Revelation11
New International Version
1I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers.
2But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.
3And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
4They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.”
5If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die.
6They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
7Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them.
8Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified.
9For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial.
10The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.
11But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them.
12Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.
13At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.
15The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.”
16And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God,
17saying: “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.
18The 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.”
19Then 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.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Revelation 11.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The state of the church is represented under the figure of a temple measured. (1, 2). Two witnesses prophesy is sackcloth. (3–6). They are slain, after which they arise and ascend to heaven. (7–13). Under the seventh trumpet, all antichristian powers are to be destroyed and there will be a glorious state of Christ's kingdom upon earth. (14–19).
vv1-2
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.
vv3-13
In the time of treading down, God kept his faithful witnesses to attest the truth of his word and worship, and the excellence of his ways, The number of these witnesses is small, yet enough. They prophesy in sackcloth. It shows their afflicted, persecuted state, and deep sorrow for the abominations against which they protested. They are supported during their great and hard work, till it is done. When they had prophesied in sackcloth the greatest part of 1260 years, antichrist, the great instrument of the devil, would war against them, with force and violence for a time. Determined rebels against the light rejoice, as on some happy event, when they can silence, drive to a distance, or destroy the faithful servants of Christ, whose doctrine and conduct torment them. It does not appear that the term is yet expired, and the witnesses are not a present exposed to endure such terrible outward sufferings as in former times; but such things may again happen, and there is abundant cause to prophesy in sackcloth, on account of the state of religion. The depressed state of real Christianity may relate only to the western church. The Spirit of life from God, quickens dead souls, and shall quicken the dead bodies of his people, and his dying interest in the world. The revival of God's work and witnesses, will strike terror into the souls of his enemies. Where there is guilt, there is fear; and a persecuting spirit, though cruel, is a cowardly spirit. It will be no small part of the punishment of persecutors, both in this world, and at the great day, that they see the faithful servants of God honoured and advanced. The Lord's witnesses must not be weary of suffering and service, nor hastily grasp at the reward; but must stay till their Master calls them. The consequence of their being thus exalted was a mighty shock and convulsion in the antichristian empire. Events alone can show the meaning of this. But whenever God's work and witnesses revive, the devil's work and witnesses fall before him. And that the slaying of the witnesses is future, appears to be probable.
vv14-19
Before the sounding of the seventh and last trumpet, there is the usual demand of attention. The saints and angels in heaven know the right of our God and Saviour to rule over all the world. But the nations met God's wrath with their own anger. It was a time in which he was beginning to reward his people's faithful services, and sufferings; and their enemies fretted against God, and so increased their guilt, and hastened their destruction. By the opening the temple of God in heaven, may be meant, that there was a more free communication between heaven and earth; prayer and praises more freely and frequently going up, graces and blessings plentifully coming down. But it rather seems to refer to the church of God on earth. In the reign of antichrist, God's law was laid aside, and made void by traditions and decrees; the Scriptures were locked up from the people, but now they are brought to the view of all. This, like the ark, is a token of the presence of God returned to his people, and his favour toward them in Jesus Christ, as the Propitiation for their sins. The great blessing of the Reformation was attended with very awful providences; as by terrible things in righteousness God answered the prayers presented in his holy temple now opened.
Key Words
καί (kaí): and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
μοί (moí): to me
δίδωμι (dídōmi): to give (used in a very wide application, properly, or by implication, literally or figuratively; greatly modified by the connection)
κάλαμος (kálamos): a reed (the plant or its stem, or that of a similar plant); by implication, a pen
ὅμοιος (hómoios): similar (in appearance or character)
ῥάβδος (rhábdos): a stick or wand (as a cudgel, a cane or a baton of royalty)
λέγω (légō): properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas G2036 (ἔπω) and G5346 (φημί) generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while G4483 (ῥέω) is properly to break silence merely, and G2980 (λαλέω) means an extended or random harangue)); by implication, to mean
ἐγείρω (egeírō): to waken (transitively or intransitively), i.e. rouse (literally, from sleep, from sitting or lying, from disease, from death; or figuratively, from obscurity, inactivity, ruins, nonexistence)
μετρέω (metréō): to measure (i.e. ascertain in size by a fixed standard); by implication, to admeasure (i.e. allot by rule)
ναός (naós): a fane, shrine, temple
Cross References
Revelation 11Ezekiel's temple-measuring vision forms the direct structural and symbolic background for John's measuring of the sanctuary.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Jesus' prophecy of Jerusalem being trodden down by the Gentiles, using identical terminology.
Supported by JFB
Zechariah's vision of the two olive trees and golden candlesticks representing God's anointed witnesses.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Elijah's prophetic authority to shut up heaven so that it rain not, typifying the witnesses' power.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The New Testament concept of the believer and the church as the true, spiritual temple of God.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Identifies the two olive trees as the anointed ones standing before the Lord of the earth.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Elijah calling down fire to consume his enemies, typifying the witnesses' defensive spiritual power.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
God making His words fire in the prophet's mouth to devour opponents.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The breath of life from God entering dead bones so they stand up, echoed in the witnesses' revival.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Daniel's prophecy of the Son of man receiving an everlasting kingdom that will not be destroyed.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The prophetic duration of 'a time, times, and a half' parallel to the forty-two months.
Supported by JFB
The beast's designated period of authority matching the forty-two months of treading the holy city.
Supported by JFB
Lament over the heathen invading and defiling God's sanctuary, treading down His inheritance.
Supported by JFB
The equivalent 1,260-day period of wilderness preservation for God's persecuted people.
Supported by JFB
The emergence of the blasphemous beast who makes war against the holy ones.
Supported by JFB
Scripture's precedent of spiritually designating the corrupt city of Jerusalem as 'Sodom'.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The triumphant declaration of the omnipotent reign of the Lord God at the consummation.
Supported by JFB
The earthly ark of the covenant as a shadow of the heavenly reality now fully opened.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The opening of the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven.
Supported by JFB
Elijah's physical ascension to heaven in a whirlwind, foreshadowing the witnesses' cloud-borne ascension.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallel cosmic upheavals, voices, and earthquakes signaling God's direct judgments on the earth.
Supported by JFB
The prophetic expectation of the Lord reigning directly over His people in Mount Zion forever.
Supported by JFB