things which must shortly come to pass

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FOR THE TIME IS AT HAND

DR. RON BAITY

A 52-Week Study of the Book of Revelation

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Week 17

THINGS WHICH MUST SHORTLY COME TO PASS A STUDY OF REVELATION—PART 17 This week, our lesson is a continuation of Chapter 11. There are great events spelled out in this chapter, but none more obvious than the building of the Temple. The Jews have an insatiable appetite for its reconstruction. There is yet to be built a Tribulation Temple and a Millennial Temple. The Jews will build the Tribulation Temple, and the Millennial Temple will be built by the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ. Today, rabbinic schools are training young Jewish priests to offer sacrifices in the coming Temple. There is today in Israel what is called the Temple Institute, where seamstresses are weaving clothing for the priests to wear. Artisans are busy making vessels of silver and gold for temple worship. Carpenters are fashioning musical instruments to replicate the worship in the Bible.

I.

A REVIEW OF CHAPTER 11 IS SEEN A. B. C. D. E.

II.

The Temple was measured. (11:1, 2) Two witnesses will be spiritually prepared to prophesy. (11:3, 4) The two witnesses will be sovereignly protected. (11:5) The two witnesses will be satanically persecuted. (11:7-9) The two witnesses will be supernaturally preserved. (11:11, 12)

THE TWO WITNESSES WILL SUCCESSFULLY PROPHESY (Revelation 11:13, 14) A. There is no doubt they prophesized of impending judgment. (11:3) 1. Their message was despised. (11:5) 2. The messenger of the bottomless pits was allowed to kill them. (11:7) 3. The masses rejoiced at their deaths. (11:10) B. God evens the score. (11:13) 1. The witnesses went up and Gods judgment came down upon the city. (11:13)

2. God did not send just “a” earthquake, but a “great earthquake.” (11:13) 3. The Richter scale would measure this earthquake as major, destroying 10% of the structures of the city. (11:13) a. In the last 2,000 years, over ninety earthquakes have taken place in Israel. b. Over 1,000 earthquakes have taken place in Israel during the past 100 years. c. When Jesus died, there was an earthquake in Israel. (Matthew 27:51, 52)

d. When Jesus arose, there was an earthquake in Israel. (Matthew 28:2)

4. The decease count would tally 7,000 people. (11:13) 5. The emotionally distraught and terrified are gripped with fear. (11:13)

FOR THE TIME IS AT HAND A 52-Week Study of the Book of Revelation

DR. RON BAITY Sunday, September 1, 2013

Week 17

C. Present illustration of this noteworthy fact: 1. Recently, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law a bill which allows transgender youth to use whichever bathroom one chooses. 2. They may participate on whichever sports team they believe matches their identity. 3. The bill gives students the right to use whichever facilities they choose based on their self-perception. D. Two noteworthy facts to consider: 1. Governor Jerry Brown signed the perverted transgender bill into law around August 13, 2013. 2. On August 16, 2013, one of the worst forest fires in the history of California was ignited and continues to burn. E. As of this study: 1. The fire has consumed over 260 square miles of forest. 2. The fire has consumed over 180,000 acres. 3. Cities are threatened. 4. Some homes and buildings have been burned and others are threatened. 5. Yosemite National Park is threatened by the impending fire. F. In Revelation 11, God repays with an earthquake what the enemies did to his two faithful witnesses. 1. Those killed could have been prominent people in the Antichrist’s government. 2. The third woe is coming with rapidity. (11:14—“quickly”)

III.

THE SEVENTH ANGEL SOUNDS (REVELATION 11:15) A. Let’s note again the sounding of the trumpets. 1. First Trumpet sounded—trees and grass affected. (Revelation 8:7) 2. Second Trumped sounded—sea affected (Revelation 8:8, 9) 3. Third Trumpet sounded—rivers and fountains of water affected (Revelation 8:10)

4. Fourth Trumpet sounded—Heavenly bodies affected (Revelation 8:12, 13)

5. Fifth Trumpet sounded—Bottomless Pit unleashed (Revelation 9:1-12)

6. Sixth Trumpet sounded—Demonic forces kill 1/3 of human race (Revelation 9:13-21) B. The sounding of the Seventh Trumpet. (Revelation 11:15) 1. This trumpet sets forth a significant milestone in Revelation. a. Under this trumpet will come the final fury of God’s judgment. b. It will culminate in the Battle of Armageddon. c. This Trumpet judgment unleashes a new series of judgments on the earth. 2. These are some of the most powerful verses in the Bible. (11:15-19) a. George Frederick Handel took the words of verse 15 in his closing course of The Messiah.

FOR THE TIME IS AT HAND

DR. RON BAITY

A 52-Week Study of the Book of Revelation

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Week 17

b. These verses are a summary of all that is to come. 3. Heaven is no longer silent, but rejoicing. (8:1; 11:15) a. A fact is established. (11:15) b. Please note the tense of the verse: “are become”. (11:15) i. The event is so certain it is written as if it had already taken place. ii. Heaven rejoices as if the Kingdom had already arrived. c. The takeover is seen. (11:15) i. Satan is described as “The prince of this world”. (John 12:31) ii.

Satan is described as “The god of this world”. (II Corinthians 4:4)

iii.

Satan offered Christ the kingdoms of the world. (Luke 4)

iv.

There is only one King, and His Name is King Jesus. (11:15)

v. vi. vii.

Every kingdom will eventually acknowledge King Jesus. (11:15) Seated on David’s throne, Jesus will reign from sea to shining sea. His kingdom is everlasting. (11:15; “And he shall reign

over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” Luke 1:33) 4. The Twenty-Four Elders are again seen. (Revelation 11:16, 17)

a. They represent God’s complete redeemed society. b. They were seen in Revelation 4. i. They had been redeemed. (Revelation 5:9) ii. They had been crowned. (Revelation 4:4) iii. They were constantly praising Jesus Christ (Revelation 5:12)

c. We again find them praising our Lord Jesus Christ. (11:17) i. This is their response to the announcement in Revelation 11:15. ii. This response is vastly difference from the response on earth. (9:21) d. They praise His Majestic person. (11:17) i. “Lord” points to His Sovereignty. (11:17) ii. “Almighty” points to Omnipotence. (11:17) iii. “God” references His Eternality. (11:17) a. “Which art” (11:17) b. “Which wast” (11:17) c. “Which art to come” (11:17) iv. God has no beginning. v. God has no ending. e. They praise the fact that God “reigns”. (11:17) i. They view His reign as an accomplished fact. (11:17)

FOR THE TIME IS AT HAND

DR. RON BAITY

A 52-Week Study of the Book of Revelation

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Week 17

ii.

This verse looks all the way down into the canyon of eternity. iii. At the same time, these verses give us an overview of what is coming. 5. The response of the nations to the announcement of Christ’s Kingdom: (11:18)

a. The nations want to have their own way—“Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.” (Psalm 2:1-3)

i.

They want to serve the creature more than the Creator. (Romans 1)

ii.

Like adolescent children, they want to cast off restraint. b. Note the change in the attitude of the nations in Revelation 11: i. They take over Jerusalem. (11:2) ii. They rejoice at the death of the two witnesses. (11:910)

iii. They are angry at God. (11:18) c. The set judgment. (11:18) i. Just as Christ is seen reigning in an event which is future so is the judgment of God. (11:17) ii. Judgment will be at different times as we rightly divide the Scriptures. iii. Revelation 11:18 is a summary statement of events yet to unfold. 6. The temple of God. (11:19) i. This chapter opened with a temple on earth but closes with a temple in Heaven. ii. The ark was unseen in Old Testament times but now revealed in Heaven. (11:19) a. This is symbolic of the Presence of God to His people. b. This is the word of assurance to His own. c. The lightings, thundering and earthquakes are terror to earth dwellers. d. As John witnesses glory in Heaven, He witnesses destruction on earth. 7. We are now halfway through the Book of Revelation and midway through the period of Tribulation.