Rev 11:1&2.

 Rev 11: ^{1 -2}I was given a stick for a measuring rod and told, "Get up and measure God's Temple and Altar and everyone worshiping in it. Exclude the outside court; don't measure it. It's been handed over to non-Jewish outsiders. They'll desecrate the Holy City for forty-two months.

The first 13 verses of chapter 11 are the rest of the parenthetical portion we mentioned prior. 

Remember at this time John has "taken in" the little book so he knows what is going to happen.  There are some portions of this chapter that are spoken of as if they occurred in the past.  This may be credited to the certainty John has that all this will happen.

Verse 1-  John is giving a stick utilized for a measuring rod.  The word "rod" is a Jewish unit of measure equal to 6 cubits.  A Cubit was a measure (originally) of the space from the tip of the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, approx. 17-18 inches.  Which would mean the rod is approx. 9 feet.

We have seen measuring of Jerusalem earlier in the Bible, Zech 2 and measuring the millennial temple in Ezekiel 40.  When things are measured in the Bible, it is thought of as God marking His territory that belongs to Him.  Similar to when a piece of property is bought, the ground is surveyed and marked off.  This is what is occurring here with the measuring rod. 

The time of the measuring is parallel to the sealing and is measured for the area to be protected from the demons and the terrors that are to occur.  In the 2nd chapter of Zechariah in the 4th verse, we see that God has delivered His people from the demons/enemies in the future, Zechariah's prophecy. 

In the measuring John is instructed to leave out the court in the measurement.  This is to be given to the Gentiles, if the gentiles went beyond the Courts, the penalty was death.

Note, Revelation was written about 90 a.d., the Temple was destroyed in 70 a.d.  So, how could John have seen this?   The picture John is seeing is not a building, it was demolished.  The Temple which John is having the vision for is The Christian Church, the people who belong to God.  See 1 Peter 2:5 where we are stoned of a spiritual house, see Eph 2:20 and 21, 1 Cor 3:16 and 2 Cor 6:16.  The measuring of Gods people is to preserve them from the terror and the trials yet to come.

Verse 2:

The length of the terror and the trials are to be forty-two months. 
The time of the witnesses preaching is 1262 days.
The witnesses dead bodies are to lie on the street for three and a half days.

1917 Jerusalem was delivered from Turkish domination which lasted for 1260 years of a very bad period of Jewish history.  General Allenby received victory over the Turkish Army which started the restoration of Israel to the land.  However, the land is still in control by the Gentiles, and will remain that way until the Lord returns. 

Next blogg....a time explination!

Blessings on all till we read again!




Calabash