In the last two issues of Piecing Together Bible Prophecy, we have taken the Bible and measured the true sanctuary of God, as well as the true salvation of God. In doing so we have discovered that “the temple of God” being referred to in Revelation 11:1-2 is the church, not some future rebuilt Jewish temple, as is popularly believed. We have also discovered that “the altar” being referred to in Revelation 11:1 is symbolic of the salvation wrought by God for the whole world in Christ. In this issue of Piecing Together Bible Prophecy, we will take up our Bibles once again in order to do some measuring. This time, however, we will measure the true saints of God, those referred to in Revelation 11:1 as “them that worship therein.”

As we pointed out in our last issue, it is important for us to remember that the Book of Revelation introduces itself as a book of signs and symbols. In its opening  verse, it explains that it was “signified,” which means communicated by signs and symbols, to God’s servant John by an angel of God (Revelation 1:1). Therefore, to properly interpret the Book of Revelation, we must always bear in mind that it is a figurative book necessitating a figurative interpretation. To insist upon a literal interpretation of the book is to ignore the fact that the book begins by describing itself as a book of signs and symbols.

Who are the true worshipers of God being referred to in Revelation 11:1? If, as we have already determined, they are worshiping at the altar in the true temple of God today, then they are those within the church who have partaken by faith of the salvation God has wrought for the world in Christ. The only people measuring up today to the Scripture’s specifications as true worshipers (saints) of God are those who have offered themselves to God as living sacrifices, which is the only reasonable way to worship Him who gave Himself for us on the cross of Calvary (Romans 12:1). Since Christ’s gave His all for us, our giving of our all for Him is the only reasonable thing for us to do. Without such a sacrifice on our part, we cannot possibly worship Him who made such a sacrifice on our behalf.

Worship today, just like always, requires sacrifice. The only difference is that today’s required sacrifice is bloodless. God no longer requires worshipers to shed the blood of the best of their flocks and herds. Christ, by offering Himself “once and for all” upon the cross of Calvary for the sins of the world, has caused all such sacrifices and offerings to cease (Hebrews 10:10; Daniel 9:27). As the book of Hebrews plainly declares, “There  remaineth no more sacrifice for sins” (Hebrews 10:26).

The sacrifice required of today’s true worshiper is a living sacrifice, not a bloody one. It is the giving of  ourselves to Christ. Thanks to the shedding of Christ’s blood and the pouring out of His life in place of ours, our offering of ourselves as living sacrifices to Him does not result in death, but in life everlasting. The only death involved is our willingness to die to ourselves and our own will. Once we do so, we come alive forever to  God by living henceforth for the fulfillment of His will rather than our own. The resulting consequence of such submission and obedience to Christ is eternal life (Hebrews 5:7-9; Luke 22:41-42).

Jesus taught the Samaritan woman that the “true worshipers [of God] worship the Father in spirit and in  truth” (John 4:23). He explained how the time would come when the place of worship would no longer be relevant. It wouldn’t matter where you worshiped. It wouldn’t matter whether you worshiped on Mount Zion in Jerusalem or on Mount Gerizim in Samaria. All that  would matter was how you worshiped; that is, whether or not you worshiped in spirit and in truth.

The time Christ predicted has come. It commenced when the kingdom of God came with power on the Day of Pentecost (Mark 9:1; Acts 1:4-8). No longer do we have to be where Christ is to worship Him. Thanks to the indwelling Holy Spirit, we can now worship Christ  anywhere, since He is now with us wherever we are.

Are you a true worshiper of God? Do you worship in spirit? Are you indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God as a consequence of offering the spiritual sacrifice required of all true worshipers today; namely, the living sacrifice of yourself to Christ? Do you worship in truth? Do you worship Christ, the true God, at the foot of His cross, the true altar, within the church, which is the true temple of God today? If so, then you measure up according to the Scripture as a true worshiper of God, someone who is worshiping Him in spirit and in truth.

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