I. 2 visions before the 7th trumpet sound: 1. The vision of the measuring of the temple. v.1-2 2. The vision of the 2 witnesses. v.3-14 II. The passage is very Jewish: Temple, altar, court, measurement of the temple, 2 olive trees and lampstands, sackcloth, the holy city and the great city. 1. The Temple of God. 11:1-2 V.1 a) Temple of God on earth - I. Measure to see if the temple, altar and man meet the Divine standard. II. The Divine standard is Christ. A. The Temple and Tabernacle was Types of Christ. B. They Spoke of the Saviours Sacrifice for Sin. C. They Witnessed of the Way to God Worked in Christ. D. Christ is also the Divine standard for man. 1. He is the veil into God’ s presence. Heb.10:20 2. He is the last Adam. 1.Cor.15:45 3. He is perfect. Heb.5:9 4. He is the Man by which God measures perfection. Eph.4:13 5. The Father has given all judgment to the Son, because His perfect life is God’ s standard of the perfection for man. John 5:22; 27 III. The chapter begins and ends with God’ s temple. IV. The temple is a real physical temple in Jerusalem, which have to be built before this chapter can be fulfilled. 2.Thess.2:4; Matt.24:15; Dan.9:27 V. This temple is not the millennial temple that God will raise during the millennial reign of Christ. Ezek. Ch.40-46 VI. The millennial temple will also be measured. Ezek.40:3-5, 47; 41:13; 42:15-20 VII. The temple is not the Church Eph.2:21, for it has a court, altar, the court is treaded down 3½ years and in context the temple is connected to the earthly Jerusalem. v.1-2, 8, 13 VIII. Measuring in Scripture is an act of an upcoming judgment. 2.Sam.8:2; 2.Kings 21:13; Isaiah 28:17; Lam.2:8; Amos 7:7-9 IX. Measuring in Scripture is also an act of protection. Jer.31:39; Ezek. Ch. 40-43; Zech.1:16; 2:1-8 X. The rod is used as an instrument of judgment in Revelation. 2:27; 12:5; 19:15 XI. There are 2 words for temple in the New Testament: 1. (Gr. Hieron) refers to the whole structure of the temple. Mat. 4:5; John 2:14 2. (Gr. Naos) refers to the sanctuary or the inner house. Matt.23:35; 27:51 XII. Here the word is Naos meaning he is only to measure the sanctuary. XIII. The altar is referring to the golden altar (Prayer), for the measurement is done in the holy place and not in the court. V.2 b) Treading down - I. The nations will tread underfoot the court of the temple for 3½ years. Luke 21:24 II. The court here is perhaps the court of the Gentiles and not of the Jews. III. Some suggest that the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem is in the outer court (The court of the Gentiles) and not on the actual place where the holy place of the great tribulation temple will stand. IV. The temple can be build in such a way that the Dome of the Rock lies in the outer court and not in the holy place of the temple. V. The word leave (Gr. ekballo) means to cast, so the court is cast out of God’ s favour.