John was now commanded to measure "the temple of God," "the altar," and the number of worshipers. Measuring here seems to carry the idea of preservation. He was not to measure "the outer court" of the "nations," because it would be trampled by the Gentiles for "forty-two months" (the second half of the tribulation period; cf. [Luke 21:24]). The "temple" mentioned here is the one that will stand in Jerusalem during the tribulation period. Counting the worshipers might mean that God will preserve a remnant of worshipers. The "altar" is a symbol of the way they will approach God, i.e., through the work of Christ on Golgotha.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-2
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. 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.
 | Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-07-04 Source: Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck |
The Two Witnesses
[Verse 1]. Although it is not said in plain words, it seems that this chapter tells about the contents of the little book from the previous chapter. The scene is Jerusalem with the temple of God. The temple is called “the temple of God”, because God takes into consideration the true worshipers who draw near to Him there. But in reality it is the temple of the antichrist, which was built in unbelief and where the antichrist will place an image of the beast from the sea during the three and a halve years of the great tribulation [Rev 13:14-15]; [2Thess 2:4].
It is most likely that this image will be placed in the court of the temple and not in the building itself. The court is also allowed for the people to enter. Because of the image of an idol that is placed there, the court is not measured.
This temple is next to the last temple of all temples that have been built in the course of time on earth. We read in Scripture about five earthly temples:
1. the temple of Solomon (1 Kings 7; was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC);
2. the temple of Zerubbabel (Ezra 3; 6; was robbed later and consecrated to Jupiter by Antiochus Epiphanes in 168 and 170 BC;
3. the temple that was built by Herod (Jn 2:20; its construction was started in 17 BC and it was destroyed by the Romans in 70); this temple is by the way not a completely new temple, but an enlargement of the temple of Zerubbabel;
4. the temple built for the antichrist [2Thess 2:4] and
5. the temple of Christ (Ezekiel 40-48).
For the sake of completeness I point out that the New Testament still speaks of three spiritual temples: the body of the Lord Jesus [John 2:21], the body of the believer [1Cor 6:19], and the church [1Cor 3:18]. Finally, we read in Revelation 11 about a temple of God in heaven [Rev 11:19] and in Revelation 21 that God Himself and the Lamb is called the temple of the new Jerusalem [Rev 21:22].
As with eating the little book John must also actively participate in the events here. He is ordered to get up and measure some matters. Therefore “a measuring rod like a staff” is given him. This ‘measuring rod’ is to define the border of what especially belongs to God; it defines His ownership (cf. [Ps 16:6]; [Zech 2:1-5]; [Rev 21:15-17]). The temple is His, the altar is His and those who worship Him in the temple are His. The measuring rod like a staff represents the support, which faith finds in the thought that God also in times of darkness makes clear what is His and who belong to Him.
[Verse 2]. John is not allowed to measure the court. He even has to reject it. That is, because the court does not belong to God. He has no connection with it, for the nations have got access to it, because the antichrist has made a covenant with them [Dan 9:26-27]. With “the holy city” Jerusalem is meant.
During a period of forty-two months – that is three and a half years, the duration of the great tribulation – Jerusalem will be in the hands of these unholy allies. They will trample underfoot and profane the city in such a way that in the (court of the) temple which is built for the antichrist, a gruesome idol of the Roman emperor will be placed.
[Verse 3]. Despite the domination of the pagans and the pressure of the antichrist, God will conceive a powerful testimony in Jerusalem. Many will have fled from Judea, that is the region around Jerusalem, to the mountains [Matt 24:26], but in the city itself there will be a remnant of worshipers [Zeph 3:12]. In the midst of it God will raise up two witnesses whom He calls “My two witnesses”. That it is two witnesses means it is reliable and acceptable testimony [Deut 19:15]; [2Cor 13:1]. Many will repent through their testimony [Dan 12:10].
They will pass through the city “clothed in sackcloth”. The sackcloth is a sign of mourning because of the miserable situation the people are in (cf. [Joel 1:13]; [Jer 4:8]). It also supports the seriousness of the message which is an appeal for repentance. They will warn and point out to the people who want to enter the temple to worship the image of the beast that Christ is coming soon. You also see with John the baptist that his clothing was fitting to the seriousness of his preaching [Matt 3:4] and how he finally had to pay with his life for this preaching [Matt 14:5-10].
The duration of their preaching is indicated in days, probably to make clear and to emphasize that their preaching is heard every day. This indication also makes clear how valuable each day is to God that a testimony of Him is given on earth. Another thought attached to that is that these twelve hundred and sixty days are again the same period of the great tribulation. Twelve hundred and sixty days is three and a half years. Because the testimony is given under the greatest possible tribulation, it is counted in days. God counts the days of His tested and persecuted witnesses. Because He has given power to His two witnesses the enemies cannot do anything until God allows them to.
[Verse 4]. The witnesses are compared with “the two olive trees and the two lampstands” [Zech 4:1-14]. As ‘the two olive trees’ they show the full power of the Holy Spirit, of Whom oil is a picture, and as ‘the two lampstands’ they spread Divine light as a testimony in the darkness that then prevails on earth.. They stand “before the Lord of the earth” [Ps 24:1], that is, their testimony concerns the Lord Who stands on the earth and on the sea and Who will soon assert His right over it.
[Verse 5]. As long as they have to testify, no one can harm them. Every attack will be paid with the lives of the attackers because the witnesses have the fire of God at their disposal. That fire comes out of their mouth and it consumes every enemy that wants to harm them to eliminate them and gag them so that they no longer testify.
This course of action makes clear that it is a totally different time than the time in which we now live. Instead of consuming our enemies who want to harm us when we testify to our Lord, we should bless them. The Lord rebukes John and James when they suggest to Him to command fire to come down from heaven to consume the village of the Samaritans because He is not welcome there [Luke 9:53-56].
[Verse 6]. The witnesses have even more power. As often as they desire they can shut heaven, they can turn water to blood and they can strike the earth with all kinds of plagues. If you know anything of the Old Testament history, particularly the histories in which Moses and Elijah play a role, you will recognize them in these plagues. These manifestations of power you find in particular with these two greatest prophets of the Old Testament. “The power to shut the sky” you find with Elijah [1Kgs 17:1] and the “power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague” you find with Moses [Exod 7:14-25]; Exodus 8-10). Elijah testified before God’s people who had become apostate. Moses testified before the enemy of God’s people, namely Egypt.
Elijah and Moses are more often mentioned together. In that sense you find them both with the Lord on the mountain of transfiguration, where they, as it were, get a foretaste of the millennial kingdom of peace [Matt 17:3]. Also Malachi, the last prophet of the Old Testament, speaks about Moses and Elijah as persons who in the last days will perform once more [Mal 4:4-6]; cf. [Matt 11:14]; [Matt 17:11-12]; [Luke 1:17]. That is not so much about their performance in person, but a performance that highlights the characteristics of their services.
[Verse 7]. When the time of their testimony determined by God, is over, they are killed. This also happened to the Lord Jesus, Who was delivered only when His time had come, not one hour earlier. They are killed by the beast. About the beast you will be informed in detail in Revelation 13.
It may look strange that the beast will make war with two men. But there are more examples that an army was sent out to capture one single man. You see this for example with Elijah being besieged several times by a small army [2Kgs 1:8-14], with Elisha in Dothan [2Kgs 6:11-14] and even more with the Lord Jesus in Gethsemane [Matt 26:47]. The witnesses have shown their power and that makes clear to the beast that he is dealing with very dangerous individuals.
[Verse 8]. When the two witnesses are killed, their dead bodies will lie ”in the street of the great city”. From the addition “where also their Lord was crucified” it becomes clear that it is about Jerusalem. But that name is not mentioned. The names that are mentioned indicate the spiritual decay of the city, where the city spiritually has landed. It has become similar to Sodom and Egypt. Jerusalem is ‘Sodom’ because of its corruptness and ‘Egypt’ because of its oppressing God’s people. This total wickedness has shown its pinnacle in the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus.
The two witnesses are killed, after bearing their testimony, in the same place where their Lord bore His testimony and was killed. They suffer His fate and share in it.
It is most likely that this image will be placed in the court of the temple and not in the building itself. The court is also allowed for the people to enter. Because of the image of an idol that is placed there, the court is not measured.
This temple is next to the last temple of all temples that have been built in the course of time on earth. We read in Scripture about five earthly temples:
1. the temple of Solomon (1 Kings 7; was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC);
2. the temple of Zerubbabel (Ezra 3; 6; was robbed later and consecrated to Jupiter by Antiochus Epiphanes in 168 and 170 BC;
3. the temple that was built by Herod (Jn 2:20; its construction was started in 17 BC and it was destroyed by the Romans in 70); this temple is by the way not a completely new temple, but an enlargement of the temple of Zerubbabel;
4. the temple built for the antichrist [2Thess 2:4] and
5. the temple of Christ (Ezekiel 40-48).
For the sake of completeness I point out that the New Testament still speaks of three spiritual temples: the body of the Lord Jesus [John 2:21], the body of the believer [1Cor 6:19], and the church [1Cor 3:18]. Finally, we read in Revelation 11 about a temple of God in heaven [Rev 11:19] and in Revelation 21 that God Himself and the Lamb is called the temple of the new Jerusalem [Rev 21:22].
As with eating the little book John must also actively participate in the events here. He is ordered to get up and measure some matters. Therefore “a measuring rod like a staff” is given him. This ‘measuring rod’ is to define the border of what especially belongs to God; it defines His ownership (cf. [Ps 16:6]; [Zech 2:1-5]; [Rev 21:15-17]). The temple is His, the altar is His and those who worship Him in the temple are His. The measuring rod like a staff represents the support, which faith finds in the thought that God also in times of darkness makes clear what is His and who belong to Him.
[Verse 2]. John is not allowed to measure the court. He even has to reject it. That is, because the court does not belong to God. He has no connection with it, for the nations have got access to it, because the antichrist has made a covenant with them [Dan 9:26-27]. With “the holy city” Jerusalem is meant.
During a period of forty-two months – that is three and a half years, the duration of the great tribulation – Jerusalem will be in the hands of these unholy allies. They will trample underfoot and profane the city in such a way that in the (court of the) temple which is built for the antichrist, a gruesome idol of the Roman emperor will be placed.
[Verse 3]. Despite the domination of the pagans and the pressure of the antichrist, God will conceive a powerful testimony in Jerusalem. Many will have fled from Judea, that is the region around Jerusalem, to the mountains [Matt 24:26], but in the city itself there will be a remnant of worshipers [Zeph 3:12]. In the midst of it God will raise up two witnesses whom He calls “My two witnesses”. That it is two witnesses means it is reliable and acceptable testimony [Deut 19:15]; [2Cor 13:1]. Many will repent through their testimony [Dan 12:10].
They will pass through the city “clothed in sackcloth”. The sackcloth is a sign of mourning because of the miserable situation the people are in (cf. [Joel 1:13]; [Jer 4:8]). It also supports the seriousness of the message which is an appeal for repentance. They will warn and point out to the people who want to enter the temple to worship the image of the beast that Christ is coming soon. You also see with John the baptist that his clothing was fitting to the seriousness of his preaching [Matt 3:4] and how he finally had to pay with his life for this preaching [Matt 14:5-10].
The duration of their preaching is indicated in days, probably to make clear and to emphasize that their preaching is heard every day. This indication also makes clear how valuable each day is to God that a testimony of Him is given on earth. Another thought attached to that is that these twelve hundred and sixty days are again the same period of the great tribulation. Twelve hundred and sixty days is three and a half years. Because the testimony is given under the greatest possible tribulation, it is counted in days. God counts the days of His tested and persecuted witnesses. Because He has given power to His two witnesses the enemies cannot do anything until God allows them to.
[Verse 4]. The witnesses are compared with “the two olive trees and the two lampstands” [Zech 4:1-14]. As ‘the two olive trees’ they show the full power of the Holy Spirit, of Whom oil is a picture, and as ‘the two lampstands’ they spread Divine light as a testimony in the darkness that then prevails on earth.. They stand “before the Lord of the earth” [Ps 24:1], that is, their testimony concerns the Lord Who stands on the earth and on the sea and Who will soon assert His right over it.
[Verse 5]. As long as they have to testify, no one can harm them. Every attack will be paid with the lives of the attackers because the witnesses have the fire of God at their disposal. That fire comes out of their mouth and it consumes every enemy that wants to harm them to eliminate them and gag them so that they no longer testify.
This course of action makes clear that it is a totally different time than the time in which we now live. Instead of consuming our enemies who want to harm us when we testify to our Lord, we should bless them. The Lord rebukes John and James when they suggest to Him to command fire to come down from heaven to consume the village of the Samaritans because He is not welcome there [Luke 9:53-56].
[Verse 6]. The witnesses have even more power. As often as they desire they can shut heaven, they can turn water to blood and they can strike the earth with all kinds of plagues. If you know anything of the Old Testament history, particularly the histories in which Moses and Elijah play a role, you will recognize them in these plagues. These manifestations of power you find in particular with these two greatest prophets of the Old Testament. “The power to shut the sky” you find with Elijah [1Kgs 17:1] and the “power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague” you find with Moses [Exod 7:14-25]; Exodus 8-10). Elijah testified before God’s people who had become apostate. Moses testified before the enemy of God’s people, namely Egypt.
Elijah and Moses are more often mentioned together. In that sense you find them both with the Lord on the mountain of transfiguration, where they, as it were, get a foretaste of the millennial kingdom of peace [Matt 17:3]. Also Malachi, the last prophet of the Old Testament, speaks about Moses and Elijah as persons who in the last days will perform once more [Mal 4:4-6]; cf. [Matt 11:14]; [Matt 17:11-12]; [Luke 1:17]. That is not so much about their performance in person, but a performance that highlights the characteristics of their services.
[Verse 7]. When the time of their testimony determined by God, is over, they are killed. This also happened to the Lord Jesus, Who was delivered only when His time had come, not one hour earlier. They are killed by the beast. About the beast you will be informed in detail in Revelation 13.
It may look strange that the beast will make war with two men. But there are more examples that an army was sent out to capture one single man. You see this for example with Elijah being besieged several times by a small army [2Kgs 1:8-14], with Elisha in Dothan [2Kgs 6:11-14] and even more with the Lord Jesus in Gethsemane [Matt 26:47]. The witnesses have shown their power and that makes clear to the beast that he is dealing with very dangerous individuals.
[Verse 8]. When the two witnesses are killed, their dead bodies will lie ”in the street of the great city”. From the addition “where also their Lord was crucified” it becomes clear that it is about Jerusalem. But that name is not mentioned. The names that are mentioned indicate the spiritual decay of the city, where the city spiritually has landed. It has become similar to Sodom and Egypt. Jerusalem is ‘Sodom’ because of its corruptness and ‘Egypt’ because of its oppressing God’s people. This total wickedness has shown its pinnacle in the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus.
The two witnesses are killed, after bearing their testimony, in the same place where their Lord bore His testimony and was killed. They suffer His fate and share in it.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-8
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. 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. 3 And I will give [power] unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred [and] threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. 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. 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. 7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies [shall lie] in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
 | Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-02-07 Source: Title: Revelation Author: Ger de Koning |
This prophetical passage about measuring the temple seems to refer to Ezekiel’s vision. The design of this measuring seems to be the preservation of the church in times of public danger; or for its trial, or for its reformation. The worshippers must be measured; whether they make God’s glory their end, and his word their rule, in all their acts of worship. Those in the outer court, worship in a false manner, or with dissembling hearts, and will be found among his enemies. God will have a temple and an altar in the world, till the end of time. He looks strictly to his temple. The holy city, the visible church, is trodden under foot; is filled with idolaters, infidels, and hypocrites. But the desolations of the church are limited, and she shall be delivered out of all her troubles.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-2
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. 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.
 | Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source: Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry |
The apostle is ordered to measure the temple. Two prophets are promised, to teach mankind. They are put to death, and in three days and a half after they are raised to life, and ascend to heaven. A great earthquake follows. The seventh Angel sounds the trumpet. The elders give thanks to God. — Measure the temple, &c. This is to signify that the divine Providence would always protect his faithful servants, who are called the temple of God; [1Cor 3:17] and [2Cor 6:16] but by the outward court not to be measured, because it is given to the Gentiles, &c. [Verse 2] is commonly understood idolaters, infidels, heretics, who are not in the temple of God, nor in his Church. It is an allusion to the Jewish temple, and the different divisions of it, the Gentiles not being permitted to enter into the temple itself, but only into that outward part called the court of the Gentiles. (Witham) — The churches consecrated to the true God, are so much diminished in number, that they are represented by St. John as one church; its ministers officiate at one altar; and all the true faithful are so few, with respect to the bulk of mankind, that the evangelist sees them assembled in one temple, to pay their adorations to the Most High. (Pastorini)
 | Author: George Leo Haydock Rank: Author AD: 1849 Source: Title: Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary Year (original): 1859 Number of pages: 571 Print: Edward Dunigan and Brother, New York, New York |
The Antichrist shall call himself god, "so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God" [2Thess 2:4]. And he will take the city of Jerusalem, "the holy city," as a center to spread his satanic ideology.
St. Cyril of Jerusalem (1) suggests that the wicked Jews will accept him as their Christ, and worship him, thinking that he can build them Solomon’s temple, and restore for them their ancient glory. They will follow him, misled by the signs and miracles he will perform.
Some Christians too will follow him, those who are looking forward to an earthly kingdom. They will think that he is the Christ who will reign over the material world. That is why God warns us saying, "Then if anyone says to you 'Look, here is the Christ! or there,’ do not believe it" [Matt 24:23].
Here, our Lord Jesus assures that the true children of God, whose souls cling to the Lord, hoping for an eternal heavenly kingdom, are kept and known to Him.
He had given to Ezekiel a measuring rod [Ezek 40:5]. Then the prophet took a stick-like rod, that is a firm strong rod, to measure the children of God, "the temple of God," those who worship in spirit and truth, not in desire of material worldly glory, but looking forward to an eternal life with the Lord Jesus.
But he will not measure those who are out of the temple, or the unbelievers, because they refuse dwelling with God. God does not consider them as His own children.
Bishop Victorianus thinks that the temple refers to the believers who are abiding in the Church. The outer court is those who are alien to the Church... The period of the forty-two months is the period during which the deceiver, the "Antichrist," will lead astray.
St. Cyril of Jerusalem (1) suggests that the wicked Jews will accept him as their Christ, and worship him, thinking that he can build them Solomon’s temple, and restore for them their ancient glory. They will follow him, misled by the signs and miracles he will perform.
Some Christians too will follow him, those who are looking forward to an earthly kingdom. They will think that he is the Christ who will reign over the material world. That is why God warns us saying, "Then if anyone says to you 'Look, here is the Christ! or there,’ do not believe it" [Matt 24:23].
Here, our Lord Jesus assures that the true children of God, whose souls cling to the Lord, hoping for an eternal heavenly kingdom, are kept and known to Him.
He had given to Ezekiel a measuring rod [Ezek 40:5]. Then the prophet took a stick-like rod, that is a firm strong rod, to measure the children of God, "the temple of God," those who worship in spirit and truth, not in desire of material worldly glory, but looking forward to an eternal life with the Lord Jesus.
But he will not measure those who are out of the temple, or the unbelievers, because they refuse dwelling with God. God does not consider them as His own children.
Bishop Victorianus thinks that the temple refers to the believers who are abiding in the Church. The outer court is those who are alien to the Church... The period of the forty-two months is the period during which the deceiver, the "Antichrist," will lead astray.
Footnote
(1) Lect., 15:5.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-2
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. 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.
 | Author: Tadros Yacoub Malaty Rank: Monk Posted on: 2023-01-14 Source: Title: The book of Revelation Year (original): 1996 Author: Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty Number of pages: 257 Publisher/Editor: St. George's Coptic Orthodox Church, Sporting, Alexandria Print: Anba Reuis Press, Abassia, Cairo, Egypt Translation: Victoria and Ramzy Malaty |
A reed was shown like to a rod. This itself is the Apocalypse which he subsequently exhibited to the churches; for the Gospel of the complete faith he subsequently wrote for the sake of our salvation. For when Valentinus, and Cerinthus, and Ebion, and others of the school of Satan, were scattered abroad throughout the world, there assembled together to him from the neighbouring provinces all the bishops, and compelled him himself also to draw up his testimony. Moreover, we say that the measure of God's temple is the command of God to confess the Father Almighty, and that His Son Christ was begotten by the Father before the beginning of the world, and was made man in very soul and flesh, both of them having overcome misery and death; and that, when received with His body into heaven by the Father, He shed forth the Holy Spirit, the gift and pledge of immortality, that He was announced by the prophets, He was described by the law, He was God's hand, and the Word of the Father from God, Lord over all, and founder of the world: this is the reed and the measure of faith; and no one worships the holy altar save he who confesses this faith.
 | Author: Victorinus of Pettau AD: 303 |
And then she again took hold of me by the hand, and raised me, and made me sit on the seat to the left; and lifting up a splendid rod,
 | Author: Shepherd of Hermas AD: 150 |
The listed verse explanations of the individual persons have nothing to do with the explanations of the other persons. This also applies to the Bible translations.
