“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever,” (11:15).
Attention is turned to God’s temple; and like the prophecies given to Ezekiel and Zechariah, the temple is to be measured. But this time the outer court is not to be included, highlighting the fact that God is preparing His temple for those who worship Him.
Then there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, “Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it. 2 Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months, (11:1-2).
And perhaps we are again left with questions, but let us remember He Will Finish His Mystery; and we can be sure of this, His plan is on schedule and His purpose is sure; He Will Reign Forever and Ever
Consider Him Who Will Reign Forever and Ever
Before the seventh trumpet is sounded, which is the third woe, we are introduced to His two witnesses, clothed in sackcloth, who will prophesy for three and a half years.
“And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth,” (11:3).
Wearing sackcloth is always a sign of mourning, and with the authority of Almighty God, His two witnesses will bring a message that may have sounded much like that of another preacher who also dressed in sackcloth.
Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand…4 Now John himself had a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey, (Matthew 3:1-2, 4).
sackcloth: “4526. σάκκος sákkos; gen. sákkou, masc. noun. Sackcloth, coarse black cloth commonly made of the long hair of goats (Rev. 6:12) and called mohair. Used for straining, for sacks, and for mourning garments. In the latter case it was worn instead of the ordinary garments or bound around the loins or spread under a person on the ground,” Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance.
Their preaching would be accompanied by the miraculous and powerful signs of God, and no one would be able to harm them until they had finished their testimony.
When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them, (11:7).
And oh what a celebration the wicked would enjoy after being tormented and confronted with the reality of their sin for three and a half years. And the wicked would throw a full-on party; a party that would only last three and a half days.
But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them. 12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them. 13 And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven, (11:11-13).
And the third woe was now on its way as the angel sounded the seventh trumpet.
The second woe is past; behold, the third woe is coming quickly. 15 Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,
“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever,” (11:14-15).
And the seventh trumpet would release the third woe upon every enemy of God, and He will conquer every king and kingdom that has refused to worship Him, and “there will be delay no longer” (Revelation 10:6). And He Will Finish His Mystery Preached to His Prophets as every foe is soundly defeated and as He establishes His Rule over all the earth; for He Will Reign Forever and Ever.
but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets, (Revelation 10:7)
How do we respond to Him Who Will Reign Forever and Ever?
The woes are pronounced against His enemies. And while it is a terrifying reality for those who have rejected His Grace, when we have trusted Christ for our salvation we have been made secure and are counted among His worshipers in the temple of His Holy Presence.
Then there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, “Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it, (11:1).
And because He Will Reign Forever and Ever, we will worship Him Forever and Ever. And that is a party that will never be stopped!
But we don’t have to wait until we are in His Heavenly Throne Room to begin our praise party, for we know how He Finishes His Mystery. A promise of reward awaits all those who bow before Him in reverent fear, for He will judge the world in His righteousness. And really, could there be any better reward than being granted the privilege to gather around His Throne and worship the Eternal Lord God Almighty Forever and Ever?
Oh, let’s not waste that privilege! May we be moved today and every day, like the twenty-four elders, to fall on our faces in worship and praise and thanksgiving before Him Who Will Reign Forever and Ever.
And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God,
17 saying, “We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who were, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign. 18 And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth,” (11:16-18).