Carnegie Auditorium, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Tuesday, October 9, 1962
Kathryn Kuhlman
SERMON NO. 21
- Revelation 11:1 through 12.
The most precious thing in the world is time. Make the most of it.
I shall begin immediately with the 11th chapter. remember something. Now, when it comes to the seven years of tribulation, the first three and a half years I like to think of as “tribulation,” and the last three and a half years as the “great tribulation.” It will, of course, I’ll be the great tribulation, but I try to make it very clear to you, and I think you understand the word of God, because here in the Revelation there is a distinction, from the time of this great silence – a silence that the Bible speaks of in the beginning of the 8th chapter of the Revelation. It is my own personal interpretation that the silence separates the “tribulation” from the “great tribulation.”
Now, I’ll tell you why I believe that the first three and a half years will not be as great in suffering as the last three and a half years. Because as we see the Antichrist revealing himself at the beginning of the tribulation, I do not believe that there will be this terrific suffering because, you see, he will come in riding on a white horse; he will come in great power; he will come in because of his great acts; there will be glory; there will be promises. I believe that he will ride in on prosperity. Then, the Bible says, shall come sudden destruction. Then!
There are seven years of tribulation, but the first three and a half years will be tribulation in the last three and a half years will be the great tribulation. And this silence as spoken of in the 8th chapter of the Book of the Revelation separates the two. A short silence, a very short silence. “There was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.” Now, whether that is figuratively speaking, I cannot tell. We only know there is absolute silence. As I told you before, the silence is as a deafening silence before a tornado strikes. I am persuaded in my own mind at the beginning of the great tribulation comes when we have the sounding of the seven trumpets.
Last week I gave you the meaning of all seven of the trumpets. Now we take the 11th chapter. That which I give tonight here in the 11th chapter of the Revelation takes place during the great tribulation – those last three and a half years. This 11th chapter may be divided into three parts. I shall not give you the entire chapter tonight. And dividing this 11th chapter into three parts, in the first two verses we have the measuring of the temple; in the 3rd verse down to and including the 14th verse we have the two witnesses; in the 15th first down to and including the 19th verse it finishes the chapter and we have the seventh trumpet. Now, not to confuse your mind, last week I gave you the seven trumpets, but in reality, we do not have the sounding of the seventh trumpet until after the two witnesses. We have the sounding of the first six trumpets, then the two witnesses. After the two witnesses, we have the seventh trumpet in the third woe.
Now, these first two verses in this 11th chapter of the Revelation. I believe they are one of the hardest parts to understand, and I do not know of anyone who has really been dogmatic about the meaning of these first two verses. I shall not be dogmatic about it. If I cannot back it up with Scripture, I’ll tell you so. When it is my own interpretation, I tell you so. You do not have to accept this. I can only give this to you as I see it. I shall give you my interpretation of these two verses which begin:
Revelation 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, and them that worship therein.”
Revelation 11:1
It doesn’t say who gave it to John. This is amazing. This is the very first time that he personally participates in that which was going on. Up until now, he has just been a spectator and he just records what he has seen and what he has heard. He does not say who gave it to him. “And there was given me a reed like unto a rod…”
Verse 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.”
Revelation 11:2
Get this! One of the early acts of the world dictator – of Antichrist – will be the making of a covenant with the Jews. Remember something. It is amazing how the very minute that I begin speaking about the Jews, the very second I bring a message over the radio and bring the Jews into it, there are those who take exception to it. The very second that I bring a sermon and I bring the Jews into the message, if there is a Jewish person present, nine times out of ten, they will take exception to it.
Remember something. You have got to understand this, and that is, that the times of the Gentiles is coming to its close. The times of the Gentiles closes with the Catching Up of the Church. You have got to understand this. Daniel understood it perfectly. He knew that when God was giving him these truths to write in that book, even though he didn’t understand what he was writing in this book that we are now studying. Remember, it was first given to Daniel. Daniel, a Jew, didn’t understand what he was writing, but he did know that that what he was writing pertain to his people. He knew that whatever it was, it had to do with his people, the Jews; and he knew it had to do with the TIME OF THE END.
Remember, God’s covenants to Abraham or earthly covenants. Jews are an earthly people. Therefore, their judgment will be an earthly judgment. And God also promised them, along with His covenants, along with His blessings, along with His protection, along with His love, that there would be a winepress; He also promised them that there would be a judgment, and that judgment is yet future. We are now coming to the time of the end of the Gentiles, and after the Rapture of the Church, we come into that time when God keeps His earthly covenants and He keeps the judgment that He has promised the Jews. So really, if you want to face it, that 7 years of tribulation is really the dispensation of the Jews. It is God’s dealing with the Jews.
I pause right now. I remember a question that somebody asked me and evidently they were not here when I brought that message. They asked me if the times of the Gentiles will cease with the Rapture of the Church and will there be no Gentiles saved. There will be literally thousands upon thousands of Gentiles converted. Of course, there will be both Jews and Gentiles converted during the dispensation of the Jews, but those 7 years will be a time when God keeps His earthly covenants; when God will punish them for their sins. But at the great climax of it all, the greatest revival in the world will ever know will come to the Jews. Their eyes will be opened.
That is the reason, if only the Jewish people would not take exception in the preaching of the Word, when I say that the Jews will accept Antichrist, when I say to you the Antichrist will make a covenant with the Jewish people. Don’t take exception to it! If you would only realize, you are coming into your own. Your future is the greatest. They will be suffering. Oh, there will be untold suffering! But it will be the greatest day the Jewish people will ever know. You are literally, actually coming into your own.
No, when we come into this, there are only two verses here. I grant you, these two verses are filled with meaning and yet, almost impossible to understand.
I go back to that Scripture, because it is so meaningful and we have not counted it as such. There was a reason for what Jesus said to the Jews when they were refusing to accept Him as the Son of the living God. He knew in their hearts that they loved His Father. Sure! You know, it is the most amazing thing. I don’t think there is a Gentile living who is more devout in his worship to Almighty God and more devoted to God and more reverent in the presence of Almighty God than a real honest-t- goodness Orthodox Jew. There is a holy reference to God. Oh, it is something that has been handed down from Abraham to Abraham’s seed. There is something about their complete reverence to God. They are awed in His wonderful presence. There is a reverence, a deep love that many of us do not have.
Paul had it. That is the reason we go back to his persecution of the Christians. He did it because he was protecting God. He did it because he thought they were bringing a reproach on the God of his fathers. Jesus knew his love; the Father knew his love.
That is why Jesus said to the Jews: ‘I come in the name of the God of Abraham and Isaac and you won’t receive Me. You reject me. But another shall come in his own name.’ Of whom is he speaking? Antichrist. When He talked about Antichrist coming, always, constantly along with it is this deception. And I give you Scripture every time. Turn, if you will please, to II Thessalonians 2:3: “Let no man DECEIVE you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.” Continue on down to verses 9 and 10: “Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all DECEIVABLENESS of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”
Keep right on. Verse 11:
“And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.”
2 Thessalonians 2:11
Along with the coming of Antichrist, the great world ruler, will be strong delusion; deception. That is why the Jews will accept him. Now, I did not say Antichrist will be a Jew. Don’t you dare say I said that! What I said was that the Jews would be DECEIVED by him, in exactly the same way the Gentiles will be deceived. But the Jews will accept him, hook, line and sinker. Not for always, but only for a space of time.
And one of the early acts of the world dictator will be the making of a covenant with the Jews. They will be permitted to build a temple.
Those who are returning now from Israel tell me that the work that is going on there is absolutely fabulous. Is almost an overnight thing. It is something that is so fantastic; it is almost unbelievable. Millions and millions of dollars are being poured into Israel. Watch it.
In the very near future, the Jews are going to rebuild the temple at Jerusalem. The original temple plans – the Old Testament temple, will be carefully followed with the exception of this one thing. There will be no Gentile court. The temple had a court that was the court of the Gentiles. When they rebuild the new temple at Jerusalem, it will follow specifications very closely to the original. Watch.
I believe that the temple will be completed during the first half of the tribulation. I will tell you why. Because as we study the Word of God, we find out that sometime between the tribulation and the great tribulation, the Beast will break his covenant with the Jews and the temple will be trodden underfoot by the Gentiles during the end of the great tribulation.
Now read those two verses again in the light of the truth that I have given you. It is as plain as can be. He is talking about the Gentiles, and He goes on to say: “… and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.”
Verse 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, and them that worship therein.”
Revelation 11:1
“… a reed like unto a rod.” A measuring stick. I believe that the temple will be built according to the specifications of Solomon’s temple.
Verse 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.”
Revelation 11:2
The court that was without the temple was the court of the Gentiles. That is going to be left out. ‘Measure Solomon’s temple, but do not measure the court of the Gentiles, because that is going to be left out, when the new temple will be built in Jerusalem.’ Why? Because the whole thing is going to be destroyed at the Battle of the Armageddon. You have got the whole thing there. There it is, just two verses.
But the amazing thing is – this is what gets me – He is talking about a literal temple. We know that it has to do with religion. Why? I’ll tell you why. Isn’t it amazing that first He gives these two verses – the building of the temple – and in the next breath, what comes? Two witnesses. Therefore, one is not symbolic. The first two verses – building of the temple – are not symbolic. It is something that is a reality; it is something that will be tangible. In exactly the same way, the two witnesses will definitely be two personalities. Both the building of the temple and the two witnesses have to do with religion in the preaching of the gospel.
The amazing thing is, there are those who contend that the Book of the Revelation is not in chronological order. When you understand it, it is. It fits together perfectly, when you understand.
Oh, this temple in Jerusalem will be something that will be the pride and joy, the pinnacle of everything, to the Jewish people. It is going to mean everything and yet, it will be trampled underfoot by whom? By the Gentiles; by the enemies of the Jewish people; by the forces of Satan himself, at the time of the great Battle of the Armageddon. For in that hour, they shall not worship the temple; they shall worship Him, the True Messiah, the very Son of the Living God.
After the first two verses, we see the picture of those two witnesses, all in the same breath. These two witnesses will not make their appearance in the first there and a half years, but these two witnesses will prophesy during the last of the tribulation.
Verse 3:
“And I will give power onto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.”
Revelation 11:3
“… a thousand two hundred and threescore days.” In other words, three and a half years.
Verse 4:
“These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.”
Revelation 11:4
Verse 5:
“And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.”
Revelation 11:5
Verse 6:
“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, and to smite the Earth with all plagues, as often as they will.”
Revelation 11:6
Verse 7:
“And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make a war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.”
Revelation 11:7
Verse 8:
“And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, were also our Lord was crucified.”
Revelation 11:8
“…the great city.” Jerusalem.
Verse 9:
“And they of the people and kindreds of tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and a half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.”
Revelation 11:9
Verse 10:
“And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts to one another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.”
Revelation 11:10
Verse 11:
“And after three days and a half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.”
Revelation 11:11
Oh, Hallelujah! That will be the greatest television program they ever saw, because at the end of three and a half days, you were going to see something. If you are going to be here, keep your television turned on. You talk about the spectacular! Can’t you just visualize this? Oh, it is going to be great! This is something, because for three and a half days their bodies literally lie on the street; they are dead. For three and a half days, they are sending gifts, they are making merry because they (the two witnesses) have been preaching to the Jews and Gentiles alike. And I imagine they could not take their life. Life could not be taken from them. You talk about them telling the truth! And they couldn’t shut them up. They couldn’t come near them because fire would proceed out of their mouth. But finally at the end, God permits them to be killed. They are so glad the two witnesses are out of the way, that they are dead, Antichrist wouldn’t even allow them to bury their bodies. Antichrist is so thrilled because, after all, Antichrist and the forces of Antichrist know that it is the supernatural power of God. It is the only power they cannot dominate.
And me thinks that the two witnesses will still – with every breath that they breathe – exalt Jesus Christ and lift up Jesus Christ because it IS Jesus. All these thousands and thousands of Jews believe in God, but it takes something more than the belief in God. They have got to see that JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD. That is where the hitch is. IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO BELIEVE IN GOD. The enemy (Satan) doesn’t care how many people believe in God, but your belief in God does not get you salvation. IT IS THE BLOOD THAT MAKETH AN ATONEMENT FOR THE SOUL. The whole thing is that SALVATION IS IN JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD. And the devil doesn’t care if you believe in God, because just believe in God does not mean salvation. Salvation is in the atonement, and the atonement, of course, of God’s only begotten Son. That is what the two witnesses do. It is Jesus! Jesus! He is the Messiah. They are preaching the very thing that Satan hates. That is what this whole thing is all about. And he can’t shut them up.
And then God permits, at the end of three and a half years, that their bodies be killed; and there they are, lying there. By means of Telstar, all people, all nations everywhere see their dead bodies. You can turn your television set on and you can see them for three and a half days. Every news commentator will show you a picture of their dead bodies on the street. But keep tuned in! Keep your picture going! Don’t turn it off night or day! I warn you and I promise you on the authority of God‘s Word that while you are looking, suddenly, their bodies are going to move at the close of three and a half days.
Verse 11:
“And after three days and a half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood up on their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.”
Revelation 11:11
I believe that suddenly those corpses are going to stand right up.
Verse 12:
“And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.”
Revelation 11:12
If you want to see a spectacular – this is going to happen. That is why Jesus said: Some of these things that I am giving you are so fantastic you won’t be able to believe it. But this is what He said to clinch the whole thing: “HEAVEN AND EARTH SHALL PASS AWAY, BUT MY WORDS SHALL NOT PASS AWAY.”
I just love it. I think this is the greatest thing because I just love to see the devil defeated. He thinks they are dead. ‘I got them now; they are dead.’ And right in the middle of the whole celebration – it’s like God, isn’t it. Sometimes the old devil thinks he has his foot right on us. Just like a little kid will take an ant and he will take his toe and just squash the life out of it. The old devil has his foot right on them. He’s got them. And right in the middle of the celebration, lo, and behold, they stand right up! I get so thrilled every time I think of it. Hold it.
Who in the world are these two witnesses? Who is going to have the glorious privilege? One we are dead sure of; there is proof positive, absolute proof of one. The scripture speaks of one who “has power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy.” In other words, I told you there will be a drought. That has been proven in both the Old and the New Testaments. The drought that is spoken of in Joel, also the famine; that is spoken of in the Revelation. There will not be water for three and a half years. One has been given the power to shut heaven that it rain not in the days of their prophecy. And right at the beginning of this portion of the Word of God, we are told that these two witnesses shall prophesy three and a half years. Therefore, three and a half years, there will be no water. Think what that drought will be like! Think what it is like on this earth not to have water for 6 months! No wonder the famine will be unheard of. Think of it – three and an half years without rain! It is all here.
Now once before one was given that power for exactly the same length of time, and he did it in the days of Ahab. Who was it? None other than Elijah. And the amazing thing is that here in Malachi, the 4th chapter, versus 5 and 6, we have the whole thing; we have the proof of it.
Verse 5:
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:
Malachi 4:5
Verse 6:
“And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, last I come and smite the earth with a curse.”
Malachi 4:6
That substantiate the fact that Elijah is one of the two witnesses; the same one who, once before, for the same length of time in the days of Ahab was given this power “to shut up heaven that it rain not for the time of three and a half years.”
Now, who is the second one? This is debatable. I will tell you very frankly who I think the second one is. He is not named. I cannot stand before you and say it is absolute, and thus and so. But in exactly the same measure, as the first one had power to shut up heaven that it rain not, the next one shall have power over waters to turn them to blood. Once before one other, and only one other in Scripture, was given this power, and that one is, Moses. The account is given in the 9th chapter of Exodus. He is the only one in the Scripture who is given “power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues.” You remember the Egyptian plagues. Therefore, I feel – without fear of contradiction – we can say that the two witnesses will be Moses and Elijah. Hold that now and we will come back to it. I’ll show you a reason for something.
Remember there is not a last word in the Bible, not one. That is the reason I say to you so very often, the Book of the Revelation is easy to understand when you understand the rest of the Bible. It is very simple to understand the last Book of the Bible, this, God’s last word to man. Nothing follows it. This is the grand finale. In everything, you will find that there is something else in the Word of God pertaining to every truth that we find in the Book of the Revelation. When you know the other truths in the Bible, then the Book of the Revelation is open before you. It is the key.
Turn, if you will please, to the 16th chapter of Matthew. This is not a parable. This is what actually happened on the Mount of Transfiguration. Begin with the 28th verse. It is the Master speaking. Just before this, Jesus was saying to the Sadducees and the Pharisees, verses 2 and 3:
“He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, you can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?”
Matthew 16:2-3
Now, verse 28:
“Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.”
Matthew 16:28
Watch. There should not be a chapter marking there. Man has put the chapter markings. There has been an error on the part of men. Man is not infallible. Why? Because it continues: “And after six days…” After six days that which Jesus was talking about, in this 28th verse, took place. To whom was He speaking when He said: “there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom?” He was talking to Peter, James and John.
Matthew 17:1 to 3:
“And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was as white as the light.
And behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.”
Matthew 17:1-3
Watch this. This is marvelous. Something is coming. Read it as when Moses and Elijah shall stand for it in the end of the three and a half years. Peter, James and John were receiving a preview on the Mount of Transfiguration of the coming of Christ in glory. That is what this is all about. Who did they see? The same two that I told you will be the two witnesses: Moses and Elijah. “And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.”
He was Moses? This was the type of the first resurrection saints. Moses tasted a death and the body of Moses was buried. But watch. He is standing there as Peter, James and John were getting this preview of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Moses was the type of the first resurrection saints.
Elijah? No, Elijah was not a type of the same. Why? Because Elijah never tasted of death. In II Kings, the 2nd chapter, verse 11, what happened? “And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and ELIJAH WENT UP BY A WHIRLWIND INTO HEAVEN.” He never tasted of death. He went up and in exactly the same way you and I are going to go up in the great Rapture. Elijah was a type of those who shall be caught up without dying – the raptured saints. Oh, this is marvelous!
That is the reason, beloved, Peter understood perfectly. He knew exactly what he was saying. I can prove it by a statement that Peter made. Turn, if you will please, to II Peter 2:16 to 18. [II Peter 1:16 to 18] He says:
Verse 16:
“For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.”
2-Peter 1:16
‘We had a preview. We are not being carried away. We are not talking about something that is just a fable. We were eyewitnesses of that which is going to take place at the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.’
Verse 17:
“For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
2-Peter 1:17
Verse 18:
“And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.”
2-Peter 1:18
‘We were there when we heard the voice at the baptism of Jesus when God the Father Himself spoke and said: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. The same Father spoke; it was the same voice – we recognized it – on the Mount of Transfiguration. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with Him in the holy mount. Therefore, we have not followed cunningly devised fables.’
This Tuesday night, beloved, we are not following cunningly devised fables. This may be a fable to the unregenerate person. The average person may think we have gone off of our rocker when we tell them the things that are about to happen. But we are not following something that is just a figment of your imagination. We are not following cunningly devised fables.
I am making known unto you the power of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have tasted of His glory. We have partaken of His wonderful presence. We, too, I’ve had a glorious preview for we have tasted in the Spirit of His presence in the power of His glory. One of these days that door into heaven is going to open, and exactly the same way that Elijah was caught up and was taken from Elisha in a cloud – he who that day was a type of our going. That day it will become a reality to us and we will go through that open door, being counted worthy to escape all the tribulation that will come upon this earth.
Hallelujah! It is the most thrilling thing in the world. “When he shall come with trumpet sound, may I then in Him be found.”
That’s the Word! “HEAVEN AND EARTH SHALL PASS AWAY, BUT MY WORDS SHALL NOT PASS AWAY.” The World is our everything. We stick our very lives on this WORD.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
PRAISE THE LORD!!!
