Revelation 11:1 begins with an Angel of the Lord telling John the Apostle to "measure" the Temple of God, and the altar, and those that worship therein.
God's Word clearly states that Christians are the Temple of God in which His Spirit dwells.
The "altar" represents worship. JESUS said that Christians must worship God in Spirit and in Truth.
There are many Christians who do not come before the altar of God worshipping in Spirit and in Truth. In other words, there are many Christians who are "carnal minded." Paul the Apostle addresses the issue of carnal minded Christians. Also, JESUS tells the "Lukewarm Christians" in the Church of Laodicea that He will spew them out of His mouth.
The reason for the "measuring" of the worshippers at the altar, is for the purpose of revealing their Spiritual condition.
Another way to put it, the "measuring" of the worshippers of God at the altar is for the purpose of determining which ones are committed to His Lordship in their lives, and which ones are not. All Christians know JESUS as their SAVIOUR, but not ALL Christians know JESUS as their Lord, because they never committed themselves to come under His Lordship.
The Lordship of JESUS in our lives is how our Spiritual faithfulness is "measured." This is what John the Apostle is told to "measure." This is what the "measuring" of Christians who are the Temple of God in which His Spirit dwells, is all about.
The time will come when many Christians are going to discover the heart-wrenching truth that their "measurement" for Spiritual faithfulness is different from God's "measurement" for Spiritual faithfulness.
Not many Christians have the understanding that JESUS addresses this very issue in Matthew 7:21-23 which is not about Unbelievers as most Christians have been taught and have been led to believe, but is about Christians who will one day stand before JESUS claiming that because of the many wonderful works that they did in His name, proves that they were Spiritually faithful. Much to their shock, JESUS will tell them that He never knew them. In other words, JESUS is not telling them that He never knew them as not being Christians, but that He did not know them as Christians who had been Spiritual faithful.
As stated before in this article, God has His own "measurement" for Spiritual faithfulness.
In Revelation 11:2, John the Apostle is told not to "measure" the outer court which represents Unbelievers. The "measuring" of the Temple of God is solely for the purpose of "measuring" the Spiritual condition the "End-Time Church." Take notice that in the very next verse, which is Revelation 11:3, the "Two End-Time Witnesses" come onto the scene. The reason being, God is going to "measure" the Spiritual condition of "End-Time Christians" through how they respond to His message which will be delivered by His "Two End-Time Witnesses."
The Message of the "Two End-Time Witnesses" will be "God's last wake-up call" to the "End-Time Church."
The Lord's main purpose for raising up and establishing His "Two End-Time Witnesses" will be to address the Spiritual condition of today's end-time Christian Church today which has fallen away from Biblical sound doctrine.
The Apostle Paul clearly warned that there was coming a "great falling away" from Biblical sound doctrine. This is the condition that exists in the Christian Institutional Church today, because the Christian Institutional Church today has become apostate in a number of it's teachings. In fact, I think that it is likely that many leaders in the Church today do not even realize that a number of doctrines that they are teaching, are not Biblically sound, which is the "falling away" from sound doctrine that the Apostle Paul warned about.
Revelation 11:3 declares to us that the ministry of the "Two End-Time Witnesses" will begin in which they will prophesy for 1,260 days.
Prophesy means to speak what God has revealed. The "Two-End Time Witnesses" will reveal revelation truth from the Scriptures of the Bible which will reveal the true Spiritual condition of "End-Time Christians" which make up the "End-Time Church."
A very key part of the message of the "Two End-Time Witnesses" will be that of revealing just how far that the Christian Institutional Church has departed from a number of Biblical sound doctrines of the Faith that were established by the Early Church, and has since been replaced by the Church with man-made doctrines.
Christians who hear their message and take heed to the warning given in the 18th Chapter of Revelation to come out of the Harlot Institutional Church, will be Christians who are committed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Christians who hear their message and do not take heed to the warning given in the 18th Chapter of Revelation to come out of the Harlot Institutional Church, will be Christians who are not committed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, which the Bible defines as being a carnal Christian.
The 17th Chapter of Revelation tells us that "Babylon the Great" is the "Mother of Harlots." Well, obviously a mother is a woman who has children. This is clearly the Catholic Church who thinks of herself as the "Mother Church," and considers herself as the "Mother of the Protestant Churches" which were formed as the result of people leaving the Catholic Church which eventually led to the formation of the Protestant Churches of different denominations and different doctrines.
The reason why the Catholic Church is "Babylon the Great," described in Revelation 17:5, is because "she" truly is a "GREAT SPIRITUAL DECEIVER." That is why that "she" is called the "Mother of Harlots." The TOP LEADERS of the Catholic Church, under the guise of Christianity, observe and practice occult rites and rituals with their worship of pagan gods that date back to the Great City of ancient Babylon which was founded by Nimrod. (guise - concealing the true nature of something)
Cleverly, the TOP LEADERS of the Catholic Church, under the guise of Christianity, cause innocent Catholics to unknowingly partake in pagan worship and rituals.
Because the TOP LEADERS of the Catholic Church teach and preach JESUS along with a number of Christian doctrines mixed in with the abomination of ancient Babylonian occult rites, rituals and symbols, truly makes the Catholic Church the "Great Spiritual Mother Harlot" that is spoken of in the 17th Chapter of Revelation.
Even though the Christian Protestant Churches were formed as a result of many people leaving the Catholic Church which is the "Great Spiritual Mother Harlot." they themselves have become "doctrinally corrupt" in a number of its teachings that comes from man-made doctrines.
Also, just like the clergy / laity system of the Catholic Church, the formation of the Protestant Churches also adopted the clergy / laity system which is not Biblical, and actually stunts the growth of Christians. Unfortunately, most Christians today do not realize this important truth because of not having a proper understanding of how the "Royal Priesthood" of the Believer in Christ is to function in the Body of Christ.
Notice the wording "Mother of Harlots." Not only is the Catholic Church the "Great Spiritual Mother Harlot," but she is called the "Mother of Harlots" because her daughters are also "Spiritual Harlots" which has already been explained in this article as clearly being the Protestant Churches.
In fact, I recently came across an article on the internet which was published by the Catholic Stand Media Publication which was titled: "Protestants: It's To Come Back." The very 1st two lines of the article read, "To my Protestant brothers and sisters: It's time to come back to MOTHER CHURCH. We want you, we need you, we love you."
Those words stated by the Catholic Stand Media Publication reinforce the fact that it is the Catholic Church who is the "Great Spiritual Mother Harlot," and her "Spiritual Harlot Daughters" are the "man formed" Protestant Churches.
A "Spiritual Harlot" is the definition for "Spiritual unfaithfulness." The Christian Institutional Churches today have not remained faithful to Biblical sound doctrines, but have taught and practiced many man-made doctrines, which makes them "Spiritual Harlots."
The 18th Chapter of Revelation records a vision that John the Apostle received from the Lord.
Take "NOTICE" that the 18th Chapter of Revelation starts out with the 2nd verse declaring that "Babylon the Great" is fallen, is fallen, and then 2 verses later, "GOD'S PEOPLE" are told warned to come out of her. In this Passage of Scripture, we are not being told that a Great City named "Babylon" has been destroyed and is in ruins, because this particular Passage of Scripture is not speaking of a physical city named "Babylon the Great," but is speaking symbolically of a Spiritual city named "Babylon the Great." Once we come to this understanding, then the meaning of this Passage of Scripture becomes much clearer.
We are being told that "Babylon the Great" is "fallen." In the context of this Passage of Scripture, the word "fallen" means Spiritual decay, defection from the truth, to abandon sound doctrine, to fall away from sound doctrine. (2nd Timothy 4:3 - For the time will come when people will not endure sound doctrine.) Will not endure sound doctrine means: shall turn away from the truth of sound doctrine.
God would not tell "HIS PEOPLE" to come out of a city that has already been destroyed and is in ruins. By that time, it would be too late. God would tell "HIS PEOPLE" to come out of a city before it has been destroyed and is in ruins.
A Spiritual Harlot represents Spiritual unfaithfulness. So, the "HER" that is referred to in "come out of her my people" is referring to the "Harlot Church" which has been unfaithful. This call of God to "HIS PEOPLE" will be at the very heart of the message of the "Two End-Time Witnesses."
This message from the Angel of the Lord is directed to Christians. Only Christians can fall away, abandon, defect from God's truth.
Also, TAKE NOTICE that the Angel of the Lord cries out that "Babylon the Great" has BECOME a "habitation of demons," and of "every foul Spirit," and of "every kind of evil Spirit."
As stated before in this article, Revelation 17:5 declares to us that "Babylon the Great" is the mother of harlots. This represents the Catholic Church and what she considers to be her daughters, which are the Protestant Churches which were formed as the result of coming out from under the religious rule of the Catholic Church.
So when Revelation 18:2 declares to us that "Babylon the Great" has become the "habitation of demons," and of "every foul Spirit," and every kind of evil Spirit," this is clearly referring to the "Great mother Harlot Church" which is stated in Revelation 17:5, which is the Catholic Church, and what she considers to be her daughters, the Protestant Churches.
The assignment of Demons, and foul Spirits, and evil Spirits is not to inhabit a physical city that has been destroyed and is in ruins. Their assignment from Satan is to deceive and to destroy lives, which proves that Revelation 18:2 is not referring to a physical city that has been destroyed and is in ruins.
The Christian Institutional Churches that exist today have become "doctrinally corrupt" which can be attributed to the fact of being greatly influenced by "DECEIVING SPIRITS." This is why that there is such urgency in the Angel's voice when imploring "GOD'S PEOPLE" to come out of "HER."
It will be the "VALLEY OF DECISION" for multitudes of Christians.
Most Christians today are not aware of the fact that the Christian Institutional Churches that they are attending have become "Apostate" in a number of their man-made doctrines which err greatly from Biblical sound doctrine. I am not talking about "minor doctrines." I am talking about "major doctrines
The 3rd Chapter of Revelation speaks about the Church in Sardis in John's day which had a name for being Spiritually alive, but the Lord tells them that they are not Spiritually alive, but they are Spiritually dead. That certainly describes the Spiritual condition of the Christian Institutional Churches today.
The very popular belief of the Church today is the belief that it will be the antichrist that causes a "great falling away" during the tribulation period at the end of this Age.
However, the 2nd Chapter of 2nd Thessalonians tells us that there shall come a falling away "FIRST," and then the antichrist will be revealed. This "falling away" of the Christian Institutional Church from Biblical sound doctrine, began centuries ago.
The "Two End-Time Witnesses" will be crying out with a mighty and loud voice for "GOD'S PEOPLE" to come out of the "Spiritual Harlot System" of the Christian institutional Church.
Just as God used Moses to bring out the children of Israel from under the bondage of Egypt, so will God use the "Two End-Time Witnesses" in bringing out "HIS PEOPLE" from under the bondage of the "Spiritual Harlot System" of the Christian Institutional Church. This will be accomplished through their message of truth with clarity from the Scriptures of the Bible.
The mandate of the "Two End-Time Witnesses" from the Lord will not be to oversee the building of a man-made Temple in Jerusalem, but their mandate will be to address the Spiritual condition of Believers in Christ who are the Temple of God's Spirit. They will do this by expounding clearly upon the "Revelation Truth" from God's Word.
God's "FOCUS" will not be on a physical man-made Temple in Jerusalem, but His "FOCUS" will be on the Spiritual Temple of Believers in Christ in which His Spirit dwells.
The Lord's Message to the "End-Time Church" that will be delivered by His "Two End-Time Witnesses" will begin the final 7 years of this present Age, and will be instrumental in preparing the "End-Time Church" for the return of CHRIST.
The final 7 years of this present Age will be the "midnight hour" for this present Age. The message of the "Two End-Time Witnesses" will be "GOD'S LAST WAKE-UP CALL TO HIS PEOPLE" before His return.