place in the temple. When it did happen, it would mark the starting point of the final three and a half years before the Lord returned to earth.

In Chapter eleven of Revelation we see John the apostle is given a measuring device and told to measure the temple.

Rev. 11:1 “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…”

Rev. 11:2 “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.”

When Jesus spoke to his friends about the temple being defiled, he also let them know that the current temple at that time would be destroyed in 70 A.D. That did happen as we can see from our history books and the obvious fact that there is no temple on the mount in Jerusalem now.

There is the Muslim building which is used for Muslim religious practices now. The above verse is very intriguing as it says that John is not to measure the court or outside area from the temple. That is given to the Gentiles. Will the Al Aqsa mosque be allowed to remain when the Jewish temple is also built? Will the two share the site? Possibly.

The forty-two months that is mentioned in the above verse is another way of writing 3 1/2 years according to the old Jewish calendar.

To fulfill Bible prophecy exactly as it says, there must be a temple built. So…

We still need to see that happen before we know that we are very close.

Daniel, Ezekiel, Zechariah and other prophets tell us the same thing. Zechariah is an excellent source for further study.

There will be a temple built. The plans are in place now. They are holding classes for the future priests. They have the priestly garments, the instruments and the pieces that will go inside the temple.

The Israeli government can’t say it publicly or it will inflame the neighbors, but privately they know that their country will not be complete and fulfilled until the temple is in place the ritual practices have begun again.

It will happen.

This whole chapter is very interesting. I try not to be too wordy, but because of that I will have to leave out a lot of text that helps support some of my interpretations here.

Rev. 11: 3 “I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.”

The number given in the above verse is just another way to say 3 1/2 years again. It’s confusing, but just trust me on that. There is the mention here of two individuals who will be preaching in Jerusalem for those three plus years.

Some people are going to think they have stepped into the ‘Twilight Zone’ when these guys get going.

Rev. 11: 5-6 “If any man will hurt them, fire comes out of their mouth, and devours their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood…”

That is too wild for most people and there is no way that can actually happen…right?

It is what the Bible says will happen. The Bible has shown itself to be trustworthy.

What I want to make clear to those who try to interpret Scripture is this; The plain reading of Scripture is the best way to determine meaning. We have seen in the past that what the Bible says, it really means, so we should expect things to happen as they say.

When these two men finish their 3 1/2 years of preaching, (They can’t actually be killed until then.) they will be killed by the Antichrist. Their bodies will be left to lie in the streets of Jerusalem for 3 1/2 days. The world will mock them and rejoice over their deaths.

This is very similar to the morbid way in which the Muslims always treat the deaths of their enemies. There is very little respect for life with them.

Rev. 11: 11 “After three days and a half the Spirit of Life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet, and great fear fell upon them which saw them.”

Rev. 11: 12 “And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up here; and they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.”

Whoa!

That will be a sight. This happens 3 1/2 years into the Tribulation period. The seven seals were broken on the scroll. Four trumpets sounded that caused worldwide calamity. The skies were falling everywhere. Two special woes took place that were very demonic in nature. One woe or the final trumpet was yet to sound.

Just before the sounding of this last of the seven trumpets the two witnesses are killed and then taken to heaven.

They had been preaching all while the earth was being rocked by chaos. They had been preaching about the people of the world needing to turn from their wickedness. While they were dead in the streets the people thought they had won. They thought their great leader, the Antichrist was the one to follow.

They were wrong.

Now the world is prepared for the dreadful finale of the whole deal. Like chapter ten told us. Now they would be ready for the mystery of God to be fully revealed.

Malachi 4:5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of he great and dreadful day of the Lord.”

The Bible tells us the God will send Elijah to preach and prepare the Jewish people during the most dreaded time in human history.

He will be one of the two. He was taken to heaven alive in a fiery chariot. He didn’t die. The same is true of Enoch another prophet. He probably will be the second of the two, though a good case could be made that it will be Moses.

These things will happen.

It is my belief that the Church will not be raptured before some guy starts preaching in Jerusalem in front of the newly built temple. We will leave shortly after that. That’s different from what others believe, but that’s what I do sometimes.

That’s what I believe. Do you believe something different? Tell me what you think.

Clay Writer.