Revelation 11:1 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.”
2 “But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months.”
Once John had eaten the little book, he no longer was an observer but now a participant. John sought the Revelation of Jesus Christ and then was given the command to take and eat it. He now has the Revelation and is called to act. John was in the SPIRIT during the course of these events. He is one of the initiated designated to receive the mysteries contained in this little book and he is now “one” with its message. This message cannot be separated from him for he has become the message, the essence of being a Son. As John had earlier written:
John 14:7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.
11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.
Now the words of Jesus had become a much greater revelation to John after he ate the little book. This impartation brings forth a new anointing as the words are spoken to him: “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.” John is now transformed from “seeing” to “being”.
John is now to focus on the dwelling place of FATHER- The Temple. This is where HIS Presence dwells and remains there forever. We are to be that Temple and HE has been preparing us for HIM to dwell in us as we are partakers of HIS Divine Nature and Intent. We can now understand when HE spoke the words “Let us make man in Our Image, according to Our Likeness”. We are to become HIS express Image!
In the book of Exodus, the tabernacle was set aside as a sanctuary for FATHER to dwell in on a temporary basis and was designed as a type and shadow of things to come. It was an external dwelling place for all to see yet Jesus announced in John 14 that the final dwelling place is IN HIM, the internal. The Old Testament representing the Law dealt with the external and the set a standard to deal with the behavior of man. The New Testament focuses on dealing with the internal character. Behavior becomes an outworking of the internal change. The express image is seen only after the little book has been consumed and has become “one” with the Son. We too will be able to truthfully proclaim the words of Jesus spoken to Philip in the above passage.
Hebrews 9:11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.
John is called to “measure” and reckon the perfect Tabernacle and it is not made with man’s hands. A perfect Tabernacle requires no other future improved dwelling place for it is complete in every detail. This is where the full and express image is to dwell… forever!
Hebrews 5:5 So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him:
“You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.”
6 As He also says in another place:
“You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek.
Our priesthood is one without end for it has Love at its foundation and Love is without end as Paul states in 1st Corinthians chapter 13:
8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
As we eat the little book, we become living stones of HIS Temple, living Epistles of HIS WORD. Our faith in HIM is fully empowered to bring forth the manifestation of HIS fullness in the earth. We only speak what we hear OUR FATHER speak. Our vertical relationship is shed abroad in a horizontal manner to all mankind.
There are three areas mentioned: The Temple, the Outer Court, and the Holy City. Of the three, only the Temple is to be measured. Along with it are the altar and those that worship therein. Where is this Temple? In Heaven, in the Spiritual realm, not the physical. Paul speaks of this Spiritual Temple in 1 Corinthians 3:
16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
We are the lively stones which make up the Most Holy Temple and we are the dwelling place of HIS Glory on earth. And again Paul refers to us as the Temple in 2 Corinthians 6:
16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.
This Temple to be measured is the Temple comprised of the Sons and Jesus is the foundation, the chief cornerstone. The restoration of mankind is to come forth through the Sons who are fitly joined together in full and complete unity, motivated by Love. We see the description of this Temple mentioned in Ephesians 2:
19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,
21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,
22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
Measuring this Temple is about inspection, evaluation, and assessment. You measure something against a standard and the standard is Jesus Christ, the pattern Son, the first begotten Son.