Note: Preparing last quarter’s lessons on Bible prophecy was a great blessing to me. We studied the succession of kingdoms described in Daniel, starting with Babylon, then Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome in its pagan phase, and finally Rome in its papal phase. As I studied this material, I was convicted that Seventh-day Adventists have gotten Bible prophecy right.
We were shown the march of kingdoms through time, with each succeeding kingdom absorbing the false doctrines of the preceding kingdoms. The Babylonian mystery religion was adopted in pagan Rome, and ultimately incorporated into papal Roman Catholicism. Papal Rome then used the power of the state to enforce its false system of worship, persecuting the true Christian Church.
But there was one glaring omission from last quarter’s lessons: there was no lesson devoted to the events that transpired, and are still transpiring, at the “the time of the end,” that being the era after the expiration of the 1,260 years of papal supremacy, which we believe lasted from 538 AD to 1798. The story during those centuries was the triumph of corrupt religion and the persecution of the true church.
But Scripture tells us that “in the time of the end,” a new force arises to “push against” papal Rome. (Daniel 11:40) This power is figuratively called Egypt and Sodom (Rev. 11:8), meaning that it is characterized by atheism and state-sanctioned rebellion against God’s created sexual order.
In an interpretation confirmed by the prophetic ministry of Ellen White (she discussed it at length in Great Controversy, chapter 15), Adventists believe that Revelation 11 describes the French Revolution, which was a violent reaction against the corrupt religious system of papal Rome and the extreme inequality and injustice that Romanism fostered and protected from the reforms that Protestantism would have brought about. The French Revolution was characterized by atheism and licentiousness, figuratively Egypt (atheism) and Sodom (sexual rebellion).
So, for the last few weeks of this quarter, we shall be studying Revelation 11, Daniel 11, and topics related to the war between atheistic Leftist utopianism and corrupt religion (with true religion caught in the middle).
Revelation 11: A Picture of the Investigative Judgment
Memory Text: “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.” Rev. 11:1-2 NKJV
a. What Temple was John told to “Measure”?
As John is writing this, we are in the Christian era, so the physical temple in Jerusalem is no longer relevant spiritually. The sacrifices and rituals connected with it had been fulfilled by the death of Christ. The ceremonial law came to end, symbolized by the supernatural tearing, from top to bottom, of the curtain separating the Most Holy Place from the Holy Place (Mat. 27:50-51; Luke 23:44-46; Mark 15:37-38). The lambs that symbolized Christ no longer needed to be sacrificed, because Christ Himself had been sacrificed for our sins (Isa. 53:7; Jer. 11:19; John 1:29; 1 Pet. 1:18-21; Rev. 5:12).
“With a rending noise the inner veil of the temple is torn from top to bottom by an unseen hand, throwing open to the gaze of the multitude a place once filled with the presence of God. . . . The most holy place of the earthly sanctuary is no longer sacred. All is terror and confusion. The priest is about to slay the victim; but the knife drops from his nerveless hand, and the lamb escapes. Type has met antitype in the death of God's Son. The great sacrifice has been made.” Desire of Ages, p. 757.
Clearly, by the time John was writing the book of Revelation in the late First Century of the Christian era, the temple ritual had come to an end.
Moreover, if Revelation was written as late as 95 AD, as many scholars believe, then the temple in Jerusalem, having been destroyed in 70 AD, no longer existed when John was in vision on Patmos. Even those who do not believe the Apocalypse was written in the 90s admit that the earliest John could have been exiled to the isle of Patmos was 68 AD, so it is overwhelmingly likely the book was written after the destruction of the Jerusalem temple in 70 AD.
Where, then, is this temple John is told to measure? The earthly temples were constructed after a pattern that was shown Moses. “Be sure to make everything after the pattern I have shown you,” Moses was told. (Ex. 25:9, 40; 26:30; 27:8) It is interesting that Stephen in his final speech to the Sanhedrin just before His murder, was inspired to recount, “Our fathers had the tabernacle of the Testimony with them in the wilderness. It was constructed exactly as God had directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen.” (Acts 7:44)
Why was it so important to follow the pattern God had shown Moses on the mountain? We are told in Hebrews exactly why:
The place where they serve is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” Heb. 8:5
It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Heb. 9:23-24
The earthly temples—from the portable tabernacle set up in the desert, to Solomon’s glorious temple, to the magnificent temple of Herod, plated with gold—were all copies of a heavenly original, the true temple made not with human hands.
b. What does it mean to “Measure the Temple”?
“Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.” Are we concerned here with the physical dimensions of the temple in heaven?
No. The word measure (gr. μετρέω, “met-reh'-o”) is here being used in its metaphorical sense, meaning to judge according to a standard. Consider these two uses of the word:
“For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Mat. 7:2
“For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” 2 Cor. 10:12.
Does “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more” (Mark 4:24) remind you of “Judge not that ye be not judged” (Mat. 7:1)?
So “measuring” in the Bible can, and often does, mean something along the lines of “judging.”
c. Who is to be judged?
And who was to be judged? “The temple, the altar, and those who worship in the temple.” Rev. 11:1. It is not buildings being judged, but people. What people? “Those who worship in the temple.” Again, at the time of this vision, the Jerusalem temple has likely been destroyed, and is certainly no longer spiritually relevant, so this must, again, be referring to the temple in heaven.
Are there human beings worshiping in the heavenly temple? No, the dead sleep until resurrection morning. (Psalm 13:3; Daniel 12:2; John 5:28-29) What is being discussed is not people currently worshiping in the temple but people who, in the Old Testament times, brought their sacrifices to the temple and laid their hands on its head, confessing their sins and symbolically transferring their sins onto the animal, which was then slain, and the blood brought into the tabernacle (Lev. 4:3-7). Thus, their sins were then transferred into the temple through the blood of the sacrifice. (Heb. 13:11). In New Testament times, we simply claim by faith the blood of Jesus Christ, and His sacrifice on our behalf:
“But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands . . . He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.” Heb. 9:11-15
Those who were “worshiping in the temple” were those who had confessed their sins, claimed the blood of the Sacrifice, and had their sins transferred into the temple. These people are the ones to be judged.
By now it should be obvious that Rev. 11:1-2 is a picture of the investigative judgment. The earthly sanctuary was cleansed once a year on the Day of Atonement, when the sins that had, over the course of the year, been transferred into the temple by means of a sacrifice were symbolically removed from the sanctuary by placing them upon the scapegoat, who was not slain but taken out into the wilderness by a fit man. (Lev. 16) The same thing must happen in the heavenly sanctuary.
“But before this can be accomplished, there must be an examination of the books of record to determine who, through repentance of sin and faith in Christ, are entitled to the benefits of His atonement. The cleansing of the sanctuary therefore involves a work of investigation—a work of judgment. This work must be performed prior to the coming of Christ to redeem His people; for when He comes, His reward is with Him to give to every man according to his works.” GC 421.3
This is the investigative judgment, which began in 1844, according to the 2,300 day prophecy, and must continue until the close of probation, which is shortly before the Second Coming.
A clue that Rev. 11:1-2 refers to the investigative judgment is found in the phrase, “measure . . . the altar . . .” Again, we are not concerned with physical dimensions, but with judging people, so what is meant by measuring the altar? Where else in Revelation have we heard about an altar?:
“When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, ‘How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?’ Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been.” Rev. 6:9-11
Here we are shown saints, righteous people, who were martyred for their faith. These people are “under the altar,” figuratively meaning that they are covered by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and they are calling for judgment. This is spiritual language clearly pointing to the investigative judgment.
Another important indication that we are dealing prophetically with the anti-typical day of atonement is that John is told, “But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles.” Rev. 11:2. In other words, don’t bother, at this time, with judging the gentiles—the ethnos, the nations—only judge the worshipers in the temple, who symbolize those who at one time in their lives confessed their sins and claimed the merits of their great Sacrifice in atonement for them. Of this aspect of the investigative judgment, Ellen White wrote:
“In the typical service only those who had come before God with confession and repentance, and whose sins, through the blood of the sin offering, were transferred to the sanctuary, had a part in the service of the Day of Atonement. So in the great day of final atonement and investigative judgment the only cases considered are those of the professed people of God. The judgment of the wicked is a distinct and separate work, and takes place at a later period. ‘Judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel?’ 1 Peter 4:17” GC 480.1
The judgment of the nations, those clearly not saved, will take place during the millennium in heaven. This is the judgment to which Paul is referring in 1 Corinthians 6:2: “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world.”
“During the thousand years between the first and the second resurrection the judgment of the wicked takes place. The apostle Paul points to this judgment as an event that follows the second advent. “Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts.” 1 Corinthians 4:5. Daniel declares that when the Ancient of Days came, “judgment was given to the saints of the Most High.” Daniel 7:22. At this time the righteous reign as kings and priests unto God. John in the Revelation says: “I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them.” “They shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” Revelation 20:4, 6. It is at this time that, as foretold by Paul, “the saints shall judge the world.” 1 Corinthians 6:2. In union with Christ they judge the wicked, comparing their acts with the statute book, the Bible, and deciding every case according to the deeds done in the body. Then the portion which the wicked must suffer is meted out, according to their works; and it is recorded against their names in the book of death.” GC 660.4
The time for “measuring the outer court,” judging the nations, will come later, during the millennium.
Then we have this important statement from the inspired pen: “Every case is coming in review before God; He is measuring the temple and the worshipers therein.” Testimonies, vol. 7, p. 219.2. When do our cases come up for review before God? During the investigative judgment, of course.
So we are seeing in Rev. 11:1-2 a clear picture of the investigative judgment, and this makes perfect sense given the context. The final verses of Revelation Chapter 10 tell us:
“So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but ‘in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’” I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.” Rev. 10:10-11.
Adventists have always believed that this passage describes the Great Disappointment of 1844. (See, e.g., J.N. Loughborough, Last Day Tokens, Ch. 9). The little scroll was the book of Daniel, particularly the 2,300-day prophecy, which, when interpreted to mean that Jesus would return in 1844, was a sweet and joyful thing, but when that interpretation proved mistaken, it was devastating.
The Millerite Adventists learned that they were not going home to heaven, but instead they were charged with preaching a new, or newly understood, prophecy to “many peoples, nations, languages and kings”: the Three Angels Messages. (It seems clear, by the way, that Rev. 10:11 is connected to Rev. 14:6.)
Revelation 10:10-11 is followed immediately by Rev. 11:1-2, and there is an obvious logic in following a description of the Great Disappointment with a description of the investigative judgment, which, unknown to William Miller and his followers, is what 1844 was actually about—not the Second Coming of Christ, but the investigative judgment in the temple in heaven.
The Bookends
But wait, there’s more! We find this passage at the very end of Revelation 11, after all the French Revolution material:
“The nations were angry, and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your people who revere your name, both great and small—and for destroying those who destroy the earth. Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm” Rev. 11:18-19
So the time has come for judging the dead. Which dead? “Your servants the prophets and your people who revere your name.” Because this refers to prophets and people who love the name of Jesus, it is clearly a reference to the first judgment, the investigative judgment of those who might be saved, which opened in 1844.
That this is the investigative judgment is shown by a glimpse into God’s temple in heaven, within which “was seen the ark of his covenant.” Where was the ark of the covenant? In the Most Holy Place, behind the second curtain. Heb. 9:3-5. When did the High Priest enter the Most Holy Place? Only once a year, on the Day of Atonement. Heb. 9:7, Lev. 16) So if we are seeing the Ark of the Covenant in heaven, we are being shown something pertaining to the anti-typical day of atonement, which includes the investigative judgment.
It is interesting that the Eleventh chapter of Revelation begins and ends—it is bracketed, bookended if you will—with allusions to the investigative judgment. And between these two references is a prophecy about atheism’s war against corrupt Christianity, as typified by the French Revolution. Revelation 11 is telling us that, just as the investigative judgment continues until almost the Second Coming, the war between atheism and corrupt religion also continues until almost the Second Coming.
It did not have to be this way, but as events have unfolded, and as Christ has delayed His coming because of our unreadiness, because we have not finished our work, the French Revolution has turned out to be merely the first battle in a long war, a war of centuries, between atheistic Utopianism and religion.