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Revelation 11:1 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

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1 And there was given to me a reed like to a rod, and the messenger stood, saying, `Rise, and measure the sanctuary of God, and the altar, and those worshipping in it;

Cross Reference

Revelation 21:15 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

And he who is speaking with me had a golden reed, that he may measure the city, and its gates, and its wall;

Ezekiel 42:15-20 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

And he hath finished the measurements of the inner house, and hath brought me forth the way of the gate whose front `is' eastward, and he hath measured it all round about. He hath measured the east side with the measuring-reed, five hundred reeds, with the measuring-reed round about. He hath measured the north side, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about. The south side he hath measured, five hundred reeds, with the measuring-reed. He hath turned round unto the west side, he hath measured five hundred reeds with the measuring-reed. At the four sides he hath measured it, a wall `is' to it all round about, the length five hundred, and the breadth five hundred, to separate between the holy and the profane place.

Zechariah 2:1-2 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

And I lift up mine eyes, and look, and lo, a man, and in his hand a measuring line. And I say, `Whither are thou going?' And he saith unto me, `To measure Jerusalem, to see how much `is' its breadth, and how much its length.'

Ezekiel 40:1-48 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

In the twenty and fifth year of our removal, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten, in this self-same day hath a hand of Jehovah been upon me, and He bringeth me in thither; in visions of God He hath brought me in unto the land of Israel, and causeth me to rest on a very high mountain, and upon it `is' as the frame of a city on the south. And He bringeth me in thither, and lo, a man, his appearance as the appearance of brass, and a thread of flax in his hand, and a measuring-reed, and he is standing at the gate, and the man speaketh unto me: `Son of man, see with thine eyes, And with thine ears hear, And set thy heart to all that I am shewing thee, For, in order to shew `it' thee, Thou hast been brought in hither, Declare all that thou art seeing to the house of Israel.' And lo, a wall on the outside of the house all round about, and in the hand of the man a measuring-reed, six cubits by a cubit and a handbreadth, and he measureth the breadth of the building one reed, and the height one reed. And he cometh in unto the gate whose front `is' eastward, and he goeth up by its steps, and he measureth the threshold of the gate one reed broad, even the one threshold one reed broad, and the little chamber one reed long and one reed broad, and between the little chambers five cubits, and the threshold of the gate, from the side of the porch of the gate from within, one reed. And he measureth the porch of the gate from within one reed, and he measureth the porch of the gate eight cubits, and its posts two cubits, and the porch of the gates from within, and the little chambers of the gate eastward, three on this side, and three on that side; one measure `is' to them three, and one measure `is' to the posts, on this side and on that side. And he measureth the breadth of the opening of the gate ten cubits, the length of the gate thirteen cubits; and a border before the little chambers, one cubit, and one cubit `is' the border on this side, and the little chamber `is' six cubits on this side, and six cubits on that side. And he measureth the gate from the roof of the `one' little chamber to the roof of another; the breadth twenty and five cubits, opening over-against opening. And he maketh the posts of sixty cubits, even unto the post of the court, the gate all round about; and by the front of the gate of the entrance, by the front of the porch of the inner gate, fifty cubits; and narrow windows `are' unto the little chambers, and unto their posts at the inside of the gate all round about -- and so to the arches -- and windows all round about `are' at the inside, and at the post `are' palm-trees. And he bringeth me in unto the outer court, and lo, chambers and a pavement made for the court all round about -- thirty chambers on the pavement -- and the pavement unto the side of the gates over-against the length of the gates `is' the lower pavement; and he measureth the breadth from before the lower gate, to the front of the inner court, on the outside, a hundred cubits, eastward and northward. As to the gate of the outer court whose front `is' northward, he hath measured its length and its breadth; and its little chambers, three on this side, and three on that side, and its posts and its arches have been according to the measure of the first gate, fifty cubits its length, and the breadth five and twenty by the cubit; and its windows, and its arches, and its palm-trees `are' according to the measure of the gate whose face `is' eastward, and by seven steps they go up on it, and its arches `are' before them. And the gate of the inner court `is' over-against the gate at the north and at the east; and he measureth from gate unto gate, a hundred cubits. And he causeth me to go southward, and lo, a gate southward, and he hath measured its posts and its arches according to these measures; and windows `are' to it and to its arches all round about, like these windows, fifty cubits the length, and the breadth five and twenty cubits; and seven steps `are' its ascent, and its arches `are' before them, and palm-trees `are' to it, one on this side, and one on that side, at its posts; and the gate of the inner court `is' southward, and he measureth from gate unto gate southward, a hundred cubits. And he bringeth me in unto the inner court by the south gate, and he measureth the south gate according to these measures; and its little chambers, and its posts, and its arches `are' according to these measures, and windows `are' to it and to its arches all round about; fifty cubits the length, and the breadth twenty and five cubits. As to the arches all round about, the length `is' five and twenty cubits, and the breadth five cubits; and its arches `are' unto the outer court, and palm-trees `are' unto its posts, and eight steps `are' its ascent. And he bringeth me in unto the inner court eastward, and he measureth the gate according to these measures; and its little chambers, and its posts, and its arches `are' according to these measures: and windows `are' to it and to its arches all round about, the length fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits; and its arches `are' toward the outer court, and palm-trees `are' toward its posts, on this side and on that side, and eight steps `are' its ascent. And he bringeth me in unto the north gate, and hath measured according to these measures; its little chambers, its posts, and its arches; and windows `are' to it all round about: the length fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits; and its posts `are' to the outer court, and palm-trees `are' unto its posts, on this side and on that side, and eight steps `are' its ascent. And the chamber and its opening `is' by the posts of the gates, there they purge the burnt-offering. And in the porch of the gate `are' two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, to slaughter on them the burnt-offering, and the sin-offering, and the guilt-offering; and at the side without, at the going up to the opening of the north gate, `are' two tables; and at the other side that `is' at the porch of the gate, `are' two tables; four tables `are' on this side, and four tables on that side, at the side of the gate, eight tables on which they slaughter. And the four tables for burnt-offering `are' of hewn stone: the length one cubit and a half, and the breadth one cubit and a half, and the height one cubit: on them they place the instruments with which they slaughter the burnt-offering and the sacrifice. And the boundaries `are' one handbreadth, prepared within all round about: and on the tables `is' the flesh of the offering. And on the outside of the inner gate `are' chambers of the singers, in the inner court, that `are' at the side of the north gate, and their fronts `are' southward, one at the side of the east gate `hath' the front northward. And he speaketh unto me: `This chamber, whose front `is' southward, `is' for priests keeping charge of the house; and the chamber, whose front `is' northward, `is' for priests keeping charge of the altar: they `are' sons of Zadok, who are drawing near of the sons of Levi unto Jehovah, to serve Him.' And he measureth the court: the length a hundred cubits, and the breadth a hundred cubits, square, and the altar `is' before the house. And he bringeth me in unto the porch of the house, and he measureth the post of the porch, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that side, and the breadth of the gate, three cubits on this side, and three cubits on that side;

Ephesians 2:20-22 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being chief corner-`stone', in whom all the building fitly framed together doth increase to an holy sanctuary in the Lord, in whom also ye are builded together, for a habitation of God in the Spirit.

1 Peter 2:5 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

and ye yourselves, as living stones, are built up, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 28:17 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

And I have put judgment for a line, And righteousness for a plummet, And sweep away doth hail the refuge of lies, And the secret hiding-place do waters overflow.

1 Corinthians 3:16-17 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

have ye not known that ye are a sanctuary of God, and the Spirit of God doth dwell in you? if any one the sanctuary of God doth waste, him shall God waste; for the sanctuary of God is holy, the which ye are.

2 Corinthians 6:16 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

and what agreement to the sanctuary of God with idols? for ye are a sanctuary of the living God, according as God said -- `I will dwell in them, and will walk among `them', and I will be their God, and they shall be My people,

Galatians 6:14-16 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

And for me, let it not be -- to glory, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which to me the world hath been crucified, and I to the world; for in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation; and as many as by this rule do walk -- peace upon them, and kindness, and on the Israel of God!

1 Peter 2:9 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

and ye `are' a choice race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people acquired, that the excellences ye may shew forth of Him who out of darkness did call you to His wondrous light;

Revelation 10:1-5 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

And I saw another strong messenger coming down out of the heaven, arrayed with a cloud, and a rainbow upon the head, and his face as the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire, and he had in his hand a little scroll opened, and he did place his right foot upon the sea, and the left upon the land, and he cried with a great voice, as a lion doth roar, and when he cried, speak out did the seven thunders their voices; and when the seven thunders spake their voices, I was about to write, and I heard a voice out of the heaven saying to me, `Seal the things that the seven thunders spake,' and, `Thou mayest not write these things.' And the messenger whom I saw standing upon the sea, and upon the land, did lift up his hand to the heaven,

Numbers 33:18 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

and they journey from Hazeroth, and encamp in Rithmah.

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Revelation 11

Commentary on Revelation 11 Matthew Henry Commentary

John Gill   Robert Jamieson: Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible  

Chapter 11

In this chapter we have an account,

  • I. Of the measuring-reed given to the apostle, to take the dimensions of the temple (v. 1, 2).
  • II. Of the two witnesses of God (v. 3-13).
  • III. Of the sounding of the seventh trumpet, and what followed upon it (v. 14-19).

Rev 11:1-2

This prophetical passage about measuring the temple is a plain reference to what we find in Ezekiel's vision, Eze. 40:3, etc. But how to understand either the one or the other is not so easy. It should seem the design of measuring the temple in the former case was in order to the rebuilding of it, and that with advantage; the design of this measurement seems to be either,

  • 1. For the preservation of it in those times of public danger and calamity that are here foretold; or,
  • 2. For its trial; that it may be seen how far it agrees with the standard, or pattern, in the mount; or,
  • 3. For its reformation; that what is redundant, deficient, or changed, may be regulated according to the true model. Observe,
    • I. How much was to be measured.
      • 1. The temple; the gospel church in general, whether it be so built, so constituted, as the gospel rule directs, whether it be too narrow or too large, the door too wide or too strait.
      • 2. The altar. That which was the place of the most solemn acts of worship may be put for religious worship in general; whether the church has the true altars, both as to substance and situation: as to substance, whether they take Christ for their altar, and lay down all their offerings there; and in situation, whether the altar be in the holiest; that is, whether they worship God in the Spirit and in truth.
      • 3. The worshippers too must be measured, whether they make God's glory their end and his word their rule, in all their acts of worship; and whether they come to God with suitable affections, and whether their conversation be as becomes the gospel.
    • II. What was not to be measured (v. 2), and why it should be left out.
      • 1. What was not to be measured: The court which is without the temple measure it not. Some say that Herod, in the additions made to the temple, built an outer court, and called it the court of the Gentiles. Some tell us that Adrian built the city and an outer court, and called it Aelia, and gave it to the Gentiles.
      • 2. Why was not the outer court measured? This was no part of the temple, according to the model either of Solomon or Zerubbabel, and therefore God would have no regard to it. He would not mark it out for preservation; but as it was designed for the Gentiles, to bring pagan ceremonies and customs and to annex them to the gospel churches, so Christ abandoned it to them, to be used as they pleased; and both that and the city were trodden under foot for a certain time-forty and two months, which some would have to be the whole time of the reign of antichrist. Those who worship in the outer court are either such as worship in a false manner or with hypocritical hearts; and these are rejected of God, and will be found among his enemies.
      • 3. From the whole observe,
        • (1.) God will have a temple and an altar in the world, till the end of time.
        • (2.) He has a strict regard to this temple, and observes how every thing is managed in it.
        • (3.) Those who worship in the outer court will be rejected, and only those who worship within the veil accepted.
        • (4.) The holy city, the visible church, is very much trampled upon in the world. But,
        • (5.) The desolations of the church are for a limited time, and for a short time, and she shall be delivered out of all her troubles.

Rev 11:3-13

In this time of treading down, God has reserved to himself his faithful witnesses, who will not fail to attest the truth of his word and worship, and the excellency of his ways. Here observe,

  • I. The number of these witnesses: it is but a small number and yet it is sufficient.
    • 1. It is but small. Many will own and acknowledge Christ in times of prosperity who will desert and deny him in times of persecution; one witness, when the cause is upon trial, is worth many at other times.
    • 2. It is a sufficient number; for in the mouth of two witnesses every cause shall be established. Christ sent out his disciples two by two, to preach the gospel. Some think these two witnesses are Enoch and Elias, who are to return to the earth for a time: others, the church of the believing Jews and that of the Gentiles: it should rather seem that they are God's eminent faithful ministers, who shall not only continue to profess the Christian religion, but to preach it, in the worst of times.
  • II. The time of their prophesying, or bearing their testimony for Christ. A thousand two hundred and threescore days; that is (as many think), to the period of the reign of antichrist; and, if the beginning of that interval could be ascertained, this number of prophetic days, taking a day for a year, would give us a prospect when the end shall be.
  • III. Their habit, and posture: they prophesy in sackcloth, as those that are deeply affected with the low and distressed state of the churches and interest of Christ in the world.
  • IV. How they were supported and supplied during the discharge of their great and hard work: they stood before the God of the whole earth, and he gave them power to prophesy. He made them to be like Zerubbabel and Joshua, the two olive-trees and candlestick in the vision of Zechariah, ch. 4:2, etc. God gave them the oil of holy zeal, and courage, and strength, and comfort; he made them olive-trees, and their lamps of profession were kept burning by the oil of inward gracious principles, which they received from God. They had oil not only in their lamps, but in their vessels-habits of spiritual life, light, and zeal.
  • V. Their security and defence during the time of their prophesying: If any attempted to hurt them, fire proceeded out of their mouths, and devoured them, v. 5. Some think this alludes to Elias's calling for the fire from heaven, to consume the captains and their companies that came to seize him, 2 Ki. 1:12. God promised the prophet Jeremiah (ch. 5:14), Behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people shall be wood, and it shall devour them. By their praying and preaching, and courage in suffering, they shall gall and wound the very hearts and consciences of many of their persecutors, who shall go away self-condemned, and be even terrors to themselves; like Pashur, at the words of the prophet Jeremiah, ch. 20:4. They shall have that free access to God, and that interest in him, that, at their prayers, God will inflict plagues and judgments upon their enemies, as he did on Pharaoh, turning their rivers into blood, and restraining the dews of heaven, shutting heaven up, that no rain shall fall for many days, as he did at the prayers of Elias, 1 Ki. 17:1. God has ordained his arrows for the persecutors, and is often plaguing them while they are persecuting his people; they find it hard work to kick against the pricks.
  • VI. The slaying of the witnesses. To make their testimony more strong, they must seal it with their blood. Here observe,
    • 1. The time when they should be killed: When they have finished their testimony. They are immortal, they are invulnerable, till their work be done. Some think it ought to be rendered, when they were about to finish their testimony. When they had prophesied in sackcloth the greatest part of the 1260 years, then they should feel the last effect of antichristian malice.
    • 2. The enemy that should overcome and slay them-the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit. Antichrist, the great instrument of the devil, should make war against them, not only with the arms of subtle and sophistical learning, but chiefly with open force and violence; and God would permit his enemies to prevail against his witnesses for a time.
    • 3. The barbarous usage of these slain witnesses; the malice of their enemies was not satiated with their blood and death, but pursued even their dead bodies.
      • (1.) They would not allow them a quiet grave; their bodies were cast out in the open street, the high street of Babylon, or in the high road leading to the city. This city is spiritually called Sodom for monstrous wickedness, and Egypt for idolatry and tyranny; and here Christ in his mystical body has suffered more than in any place in the world.
      • (2.) Their dead bodies were insulted by the inhabitants of the earth, and their death was a matter of mirth and joy to the antichristian world, v. 10. They were glad to be rid of these witnesses, who by their doctrine and example had teased, terrified, and tormented the consciences of their enemies; these spiritual weapons cut wicked men to the heart, and fill them with the greatest rage and malice against the faithful.
  • VII. The resurrection of these witnesses, and the consequences thereof. Observe,
    • 1. The time of their rising again; after they had lain dead three days and a half (v. 11), a short time in comparison of that in which they had prophesied. Here may be a reference to the resurrection of Christ, who is the resurrection and the life. Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Or there may be a reference to the resurrection of Lazarus on the fourth day, when they thought it impossible. God's witnesses may be slain, but they shall rise again: not in their persons, till the general resurrection, but in their successors. God will revive his work, when it seems to be dead in the world.
    • 2. The power by which they were raised: The spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet. God put not only life, but courage into them. God can make the dry bones to life; it is the Spirit of life from God that quickens dead souls, and shall quicken the dead bodies of his people, and his dying interest in the world.
    • 3. The effect of their resurrection upon their enemies: Great fear fell upon them. The reviving 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 not a courageous, but a cowardly spirit. Herod feared John the Baptist.
  • VIII. The ascension of the witnesses into heaven and the consequences thereof, v. 12, 13. Observe,
    • 1. Their ascension. By heaven we may understand either some more eminent station in the church, the kingdom of grace in this world, or a high place in the kingdom of glory above. The former seems to be the meaning: They ascended to heaven in a cloud (in a figurative, not in a literal sense) and their enemies saw them. It will be no small part of the punishment of persecutors, both in this world and at the great day, that they shall see the faithful servants of God greatly honoured and advanced. To this honour they did not attempt to ascend, till God called them, and said, Come up hither. The Lord's witnesses must wait for their advancement, both in the church and in heaven, till God calls them; they must not be weary of suffering and service, nor too hastily grasp at the reward; but stay till their Master calls them, and then they may gladly ascend to him.
    • 2. The consequences of their ascension-a mighty shock and convulsion in the antichristian empire and the fall of a tenth part of the city. Some refer this to the beginning of the reformation from popery, when many princes and states fell off from their subjection to Rome. This great work met with great opposition; all the western world felt a great concussion, and the antichristian interest received a great blow, and lost a great deal of ground and interest,
      • (1.) By the sword of war, which was then drawn; and many of those who fought under the banner of antichrist were slain by it.
      • (2.) By the sword of the Spirit: The fear of God fell upon many. They were convinced of their errors, superstition, and idolatry; and by true repentance, and embracing the truth, they gave glory to the God of heaven. Thus, when God's work and witnesses revive, the devil's work and witnesses fall before him.

Rev 11:14-19

We have here the sounding of the seventh and last trumpet, which is ushered in by the usual warning and demand of attention: The second woe is past, and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. Then the seventh angel sounded. This had been suspended for some time, till the apostle had been made acquainted with some intervening occurrences of very great moment, and worthy of his notice and observation. But what he before expected he now heard-the seventh angel sounding. Here observe the effects and consequences of this trumpet, thus sounded.

  • I. Here were loud and joyful acclamations of the saints and angels in heaven. Observe,
    • 1. The manner of their adorations: they rose from their seats, and fell upon their faces, and worshipped God; they did it with reverence and humility.
    • 2. The matter of their adorations.
      • (1.) They thankfully recognize the right of our God and Saviour to rule and reign over all the world: The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, v. 15. They were always so in title, both by creation and purchase.
      • (2.) They thankfully observe his actual possession of them, and reign over them; they give him thanks because he had taken to him his great power, asserted his rights, exerted his power, and so turned title into possession.
      • (3.) They rejoice that this his reign shall never end: He shall reign for ever and ever, till all enemies be put under his feet; none shall ever wrest the sceptre out of his hand.
  • II. Here were angry resentments in the world at these just appearances and actings of the power of God (v. 18): The nations were angry; not only had been so, but were so still: their hearts rose up against God; they met his wrath with their own anger. It was a time when God was taking a just revenge upon the enemies of his people, recompensing tribulation to those who had troubled them. It was a time in which he was beginning to reward his people's faithful services and sufferings; and their enemies could not bear it, they fretted against God, and so increased their guilt and hastened their destruction.
  • III. Another consequence was the opening of the temple of God in heaven. By this may be meant that here is now a more free communication between heaven and earth, prayer and praises more freely and frequently ascending and graces and blessings plentifully descending. But it rather seems to intend the church of God on earth, a heavenly temple. It is an allusion to the various circumstances of things in the time of the first temple. Under idolatrous and wicked princes, it was shut up and neglected; but, under religious and reforming princes, it was opened and frequented. So, during the power of antichrist, the temple of God seemed to be shut up, and was so in a great degree; but now it was opened again. At this opening of it observe,
    • 1. What was seen there: the ark of God's testament. This was in the holy of holies; in this ark the tables of the law were kept. As before Josiah's time the law of God had been lost, but was then found, so in the reign of antichrist God's law was laid aside, and made void by their traditions and decrees; the scriptures were locked up from the people, and they must not look into these divine oracles; now they are opened, now they are brought to the view of all. This was an unspeakable and invaluable privilege; and this, like the ark of the testament, was a token of the presence of God returned to his people, and his favour towards them in Jesus Christ the propitiation.
    • 2. What was heard and felt there: Lightnings, voices, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail. The great blessing of the reformation was attended with very awful providences; and by terrible things in righteousness God would answer those prayers that were presented in his holy temple, now opened. All the great revolutions of the world are concerted in heaven, and are the answers of the prayers of the saints.