His Perfect Love

Guest (Male): The desecration of the temple in Revelation chapter 11, coming up on His perfect love. One day, a third temple will be constructed and in operation in Israel. But as we'll learn today on His perfect love, it will be desecrated by the Antichrist during the middle of the tribulation period. We'll tell you all about it today as we turn in our Bibles to Revelation chapter 11. Pastor Matt Vandervinn is leading a study in Revelation. And as a way of reminder, you can access any of these messages online at oneplace.com or at hisperfectlove.org. Now with a message first delivered at Calvary Chapel Harrisburg West Shore, here's Matt.

Matt VanderVen: Revelation chapter 11. Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood saying, rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. But leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it for it has been given to the Gentiles. If you have a pencil, please underline that in verse two. We're going to come back to that. And they will tread the holy city, the Gentiles that it was given over to, on foot for 42 months. That's also 1,260 days. That's also three and a half years.

And I will give power to my witnesses and they will prophesy 1,260 days clothed in sackcloth. So we'll introduce that two witnesses are going to come and they likewise are going to be prophesying for three and a half years, 1,260 days. These are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands standing before God of the earth. And we'll come back to that at another time. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. These have power to shut heaven so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy.

And they have power over waters to turn them to blood and to strike the earth with all plagues as often as they desire. When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them and overcome them and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified. Then those from the people, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three and a half days and not allow their dead bodies to be put in the graves in another three and a half.

And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another almost like what we would think of Christmas or their holidays, birthdays. They're going to be doing that because of the death of these two witnesses. Sounds wicked and evil. And they're going to make merry and send gifts to one another because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. Now after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered them and they stood on their feet and great fear fell on those who saw them.

And they heard the loud voice from heaven saying them, come up here. So they were resurrected and they ascended to heaven in a cloud. And their enemies saw them in the same manner or in the same hour, there was a great earthquake and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake, 7,000 people were killed and the rest were afraid. And they gave God glory to to the God of heaven. This is important. Up to this point, we have not seen one time where the people have responded otherwise other than individuals that end up being martyred for their faith in Christ during the great tribulation.

Not a single group of people because of a catastrophic event. Remember back in chapter nine and verses 20 and 21 how we read they were continuing their sin and they wouldn't humble their heart. This is the first time we're seeing there's this mass movement where because of the death of these earthquakes and the killing that finally people humble themselves. And what do they do? They become afraid and they gave glory to God of heaven. The second woe was passed. Behold the third woe is coming. It's important chronologically what this is telling us is this is the end, the sixth trumpet judgment.

So even in this parenthetical chapter, passage, intermission, that too is part, even with a pause if you will, in the sixth trumpet judgment. Now when we continue to read on, then we're going to read of a pouring out of a seventh trumpet judgment. Just so chronologically we all understand where we are. It will be the third woe. Then the seventh angel sounded, there is the third woe or the beginning of the third woe, okay? And there were loud voices in heaven saying, the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ and He shall reign forever and ever.

And the 24 elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God. So one of the first things we see is that now John, who's been looking at earth, watching all these things happening, going between heaven and earth, where does this gaze go now to? Back to heaven, okay? Right at the beginning of the seventh trumpet judgment, the seventh trumpet being blown, the third woe. And what are these 24 elders doing? They're worshiping exactly what John's been seeing in heaven. They say, we give you thanks, oh Lord God Almighty. The one who is and who was and is to come because you have taken your great power and reigned, your sovereign Lord.

The nations were angry, your wrath is come and the time of the dead that they should be judged. And all that you should reward your servants, the prophets, and the saints are those who fear your name small and great and should destroy those who destroy the earth. So that was their song. That was their worship. Then the temple of God was opened in heaven and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. Very important. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, and earthquake and great hail. There is a lot going on in this chapter, isn't there?

It's going to take us a few Sundays to get through this chapter, at least at least two because of all that's going on. Let's go back to chapter 11 verse one here. And the first thing we read and we looked at was here is John. He is given a reed, it says. And he says it's like a measuring rod. Like means like a simile, a metaphor. It doesn't mean it's exactly a measuring rod. It means it's used like a measuring rod. Now how many of you are familiar with what a yardstick is? You know, I I remember growing up, my mother kept one right in the cabinet.

We had one of those broom cabinets. You know what I mean by that? There are longer ones. We had and she kept that stick right in. I don't know what she was measuring in that cabinet, but I'll tell you I know what she did with that stick when I got out of hand. She take that out and boy, she whooped me good, you know? And I I deserved it. I was a handful. But I don't know what she I never see her measure with that. I don't even know how to use a measuring stick like that to measure something.

Give me a tape measure and how to use it. The only thing I know how to do with that is get beaten, right? You know? That was what she did with that stick. What we read here is the same kind of idea. John didn't get beat with this, but it's a rod. How many times have we read in scripture raise up a child or chain up a child, right? And the idea of correction and a rod, right? The idea here is that this is a device. That's why he says like. It's a device that basically John is able to measure out cubits or he's which would have been the measurement term that they would have used in those days somewhere between 18 in from your elbow right to your top of your index or index finger.

Something like that around 18 in give or take. And they would have used this to measure. So one of the first things we see is he's given this reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood up saying, so the angel now stands and looks at John. He he rise and measure the temple of God. So he's told to measure the temple of God first. The altar, that's the second thing he's told to measure. And those who worship there, so the place of worship. But then something that we have never seen in scripture specifically when it comes to the temple, whether it was the first temple, whether it was the temple that got you know built after Solomon's temple, whether it this would be the third temple here.

We've never seen any other temple like that where God has come back and said, well, you know, don't measure that one portion, at least best to my knowledge and the way I'm recollecting this morning. So it's interesting. And it's just what part of this area and this is significant for us because it communicates something that God and the Apostle John wants us to see. But leave out the court which is outside of the temple and do not measure it for it has been given to the Gentiles. Please remember in scripture there's only two kinds of people.

You're either Jewish or you're a Gentile. That that is the only way scripture break down. There's no other way. You're either a Jew or a Gentile, okay? That's simply just how it's broken out. And so there's something about this. Everything we know about that temple that would have been in the time of Judaism where it was practiced in that temple before 80 70 was destroyed. There was a place that only up the Romans Turians, the soldiers that would come, there would be a lot of marketers. They would set up their tables, their wares, and they would do all the selling and trading and all that, money exchanging.

That was all done near the court of the Gentiles. Why? Because then the centurions could come in Rome and they could enforce government there. They could come in and say, hey, up, what are you doing? If there was a problem, remember Jesus actually got upset that they were doing this. Don't make my house my house is to be a house of prayer, God's house, the the church. It's just not meant to be a den of thieves. It's not a place to come in and buy, sell, trade. You know, it's not a marketplace that way. And so it's important that we see here that this new temple is going to end up having an area similar that's given to the Gentile people just like the original temples did and even Herod's temple did.

And they will tread the holy city underfoot. What does that sound like to you? For 42 months, so that's three and a half years or 1,260 days. So again, makes sense here. John's given this primitive measuring stick. He's told to listen very clearly and he's told to measure a temple. Now all of you should be sitting here this morning going, Pastor, I got a problem with that because there is no temple in Israel today. Everybody agree? As a matter of fact, if you went over to Israel today and you went to Mount Moriah where David Excuse me, I was going to say David David planted, but where Solomon actually built the first temple would be on Mount Moriah.

Are you with me? And that's exactly where the first temple, Solomon's temple was built. However, after 80 70 Rome, Titus came in and destroyed that temple and Jesus Christ prophesied that that would happen. This is not one stone would be left on another. They actually heated it up, remember? To get all the gold to melt the gold that would come out and Romans just captured and caught all that gold that kept came out of that uh thing. Same thing happened during the time of Nebuchadnezzar when he heated it up and the gold would come out.

They would took a lot of the armory out. And then what do we do? What do you what do you do when you light a basically a temple on fire and it's stone and you you melt all the stuff coming out of it? What do you have to do to put a fire out? You flood it, right? You flood it, right? We understand it. Put a fire out. You flood it with water. That's important because that was prophesied as well. So we have to understand that after 80 70 there has been no temple. Now why is the temple so significant?

Because if a temple doesn't get erected in Jerusalem, then we have several scriptures that we don't understand and how to interpret it. Some will come back and say this is supposed to be a spiritual temple because they'll still try to rewrite scripture and say the Jews are no longer at the centerpiece of God's design and plan. Friends, that's just simply unbiblical. That's simply unbiblical. There is no replacement theology where the church replaces Israel. There's no such thing no matter how creative or fun for some people that think that 's a novel idea or story to create.

It is unbiblical and it has no biblical founding because then you'd have to go and undo Jeremiah 31 31 which promises a covenant to the people of Israel which we know hasn't fulfilled yet. You and I are new covenant believers in Christ, but they have not experienced that new covenant. They have not gotten a new heart. They haven't taken the heart of stone and it's been changed. None of those things are happening. So now what are you doing? You're taking out the eraser and what do you have to start doing? Erasing a lot of scripture that God is very clear.

God has plans for His chosen people. Amen. So I just need us to understand it. Well, the Bible clearly here tells us that there's several end time events that will occur in the temple. The first one that I really want us to study here this morning is in Daniel. You can't study Revelation without studying the book of Daniel. Turn in your Bibles to Daniel chapter nine, please. It's in your Old Testament. Go past Isaiah, go past Jeremiah, go past Ezekiel and stop at Daniel, okay? So I'd like you to go to Daniel chapter nine if you would, please.

And I'd like to bring you to verse 27. But before I just sort of land you there, parachute you in, this passage in Daniel chapter nine beginning in verse 24 is what's known as the 70 weeks passage. And through this area, we know that there are 70 weeks God had ordained for His plan to roll out. And some of that had been determined uh for the people to finish the transgression, to to make an end of sins, to reconciliation, to inquiry, to bring everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy as it says in verse 24.

In verse 26, we learned that after 62 weeks Very interesting here. This again Daniel's prophecy. This is the time in which Jesus Christ makes His triumphal entry in. It's the time that He actually makes His way to Golgotha which we know is the skull. It's where you and I know Calvary where Jesus Christ was crucified. And it said that would happen. And there's no coincidence. You know, some say well, only the book of Isaiah prophesied of Jesus. Really every book of the Bible prophesies of Jesus, friends. But specifically in verse 26 in the book of Daniel here, after 62 weeks, the Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself.

Pretty simple, right? Everybody It's easy for us to look back 20 20, right? With spiritual vision to say, oh well, that meant the crucifixion. Of course. There's no way you could reinterpret this any other way. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Jesus also prophesied about that, didn't He? And the end of it shall be with a what? Flood, which is exactly what they did when they wanted to put the fires out. Did God's 100% accurate every single time. I mean you just can't make this up.

Nobody nobody's this accurate. You know, Daniel's written 500 and you know so I mean this 500 years before this event actually happened. Tons of things like that through our scripture, well over 1,200 different prophecies, 600 relating to Messiah alone. And out of the 600, we've seen so many so many fulfilled, 100% accuracy. All right, so I wanted you to just look at that. Please go to verse 27. This is where I wanted to bring you cuz it's important to understand what's going to happen. And it's spoken of in multiple places. So this isn't just Daniel's vision.

This is something Jesus Christ with His own lips are going to speak about and Paul is going to speak about too in second Thessalonians. Look at verse 27 with me please this morning. Then He shall confirm a covenant. Who is He? He is talking about the Antichrist. If we were to read that whole verse in passage nine, we know that He 's talking about the Antichrist in context. And what He's going to do is He's going to create a covenant, okay? With many, but it's going to be for one week. Now remind me again cuz we saw 62 weeks, 70 weeks.

How many days in a week, please? Seven days in a week, okay? The interpretation of Daniel pretty much through the book of Daniel when we see this one week equals seven years. You just got to remember that. It's just it's interpreted for us, but as you go through the book of Daniel, one week equals seven years. Every time we see when He says so many weeks makes sense. Why 70 weeks? Do you remember what the original point of the 70 years of captivity was? Anybody here remember why they were put into captivity uh Judah specifically?

Because they had forsaken what? The Shabbat. They had forsaken the Shabbat. And so God was coming back and we just kind of read that, didn't we? Earlier in uh Daniel, didn't we turn around and read about how they would turn around plus their idolatry plus everything else going on. So what was that going to be? 490 years. Well, it just so happens if you take the 490 years from that time and you multiply it out on a Hebrew calendar of 360 days, guess where you end up? 80 32. Remind me what happened in 80 32 with the great triumphal entry of Jesus Christ walking through as prophesied.

You just can't make this up. Sir, I think it's Sir Anderson uh wrote a wonderful book on this. I encourage everybody to have it in their library. Goes through all the math and it's it's you can do it yourself. Love it. And it's it's an easy read. It's not expensive and it's something where you can literally crunch the numbers and look at it in a Hebrew calendar and you can come to the same date yourself. Sir, I think it's Sir Alex Anderson or Sir Anderson. Forgive me if I have have not got that correct and the pronunciation.

Verse 27 says, then He shall confirm a covenant for one week. So how many years is that? What's one week in book of Daniel equal? Seven years. But in the middle of the week, what's half of seven years? Three and a half years also known as how many days? 1,200 and 60 days which we just read. That number should sound familiar because we in the book of Revelation chapter 11 just read that. We not only read it once as in days, but we also read it as in what? Months cuz it's also 42 months. 36 months, right?

Three years plus I had six more months. I get what? 42 months. 42 months, 1,260 days. It's also by the way in a future chapter in Revelation again all of it in harmony again. You cannot make this up. So look what He says. He's but in the middle of that. So if you've ever wondered where did the Christians come up with saying that the temple is going to be desecrated by an the Antichrist at seven and a half years, right here. This is one of the three places. And so it says well, how is He going to do it?

He shall bring an end to the sacrifice and offering. So you mean that I'm going to have Well, of course if I'm going to have a rebuilt temple, I'm going to have an offering there. That in itself We won't tackle that this morning, but I will talk about that and sort of systematically go off on that one of these Sundays to help you understand why would if we have Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and the sacrificial system is done away, why would He reestablish a temple with a sacrificial system at that time? And by the way, who is the predominant people group He's doing that for?

Israel, the Jewish people who would be looking for a sacrificial system because in their country, in their nation, and please remember they're predominantly a secular nation. Does everybody here understand that about Israel? Very small minority of actually religious people just like United States of America. It's not really all that different. As a matter of fact, Tel Aviv is far more liberal than California and San Francisco and some of the other liberal cities that we think of. Tel Aviv is ranked way more liberal, way more uh you know sinful things and different things going on. So many times we think of Israel and we we have this idea in our mind that everybody over there is, you know, holy walking around and just um no that just like it was in the time of Jesus, whitewashed tombs.

You're all leaves and no fruit, right? So we can all look the part, play the part, but it doesn't mean that we actually have a transformed heart. God said that many times and He said you speak with me with your lips, but your heart is far from me, right? Hasn't changed. Hasn't changed. It will one day. Praise God. It will, but it hasn't changed yet. So it says in the middle of that week, three and a half years, He shall bring an end to the sacrifice and offering and on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate even until the consumption which is determined is poured out on the desolate.

Now we don't have time this morning, but Daniel also talks about another time where it's 1,300 and so many days, but He's talking about that in regards to Antiochus Epiphanes. How many people have heard of His name? You remember He's a type of Antichrist. He actually came in and did almost similarly what the real true Antichrist is going to do by desecrating it. He came in and took pig's blood and He smeared it all over the temple and desecrated the temple so it could not be holy, right? And then we know what comes out of that, the Maccabees, there's the fight, we get Hanukkah or the Jewish people have Hanukkah, the the festival of lights, that the fact that the oil lamp stayed burning through that whole time.

You you're familiar with this, right? You know the Jewish tradition of why they celebrate that. So this was all occurring, okay? It was a typology to show us what would be and how there would be a desecration of the temple. Well, it happens and will happen again with a rebuilt temple. I'd like you to take please turn to Matthew now. Matthew chapter 24 15, please. I'm going to just drop your rate in here, parachute you into the chapter. Let me give you a little context quickly. Verse three gives us all the context we need. Do you remember how He remends over Jerusalem, how He was saying woe to the Pharisees and Sadducees in the Sanhedrin which was the religious leaders?

That is the heart of chapter 23. Calls them hypocrites, they're lawless. The whole thing you brood of vipers, do you remember that? That's when Jesus was talking to them in the Gospel of Matthew. Well, obviously the disciples heard all this and they're like, whoa. He talked about a tribulation, a judgment that's going to be coming, you know, in essence. And He He's you know this whole thing's going to be destroyed. This temple's going to be destroyed. You that perked up their ears because the temple was what? Just like it is today. It's the national or nationalistic identity for Israel.

They don't have a temple right now and that's a big problem for them. So you can understand why nationalistically it's a big deal. Well, when the disciples heard this, they all pulled Jesus aside and they're like, what'd you say? What do you mean the temple's going to What what do you mean the end of this age? They began to understood what Jesus is saying, the end of the church age, the church age that was just beginning or about to begin. What do you mean there's going to be coming an end to this? I don't understand Jesus.

And just look at that in verse three of chapter 24. He says now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, it's why it's called the Olivet discourse, the disciples came to Him privately saying, tell us when will these things be, right? And what will be the sign of your coming and the end of the what? Age. They completely understood what Jesus was saying and so should we.

Guest (Male): This is His perfect love. That is Pastor Matt Vandervinn on His perfect love. We're going to Revelation at the present time. And I'll remind you that you can hear the program again when you visit hisperfectlove.org. That's hisperfectlove.org. We're also at oneplace.com and look for us wherever you get your podcasts. We also offer a mobile app. This is a great way to take Pastor Matt's teachings with you on the go. You can learn more about the mobile app and start your download when you visit our website hisperfectlove.org. We can't thank you enough for your prayers for this ministry.

Please pray that as God's word goes forth, that lives will be greatly impacted for the glory of God and people would grow by His grace and love or even enter into a relationship with Him. And if you have a prayer request, please send that our way. You can email that to us through our website at hisperfectlove.org. If you live in the Mechanicsburg PA area, we hope you'll stop by for a visit just like you hear on the radio. Pastor Matt teaches verse by verse through the Bible here at Calvary Chapel Harrisburg West Shore. Sunday morning services begin at 8:30 and 10:30.

We have a midweek gathering on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. We're located at 28 North Locust Point Road in Mechanicsburg PA. Go to ccharrisburg.org for more information. And then join us next time when Pastor Matt will pick up where we left off in Revelation here on His perfect love.

Guest (Male): This is His perfect love.

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