Revelation 11 commentary

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.

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.

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.

CHAPTER 11

Re 11:1-19. Measurement of the Temple. The Two Witnesses' Testimony:

Their Death, Resurrection, and Ascension: The Earthquake: The Third Woe: The Seventh Trumpet Ushers in Christ's Kingdom. Thanksgiving of the Twenty-four Elders.

This eleventh chapter is a compendious summary of, and introduction to, the more detailed prophecies of the same events to come in the twelfth through twentieth chapters. Hence we find anticipatory allusions to the subsequent prophecies; compare Re 11:7, "the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit" (not mentioned before), with the detailed accounts, Re 13:1, 11; 17:8; also Re 11:8, "the great city," with Re 14:8; 17:1, 5; 18:10.

1. and the angel stood--omitted in A, Vulgate, and Coptic. Supported by B and Syriac. If it be omitted, the "reed" will, in construction, agree with "saying." So Wordsworth takes it. The reed, the canon of Scripture, the measuring reed of the Church, our rule of faith, speaks. So in Re 16:7 the altar is personified as speaking (compare Note, see on Re 16:7). The Spirit speaks in the canon of Scripture (the word canon is derived from Hebrew, "kaneh," "a reed," the word here used; and John it was who completed the canon). So Victorinus, Aquinas, and Vitringa. "Like a rod," namely, straight: like a rod of iron (Re 2:27), unbending, destroying all error, and that "cannot be broken." Re 2:27; He 1:8, Greek, "a rod of straightness," English Version, "a scepter of righteousness"; this is added to guard against it being thought that the reed was one "shaken by the wind" In the abrupt style of the Apocalypse, "saying" is possibly indefinite, put for "one said." Still Wordsworth's view agrees best with Greek. So the ancient commentator, Andreas of Cæsarea, in the end of the fifth century (compare Notes, see on Re 11:3, 4).

the temple--Greek, "naon" (as distinguished from the Greek, "hieron," or temple in general), the Holy Place, "the sanctuary."

the altar--of incense; for it alone was in "the sanctuary." (Greek, "naos"). The measurement of the Holy place seems to me to stand parallel to the sealing of the elect of Israel under the sixth seal. God's elect are symbolized by the sanctuary at Jerusalem (1Co 3:16, 17, where the same Greek word, "naos," occurs for "temple," as here). Literal Israel in Jerusalem, and with the temple restored (Eze 40:3, 5, where also the temple is measured with the measuring reed, the forty-first, forty-second, forty-third, and forty-fourth chapters), shall stand at the head of the elect Church. The measuring implies at once the exactness of the proportions of the temple to be restored, and the definite completeness (not one being wanting) of the numbers of the Israelite and of the Gentile elections. The literal temple at Jerusalem shall be the typical forerunner of the heavenly Jerusalem, in which there shall be all temple, and no portion exclusively set apart as temple. John's accurately drawing the distinction in subsequent chapters between God's servants and those who bear the mark of the beast, is the way whereby he fulfils the direction here given him to measure the temple. The fact that the temple is distinguished from them that worship therein, favors the view that the spiritual temple, the Jewish and Christian Church, is not exclusively meant, but that the literal temple must also be meant. It shall be rebuilt on the return of the Jews to their land. Antichrist shall there put forward his blasphemous claims. The sealed elect of Israel, the head of the elect Church, alone shall refuse his claims. These shall constitute the true sanctuary which is here measured, that is, accurately marked and kept by God, whereas the rest shall yield to his pretensions. Wordsworth objects that, in the twenty-five passages of the Acts, wherein the Jewish temple is mentioned, it is called hieron, not naos, and so in the apostolic Epistles; but this is simply because no occasion for mentioning the literal Holy Place (Greek, "naos") occurs in Acts and the Epistles; indeed, in Ac 7:48, though not directly, there does occur the term, naos, indirectly referring to the Jerusalem temple Holy Place. In addressing Gentile Christians, to whom the literal Jerusalem temple was not familiar, it was to be expected the term, naos, should not be found in the literal, but in the spiritual sense. In Re 11:19 naos is used in a local sense; compare also Re 14:15, 17; 15:5, 8.

2. But--Greek, "And."

the court ... without--all outside the Holy Place (Re 11:1).

leave out--of thy measurement, literally, "cast out"; reckon as unhallowed.

it--emphatic. It is not to be measured; whereas the Holy Place is.

given--by God's appointment.

unto the Gentiles--In the wider sense, there are meant here "the times of the Gentiles," wherein Jerusalem is "trodden down of the Gentiles," as the parallel, Lu 21:24, proves; for the same word is used here [Greek, "patein"], "tread under foot." Compare also Psa 79:1; Is 63:18.

forty ... two months--(Re 13:5). The same period as Daniel's "time, times, and half" (Re 12:14); and Re 11:3, and Re 12:6, the woman a fugitive in the wilderness "a thousand two hundred and threescore days." In the wider sense, we may either adopt the year-day theory of 1260 years (on which, and the papal rule of 1260 years, see on Da 7:25; Da 8:14; Da 12:11), or rather, regard the 2300 days (Da 8:14), 1335 days (Da 12:11, 12). 1290 days, and 1260 days, as symbolical of the long period of the Gentile times, whether dating from the subversion of the Jewish theocracy at the Babylonian captivity (the kingdom having been never since restored to Israel), or from the last destruction of Jerusalem under Titus, and extending to the restoration of the theocracy at the coming of Him "whose right it is"; the different epochs marked by the 2300, 1335, 1290, and 1260 days, will not be fully cleared up till the grand consummation; but, meanwhile, our duty and privilege urge us to investigate them. Some one of the epochs assigned by many may be right but as yet it is uncertain. The times of the Gentile monarchies during Israel's seven times punishment, will probably, in the narrower sense (Re 11:2), be succeeded by the much more restricted times of the personal Antichrist's tyranny in the Holy Land. The long years of papal misrule may be followed by the short time of the man of sin who shall concentrate in himself all the apostasy, persecution, and evil of the various forerunning Antichrists, Antiochus, Mohammed, Popery, just before Christ's advent. His time shall be THE RECAPITULATION and open consummation of the "mystery of iniquity" so long leavening the world. Witnessing churches may be followed by witnessing individuals, the former occupying the longer, the latter, the shorter period. The three and a half (1260 days being three and a half years of three hundred sixty days each, during which the two witnesses prophesy in sackcloth) is the sacred number seven halved, implying the Antichristian world-power's time is broken at best; it answers to the three and a half years' period in which Christ witnessed for the truth, and the Jews, His own people, disowned Him, and the God-opposed world power crucified Him (compare Note, see on Da 9:27). The three and a half, in a word, marks the time in which the earthly rules over the heavenly kingdom. It was the duration of Antiochus' treading down of the temple and persecution of faithful Israelites. The resurrection of the witnesses after three and a half days, answers to Christ's resurrection after three days. The world power's times never reach the sacred fulness of seven times three hundred sixty, that is, 2520, though they approach to it in 2300 (Da 8:14). The forty-two months answer to Israel's forty-two sojournings (Nu 33:1-50) in the wilderness, as contrasted with the sabbatic rest in Canaan: reminding the Church that here, in the world wilderness, she cannot look for her sabbatic rest. Also, three and a half years was the period of the heaven being shut up, and of consequent famine, in Elias' time. Thus, three and a half represented to the Church the idea of toil, pilgrimage, and persecution.

3. I will give power--There is no "power" in the Greek, so that "give" must mean "give commission," or some such word.

my two witnesses--Greek, "the two witnesses of me." The article implies that the two were well known at least to John.

prophesy--preach under the inspiration of the Spirit, denouncing judgments against the apostate. They are described by symbol as "the two olive trees" and "the two candlesticks," or lamp-stands, "standing before the God of the earth." The reference is to Zec 4:3, 12, where two individuals are meant, Joshua and Zerubbabel, who ministered to the Jewish Church, just as the two olive trees emptied the oil out of themselves into the bowl of the candlestick. So in the final apostasy God will raise up two inspired witnesses to minister encouragement to the afflicted, though sealed, remnant. As two candlesticks are mentioned in Re 11:4, but only one in Zec 4:2, I think the twofold Church, Jewish and Gentile, may be meant by the two candlesticks represented by the two witnesses: just as in Re 7:1-8 there are described first the sealed of Israel, then those of all nations. But see on Re 11:4. The actions of the two witnesses are just those of Moses when witnessing for God against Pharaoh (the type of Antichrist, the last and greatest foe of Israel), turning the waters into blood, and smiting with plagues; and of Elijah (the witness for God in an almost universal apostasy of Israel, a remnant of seven thousand, however, being left, as the 144,000 sealed, Re 7:1-8) causing fire by his word to devour the enemy, and shutting heaven, so that it rained not for three years and six months, the very time (1260 days) during which the two witnesses prophesy. Moreover, the words "witness" and "prophesy" are usually applied to individuals, not to abstractions (compare Psa 52:8). De Burgh thinks Elijah and Moses will again appear, as Mal 4:5, 6 seems to imply (compare Mt 17:11; Ac 3:21). Moses and Elijah appeared with Christ at the Transfiguration, which foreshadowed His coming millennial kingdom. As to Moses, compare De 34:5, 6; Jude 9. Elias' genius and mode of procedure bears the same relation to the "second" coming of Christ, that John the Baptist's did to the first coming [Bengel]. Many of the early Church thought the two witnesses to be Enoch and Elijah. This would avoid the difficulty of the dying a second time, for these have never yet died; but, perhaps, shall be the witnesses slain. Still, the turning the water to blood, and the plagues (Re 11:6), apply best to "Moses (compare Re 15:3, the song of Moses"). The transfiguration glory of Moses and Elias was not their permanent resurrection-state, which shall not be till Christ shall come to glorify His saints, for He has precedence before all in rising. An objection to this interpretation is that those blessed departed servants of God would have to submit to death (Re 11:7, 8), and this in Moses' case a second time, which He 9:27 denies. See on Zec 4:11, 12, on the two witnesses as answering to "the two olive trees." The two olive trees are channels of the oil feeding the Church, and symbols of peace. The Holy Spirit is the oil in them. Christ's witnesses, in remarkable times of the Church's history, have generally appeared in pairs: as Moses and Aaron, the inspired civil and religious authorities; Caleb and Joshua; Ezekiel the priest and Daniel the prophet; Zerubbabel and Joshua.

in sackcloth--the garment of prophets, especially when calling people to mortification of their sins, and to repentance. Their very exterior aspect accorded with their teachings: so Elijah, and John who came in His spirit and power. The sackcloth of the witnesses is a catch word linking this episode under the sixth trumpet, with the sun black as sackcloth (in righteous retribution on the apostates who rejected God's witnesses) under the sixth seal (Re 6:12).

4. standing before the God of the earth--A, B, C, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and Andreas read "Lord" for "God": so Zec 4:14. Ministering to (Lu 1:19), and as in the sight of Him, who, though now so widely disowned on "earth," is its rightful King, and shall at last be openly recognized as such (Re 11:15). The phrase alludes to Zec 4:10, 14, "the two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth." The article "the" marks this allusion. They are "the two candlesticks," not that they are the Church, the one candlestick, but as its representative light-bearers (Greek, "phosteres," Php 2:15), and ministering for its encouragement in a time of apostasy. Wordsworth's view is worth consideration, whether it may not constitute a secondary sense: the two witnesses, the olive trees, are THE TWO Testaments ministering their testimony to the Church of the old dispensation, as well as to that of the new, which explains the two witnesses being called also the two candlesticks (the Old and New Testament churches; the candlestick in Zec 4:2 is but one as there was then but one Testament, and one Church, the Jewish). The Church in both dispensations has no light in herself, but derives it from the Spirit through the witness of the twofold word, the two olive trees: compare Note, see on Re 11:1, which is connected with this, the reed, the Scripture canon, being the measure of the Church: so Primasius [X, p. 314]: the two witnesses preach in sackcloth, marking the ignominious treatment which the word, like Christ Himself, receives from the world. So the twenty-four elders represent the ministers of the two dispensations by the double twelve. But Re 11:7 proves that primarily the two Testaments cannot be meant; for these shall never be "killed," and never "shall have finished their testimony" till the world is finished.

5. will hurt--Greek, "wishes," or "desires to hurt them."

fire ... devoureth--(Compare Jr 5:14; 23:29).

out of their mouth--not literally, but God makes their inspired denunciations of judgment to come to pass and devour their enemies.

if any man will hurt them--twice repeated, to mark the immediate certainty of the accomplishment.

in this manner--so in like manner as he tries to hurt them (compare Re 13:10). Retribution in kind.

6. These ... power--Greek, "authorized power."

it rain not--Greek, "huetos brechee," "rain shower not," literally, "moisten" not (the earth).

smite ... with all plagues--Greek, "with (literally, 'in') every plague."

7. finished their testimony--The same verb is used of Paul's ending his ministry by a violent death.

the beast that ascended out of the bottomless pit--Greek, "the wild beast ... the abyss." This beast was not mentioned before, yet he is introduced as "the beast," because he had already been described by Daniel (Da 7:3, 11), and he is fully so in the subsequent part of the Apocalypse, namely, Re 13:1; 17:8. Thus, John at once appropriates the Old Testament prophecies; and also, viewing his whole subject at a glance, mentions as familiar things (though not yet so to the reader) objects to be described hereafter by himself. It is a proof of the unity that pervades all Scripture.

make war against them--alluding to Da 7:21, where the same is said of the little horn that sprang up among the ten horns on the fourth beast.

8. dead bodies--So Vulgate, Syriac, and Andreas. But A, B, C, the oldest manuscripts, and Coptic read the singular, "dead body." The two fallen in one cause are considered as one.

the great city--eight times in the Revelation elsewhere used of BABYLON (Re 14:8; 16:19; 17:18; 18:10, 16, 18, 19, 21). In Re 21:10 (English Version as to the new Jerusalem), the oldest manuscripts omit "the great" before city, so that it forms no exception. It must, therefore, have an anticipatory reference to the mystical Babylon.

which--Greek, "the which," namely, "the city which."

spiritually--in a spiritual sense.

Sodom--The very term applied by Is 1:10 to apostate Jerusalem (compare Eze 16:48).

Egypt--the nation which the Jews' besetting sin was to lean upon.

where ... Lord was crucified--This identifies the city as Jerusalem, though the Lord was crucified outside of the city. Eusebius mentions that the scene of Christ's crucifixion was enclosed within the city by Constantine; so it will be probably at the time of the slaying of the witnesses. "The beast [for example, Napoleon and France's efforts] has been long struggling for a footing in Palestine; after his ascent from the bottomless pit he struggles much more" [Bengel]. Some one of the Napoleonic dynasty may obtain that footing, and even be regarded as Messiah by the Jews, in virtue of his restoring them to their own land; and so may prove to be the last Antichrist. The difficulty is, how can Jerusalem be called "the great city," that is, Babylon? By her becoming the world's capital of idolatrous apostasy, such as Babylon originally was, and then Rome has been; just as she is here called also "Sodom and Egypt."

also our--A, B, C, Origen, Andreas, and others read, "also their." Where their Lord, also, as well as they, was slain. Compare Re 18:24, where the blood of ALL slain on earth is said to be found IN Babylon, just as in Mt 23:35, Jesus saith that, "upon the Jews and Jerusalem" (Compare Mt 23:37, 38) shall "come ALL the righteous blood shed upon earth"; whence it follows Jerusalem shall be the last capital of the world apostasy, and so receive the last and worst visitation of all the judgments ever inflicted on the apostate world, the earnest of which was given in the Roman destruction of Jerusalem. In the wider sense, in the Church-historical period, the Church being the sanctuary, all outside of it is the world, the great city, wherein all the martyrdoms of saints have taken place. Babylon marks its idolatry, Egypt its tyranny, Sodom its desperate corruption, Jerusalem its pretensions to sanctity on the ground of spiritual privileges, while all the while it is the murderer of Christ in the person of His members. All which is true of Rome. So Vitringa. But in the more definite sense, Jerusalem is regarded, even in Hebrews (He 13:12-14), as the world city which believers were then to go forth from, in order to "seek one to come."

9. they--rather, "(some) of the peoples."

people--Greek, "peoples."

kindreds--Greek, "tribes"; all save the elect (whence it is not said, The peoples ... but [some] of the peoples ... , or, some of the peoples ... may refer to those of the nations ..., who at the time shall hold possession of Palestine and Jerusalem).

shall see--So Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic. But A, B, C, and Andreas, the present, "see," or rather (Greek, "blepousin"), "look upon." The prophetic present.

dead bodies--So Vulgate, Syriac, and Andreas. But A, B, C, and Coptic, singular, as in Re 11:8, "dead body." Three and a half days answer to the three and a half years (see on Re 11:2, 3), the half of seven, the full and perfect number.

shall not suffer--so B, Syriac, Coptic, and Andreas. But A, C, and Vulgate read, "do not suffer."

in graves--so Vulgate and Primasius. But B, C, Syriac, Coptic, and Andreas, singular; translate, "into a sepulchre," literally, "a monument." Accordingly, in righteous retribution in kind, the flesh of the Antichristian hosts is not buried, but given to all the fowls in mid-heaven to eat (Re 19:17, 18, 21).

10. they that dwell upon ... earth--those who belong to the earth, as its citizens, not to heaven (Re 3:10; 8:13; 12:12; 13:8).

shall--so Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic. But A, B, and C read the present tense; compare Note, see on Re 11:9, on "shall not suffer."

rejoice over them--The Antichristianity of the last days shall probably be under the name of philosophical enlightenment and civilization, but really man's deification of himself. Fanaticism shall lead Antichrist's followers to exult in having at last seemingly silenced in death their Christian rebukers. Like her Lord, the Church will have her dark passion week followed by the bright resurrection morn. It is a curious historical coincidence that, at the fifth Lateran Council, May 5, 1514, no witness (not even the Moravians who were summoned) testified for the truth, as Huss and Jerome did at Constance; an orator ascended the tribunal before the representatives of papal Christendom, and said, "There is no reclaimant, no opponent." Luther, on October 31, 1517, exactly three and a half years afterwards, posted up his famous theses on the church at Wittenberg. The objection is, the years are years of three hundred sixty-five, not three hundred sixty, days, and so two and a half days are deficient; but still the coincidence is curious; and if this prophecy be allowed other fulfilments, besides the final and literal one under the last Antichrist, this may reasonably be regarded as one.

send gifts one to another--as was usual at a joyous festival.

tormented them--namely, with the plagues which they had power to inflict (Re 11:5, 6); also, by their testimony against the earthly.

11. Translate as Greek, "After the three days and an half."

the Spirit of life--the same which breathed life into Israel's dry bones, Eze 37:10, 11 (see on Eze 37:10, 11), "Breath came into them." The passage here, as there, is closely connected with Israel's restoration as a nation to political and religious life. Compare also concerning the same, Ho 6:2, where Ephraim says, "After two days will He revive us; in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight."

into--so B and Vulgate. But A reads (Greek, "en autois"), "(so as to be) IN them."

stood upon their feet--the very words in Eze 37:10, which proves the allusion to be to Israel's resurrection, in contrast to "the times of the Gentiles" wherein these "tread under foot the holy city."

great fear--such as fell on the soldiers guarding Christ's tomb at His resurrection (Mt 28:4), when also there was a great earthquake (Re 11:2).

saw--Greek, "beheld."

12. they--so A, C, and Vulgate. But B, Coptic, Syriac, and Andreas read, "I heard."

a cloud--Greek, "the cloud"; which may be merely the generic expression for what we are familiar with, as we say "the clouds." But I prefer taking the article as definitely alluding to THE cloud which received Jesus at His ascension, Ac 1:9 (where there is no article, as there is no allusion to a previous cloud, such as there is here). As they resembled Him in their three and a half years' witnessing, their three and a half days lying in death (though not for exactly the same time, nor put in a tomb as He was), so also in their ascension is the translation and transfiguration of the sealed of Israel (Re 7:1-8), and the elect of all nations, caught up out of the reach of the Antichristian foe. In Re 14:14-16, He is represented as sitting on a white cloud.

their enemies beheld them--and were thus openly convicted by God for their unbelief and persecution of His servants; unlike Elijah's ascension formerly, in the sight of friends only. The Church caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and transfigured in body, is justified by her Lord before the world, even as the man-child (Jesus) was "caught up unto God and His throne" from before the dragon standing ready to devour the woman's child as soon as born.

13. "In that same hour"; literally, "the hour."

great earthquake--answering to the "great earthquake" under the sixth seal, just at the approach of the Lord (Re 6:12). Christ was delivered unto His enemies on the fifth day of the week, and on the sixth was crucified, and on the sabbath rested; so it is under the sixth seal and sixth trumpet that the last suffering of the Church, begun under the fifth seal and trumpet, is to be consummated, before she enters on her seventh day of eternal sabbath. Six is the number of the world power's greatest triumph, but at the same time verges on seven, the divine number, when its utter destruction takes place. Compare "666" in Re 13:18, "the number of the beast."

tenth part of the city fell--that is, of "the great city" (Re 16:19; Zec 14:2). Ten is the number of the world kingdoms (Re 17:10-12), and the beast's horns (Re 13:1), and the dragon's (Re 12:3). Thus, in the Church-historical view, it is hereby implied that one of the ten apostate world kingdoms fall. But in the narrower view a tenth of Jerusalem under Antichrist falls. The nine-tenths remain and become when purified the center of Christ's earthly kingdom.

of men--Greek, "names of men." The men are as accurately enumerated as if their names were given.

seven thousand--Elliott interprets seven chiliads or provinces, that is, the seven Dutch United Provinces lost to the papacy; and "names of men," titles of dignity, duchies, lordships, &c. Rather, seven thousand combine the two mystical perfect and comprehensive numbers seven and thousand, implying the full and complete destruction of the impenitent.

the remnant--consisting of the Israelite inhabitants not slain. Their conversion forms a blessed contrast to Re 16:9; and above, Re 9:20, 21. These repenting (Zec 12:10-14; 13:1), become in the flesh the loyal subjects of Christ reigning over the earth with His transfigured saints.

gave glory to the God of heaven--which while apostates, and worshipping the beast's image, they had not done.

God of heaven--The apostates of the last days, in pretended scientific enlightenment, recognize no heavenly power, but only the natural forces in the earth which come under their observation. His receiving up into heaven the two witnesses who had power during their time on earth to shut heaven from raining (Re 11:6), constrained His and their enemies who witnessed it, to acknowledge the God of heaven, to be God of the earth (Re 11:4). As in Re 11:4 He declared Himself to be God of the earth by His two witnesses, so now He proves Himself to be God of heaven also.

14. The second woe--that under the sixth trumpet (Re 9:12-21), including also the prophecy, Re 11:1-13: Woe to the world, joy to the faithful, as their redemption draweth nigh.

the third woe cometh quickly--It is not mentioned in detail for the present, until first there is given a sketch of the history of the origination, suffering, and faithfulness of the Church in a time of apostasy and persecution. Instead of the third woe being detailed, the grand consummation is summarily noticed, the thanksgiving of the twenty-four elders in heaven for the establishment of Christ's kingdom on earth, attended with the destruction of the destroyers of the earth.

15. sounded--with his trumpet. Evidently "the LAST trumpet." Six is close to seven, but does not reach it. The world judgments are complete in six, but by the fulfilment of seven the world kingdoms become Christ's. Six is the number of the world given over to judgment. It is half of twelve, the Church's number, as three and a half is half of seven, the divine number for completeness. Bengel thinks the angel here to have been Gabriel, which name is compounded of El, God, and Geber, MIGHTY MAN (Re 10:1). Gabriel therefore appropriately announced to Mary the advent of the mighty God-man: compare the account of the man-child's birth which follows (Re 12:1-6), to which this forms the transition though the seventh trumpet in time is subsequent, being the consummation of the historical episode, the twelfth and thirteen chapters. The seventh trumpet, like the seventh seal and seventh vial, being the consummation, is accompanied differently from the preceding six: not the consequences which follow on earth, but those IN HEAVEN, are set before us, the great voices and thanksgiving of the twenty-four elders in heaven, as the half-hour's silence in heaven at the seventh seal, and the voice out of the temple in heaven, "It is done," at the seventh vial. This is parallel to Da 2:44, "The God of heaven shall set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break to pieces all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever." It is the setting up of Heaven's sovereignty over the earth visibly, which, when invisibly exercised, was rejected by the earthly rulers heretofore. The distinction of worldly and spiritual shall then cease. There will be no beast in opposition to the woman. Poetry, art, science, and social life will be at once worldly and Christian.

kingdoms--A, B, C, and Vulgate read the singular, "The kingdom (sovereignty) of (over) the world is our Lord's and His Christ's." There is no good authority for English Version reading. The kingdoms of the world give way to the kingdom of (over) the world exercised by Christ. The earth-kingdoms are many: His shall be one. The appellation "Christ," the Anointed, is here, where His kingdom is mentioned appropriately for the first time used in Revelation. For it is equivalent to King. Though priests and prophets also were anointed, yet this term is peculiarly applied to Him as King, insomuch that "the Lord's anointed" is His title as King, in places where He is distinguished from the priests. The glorified Son of man shall rule mankind by His transfigured Church in heaven, and by His people Israel on earth: Israel shall be the priestly mediator of blessings to the whole world, realizing them first.

he--not emphatic in the Greek.

shall reign for ever and ever--Greek, "unto the ages of the ages." Here begins the millennial reign, the consummation of "the mystery of God" (Re 10:7).

16. before God--B and Syriac read, "before the throne of God." But A, C, Vulgate, and Coptic read as English Version.

seats--Greek, "thrones."

17. thanks--for the answer to our prayers (Re 6:10, 11) in destroying them which destroy the earth (Re 11:18), thereby preparing the way for setting up the kingdom of Thyself and Thy saints.

and art to come--omitted in A, B, C, Vulgate, Syriac, Cyprian, and Andreas. The consummation having actually come, they do not address Him as they did when it was still future, "Thou that art to come." Compare Re 11:18, "is come." From the sounding of the seventh trumpet He is to His people Jah, the ever present Lord, WHO IS, more peculiarly than Jehovah "who is, was, and is to come."

taken to thee thy great power--"to Thee" is not in the Greek. Christ takes to Him the kingdom as His own of right.

18. the nations were angry--alluding to Psa 99:1, Septuagint, "The Lord is become King: let the peoples become angry." Their anger is combined with alarm (Ex 15:14; 2Ki 19:28, "thy rage against Me is come up into Mine ears, I will put My hook in thy nose," &c.). Translate, as the Greek is the same. "The nations were angered, and Thy anger is come." How petty man's impotent anger, standing here side by side with that of the omnipotent God!

dead ... be judged--proving that this seventh trumpet is at the end of all things, when the judgment on Christ's foes and the reward of His saints, long prayed for by His saints, shall take place.

the prophets--as, for instance, the two prophesying witnesses (Re 11:3), and those who have showed them kindness for Christ's sake. Jesus shall come to effect by His presence that which we have looked for long, but vainly, in His absence, and by other means.

destroy them which destroy the earth--Retribution in kind (compare Re 16:6; Lu 19:27). See on Da 7:14-18.

19. A similar solemn conclusion to that of the seventh seal, Re 8:5, and to that of the seventh vial, Re 16:18. Thus, it appears, the seven seals, the seven trumpets, and the seven vials, are not consecutive, but parallel, and ending in the same consummation. They present the unfolding of God's plans for bringing about the grand end under three different aspects, mutually complementing each other.

the temple--the sanctuary or Holy place (Greek, "naos"), not the whole temple (Greek, "hieron").

opened in heaven--A and C read the article, "the temple of God "which is" in heaven, was opened."

the ark of his testament--or "... His covenant." As in the first verse the earthly sanctuary was measured, so here its heavenly antitype is laid open, and the antitype above to the ark of the covenant in the Holiest Place below is seen, the pledge of God's faithfulness to His covenant in saving His people and punishing their and His enemies. Thus this forms a fit close to the series of trumpet judgments and an introduction to the episode (the twelfth and thirteen chapters) as to His faithfulness to His Church. Here first His secret place, the heavenly sanctuary, is opened for the assurance of His people; and thence proceed His judgments in their behalf (Re 14:15, 17; 15:5; 16:17), which the great company in heaven laud as "true and righteous." This then is parallel to the scene at the heavenly altar, at the close of the seals and opening of the trumpets (Re 8:3), and at the close of the episode (the twelfth through fifteenth chapters) and opening of the vials (Re 15:7, 8). See on Re 12:1, note at the opening of the chapter.

And there was given me a reed - See Eze 40:3, etc.

Measure the temple of God - This must refer to the temple of Jerusalem; and this is another presumptive evidence that it was yet standing.

But the court - is given unto the Gentiles - The measuring of the temple probably refers to its approaching destruction, and the termination of the whole Levitical service; and this we find was to be done by the Gentiles, (Romans), who were to tread it down forty-two months; i.e., just three years and a half, or twelve hundred and sixty days. This must be a symbolical period.

My two witnesses - This is extremely obscure; the conjectures of interpreters are as unsatisfactory as they are endless on this point. Conjecturas conjecturis superstruunt, parum verosimiles, says Rosenmuller: quorum sententias enarrare, meum non est. I say the same. Those who wish to be amused or bewildered, may have recourse both to ancients and moderns on this subject.

These are the two olive trees - Mentioned Zac 4:14, which there represent Zerubbabel and Joshua the high priest. The whole account seems taken from Zac 4:1-14. Whether the prophet and the apostle mean the same things by these emblems, we know not.

Fire proceedeth out of their mouth - That is, they are commissioned to denounce the judgments of God against all who would attempt to prevent them from proceeding in their ministry.

These have power to shut heaven - As Elijah did, 1 Kings 17:1-18:46.

To turn them to blood - As Moses did, Exo 7:19-25. They shall have power to afflict the land with plagues, similar to those which were inflicted on the Egyptians.

The beast that ascended out of the bottomless pit - This may be what is called antichrist; some power that is opposed to genuine Christianity. But what or whence, except from the bottomless pit, i.e., under the influence and appointment of the devil, we cannot tell; nor do we know by what name this power or being should be called. The conjectures concerning the two witnesses and the beast have been sufficiently multiplied. If the whole passage, as some think, refer to the persecution raised by the Jews against the Christians, then some Jewish power or person is the beast from the bottomless pit. If it refer to the early ages of Christianity, then the beast may be one of the persecuting heathen emperors. If it refer to a later age of Christianity, then the beast may be the papal power, and the Albigenses and Waldenses the two witnesses, which were nearly extinguished by the horrible persecutions raised up against them by the Church of Rome. Whatever may be here intended, the earth has not yet covered their blood.

The great city - Some say Rome, which may be spiritually called Sodom for its abominations, Egypt for its tyrannous cruelty, and the place where our Lord was crucified, because of its persecution of the members of Christ; but Jerusalem itself may be intended. All these things I must leave to others.

Shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves - They shall be treated with the greatest barbarity. Refusal of burial to the dead was allowed to be the sum of brutality and cruelty. In popish lands they will not suffer a Protestant to have Christian burial, or to have a grave in a churchyard! Contemptible wretches!

Shall send gifts - This was a custom in days of public rejoicing. They sent gifts to each other, and gave portions to the poor. See Est 9:19, Est 9:22.

They stood upon their feet - Were restored to their primitive state.

They ascended up to heaven - Enjoyed a state of great peace and happiness.

A great earthquake - Violent commotions among the persecutors, and revolutions of states.

Slain of men seven thousand - Many perished in these popular commotions.

The remnant were affrighted - Seeing the hand of God's judgments so remarkably stretched out.

Gave glory - Received the pure doctrines of the Gospel, and glorified God for his judgments and their conversion.

The seconds wo is past - That which took place under the sixth trumpet, and has been already described.

The third wo cometh - Is about to be described under the seventh trumpet, which the angel is now prepared to sound.

Of the three woes which were denounced, Rev 8:13, the first is described, Rev 9:1-12; the second, Rev 9:13-21. These woes are supposed by many learned men to refer to the destruction of Jerusalem. The first wo - the seditions among the Jews themselves. The second wo - the besieging of the city by the Romans. The third wo - the taking and sacking of the city, and burning the temple. This was the greatest of all the woes, as in it the city and temple were destroyed, and nearly a million of men lost their lives.

There were great voices in heaven - All the heavenly host - angels and redeemed human spirits, joined together to magnify God; that he had utterly discomfited his enemies and rendered his friends glorious. This will be truly the case when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of God and of his Christ, But when shall this be? Some say, that is meant by these words has already taken place in the destruction of the Jewish state, and sending the Gospel throughout the Gentile world. Others say that it refers to the millennium, and to the consummation of all things.

The four and twenty elders - The representatives of the universal Church of Christ. See on Rev 5:8-10 (note).

O Lord God Almighty, which art - This gives a proper view of God in his eternity; all times are here comprehended, the present, the past, and the future. This is the infinitude of God.

Hast taken to thee - Thou hast exercised that power which thou ever hast; and thou hast broken the power of thy enemies, and exalted thy Church.

The nations were angry - Were enraged against thy Gospel, and determined to destroy it.

Thy wrath is come - The time to avenge thy servants and to destroy all thy enemies.

The time of the dead, that they should be judged - The word κρινειν, to judge, is often used in the sense of to avenge. The dead, here, may mean those who were slain for the testimony of Jesus, and the judging is the avenging of their blood.

Give reward unto thy servants - Who have been faithful unto death.

The prophets - The faithful teachers in the Church, the saints - the Christians.

And them that fear thy name - All thy sincere followers.

Destroy them which destroy the earth - All the authors, fomenters, and encouragers of bloody wars.

The temple of God was opened in heaven - The true worship of God was established and performed in the Christian Church; this is the true temple, that at Jerusalem being destroyed.

And there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail - These great commotions were intended to introduce the following vision; for the 12th chapter is properly a continuation of the 11th, and should be read in strict connection with it.

I Now come to a part of this book that is deemed of the greatest importance by the Protestant Church, but is peculiarly difficult and obscure. I have often acknowledged my own incapacity to illustrate these prophecies. I might have availed myself of the labors of others, but I know not who is right; or whether any of the writers on this book have hit the sense is more than I can assert, and more than I think. The illustration of the 12th, 13th, and 17th chapters, which I have referred to in the preface, drawn up and displayed with great industry and learning, I shall insert in its place, as by far the most probable I have yet seen; but I leave the learned author responsible for his own particular views of the subject.

But the court which is without the temple - The old temple had a court in the open air, for the heathens who worshipped the God of Israel. Cast out - Of thy account. And measure it not - As not being holy In so high a degree. And they shall tread - Inhabit. The holy city - Jerusalem, Matt 4:5. So they began to do, before St. John wrote. And it has been trodden almost ever since by the Romans, Persians, Saracens, and Turks. But that severe kind of treading which is here peculiarly spoken of, will not be till under the trumpet of the seventh angel, and toward the end of the troublous times. This will continue but forty - two common months, or twelve hundred and sixty common days; being but a small part of the non - chronos.

And I - Christ. Will give to my two witnesses - These seem to be two prophets; two select, eminent instruments. Some have supposed (though without foundation) that they are Moses and Elijah, whom they resemble in several respects. To prophesy twelve hundred and sixty days - Common days, that is, an hundred and eighty weeks. So long will they prophesy, (even while that last and sharp treading of the holy city continues,) both by word and deed, witnessing that Jesus is the Son of God, the heir of all things, and exhorting all men to repent, and fear, and glorify God. Clothed in sackcloth - The habit of the deepest mourners, out of sorrow and concern for the people.

These are the two olive trees - That is, as Zerubbabel and Joshua, the two olive trees spoken of by Zechariah, Zec 3:9, 4:10, were then the two chosen instruments in God's hand, even so shall these. be in their season. Being themselves full of the unction of the Holy One, they shall continually transmit the same to others also. And the two candlesticks - Burning and shining lights. Standing before the Lord of the earth - Always waiting on God, without the help of man, and asserting his right over the earth and all things therein.

If any would kill them - As the Israelites would have done Moses and Aaron, Num 16:41. He must be killed thus - By that devouring fire.

These have power - And they use that power. See verse 10. Rev 11:10 To shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophesying - During those "twelve hundred and sixty days." And have power over the waters - In and near Jerusalem. To turn them into blood - As Moses did those in Egypt. And to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will - This is not said of Moses or Elijah, or any mere man besides. And how is it possible to understand this otherwise than of two individual persons?

And when they shall have finished their testimony - Till then they are invincible. The wild beast - Hereafter to be described. That ascendeth - First out of the sea, Rev 13:1, and then out of the bottomless pit, Rev 17:8. Shall make war with them - It is at his last ascent, not out of the sea, but the bottomless pit, that the beast makes war upon the two witnesses. And even hereby is fixed the time of "treading the holy city," and of the "two witnesses." That time ends after the ascent of the beast out of the abyss, and yet before the fulfilling of the mystery. And shall conquer them - The fire no longer proceeding out of their mouth when they have finished their work. And kill them - These will be among the last martyrs, though not the last of all.

And their bodies shall be - Perhaps hanging on a cross. In the street of the great city - Of Jerusalem, a far greater city, than any other in those parts. This is described both spiritually and historically: spiritually, as it is called Sodom Isa 1:9 &c. and Egypt; on account of the same abominations abounding there, at the time of the witnesses, as did once in Egypt and Sodom. Historically: Where also their Lord was crucified - This possibly refers to the very ground where his cross stood. Constantine the Great inclosed this within the walls of the city. Perhaps on that very spot will their bodies be exposed.

Three days and a half - So exactly are the times set down in this prophecy. If we suppose this time began in the evening, and ended in the morning, and included (which is no way impossible) Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, the weekly festival of the Turkish people, the Jewish tribes, and the Christian tongues; then all these together, with the heathen nations, would have full leisure to gaze upon and rejoice over them.

And they that dwell upon the earth - Perhaps this expression may peculiarly denote earthly - minded men. Shall make merry - As did the Philistines over Samson. And send gifts to one another - Both Turks, and Jews, and heathens, and false Christians.

And great fear fell upon them that saw them - And now knew that God was on their side.

And I heard a great voice - Designed for all to hear. And they went up to heaven, and their enemies beheld them - who had not taken notice of their rising again; by which some had been convinced before.

And there was a great earthquake and the tenth part of the city fell - We have here an unanswerable proof that this city is not Babylon or Rome, but Jerusalem. For Babylon shall be wholly burned before the fulfilling of the mystery of God. But this city is not burned at all; on the contrary, at the fulfilling of that mystery, a tenth part of it is destroyed by an earthquake, and the other nine parts converted. And there were slain in the earthquake seven thousand men - Being a tenth part of the inhabitants, who therefore were seventy thousand in all. And the rest - The remaining sixty - three thousand were converted: a grand step toward the fulfilling of the mystery of God. Such a conversion we no where else read of. So there shall be a larger as well as holier church at Jerusalem than ever was yet. Were terrified - Blessed terror! And gave glory - The character of true conversion, Jer 13:16. To the God of heaven - He is styled, "The Lord of the earth," verse 4, Rev 11:4 when he declares his right over the earth by the two witnesses; but the God of heaven, when he not only gives rain from heaven after the most afflicting drought, but also declares his majesty from heaven, by taking his witnesses up into it. When the whole multitude gives glory to the God of heaven, then that "treading of the holy city" ceases. This is the point so long aimed at, the desired "fulfilling of the mystery of God," when the divine promises are so richly fulfilled on those who have gone through so great afflictions. All this is here related together, that whereas the first and second woe went forth in the east, the rest of the eastern affairs being added at once, the description of the western might afterwards remain unbroken. It may be useful here to see how the things here spoken of, and those hereafter described, follow each other in their order. The angel swears; the non - chronos begins; John eats the book; the many kings arise. The non - chronos and the "many kings" being on the decline, that treading" begins, and the "two witnesses" appear. The beast, after he has with the ten kings destroyed Babylon, wars with them and kills them. After three days and an half they revive and ascend to heaven. There is a great earthquake in the holy city: seven thousand perish, and the rest are converted. The "treading" of the city by the gentiles ends. The beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies are assembled to fight against the Great King. Multitudes of his enemies are killed, and the beast and the false prophet cast alive into the lake of fire. while John measures the temple of God and the altar with the worshippers, the true worship of God is set up. The nations who had trodden the holy city are converted. Hereby the mystery of God is fulfilled. Satan is imprisoned. Being released for a time, he, with Gog and Magog, makes his last assault upon Jerusalem.

The second woe is past - The butchery made by the Saracens ceased about the year 847, when their power was so broken by Charles the Great that they never recovered it. Behold, the third woe cometh quickly - Its prelude came while the Roman see took all opportunities of laying claim to its beloved universality, and enlarging its power and grandeur. And in the year 755 the bishop of Rome became a secular prince, by king Pepin's giving him the exarchate of Lombardy. The beginning of the third woe itself stands, Rev 12:12.

And the seventh angel sounded - This trumpet contains the most important and joyful events, and renders all the former trumpets matter of joy to all the inhabitants of heaven. The allusion therefore in this and all the trumpets is to those used in festal solemnities. All these seven trumpets were heard in heaven: perhaps the seventh shall once be heard on earth also, 1Thess 4:16. And there were great voices - From the several citizens of heaven. At the opening of the seventh seal "there was silence in heaven;" at the sounding of the seventh trumpet, great voices. This alone is sufficient to show that the seven seals and seven trumpets do not run parallel to each other. As soon as the seventh angel sounds, the kingdom falls to God and his Christ. This immediately appears in heaven, and is there celebrated with joyful praise. But on earth several dreadful occurrences are to appear first. This trumpet comprises all that follows from these voices to Rev 22:5. The kingdom of the world - That is, the royal government over the whole world, and all its kingdoms, Zech 14:9. Is become the kingdom of the Lord - This province has been in the enemy's hands: it now returns to its rightful Master. In the Old Testament, from Moses to Samuel, God himself was the King of his own people. And the same will be in the New Testament: he will himself reign over the Israel of God. And of his Christ - This appellation is now first given him, since the introduction of the book, on the mention of the kingdom devolving upon him, under the seventh trumpet. Prophets and priests were anointed, but more especially kings: whence that term, the anointed, is applied only to a king. Accordingly, whenever the Messiah is mentioned in scripture, his kingdom is implied. Is become - In reality, all things (and so the kingdom of the world) are God's in all ages: yet Satan and the present world, with its kings and lords, are risen against the Lord and against his Anointed. God now puts an end to this monstrous rebellion, and maintains his right to all things. And this appears in an entirely new manner, as soon as the seventh angel sounds.

And the four and twenty elders - These shall reign over the earth, Rev 5:10. Who sit before God on their thrones - which we do not read of any angel.

The Almighty - He who hath all things in his power as the only Governor of them. Who is, and who was - God is frequently styled, "He who is, and who was, and who is to come." but now he is actually come, the words, "who is to come," are, as it were, swallowed up. When it is said, We thank thee that thou hast taken thy great power, it is all one as, "We thank thee that thou art come." This whole thanksgiving is partly an enlargement on the two great points mentioned in the fifteenth verse; Rev 11:15 partly a summary of what is hereafter more distinctly related. Here it is mentioned, how the kingdom is the Lord's; afterwards, how it is the kingdom of his Christ. Thou hast taken thy great power - This is the beginning of what is done under the trumpet of the seventh angel. God has never ceased to use his power; but he has suffered his enemies to oppose it, which he will now suffer no more.

And the heathen nations were wroth - At the breaking out of the power and kingdom of God. This wrath of the heathens now rises to the highest pitch; but it meets the wrath of the Almighty, and melts away. In this verse is described both the going forth and the end of God's wrath, which together take up several ages. And the time of the dead is come - Both of the quick and dead, of whom those already dead are far the more numerous part. That they be judged - This, being infallibly certain, they speak of as already present. And to give a reward - At the coming of Christ, Rev 22:12; but of free grace, not of debt, To his servants the prophets: To his saints: to them who were eminently holy: To them that fear his name: these are the lowest class. Those who do not even fear God will have no reward from him. Small and great - All universally, young and old, high and low, rich and poor. And to destroy them that destroyed the earth - The earth was destroyed by the "great whore" in particular, Rev 19:2; 17:2,5; but likewise in general, by the open rage and hate of wicked men against all that is good; by wars, and the various destruction and desolation naturally flowing therefrom; by such laws and constitutions as hinder much good, and occasion many offences and calamities; by public scandals, whereby a door is opened for all dissoluteness and unrighteousness; by abuse of secular and spiritual powers; by evil doctrines, maxims, and counsels; by open violence and persecution; and by sins crying to God to send plagues upon the earth. This great work of God, destroying the destroyers, under the trumpet of the seventh angel, is not the third woe, but matter of joy, for which the elders solemnly give thanks. All the woes, and particularly the third, go forth over those "who dwell upon the earth;" but this destruction, over those "who destroy the earth," and were also instruments of that woe.

And the temple of God - The inmost part of it. Was opened in heaven - And hereby is opened a new scene of the most momentous things, that we may see how the contents of the seventh trumpet are executed; and, notwithstanding the greatest opposition, (particularly by the third woe,) brought to a glorious conclusion. And the ark of the covenant was seen in his temple - The ark of the covenant which was made by Moses was not in the second temple, being probably burnt with the first temple by the Chaldeans. But here is the heavenly ark of the everlasting covenant, the shadow of which was under the Old Testament, Heb 9:4. The inhabitants of heaven saw the ark before: St. John also saw it now; for a testimony, that what God had promised, should be fulfilled to the uttermost. And there were lightnings, and voices, and thunders, and an earthquake, and great hail - The very same there are, and in the same order, when the seventh angel has poured out his phial; Rev 16:17 - 21: one place answers the other. What the trumpet here denounces in heaven, is there executed by the phial upon earth. First it is shown what will be done; and afterwards it is done.

1 AND there was given to me a reed like a rod , And the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God , and the altar, and them that worship therein o.

The next words tell us the use of this Reed. It was a measuring Reed, such a one as Ezekiel in his Vision, (Ezek. 40.3.) saw in the Mans's Hand. There, the measuring was in order to a Rebuilding, here, in order to preserving.

We cannot well understand what followeth, without understanding the Structure of the Temple. The Iews, for the place of their Worship, had first a Tabernacle, then a Temple. The Tabernacle was a moveable House, which they took down and carried about with them in their Journyings, and pitched down when in any place they pitched their Tents. We read of it, Exod. 40. we read but of one Court in that, into which only the Priests and Levites entred; the People were without it, pitching their Tents round about it. It had in it an Altar of Gold for Incense, Exod. 40.5. which stood before the Ark, v. 26, 27, and v. 29. and an Altar for Burnt-offering which stood by the Door of the Tabernacle. The Temple was built by Solomon, 1 King. 6. and afterwards rebuilded by Zorobbabel, upon their return out of Captivity. That was builded with two Courts, an inne[illegible: 1 letter] Court, 1 King. 6.36. in which was the Altar; and an outward Court, which is called the great Court, 2 Chron. 4.9. and in Ezekiel many times the outward Court. This is called the House, in the first Book of Kings, ch. 6.17. It was in length forty Cubits; the Oracle was within it, v. 19. where stood the Ark covered with the Cherubins. Into the inward Court the Priests and Levites only came; into the outward Court came any of the Israelites. Herod, upon the additional Building to the Temple, added another large Court, called the Court of the Gentiles; but that not being of God's Direction, nor in Solomon's Temple, or Zorobbabel's is not here mentioned. This Temple was a Type of the Church under the New Testament, 1 Cor. 3.17. 2 Cor. 6.16. and is so to be interpreted generally in this Book. For the material Temple at Hierusalem was destroyed by the Romans more than 20 years before this Prophecy, never to be builded more; not one stone was left upon another; so that Iohn here was bid to measure the Church.

Yet not the whole Church, but that part of it, which the inner Court typified; the Altar, and those that worshipped within that space where that was, which of old were only the Priests and Levites; and under the New-Testament signified those who were to be an Holy Priesthood, a Spiritual House, those that should offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable through Iesus Christ, 1 Pet. 2.5. who could indure a measuring by God's Reed, the Word of God.

Marginal references: Ezek. 40.3, &c.

2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not : for it is given unto the Gentiles e; and the holy city shall they tread under foot f forty and two months. .

There is no great doubt, but the same Persons are here to be understood by the Court which is without the Temple, (that is, without the inward Court) and the holy City, and by them, both the generality of those People, who come under the Name of the Christian Church, who are all of them in some sense, an holy People, 1 Cor. 7.14. (as all the Iews, were) yet for the greatest part of them Iohn is commanded to omit, or neglect them, as those who would not indure a measure by the Reed, and of whose Preservation God would take no such care, (e. [illegible: 1 letter].) but give them up to the Gentiles to be trodden under foot. By which, many learned and good Men understand God's suffering Antichrist to have a Power over and against them. I find some, understanding by the Al[illegible: 1 letter]ar, and those that worshipped therein, the Primitive Church, that for some hundreds of years after Christ kept close to the Divine Rule, whom God preserved, tho in the midst of the Ten first Persecutions: and by the outward Court, the Church after that time which God suffered to fall under the Power of the Beast, and Antichrist, that is, the Papacy, which are well enough called the Gentiles, as bringing in Gentilism again into the Church, and hardly differing in any thing, saving that the old Heathens owned many Supreme Gods, and these new Gentiles but one. God sheweth Iohn here, that he would give up the outward Court, or this holy City, the generality of Christians, to these Gentiles, that they should rule, and domineer over them

for forty and two Months; the meaning of which, we shall by and by shew. A late pious and learned Writer differs a little in his Sense, as thinking that God here sheweth John something further, viz. That under this sixth Trumpet, he would give the generality of those called Christians, that will not indure the measure of the Reed, so over to Antichrist, that they shall turn Papists, and help to kill the Lord's Witnesses; of which we shall speak, v. 3. So as this is not a new Prophecy, but a continuation of what shall happen after the sounding of the sixth, and before the sounding of the seventh Trumpet: if so, I conceive that those words [shall they tread under foot forty and two Months] must be understood, until the end of the 42 Months; for the 42 Months being the whole time of Antichrist, or the Beast, must be in a great measure spent before the sounding of the sixth Angel. But it seems to be the Opinion of this learned Man, that a very great part of those who pretend to constitute the reformed Protestant Church at this day, but are but as the outward Court, not such as worship within the Oracle, shall, before the sounding of the seventh Trumpet, apostatize, and fall off to Popery, until Antichrist's 1260 days shall expire, and joyn with Papists in the killing of the Witnesses. The truth of which we must leave to the Providence of God in time to discover; altho who so considereth the face of things this day in Europe (within which the greatest part of the Christian Church is) will judge there is too great a probability of what this learned Man saith, but I dare determine nothing in it.

Marginal references: Gr. cast out.; Chap. 13.5.

3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses , and they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore days clothed in sackcloth .

There hath been a great Dispute amongst godly and learned Men, who these two Witnesses should be: Some have thought them to be Enoch and Elias, who, tho long since glorified, they have thought (with no great probability, as I suppose any indifferent Person will judge) shall come again, and be killed on the Earth; yet this is the general Notion of the Popish Writers. Others would have them the two sorts of Gospel-Churches, one of which was made up of native Gentiles, the other of Iews pro[illegible: 1 letter]elyted to the Christian Faith. Others have interpreted it of the Old-Testament and the New: Others, of some two eminent Divines; and as to them there have been various Guesses: Others, of the Ministers whom God imployed upon the Reformation: Others, of a Christian Magistracy and Ministry. For my own part, the name of Witnesses is so often applied to the first Ministers of the Gospel, Acts 1.19, 22. & 4.33. & 22.15. & 26.16. 1 Pet. [illegible: 1 letter].1. Act. 2.32. & 3.15. & 5.32. & 10.41. that I cannot but understand it of that faithful part of the Ministry, who preach the Gospel faithfully during the whole Reign of Antichrist. Neither do I think that the Number two at all relates to their Number, but to their Witness-bearing: Two being the Number which God ordained as sufficient to e[illegible: 1 letter]tablish all civil Things, Deut. 17.6. & 19.15. Matt. 18.16. Heb. 10.28. u[illegible: 1 letter]less there be a regard had to those pairs, which all along the Old-Testament bare Testimony for God; Moses and Aaron, Cal[illegible: 2 letters] and Ioshua, Elijah and Elisha; and after the Captivity Zorobbabel and Ioshua, and the two Olive-trees mentioned Zech. 4.11, 14. to which plainly this Text hath Relatio[illegible: 1 letter], v. 4. To which some also add Abraham and Lot, Ezra and Nehemiah, Haggai and Zechariah, Paul and Barnabas, Peter and Iohn: And note, that when Christ first sent out his Apostles, Matth. 10. he sent them out two by two.

We read before, that the holy City, that is, the true Church, should be trodden under foot by the Gentiles forty and two Months; we read here, that the Witnesses should prophesy in Sackcloth 1260 days; it is apparent, that in the prophetical stile a Day signifies a Year, Num. 14.34. forty Days, each Day for a Year shall ye bear your Iniquities, even forty Years. So Ezek. 4.6. I have appointed that each Day for a Year; so Dan. 9.24. the 70 Weeks must signifie 450 years, (for in 70 Weeks there are 490 days) or else the Promise as to the Coming of the Messiah, failed. So the Prophetical Year contains 360 Years, and the Prophetical Month 30 Years (for they did count 30 Days to each Month) so 42 Months are just 1260 Days, that is, 1260 years We shall find, ch. 12.6. that the Woman (that is, the Church) was in the Wilderness just this time, 1260 Days, and in chap. 13.5. This was also the time of the Beast that rose up out of the Sea, having seven Heads, and ten Horns, and upon his Horns ten Crowns: By which it appeareth, that these four things ran all parallel at the same time; the Beast arising, and exercising his Power, the New Gentiles trampling upon the Church, the holy City; the Woman's abiding in the Wilderness, and the Witnesses prophesying in Sackcloth. If we could find out where any one of these began, we should find out the time of all the rest. Those who fix the rise of the Beast in or about 400, must add to this 1260. Then in 1660, Antichrist's Reign should have determined, and also the time of the Churches Persecution, and the time when faithful Ministers should prophesy in Sackcloth: but if the Rise of the Beast were in the Year 500, the Expiration must be in 1760; if it be fixed in 600, all these things will determine 1860; for the same Number of Days being assigned to all the four, it is manifest that all four began together, and shall end together, and that at the end of twelve hundred and sixty Years after the beginning of them. For my own part, I look upon it as very hard to determine: but the Difficulty lies in finding out the time when the Beast first arose; for that being once found out, it is easie to conclude from Scripture, when both the Popedome shall have an end, and the calamitous time for the Church, especially the Ministry of it, shall cease. That which God sheweth Iohn in this Verse, is only, That his faithful Ministers that should truly reveal his Will, (which is here called Prophesying) should have a mournful time for twelve hundred and threescore Years.

Marginal references: Or, I will give unto my two witnesses, that they may prophesy.

4 These are the two olive-trees , and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth .

Here is a manifest Allusion to Zechariah's Vision, Zech. 4.3, 11, 14, tho with some little Difference. He saw a Candlestick all of Gold, with a Bowl upon the top of it, and his seven Lamps thereon, and seven Pipes to the seven Lamps which were upon the top thereof: and two Olive-trees by it, one upon the right side of the Bowl, and another upon the left side thereof, v. 12. The Angel tells him, That these two Olive-branches which through the two Golden Pipes did empty the Golden Oyl out of themselves, were the two anointed ones [or the two Sons of Oyl] that stood by the Lord of the whole Earth. By which some understand Zorobbabel and Ioshua; some, those godly Magistrates and Priests, which after the Captivity of the Jewish Church should have, and prefigured a Gospel-Ministry, who being filled with Knowledge and Grace, should feed the Lord's Church (as Pastors after his own Heart) with Wisdom and Vnderstanding, from the Gifts and Graces of God's Holy Spirit, which they should receive; which further confirmeth me, that by the two Witnesses, v. 3. we are to understand a godly Magistracy and Ministry; (or rather the latter only, to whom Prophesying most strictly agreeth) and who have a more special Relation to the Candlesticks here mentioned, by which Churches are meant, ch. 1.20.

In Zechariah's Vision was but one Candlestick, How comes here a mention to be made of two? Mr. Mede confesseth himself at a loss here, unless here another Candlestick be added to signifie the Gentiles Conversion to Christ. Others think that it denoteth the small number of Gospel-Churches that should be left. They were reckoned seven, ch. 1.20. here they are reduced to two; possibly it may denote the different state of God's Church. In the Old-Testament God had but one Church, viz. that of the Jews; but now he hath many Churches, and they are all fed from faithful Ministers, as Olive-Branches pouring out their Oyl of Grace and Knowledg upon them.

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.

That is, my faithful Ministers, the two Olive-branches before-mentioned, which fill the Candlesticks with Oyl.

Here is a plain Allusion to the Stories of Moses and Elias, calling for Fire from Heaven; but God sheweth, that the Victory of his Ministers under the Gospel shall not be by a miraculous Fire called for down from Heaven (as Elias, hurt the Captains and their Bands sent to apprehend him) but by Fire out of their Mouths, according to that, Jer. 5.14. Behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this People wood, and it shall devour them; See also Ier. 1.9, 10. This also is according to Zechariah's Vision before-mentioned, and the Revelation of the Will of God in it, v. 6. Not by Might, nor by Power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts. The meaning is, That they shall be too hard for them, either by their faithful, lively, and powerful preaching, or by their fervent Prayers.

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 .

It is plain, that here is an Allusion to Elias, who prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it rai[illegible: 2 letters]d not on the Earth by the space of three years and six Months, James 5.17. See the Story, 1 King. 17.1. and

to Moses, who turned the Waters into Blood in Egypt;

and after was an Instrument to smite the Land of Egypt with Plagues. But what Power analogous to this the Ministers of the Gospel have had, [illegible: 1 letter]r have, is not easie to determine. It is certain, the Apostles had a miraculous Power, but they rarely used it, but in doing good to Men; Ananias and Saphira indeed were struck dead upon their Word, Acts 5. and Elymas the Sorcerer was struck blind by them; but this Power is long since ceased. Mr. Mede understands this Power of the Keys of Doctrine, and Church-censures the Ministers of the Gospel should be intrusted with; so as they should not preach the Gospel unto such as contemned their Ministry, by the withholding of which means of Grace, also they would be deprived of the Dew of heavenly Grace. And, indeed, this seemeth more proper than to understand it of the Keys of Discipline; for what Power of this Nature have Ministers over those who are without? I take a general Explication to be the best. If any hurt them, God shall revenge their Cause, not only by spiritual, but by temporal Judgments, bringing all manner of Evils upon their Adversaries. They are said to have Power to do it, because God will do it in the Revenge of the Injuries done unto them.

Marginal references: Exod. 7.19.

7 And when they shall have finished their testimony , the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit , shall make war against them u, and shall overcome them, and kill them .

'[non-Latin text not transcribed]; Mr. Mede notes, that this is ill translated by the Pr[illegible: 2 letters]terperfect Tense: the true English of it is, when they shall be about to finish their Testimony: When they have prophesied in Sackcloth the most of their twelve hundred and sixty years, they shall meet with ultimum conatum Antichristi, the last Struggle of the Beast for life.

That is, the Beast mentioned, ch. 13.1, 4. (by which the Papacy is meant whom they have plagued all the time of their Prophecy, tho continual Sufferers from it) shall get life again, and make one push more, possibly the sharpest yet made,

and be too hard for them, and kill them. It is a great Question; Whether this be to be understood of taking away their natural Lives, or of a c[illegible: 1 letter]v[illegible: 1 letter]l Death relating to them as Witnesses, making them as if they were naturally dead. The latter of these seemeth to me, much the more probable, for these Reasons; 1. Supposing the godly Magistracy, or Ministry, or the latter alone, to be the two Witnesses, it doth not seem probable that ever the Papacy shall so far prevail, as to kill all such over the face of the whole Church. 2. Neither is the Holy Ghost here speaking of them as Men, but as Witnesses. 3. Nor would either Friends, or Enemies suffer dead Bodies to be unburied three days and an half, in the Street of a great City, as v. 8, 9. 4. Neither is their Resurrection mentioned, v. 11. to be understood of a corporal Resurrection. I take therefore the killing here mentioned, to be understood of a destroying them as Witnesses, turning Magistrates out of their Places, and Ministers out of their Places, tho it be not probable that such a Malice and Hatred as should cause this, should terminate without the Blood of some of them; but that surely is not the thing principally here intended.

Marginal references: Chap. 17.8.; Dan. 7.21. Zech. 14.[illegible: 1 letter].

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 .

Their Bodies dead, in the sense before-mentioned, shall continue so for three days and an half (of which we shall speak, v. 11.) But what is here meant, 1. by the great City? 2. By the Street of the great City? Some, by the great City, would have Hierusalem understood; but that was now far from a great City, nor do the Addition of those words in the latter end of the Verse prove it; for Christ was not crucified in that City, but without the Gates. Most judicious Interpreters, by the great City, here understand Rome, which is seven or eight times (under the name of Babylon) so called in this Book, ch. 14.8. and ch. 16.19. & 18.10, 10, 18, 19, 21. nor is any other City but that so called. This great City is here said in a spiritual Sense, to be Sodom and Egypt; Sodom for Whoredom and Filthiness; Egypt, for Ooppression of the Lord's Israel. As to the second Question, what is here meant by the Street of the great City? Mr. Mede hath irrefragably proved, that it cannot be meant of any Parish, or such place in this City, as we call a Street. 1. Because our Lord was crucified neither in any Street, or Parish, or any other place within the Walls of Hierusalem. 2. Both Hierusalem and Rome had many more than one Street. 3. Because the Bodies being dead, doubtless lay in the place where they were slain; but Men do not use to fight in the Streets of Cities. 4. Nor was that a Place for all People, Kindred, Tongues, and Nations, to see them in. He therefore rightly judgeth, that the Greek word which we translate a Street, signifies the Territories and Jurisdiction of this City. See what he saies to justifie this in his Clavis Apocal. 40. p. 138.

And this makes the last clause plain; for tho our Lord was not crucified within any City, or in the Street of any City, yet he was crucified in a place belonging to the Jurisdiction of the Roman Emperor; and it is very likely that it is in Europe that the Witnesses shall be slain, which, in this Sense, was all of it a Street belonging to the City of Rome.

Marginal references: Chap. 17.1, [illegible: 1 letter].

9 And they of the people, and kindreds, and tongues, and nations , shall see their dead bodies three days and an half , and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves .

That is, a Multitude of People of all sorts shall take notice of this Suppression of these two Witnesses in their bearing witness for God, and all the cruel dealings with them.

There are great Disputes what time these three days and an half denote; it cannot be understood of three natural, or artificial days: for (as it is noted by the most judicious Interpreters) this is much too short a time for all People to see their dead Bodies, to rejoice over them, and to make merry, and to send Presents one to another in Testification of the Satisfaction of their Lusts, upon the Victory got over them. I find some understand these three days and an half, of the 1260 years, wherein they prophesied in Sackcloth, v. 3. which they thus make out; they first conclude, that these are prophetical days, and so signifie three years and an half; then they resolve each of those years into days, and count 3 times 360 days; (for in those Countries they say the Year was counted to contain but 360 days) to which they add 180, the half of 360, for the half day, which make up 1260 days, or 42 months; which is the just time both of the Beasts Reign, and of the Womans abode in the Wilderness, and of the Witnesses Prophesying in Sack-cloth, and of the Gentiles treading down the outward Court; but it seems very hard, thus first to make the three days three years in a Prophetical sense, and then again to resolve those years into days, and make those days so many more years; this looks as much like Oppression to the Text, as the counting Interest upon Interest to a Debtor. 2. It plainly confounds the time of the Prophecying of the Witnesses in Sack-cloth, with the time of their lying dead. Now although the time of their lying dead must be within the 1260 days, in the latter end thereof (for it must be within the Beasts 42 months, mentioned chap. 13.5.) yet it seems hard to make it as long as the Beasts Reign. It certainly signifies a time toward the end of the Beasts Reign, when there shall be a more eminent and universal suppression of the faithful Witnesses of Christ than ever was before: It seemeth therefore rather to be understood more generally for a short time; as much such a phrase or way of speaking is used, Hosea 6.2. or else for a determinate time of such three years and an half as we ordinarily count. I must confess the half day being added, makes me more inclined to the latter; for though it be usual with us to express a short time by two or three days, and this seems by that Text of Hosea to have been an ancient way of speaking, yet we do not use to put in half days when we so speak. I do therefore agree with those who think the time here specified is, to be understood of three ordinary years and an half; and the rather, because this is the very time that Christ was under the power of the Pharisees. As three days (that is, part of them) was the time of his being under the power of Death; so three years and an half was the just time of all the indignity that he suffered from his manifestation to the World, to his Death. And (as we read in the 1 Ma[illegible: 1 letter]hah.) it was the just time of Antiochus his oppressing of the Iews, whom Divines judge that Daniel in his 11th Chapter makes a Type of Antichrist.

Divines are divided whether these words be to be understood of Enemies or Friends. If it be to be understood of Friends, the Death being a civil Death, principally that was spoken of, it signifieth the Providence of God so working for his Witnesses, by the adherence of a party to them, that their Adversaries the Popish party should not wholly extinguish them, which hath been seen all along the Story of the Church; though their Adversaries have been warring against them, overcome and kill'd them, yet they have not been able to bury them; nor shall they be able to do it at this last pinch, when they shall have a greater Victory over them than ever before, and kill them to a further degree. But methinks the phrase rather signifies this, an act of Enemies, who to shew their further malice to them, and contempt and scorn of them, are said to be so inhumane, as not to suffer their dead Bodies to be buried.

10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another , because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt upon the earth .

It is plain by the repeating of the same words in the close of the Verse, that by those that dwell upon the earth are meant earthly carnal Men, whether Papists or Atheists; Men that are mad upon their Lusts; for these are those in whose Consciences faithful and powerful Preaching breeds a torment and uneasiness, so as they always count Godly Ministers their Enemies (as Ahab told Elijah) and are not able to bear their Words (as the Israelites could not bear the words of Amos.)

These therefore shall keep Holiday, when they see these their Enemies conquered, and shew all signs and expressions of Joy. These Preachers were they that hindred them from a quiet sleep in their Beds of Lusts,

And though they fought against them only with a Fire going out of their Mouths, as Prophets declaring the Will of God to be contrary to their lewd practices, and denouncing God's Wrath against those that did such things; yet their Preaching made their Heads ake, partly by alarming their Consciences so as they often flew in their faces; and by it they were exposed to the reproach of People, as living directly contrary to the Divine Rule, and in defiance of his Law; thus they torment wicked Men, who therefore always did, and always will triumph in their suppression, or in any evil that shall betide them. And as they see their suppression greater than ever before, (as it will be undoubtedly during these three years and an half,) so the Triumph of lewd and wicked Men will be proportionably more, tho it will be but like a Widows Joy for a short time, for it will appear that their dead Bodies were not put into the Grave.

11 And after three days and an half , the Spirit of life from God entred into them, and they stood upon their feet , and great fear fell upon them which saw them h.

After that short time which God had determined for Antichrist (just before his time should be expired) or after the precise time of forty two months, or three years and an half was expired, when the Gentiles thought they had fully prevailed, and should be no more troubled with Christ's Witnesses.

God who alone can quicken the dead, reviveth them, and restoreth them again to their employment as his Prophets; for it is plain this cannot be understood of a corporal Resurrection; for 1. Their Death was not of that nature; nor, 2. Doth the Scripture give us any hints of any such Resurrection before the coming of Christ to the last Judgment.

This strikes a great fear into all their Enemies, amazed to think what God was about to do, and rightly pre[illegible: 1 letter]aging this would be their ruine.

It is a great question now, whether the time here spoken of for slaying the Witnesses, and their rising again, be past, or yet to come. I must confess the Papacy had got such a Victory over the faithful Witnesses of Christ for some Ages before the Reformation began in Germany about 1517, and there was so sudden a resurrection of them in the first Reformers brought to pass, and carried on by such a stupendious series of Providences, that I cannot wonder that some did think the time past: But we who have out-lived that time more than 150 years, seeing the Turks (whom all judicious Interpreters make the four Angels bound by the River Euphrates loosed) still so rampant; and the Papacy still so predominant, and daily treading down the outward Court, have no reason to judg the slaying of the Witnesses yet over, at least that they are yet risen, and standing upon their Feet; or that the seventh Angel hath yet sounded; but that we are as yet under the period of time signified by the sounding of the sixth Trumpet; and to expect a further degree of this Evening before it will be Light over the Universal Church, (for we must not think any particular Church intended here,) and this appears most probable also from what followeth before the sounding of the seventh Angel, v. 15.

12 And they heard a great voice from heaven, saying unto them, Come up hither , And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies beheld them .

That is the two Witnesses so often before spoken of.

Heard God by a singular Providence calling them again to their former work and station in his Church; or (a[illegible: 1 letter] some) to an higher, and more famous place in his Church than they formerly enjoyed; for by Heaven the most and best Interpreters understand the Church, as it often signifies in this Book.

And this was done in the face of their Enemies. In this sense of this Verse I find the generality of judicious Interpreters agreed.

13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake , and the tenth part of the city fell p, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand ; and the remnant were affrighted , and gave glory to the God of heaven .

That is, about the same time, when the Spirit of Life from God entred into the Witnesses, and they were again restored.

By Earthquake doubtless is here meant a great confusion in the World, and shaking of Nations by Differences one with another, and Wars; see the Notes on chap. 6.12. By the City is doubtless meant the great City before named, spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, elsewhere Babylon; by which Rome is to be understood. What is meant by the tenth part of it falling, is not so well agreed; some by it understanding many Kingdoms fallen off from its Jurisdiction: Others a great part of its Tribute or Dominion.

These words seem to intimate that the restauration of the Witnesses shall not be without opposition, and that the opposition shall not be great, 7000 is a small number to fall in such a quarrel: but the Papal party shall appear to have cheated the World so with their Impostures, and so to have imposed upon them, that the World shall grow sick of them, and when the time comes for God to put a final period to them, the number shall be but few that adventure for them.

Others shall be affrighted, either from their own Consciences, or from the stupendous Dispensations of Divine Providence in the fall of the great City.

And give Glory to God, by confessing their Er[illegible: 1 letter]ors, and turning to an ingenuous and sincere acknowledgment of the Truth, Instead of worshipping Saints and Angels and Images, worshipping the True and Living God of Heaven and Earth only.

Marginal references: Gr. Names of men.

14 The second wo is past , and behold, the third wo cometh quickly .

That is, here endeth the misery that is like to come upon the World in that period of time which shall follow the sounding of the Sixth Trumpet.

The third Woe signifies those Calamities which should come in that period of time prophesied of by the sounding of the seventh Trumpets, this makes a late learned Author think that all that which went before, viz. The Gentiles treading down the outward Court, the slaying of the Witnesses, and their resuscitation must be under the sixth Trumpet, which Period endeth not until the Churches Enemies be ready to be destroyed; whose Destruction is afterwards opened to us in the Angels pouring out their Viols.

Marginal references: Chap. 8.13. & 9.12. & 15.1

15 And the seventh angel sounded , and there were great voices in heaven, saying , The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever .

The last of those Angels mentioned chap. 8.2.

St. Iohn in his Vision heard great acclamations and shoutings for the Victory which Christ and his Gospel had got over the Beast.

Chap. 12.10.

So that a great part of the World, casting off the Papacy that new Gentilism, together with all their abominable Idolatries and Superstitions, embraced the truth of the Gospel. Here ariseth a great Question, whether the seven Vials, of which we shall find the sixteenth Chapter treating, do belong all to the seventh Trumpet, or some of them belong to the sixth Trumpet, of which mention hath been before made. Great Divines are on both sides as to this Question, Mr. Pool in his Latine Synopsis hath collected together their reasons, of which I shall give a short account, leaving my Reader for a fuller satisfaction to the Latin Synopsis. Those who think that the seven Vials do all relate to the seventh Trumpet, and contemporize with it, in defence of their Opinion say, 1. That the seven Seals, and the seven Trumpets, and the seven Vials, are all mentioned in the same form of speech, and therefore the seven Vials are not to be divided, some to one Trumpet, some to another. 2. Because the seventh Trumpet and the seven Vials are one and the same thing, nothing being revealed under the seven Vials which doth not belong so the seventh Trumpet; they agree in their Titles of Woes, in the nature of the Revelations, in their Objects, both the one and other declaring the ruine of Antichrist; both of them are mentioned as the last Plagues to come upon the World before the Last Day. 3. All the Vials are of the same nature, declaring but the Judgments by which God setting up the Kingdom of Christ, would ruine Antichrist, they only differ in the degrees of the Plagues, each one rising higher than the other. 4. The seventh Trumpet cannot declare the ruine of Antichrist, unless the seven Vials be poured out under it, for they shew the means by which he must be destroyed. 5. The seventh Trumpet soundeth immediately upon the slaying of the Witnesses, and contemporizeth with the whole course of their renewed Liberty, and therefore the Period signified by it, must be before the Fall of Antichrist declared by the sixth Vial. 5. The seventh Trumpet soundeth immediately after the expiration of the 1260 days; before the end of which none of the Vials were poured out. Those who think that diverse of the Vials were poured out, or shall be poured out before the sounding of this seventh Trumpet say, That the Beasts Kingdom beginning to fall under the sixth Trumpet, several of the Vials, declaring the degrees of his falling, must belong to that. It appeareth by all we have in this Chapter from ver. 7. to 15. that Antichrist's Kingdom was in a great measure weakned under the sixth Trumpet, particularly from ver. 11. to 13. To which those who think that all the Vials related to the seventh Trumpet say, That they grant that there were some preparations to the final ruine of Antichrist, during the period of the sixth Trumpet, but the seven Vials signify the further progress and perfection of his ruine, which falls under the period signified by the seventh Trumpet; this being premised, I proceed with the Text.

It is doubted here whether those words, are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ, be to be understood as being actually so, or now beginning to be so. Those who make the sense that they now actually were so, must understand the time to be the Day of Judgment, or some time next to it, and consequently must think that five at least of the seven Vials, mentioned chap. 10. belonged to the sixth Trumpet. Those who make the sense, are beginning to become the Kingdoms of the Lord, or shall shortly be so, may make all the seven Vials to belong to the seventh Trumpet; by becoming the Kingdoms of the Lord Christ, he means in outward Profession: So as Antichrist shall reign no more, but they shall be ruled by the Officers of the Lord Christ, until they be taken up to reign with him in Glory.

Marginal references: Chap. 10.7.

16 And the four and twenty elders which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God ,

I take this to signify no more than the Triumph of the Saints and Angels in Heaven upon this Victory of the Lord over Antichrist, and the promoval of Christ's Kingdom; and certainly if there be Joy in Heaven upon the Conversion of one Sinner, as we are told Luke 15.7. we must imagine a much greater Joy upon the Conversion of Nations and Kingdoms unto Christ.

Marginal references: Chap. 4.4. and 5.8.

17 Saying, we give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come , because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned .

It is a phrase denoting God's Eternity and Immutability, we met with it before, chap. 4.8.

Those Coelestial Beings bless God for exerting his Power, and recovering the Kingdom of Christ out of the hands of Antichrist, and setting his King upon his holy Hill of Zion.

18 And the nations were angry , and thy wrath is come , and the time of the dead that they should be judged , and that thou shouldst give reward unto thy servants the prophets , and to the saints , and them that fear thy name, small and great , and shouldst destroy them which destroy the earth .

Those who have not been of thy true Israel; but old or modern Gentiles, they have been angry long enough.

Now it is time for thee to shew thy self angry, and thou hast begun to do it.

The time is come for thee to judg the cause of thy faithful Witnesses, and all those who have died in testimony to thy Truth.

And for thee to reward such as have faithfully revealed thy Will.

And not only them; but all thy Holy Ones.

Without respect to their Quality in the World, be they little or great.

The time also is come, when thou hast destroyed, or wilt destroy that Antichristian Brood, which so long hath plagued the Earth, and destroyed thy People in it.

Marginal references: Or, corrupt.

19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven , and there was seen in his temple the ark of his Testament : and there were lightnings, and voices, and thundrings, and an earthquake, and great hail .

Some hereby the Temple of God, understand the representation of the Temple in Hierusalem; others understand the Church Triumphant; others the Church of Christ militant here upon Earth.

Accordingly by Heaven they understand either the natural Heavens, or the Christian Church; it seemeth to be a plain allusion to the Iewish Church, whose Temple was ordinarily shut up in the time of Wicked and Idolatrous Princes, who regarded not the true Worship of God; so as all the time of Soul's Reign the Ark abode in the private House of Obed Ed[illegible: 2 letters] ; and when Iosiah came to Reign, he sound the Temple neglected all the days of his Father Am[illegible: 1 letter]n, and Grandfather Ma[illegible: 1 letter]asses, and the Book of the Law in the Rubbish. But when good Princes came to the Throne, such as Hezekiah and Iosiah, they opened the Temple, restoring the true Worship of God: So under the New-Testament, during the whole Reign of Antichrist, where he prevails, Idolatry and Superstition obtain, and the true Worship of God is supprest: but his time being now expiring, God sheweth Iohn that there shall be a restoring of the true Worship of God, and a Liberty both to Ministers and People to worship God according to his Will. For tho Antichrist was not yet wholly destroyed, nor his Party extinguished, yet he had lost his Power and Dominion, and God was now beginning to reckon with him for the Blood of his Saints, which was all to be done before all the Kingdoms of the World should become the Kingdoms of the Lord Christ.

In the Temple of old, the Ark of the Covenant was the great Symbol of God's Presence; hence God is said to have dwelt betwixt the Cherubims. In the Ark were the two Tables of the Law; so as this Phrase may either note the pure, free, and ordinary expounding of the Law of God, which should be upon the Down-fall of Antichrist; or the Presence of God with his Church in that more pure and reformed state.

But such a Work of Providence being not like to be effected without the Ruine of Antichrist, God sheweth it shall be ushered in with Lightnings, and Voices, and Thunderings, and great Hail; by terrible things in Righteousness (as the Psalmist speaketh.) The Consequents of which, were the seven Vials, of which we shall read, ch. 16. pouring out Plagues upon the Anti-christian Party, until they should be wholly rooted out, and Christ alone should be exalted in his Church, and rule as King upon his holy Hill of Zion. From this mysterious Portion of holy Writ thus opened, it appeareth that God, in these foregoing Chapters, hath (tho more summarily) instructed his Prophet in what should come to pass to the final Ruine of the Roman Empire, (considered as Pagan, that is, till Constantine's time) and also of the Reign of Antichrist. From whence it must needs follow, that whatsoever followeth this Chapter, and cannot be applied to the time of Christ's Kingdom, must contemporize with something which went before, and belong to some Period comprehended under the Vision of the Seals, or of the Trumpets. The three next Chapters are judged to relate wholly to things past, God therein representing to his Prophet the state of his Church (as some think) from the Nativity of Christ, however, from his time, during the whole time that Rome continued Pagan, or should continue Antichristian. The following Chapters shewing the gradual Destruction of Antichrist by the seven last Plagues.

Marginal references: Chap. 15.[illegible: 1 letter].; Chap. 16.18.; Chap. 16.21.

The Measuring of the Temple. (a. d. 95.)

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.

This prophetical passage about measuring the temple is a plain reference to what we find in Ezekiel's vision, Ezek. xl. 3, &c. 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 Ælia, 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.

The Two Witnesses. (a. d. 95.)

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. 9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and a half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. 10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. 11 And after three days and a half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. 12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. 13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

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. iv. 2, &c. 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 Kings i. 12. God promised the prophet Jeremiah (ch. v. 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. xx. 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 Kings xvii. 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.

The Seventh Trumpet. (a. d. 95.)

14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. 15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. 16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, 17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. 18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. 19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

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.

CHAP. XI. Verſe 1. A reed]

THat is, The word o[illegible: 1 letter] God, that little book that he had newly eaten. This is the only rule of faith and diſcipline, whereby all in the Church muſt be made and meted.

Like unto a rod] Or, Scepter. The word is that rod of Chriſts ſtrength, whereby he rules in the midſt of his enemies,Prov 1.1. A Maſhal do minari. Pſal. 110 2. It is that right Scepter, Pſal. 45.6. which he ſwaies, and whereby he ſoveraigns. The Proverbs of Solomon are called in Hebrew Miſhle, or Maſter-ſentences. And the Scriptures bear the title of Chieftains, Prov. 8.6. and of Lords of collections, as ſome render Eccl. 12.11.

Meaſure the temple of God] The Church that had been ſo wofully waſted and oppreſſed by Antichriſt, that it ſtood in need of new-meaſuring and repairing.

That worſhip therein] In the temple, as being all ſpirituall Prieſts, and in the altar; as placing all their confidence in Chriſts death alone.

Verſe 2. But the court] The Antichriſtian rout, caſt out as reprobate ſilver, as refuſe ſtuffe, not worth the meaſuring.

Given unto the Gentiles] Antich[illegible: 2 letters] and his adherents. Papagans are no better then Pagans. Are ye not children of the Ethiopians unto me, O children of Iſrael, ſaith the Lord, Amos 9.7.

The holy City] The true Church. See Daniel 7.21. Epheſ. 2.19.

Fourty and two moneths] This number is one and the ſame with the 1260. daies. The alluſion is unto Dan. 7.25.

Verſe 3. And I will give unto my two, &c.] ſc. Power to purge the Church, and to ſtand for the truth, all the while it was trodden under foot, Videſis Catalogum Teſtium veritatis ab Illyrico editum. Zuinglius recordeth, that Luther and he (both at one time, the one not knowing, nor hearing of the other) began to write againſt the Popes indulgences. And of Luther and Melancthon he writes thus, Diviſae his operae, ſed mens fuit unica, pavit Ore Lutherus oves, flore Melancthon apes.

Ʋnto my two Witneſſes] The whole ſucceſſion of faithfull Preachers, under the tyranny and rage of Antichriſt. Theſe are ſaid to be Two, that is, Few: or Two, that is enow, Deut. 17.6. Or, Two, in reference to thoſe noble Two's, Moſes and Aaron, Elijah and Eliſha, Zerubbabel and Jehoſhuah, in alluſion to whom theſe Witneſſes are here deſcribed.

Clothed in ſackcloth] As calling men to repentance: or as bewailing their blindenes: or as wanting better clothing.

Verſe 4. Theſe are the two Olive-trees] See Zach. 4.3, 11, 14. In this book of the Revelation the holy Ghoſt borrows all the elegancies and flowers in the ſtory of the old Teſtament, thereby to ſet out the ſtory of the new in ſucceeding ages.

Verſe 5. Fire proceedeth out of their mouths] So that a man were better anger all the witches in the world, then Gods faithfull Witneſſes: for they have ever vengeance in a readineſſe for the diſobedient, 2 Cor. 10 6. God inflicting what they either denounce or deſire of him, againſt their adverſaries.

Verſe 6. That it rain not] That the influence of divine grace be with-held from thoſe, that deſpiſe the Goſpel: ſo that they become as thoſe mountains of Gilboah, 2 Sam. 1.21. or that accurſed earth, Heb. 6.8.

Verſe 7. And when they ſhall have finiſhed] Like as Chriſt, That faithfull and true Witneſſe (as he is called, Revel. 3.14.) when he had preached [illegible: 1 word] about the ſame time as here, was ſlain by a Roman Governour, raiſed with an earthquake, and received up into heaven in a cloud: ſo theſe. And, Art thou not glad to fare as Phocion? ſaid he to one that was to ſuffer with him. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Plut.

Shall overcome them] By arms, not by arguments.

And kill them] This killing whether it be already paſt, or yet to come, 'tis hard to ſay. But if to come, ſome think it ſhall be but a civil death, that is, of them as Witneſſes only, not a naturall death as men:M Tho. Goodw. And ſo the ſame perſons ſhall riſe again, and enjoy the fruit of their former labours, and aſcend into a greater glory.

Verſe 8. And their dead bodies] This ſhews it cannot be meant of a naturall death: for how ſhould their bodies lie dead (in that ſenſe) for three years and an half; or (ſay it were) for a ſhorter time.

Of the great City] Rome, of whoſe greatneſſe Lipſius and Stapleton have written. See Chap 17.18. & 18.26. [illegible: 1 span] Ariſt Po[illegible: 2 letters] 3. Hence ſhe is called the great Whore, and great Babylon, not without reference unto the old Babylon: which was ſo great a City, that when it was taken by Cyrus, ſome part of it knew not what condition they were in, till three daies after.

Verſe 9. Three daies and a half] i. e. For a ſhort time, till out of their aſhes others ſhould ariſe to ſtickle for Chriſt. The Pope never reſted, but had one or other faithfull Witneſſe to oppoſe him; either to his face (as Joan[illegible: 1 letter]es Sariſburienſis, Qui praeſens praeſentem Pontificem redarguit: and Mancinellus, I[illegible: 2 letters] R[illegible: 1 letter]v p. 145. who reproved Alexander the ſixth in a Sermon at Rome, and had therefore his hands cut off, and his tongue cut out, whereof he died.) Or elſe in ſome more remote part of his dominion, as Savanarola (whom Guicciardin and Mirandula highly commend:)De [illegible: 1 span] fort dial. 118. P[illegible: 1 letter]trarch who writeth thus, Babylon altera, nempè propinquior at que recentior adhuc ſtat, citò it idem caſura, ſi eſſetis viri: Babylon would ſoon down, would you but play the men. Beſides a cloud of other Witneſſes, that might here be called in.

Not ſuffer their dead bodies] So fulfilling that, Pſ. 79.2. [illegible: 2 letters]. Rev p. 195. Some they would not ſuffer to be bu[illegible: 2 letters]ed: others they digged up again after buriall, as (beſides many of our Martyrs) they unburied and burned the bones of Hermannus Ferrarienſis after they had ſainted him: becauſe he was ſaid to have followed the doctrine of the Waldenſes, thoſe ancient Proteſtants. Cardinall Poole had a purpoſe, if he had lived, to have taken up K. Henry the eights body,Act. and Mon. fol 1905. and to have burned it. 'Twas generally obſerved, that as Wincheſter and Bonner did alwaies thirſt after the bloud of the living, Ibid. 1439. ſo was Cardinall Pooles lightening (for the moſt par[illegible: 1 letter]) kindled againſt the dead: and he reſerved this charge only to himſelf.

Verſe 10. Shall rejoyce over them] As they did at the Councel of Constance, Ibid. 1622. In terris mandatant quod apud [illegible: 2 letters]ſeros di [illegible: 3 letters]unt Ibid 1947. when they had burnt John Huſſe and Hierome of Prague. So, upon the news of the Biſhops burnt at Oxford, Gardner came out rejoycing to the Duke of Norfolk, Now, ſaid he, let us be merry and go to dinner. But it was the laſt he did eat, and he went to hell to digeſt it too. So upon the news of the French Maſſacre,Th[illegible: 1 letter]an. a Jubilee was proclaimed at Rome: the Cardinall of Lorrain gave a thouſand crowns to the meſſenger. The Pope cauſed the Maſſacre to be painted in his Palace: thoſe of Ireland he will ſurely pourtray in his Chappel or Oratoury.

Theſe two Prophets tormented them] As Elias did Ahab, Jeremy and Ahab, their ſlagitious countrey-men; and as the Martyrs here did their perſecutours. Dr Fuller came to William Wolſey his priſoner, and ſaid, Thou doſt much trouble my conſcience; wherefore I pray thee depart and rule thy tongue, ſo that I hear no more complaint of thee, and come to Church when thou wilt, &c, Act and Mon. fol. 15[illegible: 1 letter]7. The end of carnall joy is ſorrow (ſaith Mr Bradford, Martyr in a certain letter.) Now let the whoremonger joy with the drunkard, Ibid. 475. ſwearer, covetous, malicious, blinde buzzard Sr John. For the Maſſe will not bite them, not make them to bluſh, as preaching will. Now may they do what they will; come devils to the Church, and go devils home: for no man muſt finde fault; and they are glad of this. Now have they their hearts deſire, as the Sodomites had, when Lot was gone, &c.

Verſe 11. And they ſtood upon their feet] That is, they ſet themſelves ſtoutly and vigorouſly to fight againſt Antichriſt. As William O[illegible: 1 letter]kam, Tu me gladio deſende a Pap[illegible: 1 letter]e injurin, & ego te verbis ac ſcriptis deſendā. who being excommunicated by the Pope for writing ſome things againſt him, fled to Ludovicus the Emperour, who was likewiſe excommunicated, and ſaid unto him, Defend thou me with arms: and I will defend thee with arguments. The Biſhops alſo of thoſe times that ſided with the Emperour, though they were none of the beſt, yet they reſolved and avowed never to yeeld to the Pope, Sed ſi excommunicaturus veniret excommunicatus abiret, cum aliter ſe habeat antiquorum canonum authoritas.

Verſe 12. To heaven in a cloud] As Chriſt did. See the Note on Verſe 7.

And their enemies beheld] Not without rage and regret to ſee how they were croſſed, and the truth more and more propagated. Trucidabantur & multiplicabantur, ſaith one. The Church as the Lilly is increaſed by its own juice: Totum mundum ſanguine & oratione convertit, ſaith Luther, She converts all the world by her ſufferings and ſupplications.

Verſe 13. A greate earthquake] Since the Reformation, what ſtirs and broils have there been all over Chriſtendom[illegible: 2 letters] Gods ſword hath ridden circuit, Ezek. 14.17. and is not yet ſheathed, nor can it, Jer 47 6, 7. as being ſtill in commiſſion.

And the tenth part, &c.] Ruit alto à culmine Roma. Lewis the twelfth, King of France, threatned that he would deſtroy Rome, and coined money with an inſcr[illegible: 1 letter]ption to that purpoſe.Se perditurum Ba[illegible: 1 letter]y [illegible: 1 span] eſt. [illegible: 2 letters]vet. Hiſt. of the Co[illegible: 1 letter]n[illegible: 1 letter]. of Trent 43. George Franſperg (a Generall under Charles Burbon,) that ſacked the City of Rome, cauſed a halter to be carried near his colours, ſaying, that with that he would hang the Pope: encouraging his ſouldiers (who were moſt of them Lutherans) with the great opportunity they had to get ſpoils. But the ſins of the City are not yet full.

Gave glory to the God of heaven] Confeſſed their ſins, as Achan, and changed their mindes, as thoſe Mal. 3.18. It is ſaid of the Burgundians, that being afflicted and oppreſſed by the Hunnes, they applied themſelves to Chriſt the God of the Chriſtians, Alſted. Chron. 3 [illegible: 1 letter]5. whom, after a long debate, they concluded to be the Almighty God.

Verſe 14. The ſecond woe is paſt] Viſionally paſt, not eventually.

The third woe] Woe to the wicked, but joy to the Saints, At once the Sun riſes upon Zoar, and the fire fals down upon Sodome. Abraham ſtands upon the hill, and ſees the Cities burning.

Verſe 15. Great voices in heaven] i. e. Great joy and triumph in the Church militant.

Are become the kingdomes] They have renounced Popery, given up their names to the Goſpel, and received the Reformation.

For ever and ever] Not for a thouſand years only, as the Millenaries hold.

Verſe 16. And the four and twenty Elders] See the Note on Chap. 4.9.

Verſe 16. Becauſe thou haſt taken] Thou haſt ſlain and ſubdued thoſe thine enemies, that ſent meſſengers after thee, ſaying, We will no[illegible: 1 letter] have this man to rule over us.

Verſe 18. Were angry] Sed vanae ſine viribus irae: the wrath of theſe men turned to the glory of God.

That they ſhould be judged] According to their praier, and thy promiſe, Chap. 6.10, 11.

And ſhouldſt deſtroy them] God uſually retaliates and proportions jealouſie to jealouſie, provocation to provocation, Deut. 32.21. frowardnes to frowardnes, Pſal. 18.26. contrariety to contrariety, Lev. 26.18, 21 deſtruction to deſtruction, as here. He paies them home in their own coyn.

Verſe 19. And the temple of God] Abundance of light ſhall be diffuſed in the Church: and heavenly myſteries more clearly revealed, and more commonly underſtood.

And there were lightnings] Utter deſtruction to the wicked, as there was to Iericho, at the ſound of the ſeventh Trumpet.Joſh. 6.16.

And there was given me. He does not say by whom, but the connexion would seem to imply that it was by the angel. All this is of course to be regarded as symbolical. The representation undoubtedly pertains to a future age, but the language is such as would be properly addressed to one who had been a Jew, and the imagery employed is such as he would be more likely to understand than any other. The language and the imagery are, therefore, taken from the temple, but there is no reason to suppose that it had any literal reference to the temple, or even that John would so understand it. Nor does the language here used prove that the temple was standing at the time when the book was written; for as it is symbolical, it is what would be employed whether the temple were standing or not, and would be as likely to be used in the one case as in the other. It is such language as John, educated as a Jew, and familiar with the temple worship, would be likely to employ if he designed to make a representation pertaining to the church.

A reed--καλαμος. This word properly denotes a plant with a jointed hollow stalk, growing in wet grounds. Then it refers to the stalk as cut for use, as a measuring-stick, as in this place; or a mock sceptre, Mt 27:29-30; or a pen for writing, 3Jn 1:13. Here it means merely a stick that could be used for measuring.

Like unto a rod. This word--ραβδος--means properly a rod, wand, staff, used either for scourging, 1Cor 4:21; or for leaning upon in walking, Mt 10:10; or for a sceptre, Heb 1:8. Here the meaning is, that the reed that was put into his hands was like such a rod or staff in respect to size, and was therefore convenient for handling. The word rod also is used to denote a measuring-pole, Ps 74:2, Jer 10:16, 51:19.

And the angel stood, saying. The phrase, "the angel stood," is wanting in many MSS. and editions of the New Testament, and is rejected by Professor Stuart as spurious. It is also rejected in the critical editions of Griesbach and Hahn, and marked as doubtful by Tittmann. The best critical authority is against it, and it appears to have been introduced from Zech 3:5. The connexion does not demand it, and we may, therefore, regard the meaning to be, that the one who gave him the reed, whoever he was, at the same time addressed him, and commanded him to take a measure of the temple and the altar.

Rise, and measure the temple of God. That is, ascertain its true dimensions with the reed in your hand. Of course, this could not be understood of the literal temple--whether standing or not--for the exact measure of that was sufficiently well known. The word, then, must be used of something which the temple would denote or represent, and this would properly be the church, considered as the abode of God on the earth. Under the old dispensation, the temple at Jerusalem was that abode; under the new, that peculiar residence was transferred to the church, and God is represented as dwelling in it. 1Cor 3:16. Thus the word is undoubtedly used here, and the simple meaning is, that he who is thus addressed is directed to take an accurate estimate of the true church of God; as accurate as if he were to apply a measuring-reed to ascertain the dimensions of the temple at Jerusalem. In doing that, if the direction had been literally to measure the temple at Jerusalem, he would ascertain its length, and breadth, and height; he would measure its rooms, its doorways, its porticoes; he would take such a measurement of it that, in a description or drawing, it could be distinguished from other edifices, or that one could be constructed like it, or that a just idea could be obtained of it if it should be destroyed. If the direction be understood figuratively, as applicable to the Christian church, the work to be done would be to obtain an exact estimate or measurement of what the true church was--as distinguished from all other bodies of men, and as constituted and appointed by the direction of God; such a measurement that its characteristics could be made known; that a church could be organized according to this, and that the accurate description could be transmitted to future times. John has not, indeed, preserved the measurement; for the main idea here is not that he was to preserve such a model, but that, in the circumstances, and at the time referred to, the proper business would be to engage in such a measurement of the church that its true dimensions or character might be known. There would be, therefore, a fulfilment of this, if at the time here referred to there should be occasion, from any cause, to inquire what constituted the true church; if it was necessary to separate and distinguish it from all other bodies; and if there should be any such prevailing uncertainty as to make an accurate investigation necessary.

And the altar. On the form, situation, and uses of the altar, Mt 5:23-24; 21:12. The altar here referred to was, undoubtedly, the altar situated in front of the temple, where the daily sacrifice was offered. To measure that literally, would be to take its dimensions of length, breadth, and height; but it is plain that that cannot be intended here, for there was no such altar where John was, and, if the reference were to the altar at Jerusalem, its dimensions were sufficiently known. This language, then, like the former, must be understood metaphorically, and then it must mean--as the altar was the place of sacrifice--to take an estimate of the church considered with reference to its notions of sacrifice, or of the prevailing views respecting the sacrifice to be made for sin, and the method of reconciliation with God. It is by sacrifice that a method is provided for reconciliation with God; by sacrifice that sin is pardoned; by sacrifice that man is justified; and the direction here is equivalent, therefore, to a command to make an investigation on these subjects, and all that is implied would be fulfilled if a state of things should exist where it would be necessary to institute an examination into the prevailing views in the church on the subject of the atonement, and the true method of justification before God.

And them that worship therein. In the temple; or, as the temple is the representation here of the church, of those who are in the church as professed worshippers of God. There is some apparent incongruity in directing him to "measure" those who were engaged in worship; but the obvious meaning is, that he was to take a correct estimate of their character; of what they professed; of the reality of their piety; of their lives, and of the general state of the church considered as professedly worshipping God. This would receive its fulfilment, if a state of things should arise in the church which would make it necessary to go into a close and searching examination on all these points, in order to ascertain what was the true church, and what was necessary to constitute true membership in it. There were, therefore, three things, as indicated by this verse, which John was directed to do, so far as the use of the measuring-rod was concerned:

(a) to take a just estimate of what constitutes the true church, as distinguished from all other associations of men;

(b) to institute a careful examination into the opinions in the church on the subject of sacrifice or atonement--involving the whole question about the method of justification before God; and

(c) to take a correct estimate of what constitutes true membership in the church; or to investigate with care the prevailing opinions about the qualifications for membership.

(a) "reed" Rev 21:15, Zech 2:1 (b) "measure" Eze 40:1-Eze 48:35

But the court which is without the temple. Which is outside of the temple proper, and, therefore, which does not strictly appertain to it. There is undoubtedly reference here to the "court of the Gentiles," as it was called among the Jews--the outer court of the temple to which the Gentiles had access, and within which they were not permitted to go. For a description of this, Mt 21:12. To an observer, this would seem to be a part of the temple, and the persons there assembled a portion of the true worshippers of God; but it was necessarily neither the one nor the other. In forming an estimate of those who, according to the Hebrew notions, were true worshippers of God, only those would be regarded as such who had the privilege of access to the inner court, and to the altar. In making such an estimate, therefore, those who had no nearer access than that court, would be omitted; that is, they would not be reckoned as necessarily any part of those who were regarded as the people of God. Leave out and measure it not. Marg., cast out. So the Greek. The meaning is, that he was not to reckon it as appertaining to the true temple of worshippers. There is, indeed, a degree of force in the words rendered "leave out," or, in the margin, "cast out"-- εκβαλλεεξω--which implies more than a mere passing by, or omission. The word (εκβαλλω) usually has the idea of force or impulse, (Mt 8:12, 15:17, 25:30, Mk 16:9, Acts 27:38, et al.;) and the word here would denote some decisive or positive act by which it would be indicated that this was not any part of the true temple, but was to be regarded as appertaining to something else. He was not merely not to mention it, or not to include it in the measurement, but he was to do this by some act which would indicate that it was the result of design in the case, and not by accidentally passing it by.

For it is given unto the Gentiles. It properly appertains to them as their own. Though near the temple, and included in the general range of building, yet it does not pertain to those who worship there, but to those who are regarded as heathen and strangers. It is not said that it was then given to the Gentiles; nor is it said that it was given to them to be overrun and trodden down by them, but that it appertained to them, and was to be regarded as belonging to them. They occupied it, not as the people of God, but as those who were without the true church, and who did not appertain to its real communion. This would find a fulfilment if there should arise a state of things in the church in which it would be necessary to draw a line between those who properly constituted the church and those who did not; if there should be such a condition of things that any considerable portion of those who professedly appertained to the church ought to be divided off as not belonging to it, or would have such characteristic marks that it could be seen that they were strangers and aliens. The interpretation would demand that they should sustain some relation to the church, or that they would seem to belong to it--as the court did to the temple; but still that this was in appearance only, and that in estimating the true church it was necessary to leave them out altogether. Of course this would not imply that there might not be some sincere worshippers among them as individuals--as there would be found usually, in the court of the Gentiles in the literal temple, some who were proselytes and devout worshippers, but what is here said relates to them as a mass or body--that they did not belong to the true church but to the Gentiles.

And the holy city. The whole holy city--not merely the outer court of the Gentiles which it is said was given to them, nor the temple as such, but the entire holy city. There is no doubt that the words "the holy city" literally refer to Jerusalem--a city so called because it was the peculiar place of the worship of God. Mt 4:5; compare Neh 11:1,18, Isa 52:1, Dan 9:24 Mt 27:53. But it is not necessary to suppose that this is its meaning here. The "holy city" Jerusalem was regarded as sacred to God; as his dwelling-place on earth, and as the abode of his people, and nothing was more natural than to use the term as representing the church. Compare Gal 4:26 and Heb 12:22. In this sense it is undoubtedly used here, as the whole representation is emblematical. John, if he were about to speak of anything that was to occur to the church, would, as a native Jew, be likely to employ such language as this to denote it.

Shall they tread underfoot. That is, the Gentiles above referred to; or those who, in the measurement of the city, were set off as Gentiles, and regarded as not belonging to the people of God. This is not spoken of the Gentiles in general, but only of that portion of the multitudes that seemed to constitute the worshippers of God, who, in measuring the temple, were set off or separated as not properly belonging to the true church. The phrase "should tread under foot" is derived from warriors and conquerors who tread down their enemies, or trample on the fields of grain. It is rendered in this passage by Dr. Robinson, (Lex.,) "to profane and lay waste." As applied literally to a city, this would be the true idea; as applied to the church, it would mean that they would have it under their control or in subjection for the specified time, and that the practical effect of that would be to corrupt and prostrate it.

Forty and two months. Literally this would be three years and a half; but if the time here is prophetic time--a day for a year--then the period would be twelve hundred and sixty years--reckoning the year at 360 days. For a full illustration of this usage, and for the reasons for supposing that this is prophetic time, Dan 7:25. In addition to what is there said, it may be remarked in reference to this passage, that it is impossible to show, with any degree of probability, that the city of Jerusalem was "trampled under foot" by the Romans for the exact space of three years and a half. Professor Stuart, who adopts the opinion that it refers to the conquest of Jerusalem by the Romans, says, indeed, "It is certain that the invasion of the Romans lasted just about the length of the period named, until Jerusalem was taken. And although the city itself was not besieged so long, yet the metropolis in this case, as in innumerable others in both Testaments, appears to stand for the country of Judaea." But, it is to be remembered that the affirmation here is that "the holy city" was thus to be trodden under foot; and even taking the former supposition, in what sense is it true that the "whole country" was "trodden under foot" by the Romans only three years and a half? Even the wars of the Romans were not of that exact duration, and, besides, the fact was that Judaea was held in subjection, and trodden down by the Romans, for centuries, and never, in fact, regained its independence. If this is to be literally applied to Jerusalem, it has been "trodden down by the Gentiles," with brief intervals, since the conquest by the Romans, to the present time. There has been no precise period of three years and a half, in respect to which the language here used would be applicable to the literal city of Jerusalem.

In regard, then, to the proper application of the language which has thus been explained, (Rev 11:1-2) it may be remarked, in general, that, for the reasons just stated, it is not to be taken literally. John could not have been directed literally to measure the temple at Jerusalem, and the altar, and the worshippers; nor could he have been requested literally to leave out, or "cast out" the court that was without; nor could it be meant that the holy city literally was to be trodden under foot for three years and a half. The language clearly is symbolical, and the reference must have been to something pertaining to the church. And, if the preceding exposition of the tenth chapter is correct, then it may be presumed that this would refer to something that was to occur at about the period there referred to. Regarding it, then, as applicable to the time of the Reformation, and as being a continuation of the vision in chapter 10, we shall find, in the events of that period, what would be properly symbolized by the language here used. This will appear by reviewing the particulars which have been explained in these verses :--

(1.) The command to "measure the temple of God," Rev 11:1. This, we have seen, was a direction to take an estimate of what constituted the true church; the very work which it was necessary to do in the Reformation, for this was the first point which was to be settled, whether the Papacy was the true church or was the Antichrist. This involved, of course, the whole inquiry as to what constitutes the church, alike in reference to its organization, its ministry, its sacraments, and its membership. It was long before the Reformers made up their minds that the Papacy was not the true church; for the veneration which they had been taught to cherish for that lingered long in their bosoms, And even when they were constrained to admit that that corrupt communion was the predicted form of the great apostasy--Antichrist--and had acquired boldness enough to break away from it for ever, it was long before they settled down in a uniform belief as to what was essential to the true church. Indeed, the differences of opinion which prevailed; the warm discussions which ensued, and the diversities of sect which sprang up in the Protestant world, showed with what intense interest the mind was fixed on this question, and how important it was to take an exact measurement of the real church of God.

(2.) The direction to "measure the altar." This, as we have seen, would relate to the prevailing opinions on the subject of sacrifice and atonement; on the true method of a sinner's acceptance with God; and, consequently, on the whole subject of justification. As a matter of fact, it need not be said that this was one of the first questions which came before the Reformers, and was one which it was indispensable to settle, in order to a just notion of the church and of the way of salvation. The Papacy had exalted the Lord's Supper into a real sacrifice; had made it a grand and essential point that the bread and wine were changed into the real body and blood of the Lord, and that a real offering of that sacrifice was made every time that ordinance was celebrated; had changed the office of the ministers of the New Testament from preachers to that of priests; had become familiar with the terms altar, and sacrifice, and priesthood, as founded on the notion that a real sacrifice was made in the "mass;" and had fundamentally changed the whole doctrine respecting the justification of a sinner before God. The altar in the Romish communion had almost displaced the pulpit; and the doctrine of justification by the merits of the great sacrifice made by the death of our Lord, had been superseded by the doctrine of justification by good works, and by the merits of the saints. It became necessary, therefore, to restore the true doctrine respecting sacrifice for sin, and the Way of justification before God; and this would be appropriately represented by a direction to "measure the altar."

(3.) The direction to take an estimate of those "who worshipped in the temple. This, as we have seen, would properly mean that there was to be a true estimate taken of what constituted membership in the church, or of the qualifications of those who should be regarded as true worshippers of God. This, also, was one of the first works necessary to be done in the Reformation. Before that, for ages, the doctrine of baptismal regeneration had been the established doctrine of the church; the opinion that all that was necessary to membership was baptism and confirmation, was the common opinion; the necessity of regeneration by the influences of the Holy Spirit, as a condition of church membership, was little understood, if not almost wholly unknown; and the grand requisition in membership was not holy living, but the observance of the rites and ceremonies of the church. One of the first things necessary in the Reformation was to restore to its true place the doctrine laid down by the Saviour, that a change of heart--that regeneration by the Holy Ghost--was necessary to membership in the church, and that the true church was composed of those who had been thus renewed in the spirit of their mind. This great work would be appropriately symbolized by a direction to take an estimate of those who "worshipped in the temple of God;" that is, to settle the question who should be regarded as true worshippers of God, and what should be required of those who professed to be such worshippers. No more important point was settled in the Reformation than this.

(4.) The direction to leave out, or to "cast out" the court without the temple. This, as we have seen, would properly mean that a separation was to be made between that which was the true church, and that which was not, though it might seem to belong to it. The one was to be measured or estimated; the other was to be left out, as not appertaining to that, or as belonging to the Gentiles, or to heathenism. The idea would be, that though it professedly appertained to the true church, and to the worship of God, yet that it deserved to be characterized as heathenism. Now this will apply with great propriety, according to all Protestant notions, to the manner in which the Papacy was regarded by the Reformers, and should be regarded at all times. It claimed to be the true church, and to the eye of an observer would seem to belong to it, as much as the outer court seemed to pertain to the temple. But it had the essential characteristics of heathenism, and was, therefore, properly to be left out, or cast out, as not pertaining to the true church. Can any one doubt the truth of this representation as applicable to the Papacy? Almost everything that was peculiar in the ancient heathen systems of religion had been introduced into the Roman communion; and a stranger at Rome would see more that would lead him to feel that he was in a heathen land, than he would that he was in a land where the pure doctrines of Christianity prevailed, and where the worship was celebrated which the Redeemer had designed to set up on the earth. This was true not only in the pomp and splendour of worship, and in the processions and imposing ceremonials; but in the worship of images, in the homage rendered to the dead, in the number of festival-days, in the fact that the statues reared in heathen Rome to the honour of the gods had been re-consecrated in the service of Christian devotion to the apostles, saints, and martyrs; and in the robes of the Christian priesthood, derived from those in use in the ancient heathen worship. The direction was, that, in estimating the true church, this was to be "left out" or "cast out;" and, if this interpretation is correct, the meaning is, that the Roman Catholic communion, as an organized body, is to be regarded as no part of the true church: a conclusion which is inevitable, if the passages of Scripture which are commonly supposed by Protestants to apply to it are correctly applied. To determine this, and to separate the true church from it, was no small part of the work of the Reformation.

(5.) The statement that the holy city was to be trodden under foot, Rev 11:2. This, as we have seen, must mean that the true church would thus be trodden down by those who are described as "Gentiles." So far as pure religion was concerned; so far as appertained to the real condition of the church and the pure worship of God, it would be as if the whole holy city where God was worshipped were given into the hands of the Gentiles, and they should tread it down, and desecrate all that was sacred for the time here referred to. Everything in Rome at the time of the Reformation would sustain this description. "It is incredible," says Luther, on his visit to Rome, "what sins and atrocities are committed in Rome; they must be seen and heard to be believed. So that it is usual to say, 'If there be a hell, Rome is built above it; it is an abyss from which all sins proceed.'" So again he says: "It is commonly observed that he who goes to Rome for the first time, goes to seek a knave there; the second time he finds him; and the third time he brings him away with him under his cloak. But now, people are become so clever, that they make the three journeys in one." So Machiavelli, one of the most profound geniuses in Italy, and himself a Roman Catholic, said, "The greatest symptom of the approaching ruin of Christianity is, that the nearer we approach the capital of Christendom, the less do we find of the Christian spirit of the people. The scandalous example and crimes of the court of Rome have caused Italy to lode every principle of piety and every religious sentiment. We Italians are principally indebted to the church and to the priests for having become impious and profane." See D'Aubigne's History of the Reformation, p. 54, Ed. Phila. 1843. In full illustration of the sentiment that the church seemed to be trodden down and polluted by heathenism, or by abominations and practices that came out of heathenism, we may refer to the general history of the Romish communion from the rise of the Papacy to the Reformation. For a sufficient illustration to justify the application of the passage before us which I am now making, the reader may be referred to Rev 9:20; Rev 9:21. Nothing would better describe the condition of Rome previous to, and at the time of the Reformation--and the remark may be applied to subsequent periods also--than to say that it was a city which once seemed to be a Christian city, and was not improperly regarded as the centre of the Christian world and the seat of the church, and that it had been, as it were, overrun and trodden down by heathen rites, and customs, and ceremonies, so that, to a stranger looking on it, it would seem to be in the possession of the "Gentiles" or the heathens.

(6.) The time during which this was to continue--"forty-two months;" that is, according to the explanation above given, twelve hundred and sixty years. This would embrace the whole period of the ascendency and prevalence of the Papacy; or the whole time of the continuance of that corrupt domination in which Christendom was to be trodden down and corrupted by it. The prophet of Patmos saw it in vision thus extending its dreary and corrupting reign, and during that time the proper influence of Christianity was trampled down, and the domination of practical heathenism was set up where the church should have reigned in its purity. Thus regarded, this would properly express the time of the ascendency of the Papal power, and the end of the "forty-two months," or twelve hundred and sixty years, would denote the time when the influence of that power would cease. If, therefore, the time of the rise of the Papacy can be determined, it will not be difficult to determine the time when it will come to an end. But, for a full consideration of these points, the reader is referred to the extended discussion on Dan 7:25. As the point is there fully examined, it is unnecessary to go in to an investigation of it here.

The general remark, therefore, in regard to this passage, (Rev 11:1-2,) is, that it refers to what would be necessary to be done at the Reformation in order to determine what is the true church, and what are the doctrines on which it is based; and to the fact that the Romish communion to which the church had been given over for a definite time, was to be set aside as not being the true church of Christ.

(a) "court" Eze 40.17-20 (b) "it" Lk 21:24 (1) "leave out" "cast out" (c) "tread under foot" Dan 7:25

And I will give power unto my two witnesses. In respect to this important passage, (Rev 11:3-13,) I propose to pursue the same method which I have pursued all along in this exposition: first, to examine the meaning of the words and phrases in the symbol with a purpose to ascertain the full signification of the symbols; and, secondly, to inquire into the application--that is, to inquire whether any events have occurred which, in respect to their character and to the time of their occurrence, can be shown to be a fair fulfilment of the language.

And I will give power. The word "power" is not in the original. The Greek is simply, "I will give;" that is, I will grant to my two witnesses the right, or the power, of prophesying, during the time specified--correctly expressed in the margin, "give unto my two witnesses that they may prophesy." The meaning is not that he would send two witnesses to prophesy, but rather that these were in fact such "witnesses," and that he would during that time permit them to exercise their prophetic gifts, or give them the privilege and the strength to enunciate the truth which they were commissioned to communicate as his "witnesses" to mankind. Some word, then, like power, privilege, opportunity, or boldness, it is necessary to supply in order to complete the sense.

Unto my two witnesses. The word "two" evidently denotes that the number would be small; and yet it is not necessary to confine it literally to two persons, or to two societies or communities. Perhaps the meaning is, that as, under the law, two witnesses were required, and were enough, to establish any fact, (Barnes on "Joh 8:17") such a number would, during those times, be preserved from apostasy, as would be sufficient to keep up the evidence of truth; to testify against the prevailing abominations, errors, and corruptions; to show what was the real church, and to bear a faithful witness against the wickedness of the world. The law of Moses required that there should be two witnesses on a trial, and this, under that law, was deemed a competent number. See Nu 35:30, De 17:6, De 19:15, Mt 18:16, Jn 5:30-33. The essential meaning of this passage then is, that there would be a competent number of witnesses in the case; that is, as many as would be regarded as sufficient to establish the points concerning which they would testify, with perhaps the additional idea that the number would be small. There is no reason for limiting it strictly to two persons, or for supposing that they would appear in pairs, two and two; nor is it necessary to suppose that it refers particularly to two people or nations. The word rendered witnesses--μαρτυς that from which we have derived the word martyr. It means properly one who bears testimony, either in a judicial sense, (Mt 18:16, 26:65) or one who can in any way testify to the truth of what he has seen and known, Lk 24:48, Rom 1:9, Php 1:8, 1Thes 2:10, 1Timm 6:12. Then it came to be employed in the sense in which the word martyr is now--to denote one who, amidst great sufferings, or by his death, bears witness to the truth; that is, one who is so confident of the truth, and so upright, that he will rather lay down his life than deny the truth of what he has seen and known, Acts 22:20, Rev 2:13. In a similar sense it comes to denote one who is so thoroughly convinced on a subject that is not susceptible of being seen and heard, or who is so attached to one, that he is willing to lay down his life as the evidence of his conviction and attachment. The word, as used here, refers to those who, during this period of "forty and two months," would thus be witnesses for Christ in the world: that is, who would bear their testimony to the truth of his religion; to the doctrines which he had revealed; and to what was required of man--who would do this amidst surrounding error and corruption, and when exposed to persecutions and trials on account of their belief. It is not uncommon in the Scriptures to represent the righteous as witnesses for God. Isa 43:10, Isa 43:12; Isa 44:8.

And they shall prophesy. The word prophesy does not necessarily mean that they would predict future events; but the sense is, that they would give utterance to the truth as God had revealed it. Rev 10:11. The sense here is, that they would in some public manner hold up or maintain the truth before the world.

A thousand two hundred and three score days. The same period as the forty and two months, (Rev 11:2,) though expressed in a different form. Reckoning a day for a year, this period would be twelve hundred and sixty years, or the same as the "time and times and the dividing of time" in Dan 7:25. Dan 7:25. The meaning of this would be, therefore, that during that long period in which it is said that "the holy city would be trodden under foot," there would be those who might be properly called "witnesses" for God, and who would be engaged in holding up his truth before the world; that is, there would be no part of that period in which there would not be found some to whom this appellation could with propriety be given. Though the "holy city"--the church--would seem to be wholly trodden down, yet there would be a few at least who would assert the great doctrines of true godliness.

Clothed in sackcloth. Sackcloth--σακκους--was properly a coarse black cloth commonly made of hair, used for sacks, for straining, and for mourning garments. Rev 6:12; Isa 3:24; Mt 11:21. Here it is an emblem of mourning; and the idea is, that they would prophesy in the midst of grief. This would indicate that the time would be one of calamity, or that, in doing this, there would be occasion for their appearing in the emblems of grief, rather than in robes expressive of joy. The most natural interpretation of this is, that there would be but few who could be regarded as true witnesses for God in the world, and that they would be exposed to persecution.

(1) "give power" "give unto my two witnesses that they may prophecy" (a) "my two witnesses" Mt 18:16 (b) "witnesses" Rev 20:4 (c) "sackcloth" Isa 22:12

These are the two olive-trees. These are represented by the two olive-trees, or these are what are symbolized by the two olive-trees. There can be little doubt that there is an allusion here to Zech 4:3,11,14, though the imagery is in some respects changed. The prophet (Zech 4:2-3) saw in vision "a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which were upon the top thereof; and two olive- trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof." These two "olive branches" were subsequently declared (Zech 4:14) to be "the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth." The olive-trees, or olive branches, (Zech 4:12,) appear in the vision of the prophet to have been connected With the ever-burning lamp, by golden pipes; and as the olive-tree produced the oil used by the ancients in their lamps, these trees are represented as furnishing a constant supply of oil through the golden pipes to the candlestick, and thus they become emblematic of the supply of grace to the church. John uses this emblem, not in the sense exactly in which it was employed by the prophet, but to denote that these two "witnesses," which might be compared with the two olive-trees, would be the means of supplying grace to the church. As the olive- tree furnished oil for the lamps, the two trees here would seem properly to denote ministers of religion; and as there can be no doubt that the candlesticks, or lamp-bearers, denote churches, the sense would appear to be that it was through the pastors of the churches that the oil of grace which maintained the brightness of those mystic candlesticks, or the churches, was conveyed. The image is a beautiful one, and expresses a truth of great importance to the world; for God has designed that the lamp of piety shall be kept burning in the churches by truth supplied through ministers and pastors.

And the two candlesticks. The prophet Zechariah saw but one such candlestick or lamp-bearer; John here saw two--as there are two "witnesses" referred to. In the vision described in Rev 1:12, he saw seven--representing the seven churches of Asia. For an explanation of the meaning of the symbol, Rev 1:12.

Standing before the God of the earth. So Zech 4:14, "These be the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth." The meaning is, that they stood, as it were, in the very presence of God--as in the tabernacle and temple, the golden candlestick stood "before" the ark on which was the symbol of the Divine presence, though separated from it by a veil. Compare Rev 9:13. This representation that the ministers of religion "stand before the Lord" is one that is not uncommon in the Bible. Thus it is said of the priests and Levites,(De 10:8) "The Lord separated the tribe of Levi, to stand before the Lord, to minister unto him, and to bless his name," Compare De 18:7. The same thing is said of the prophets, as in the cases of Elijah and Elisha: "As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand," 1Kgs 17:1, 18:15, 2Kgs 3:14, 5:16; compare Jer 15:19. The representation is, that they ministered, as it were, constantly in his presence, and under his eye.

(a) "two olive trees" Jer 11:16, Zech 4:3,11,14 (b) "candlesticks" Rev 1:20

And if any man will hurt them. This implies that there would be those who would be disposed to injure or wrong them; that is, that they would be liable to persecution. The word "will" is here more than the mere sign of the future; it denotes intention, purpose, design--θελει--"if any man wills or purposes to injure them." See a similar use of the word in 1Timm 6:9. The word hurt here means to do injury or injustice--αδικησαι--and may refer to wrong in any form --whether in respect to their character, opinions, persons, or property. The general sense is, that there would be those who would be disposed to do them harm, and we should naturally look for the fulfilment of this in some form of persecution.

Fire proceedeth out of their mouth. It is, of course, not necessary that this should be taken literally. The meaning is, that they would have the power of destroying their enemies as if fire should proceed out of their mouth; that is, their words would be like burning coals or flames. There may possibly be an allusion here to 2Kgs 1:10-14, where it is said that Elijah commanded the fire to descend from heaven to consume those who were sent to take him, (compare Lk 9:54) but in that case Elijah commanded the fire to come "from heaven;" here it proceeded "out of the mouth." The allusion here, therefore, is to the denunciations which they would utter, or the doctrines which they would preach, and which would have the same effect on their enemies as if they breathed forth fire and flame. So Jer 5:14, "Because ye speak this word, Behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them."

And devoureth their enemies. The word devour is often used with reference to fire, which seems to eat up or consume what is in its way, or to feed on that which it destroys. This is the sense of the word here--κατεσθιει--"to eat down, to swallow down, to devour." Compare Rev 20:9; Septuagint Isa 29:6, Joel 2:6, Lev 10:2. As there is no reason to believe that there would be literal fire, so it is not necessary to suppose that their enemies would be literally devoured or consumed. The meaning is fulfilled if their words should in any way produce an effect on their enemies similar to what is produced by fire: that is, if it should destroy their influence; if it should overcome and subdue them; if it should annihilate their domination in the world.

And if any man will hurt them. This is repeated in order to make the declaration more intensive, and also to add another thought about the effect of persecuting and injuring them.

He must in this manner be killed; That is, in the manner specified-- by fire. It does not mean that he would be killed in the same manner in which the "witnesses" were killed, but in the method specified before-- by the fire that should proceed out of their mouth. The meaning is, undoubtedly, that they would have power to bring down on them Divine vengeance or punishment, so that there would be a just retaliation for the wrongs done them.

(c) "fire" Ps 18:8 (d) "killed" Nu 16:35, Hoss 6:5

These have power to shut heaven. That is, so far as rain is concerned-for this is immediately specified. There is probably a reference here to an ancient opinion that the rain was kept in the clouds of heaven as in reservoirs or bottles, and that when they were opened it rained; when they were closed it ceased to rain. So Job 26:8, "He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not rent under them." Job 36:28, "Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly." Job 38:37, "Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven?" Compare Gen 1:7:12, 8:2, 2Kgs 7:2. To shut or close up the heavens, therefore, is to restrain the rain from descending, or to produce a drought. Compare Jas 5:17.

That it rain not in the days of their prophecy. In the time when they prophesy. Probably the allusion here is to what is said of Elijah, 1Kgs 17:1. This would properly refer to some miraculous power; but still it may be used to denote merely that they would be clothed with the power of causing blessings to be withheld from men, as if rain were withheld; that is, that in consequence of the calamities that would be brought upon them, and the persecutions which they would endure, God would bring judgments upon men as if they were clothed with this power. The language, therefore, it seems to me, does not necessarily imply that they would have the power of working miracles.

And have power over waters to turn them to blood. The allusion here is doubtless to what occurred in Egypt, Ex 7:17. Compare Barnes on "Re 8:8". This, too, would literally denote the power of working a miracle; but still it is not absolutely necessary to suppose that this is intended. Anything that would be represented by turning waters into blood, would correspond with all that is necessarily implied in the language. If any great calamity should occur in consequence of what was done to them that would be properly represented by turning the waters into blood so that they could not be used, and that was so connected with the treatment which they received as to appear to be a judgment of heaven on that account, or that would appear to have come upon the world in consequence of their imprecations, it would be all that is necessarily implied in this language.

And to smite the earth with all plagues. All kinds of plague or calamity; disease, pestilence, famine, flood, etc. The word plague-- πληγη--which means, properly, stroke, stripe, blow, would include any or all of these. The meaning here is, that great calamities would follow the manner in which they were treated, as if the power were lodged in their hands.

As often as they will. So that it would seem that they could exercise this power as they pleased.

(e) "These have power" 1Kgs 17:1 (f) "waters" Ex 7:19

And when they shall have finished their testimony. Professor Stuart renders this, "And whenever they shall have finished their testimony." The reference is undoubtedly to a period when they should have faithfully borne the testimony which they were appointed to bear. The word here rendered "shall have finished"-- τελεσωσι, from τελεω--means properly to end, to finish, to complete, to accomplish. It is used, in this respect, in two senses-- either in regard to time, or in regard to the end or object in view, in the sense of perfecting it, or accomplishing it. In the former sense it is employed in such passages as the following: Rev 20:3, "Till the thousand years should be fulfilled;" Mt 10:23 "Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel [Gr., ye shall not have finished the cities of Israel] till the Son of man be come"--that is, ye shall not have finished passing through them; Mt 11:1, "When Jesus had made an end [Gr.,finished] of commanding his twelve disciples;" 2Ti 4:7, "I have finished my course." In these passages it clearly refers to time. In the other sense it is used in such places as the following: Rom 2:27, "And shall not the uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law;" that is, if it accomplish, or come up to the demands of the law; Jas 2:8, "If ye fulfil the royal law according to the Scriptures." The word, then, may here refer not to time, meaning that these events would occur at the end of the "thousand two hundred and threescore days," but to the fact that what is here stated would occur when they had completed their testimony in the sense of having testified all that they were appointed to testify; that is, when they had borne full witness for God, and fully uttered his truth. Thus understood, the meaning here may be that the event here referred to would take place, not at the end of the 1260 years, but at that period during the 1260 years when it could be said with propriety that they had accomplished their testimony in the world, or that they had borne full and ample witness on the points entrusted to them.

The beast. This is the first time in the book of Revelation in which what is here called "the beast" is mentioned, and which has so important an agency in the events which it is said would occur. It is repeatedly mentioned in the course of the book, and always with similar characteristics, and as referring to the same object. Here it is mentioned as "ascending out of the bottomless pit;" in Rev 13:1, as "rising up out of the sea;" in Rev 13:11, as "coming up out of the earth." It is also mentioned with characteristics appropriate to such an origin, in Rev 13:2-4, (twice,) Rev 13:11-12, (twice,) Rev 13:14, (twice,) Rev 13:15, (twice,) Rev 13:17-18, 14:9,11 Rev 15:2, 16:2,10,13, 17:3,7-8, (twice,) Rev 17:11-13,16-17 Rev 19:19-20, (twice;) Rev 20:4,10. The word here used--θηριον--means properly a beast, a wild beast, Mk 1:13, Acts 10:12, 11:6, 28:4-5, Heb 12:20, Jas 3:7, Rev 6:8. It is once used topically of brutal or savage men, Tit 1:12. Elsewhere, in the passages above referred to in the Apocalypse, it is used symbolically. As employed in the book of Revelation, the characteristics of the "beast" are strongly marked.

(a) It has its origin from beneath--in the bottomless pit; the sea; the earth, Rev 11:7, 13:1,11.

(b) It has great power, Rev 13:4,12, 17:12-13.

(c) It claims and receives worship, Rev 13:3,12,14-15, 14:9,11.

(d) It has a certain "seat" or throne from whence its power proceeds, Rev 16:10.

(e) It is of scarlet colour, Rev 17:3.

(f) It receives power conferred upon it by the kings of the earth, Rev 17:13.

(g) It has a mark by which it is known, Rev 13:17, 19:20.

(h) It has a certain "number;" that is, there are certain mystical letters or figures which so express its name that it may be known, Rev 13:17-18. These things serve to characterize the "beast" as distinguished from all other things, and they are so numerous and definite, that it would seem to have been intended to make it easy to understand what was meant when the power referred to should appear. In regard to the origin of the imagery here, there can be no reasonable doubt that it is to be traced to Daniel, and that the writer here means to describe the same "beast" which Daniel refers to in Dan 7:7. The evidence of this must be clear to any one who will compare the description in Daniel, (chapter 8) with the minute details in the book of Revelation. No one, I think, can doubt that John means to carry forward the description in Daniel, and to apply it to new manifestations of the same great and terrific power--the power of the fourth monarchy--on the earth. For full evidence that the representation in Daniel refers to the Roman power prolonged and perpetuated in the Papal dominion, I must refer the reader to Barnes on "Da 7:25". It may be assumed here that the opinion there defended is correct, and consequently it may be assumed that the "beast" of this book refers to the Papal power.

That ascendeth out of the bottomless pit. Rev 9:1. This would properly mean that its origin is the nether world; or that it will have characteristics which will show that it was from beneath. The meaning clearly is, that what was symbolized by the beast would have such characteristics as to show that it was not of Divine origin, but had its source in the world of darkness, sin, and death. This, of course, could not represent the true church, or any civil government that is founded on principles which God approves. But if it represent a community pretending to be a church, it is an apostate church; if a civil community, it is a community the characteristics of which are that it is controlled by the Spirit that rules over the world beneath. For reasons which we shall see in abundance in applying the descriptions which occur of the "beast," I regard this as referring to that great apostate power which occupies so much of the prophetic descriptions--the Papacy.

Shall make war against them. Will endeavour to exterminate them by force. This clearly is not intended to be a general statement that they would be persecuted, but to refer to the particular manner in which the opposition would be conducted. It would be in the form of "war;" that is, there would be an effort to destroy them by arms.

And shall overcome them. Shall gain the victory over them; conquer them--νικησειαυτους. That is, there will be some signal victory in which those represented by the two witnesses will be subdued.

And kill them. That is, an effect would be produced as if they were put to death. They would be overcome; would be silenced; would be apparently dead. Any event that would cause them to cease to bear testimony, as if they were dead, would, be properly represented by this. It would not be necessary to suppose that there would be literally death in the case, but that there would be some event which would be well represented by death--such as an entire suspension of their prophesying in consequence of force.

(a) "beast" Rev 17:8 (b) "make war" Dan 7:21, Zech 14:2

And their dead bodies shall lie in the street. Professor Stuart, "Shall be in the street." The words "shall lie" are supplied by the translators, but not improperly. The literal rendering would be, "and their corpses upon the street of the great city;" and the meaning is, that there would be a state of things in regard to them which would be well represented by supposing them to lie unburied. To leave a body unburied is to treat it with contempt, and among the ancients nothing was regarded as more dishonourable than such treatment. See the Ajax of Sophocles. Among the Jews also it was regarded as a special indignity to leave the dead unburied, and hence they are always represented as deeply solicitous to secure the interment of their dead. See Gen 23:4. Compare 2Sam 21:9-13, Eccl 6:3 Isa 14:18-20, 22:16, 53:9. The meaning here is, that, for the time specified, those who are here referred to would be treated with indignity and contempt. In the fulfilment of this, we are not, of course, to look for any literal accomplishment of what is here said, but for some treatment of the "witnesses" which would be well represented by this; that is, which would show that they were treated, after they were silenced, like unburied corpses putrefying in the sun.

Of the great city. Where these transactions would occur. As a great city would be the agent in putting them to death, so the result would be as if they were publicly exposed in its streets. The word "great" here supposes that the city referred to would be distinguished for its size--a circumstance of some importance in determining the place referred to.

Which spiritually is called--πνευματικως. This word occurs only in one other place in the New Testament, 1Cor 2:14--"because they are spiritually discerned"--where it means, "in accordance with the Holy Spirit," or "through the aid of the Holy Spirit." Here it seems to be used in the sense of metaphorically, or allegorically, in contradistinction from the literal and real name. There may possibly be an intimation here that the city is so called by the Holy Spirit to designate its real character; but still the essential meaning is, that that was not its literal name. For some reason, the real name is not given to it; but such descriptions are applied as are designed to leave no doubt as to what is intended.

Sodom. Sodom was distinguished for its wickedness, and especially for that vice to which its abominations have given name. For the character of Sodom, see Genesis 18-19. Compare 2Pet 2:6. In inquiring what "city" is here referred to, it would be necessary to find in it such abominations as characterized Sodom, or so much wickedness that it would be proper to call it Sodom. If it shall be found that this was designed to refer to Papal Rome, no one can doubt that the abominations which prevailed there would justify such an appellation. Compare Rev 9:20. Rev 9:21.

And Egypt. That is, it would have such a character that the name Egypt might be properly given to it. Egypt is known, in the Scriptures, as the land of oppression--the land where the Israelites, the people of God, were held in cruel bondage. Compare Exodus 1-15. See also Eze 23:8. The particular idea, then, which seems to be conveyed here is, that the "city" referred to would be characterized by acts of oppression and wrong towards the people of God. So far as the language is concerned, it might apply either to Jerusalem or to Rome--for both were eminently characterized by such acts of oppression toward the true children of God as to make it proper to compare their cruelties with those which were inflicted on the Israelites by the Egyptians. Of whichever of these places the course of the exposition may require us to understand this, it will be seen at once that the language is such as is strictly applicable to either; though, as the reference is rather to Christians than to the ancient people of God, it must be admitted that it would be most natural to refer it to Rome. More acts authorizing persecution, and designed to crush the true people of God, have gone forth from Rome than from any other city on the face of the earth; and taking the history of the church together, there is no place that would be so properly designated by the term here employed.

Where also our Lord was crucified. If this refers to Jerusalem, it is to be taken literally; if to another, city, it is to be understood as meaning that he was practically crucified there: that is, that the treatment of his friends--his church--was such that it might be said that he was "crucified afresh" there; for what is done to his church may be said to be done to him. Either of these interpretations would be justified by the use of the language. Thus in Heb 6:6, it is said of apostates from the true faith, (compare Barnes on "Heb 6:6") that "they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh." If the passage before us is to be taken figuratively, the meaning is, that acts would be performed which might properly be represented as crucifying the Son of God; that, as he lives in his church, the acts of perverting his doctrines, and persecuting his people, would be, in fact, an act of crucifying the Lord again. Thus understood, the language is strictly applicable to Rome; that is, if it is admitted that John meant to characterize that city, he has employed such language as a Jewish Christian would naturally use. While, therefore, it must be admitted that the language is such as could be literally applied only to Jerusalem, it is still true that it is such language as might be figuratively applied to any other city strongly resembling that, and that in this sense it would characterize Rome above all other cities of the world. The common reading of the text here is "our Lord"--ημων; the text now regarded as correct, however, (Griesbach, Tittmann, Hahn,) is "their Lord"-- αυτων. This makes no essential difference in the sense, except that it directs the attention more particularly to the fact that they were treated like their own Master.

(c) "street" Heb 13:12 (d) "Sodom" Isa 1:10 (e) "Egypt" Ex 20:2

And they of the people. Some of the people; a part of the people --εκτωνλαων. The language is such as would be employed to describe a scene where a considerable portion of a company of people should be referred to, without intending to include all. The essential idea is, that there would be an assemblage of different classes of people to whom their carcases would be exposed, and that they would come and look upon them. We should expect to find the fulfilment of this in some place where, from any cause, a variety of people should be assembled--as in some capital, or some commercial city, to which they would be naturally attracted.

Shall see their dead bodies. That is, a state of things will occur as if these witnesses were put to death, and their carcases were publicly exposed.

Three days and an half. This might be either literally three days and a half, or, more in accordance with the usual style of this book, these would be prophetic days; that is, three years and a half. Compare Barnes on "Re 9:5,15",

And shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. That is, there would be a course of conduct in regard to these witnesses such as would be shown to the dead if they were not suffered to be decently interred. The language used here--"shall not suffer"-- seems to imply that there would be those who might be disposed to show them the respect evinced by interring the dead, but that this would not be permitted. This would find a fulfilment, if, in a time of persecution, those who had borne faithful testimony were silenced and treated with dishonour, and if there should be those who were disposed to show them respect, but who would be prevented by positive acts on the part of their persecutors. This has often been the case in persecution, and there could be no difficulty in finding numerous instances in the history of the church, to which this language would be applicable.

(a) "graves" Ps 79:3

And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them. Those dwelling in the land would rejoice over their fall and ruin. This cannot, of course, mean all who inhabit the globe; but, according to the usage in Scripture, those who dwell in the country where this would occur. Compare Lk 2:1. We now affix to the word "earth" an idea which was not necessarily implied in the Hebrew word (Heb?) eretz, (compare Ex 3:8, 13:5, De 19:2,10; De 28:12, Neh 9:22, Ps 37:9,11,22,29, 66:4, Prov 2:21, 10:30, Joel 1:2) or the Greek word γη--ge, (compare Mt 2:6,20-21, 14:15 Acts 7:7,11, 7:36,40, 13:17) Our word land, as now commonly understood, would better express the idea intended to be conveyed here; and thus understood, the meaning is, that the dwellers in the country where these things would happen would thus rejoice. The meaning is, that while alive they would, by their faithful testimony against existing errors, excite so much hatred against themselves, and would be so great an annoyance to the governing powers, that there would be general exultation when the voice of their testimony should be silenced. This, too, has been so common in the world that there would be no difficulty in applying the language here used, or in finding events which it would appropriately describe.

And make merry. Be glad. Lk 12:19; 15:23. The Greek word does not necessarily denote the light-hearted mirth expressed by our word merriment, but rather joy or happiness in general. The meaning is, that they would be filled with joy at such an event.

And shall send gifts one to another. As expressive of their joy. To send presents is a natural expression of our own happiness, and our desire for the happiness of others--as is indicated now by "Christmas" and "New Year's gifts." Compare also Neh 8:10-12: "Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength," etc. See also Est 9:19-22.

Because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. They "tormented" them, or were a source of annoyance to them, by bearing testimony to the truth; by opposing the prevailing errors; and by rebuking the vices of the age: perhaps by demanding reformation, and by denouncing the judgment of heaven on the guilty. There is no intimation that they tormented them in any other way than by the truths which they held forth. See the word explained in 2Pet 2:8.

And after three days and an half. Rev 11:9.

The Spirit of life from God. The living, or life-giving Spirit that proceeds from God entered into them. Compare Job 3:4. There is evidently allusion here to Gen 2:7, where God is spoken of as the Author of life. The meaning is, that they would seem to come to life again, or that effects would follow as if the dead were restored to life. If, when they had been-compelled to cease from prophesying, they should, after the interval here denoted by three days and a half, again prophesy, or their testimony should be again borne to the truth as it had been before, this would evidently be all that would be implied in the language here employed.

Entered into them. Seemed to animate them again.

And they stood upon their feet. As if they had come to life again.

And great fear fell upon them which saw them. This would be true if those who were dead should be literally restored to life; and this would be the effect if those who had given great annoyance by their doctrines, and who had been silenced, and who seemed to be dead, should again, as if animated anew by a Divine power, begin to prophesy, or to proclaim their doctrines to the world. The statement in the symbol is, that those who had put them to death had been greatly troubled by these "witnesses;" that they had sought to silence them, and in order to this had put them to death; that they then greatly rejoiced, as if they would no more be annoyed by them. The fact that they seemed to come to life again would, therefore, fill them with consternation, for they would anticipate a renewal of their troubles, and they would see in this fact evidence of the Divine favour towards those whom they persecuted, and reason to apprehend Divine vengeance on themselves.

(b) "Spirit" Eze 37:5-14

And they heard a great voice from heaven. Some manuscripts read, "I heard"--ηκουσα but the more approved reading is that of the common text. John says that a voice was addressed to them calling them to ascend to heaven.

Come up hither. To heaven.

And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud. So the Saviour ascended, Acts 1:9, and so probably Elijah, 2Kgs 2:11.

And their enemies beheld them. That is, it was done openly, so that their enemies, who had put them to death, saw that they were approved of God, as if they had been publicly taken up to heaven. It is not necessary to suppose that this would literally occur. All this is, manifestly, mere symbol. The meaning is, that they would triumph as if they should ascend to heaven, and be received into the presence of God. The sense of the whole is, that these witnesses, after bearing a faithful testimony against prevailing errors and sins, would be persecuted and silenced; that for a considerable period their voice of faithful testimony would be hushed as if they were dead; that during that period they would be treated with contempt and scorn, as if their unburied bodies should be exposed to the public gaze; that there would be general exultation and joy that they were thus silenced; that they would again revive, as if the dead were restored to life, and bear a faithful testimony to the truth again, and that they would have the Divine attestation in their favour, as if they were raised up visibly and publicly to heaven.

(a) "cloud" 1Thes 4:17 (b) "enemies" Mal 3:18

And the same hour. In immediate connexion with their triumph.

Was there a great earthquake. An earthquake is a symbol of commotion, agitation, change; of great political revolutions, etc. Rev 6:12. The meaning here is, that the triumph of the witnesses, represented by their ascending to heaven, would be followed by such revolutions as would be properly symbolized by an earthquake.

And the tenth part of the city fell. That is, the tenth part of that which is represented by the "city"--the persecuting power. A city would be the seat and centre of the power, and the acts of persecution would seem to proceed from it; but the destruction, we may suppose, would extend to all that was represented by the persecuting power. The word "tenth" is probably used in a general sense to denote that a considerable portion of the persecuting power would be thus involved in ruin; that is, that in respect to that power there would be such a revolution, such a convulsion or commotion, such a loss, that it would be proper to represent it by an earthquake.

And in the earthquake. In the convulsions consequent on what would occur to the witnesses.

Were slain of men seven thousand. Marg., as in the Greek, "names of men"--the name being used to denote the men themselves. The number here mentioned--seven thousand--seems to have been suggested because it would bear some proportion to the tenth part of the city which fell. It is not necessary to suppose, in seeking for the fulfilment of this, that just seven thousand would be killed; but the idea clearly is, that there would be such a diminution of numbers as would be well represented by a calamity that would overwhelm a tenth part of the city, such as the apostle had in his eye, and a proportional number of the inhabitants. The number that would be slain, therefore, in the convulsions and changes consequent on the treatment of the witnesses, might be numerically much larger than seven thousand, and might be as great as if a tenth part of all that were represented by the "city" should be swept away.

And the remnant were affrighted. Fear and alarm came on them in consequence of these calamities. The "remnant" here refers to those who still remained in the "city;" that is, to those who belonged to the community or people designed to be represented here by the city.

And gave glory to the God of heaven. Compare Lk 5:26: "And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to-day." All that seems to be meant by this is, that they stood in awe at what God was doing, and acknowledged his power in the changes that occurred. It does not mean, necessarily, that they would repent and become truly his friends, but that there would be a prevailing impression that these changes were produced by his power, and that his hand was in these things. This would be fulfilled if there should be a general willingness among mankind to acknowledge God, or to recognise his hand in the events referred to; if there should be a disposition extensively prevailing to regard the "witnesses" as on the side of God, and to favour their cause as one of truth and righteousness; and if these convulsions should so far change public sentiment as to produce an impression that theirs was the cause of God.

(c) "city" Rev 16:19 (1) "slain of men" "names of men" (d) "gave glory" Rev 14:7, Isa 26:15,16

The second woe is past. That is, the second of the three that were announced as yet to come, Rev 8:13; compare Rev 9:12.

And, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. The last of the series. The meaning is, that that which was signified by the third "woe" would be the next, and final event, in order. On the meaning of the word "quickly," Rev 1:1; compare Rev 2:5,16, 3:11; Rev 22:7,12,20.

In reference now to the important question about the application of this portion of the book of Revelation, it need hardly be said that the greatest variety of opinion has prevailed among expositors. It would be equally unprofitable, humiliating, and discouraging, to attempt to enumerate all the opinions which have been held; and I must refer the reader who has any desire to become acquainted with them, to Poole's Synopsis, in loc., and to the copious statement of Professor Stuart, Com., vol. it. pp. 219--227. Professor Stuart himself supposes that the meaning is, that "a competent number of divinely-commissioned and faithful Christian witnesses, endowed with miraculous powers, should bear testimony against the corrupt Jews, during the last days of their commonwealth, respecting their sins; that they should proclaim the truths of the gospel; and that the Jews, by destroying them, would bring upon themselves an aggravated and an awful doom," ii. 226. Instead of attempting to examine in detail the opinions which have been held, I shall rather state what seems to me to be the fair application of the language used, in accordance with the principles pursued thus far in the exposition. The inquiry is, whether there have been any events to which this language is applicable, or in reference to which, if it be admitted that it was the design of the Spirit of inspiration to describe them, it may be supposed that such language would be employed as we find here.

In this inquiry, it may be assumed that the preceding exposition is correct, and the application now to be made must accord with that; that is, it must be found that events occurred in such times and circumstances as would be consistent with the supposition that that exposition is correct. It is to be assumed, therefore, that Rev 9:20-21 refers to the state of the ecclesiastical world after the conquest of Constantinople by the Turks, and previous to the Reformation; that chapter 10 refers to the Reformation itself; that Rev 11:1-2 refers to the necessity, at the time of the Reformation, of ascertaining what was the true church, of reviving the Scripture doctrine respecting the atonement and justification, and of drawing correct lines as to membership in the church. All this has reference, according to this interpretation, to the state of the church while the Papacy would have the ascendency, or during the twelve hundred and sixty years in which it would trample down the church as if the holy city were in the hands of the Gentiles. Assuming this to be the correct exposition, then what is here said (Rev 11:3-13) must relate to that period, for it is with reference to that same time--the period of "a thousand two hundred and threescore days," or twelve hundred and sixty years--that it is said (Rev 11:3) the witnesses would "prophesy," "clothed in sackcloth." If this be so, then what is here stated (Rev 11:3-13) must be supposed to occur during the ascendency of the Papacy, and must mean, in general, that during that long period of apostasy, darkness, corruption, and sin, there would be faithful witnesses for the truth, who, though they were few in number, would be sufficient to keep up the knowledge of the truth on the earth, and to bear testimony against the prevailing errors and abominations. The object of this portion of the book, therefore, is to describe the character of the faithful witnesses for the truth during this long period of darkness; to state their influence; to record their trials; and to show what would be the ultimate result in regard to them, when their "testimony" should become triumphant. This general view will be seen to accord with the exposition of the previous portion of the book, and will be sustained, I trust, by the more particular inquiry into the application of the passage to which I now proceed. The essential points in the passage (Rev 11:3-13) respecting the "witnesses" are six:

(1) who are meant by the witnesses;

(2) the war made on them;

(3) their death;

(4) their resurrection;

(5) their reception into heaven; and

(6) the consequences of their triumph in the calamity that came upon the city.

(e) "second woe" Rev 8:13

And the seventh angel sounded. Rev 8:2,; Rev 8:6, Rev 8:7. This is the last of the trumpets, implying, of course, that under this the series of visions was to end, and that this was to introduce the state of things under which the affairs of the world were to be wound up. The place which this occupies in the order of time, is when the events pertaining to the colossal Roman power--the fourth kingdom of Daniel (Daniel chapters 2-7)--should have been completed, and when the reign of the saints (Dan 7:9-14,27-28) should have been introduced. This, both in Daniel and in John, is to occur when the mighty power of the Papacy shall have been overthrown, at the termination of the twelve hundred and sixty years of its duration. Dan 7:25. In both Daniel and John the termination of that persecuting power is the commencement of the reign of the saints; the downfall of the Papacy, the introduction of the kingdom of God, and its establishment on the earth.

And there were great voices in heaven. As of exultation and praise. The grand consummation had come, the period so long anticipated and desired when God should reign on the earth had arrived, and this lays the foundation for joy and thanksgiving in heaven.

The kingdoms of this world. The modern editions of the New Testament (see Tittmann and Hahn) read this in the singular number--"The kingdom of this world has become," etc. According to this reading, the meaning would be, either that the sole reign over this world had become that of the Lord Jesus; or, more probably, that the dominion over the earth had been regarded as one in the sense that Satan had reigned over it, but had now become the kingdom of God; that is, that "the kingdoms of this world are many, considered in themselves; but in reference to the sway of Satan, there is only one kingdom ruled over by the 'god of this world.' "--Professor Stuart. The sense is not materially different whichever reading is adopted; though the authority is in favour of the latter.--Wetstein. According to the common reading, the sense is, that all the kingdoms of the earth, being many in themselves, had been now brought under the one sceptre of Christ; according to the other, the whole world was regarded as in fact one kingdom--that of Satan--and the sceptre had now passed from his hands into those of the Saviour.

The kingdoms of our Lord. Or, the kingdom of our Lord, according to the reading adopted in the previous part of the verse. The word Lord here evidently has reference to God as such --represented as the original source of authority, and as giving the kingdom to his Son. Dan 7:13-14; compare Ps 2:8. The word Lord--κυριος--implies the notion of possessor, owner, sovereign, supreme ruler--and is thus properly given to God. See Mt 1:22, 5:33, Mk 5:19, Lk 1:6,28, Acts 7:33, Heb 8:2,10 Jas 4:15, al saep.

And of his Christ. Of his anointed; of him who is set apart as the Messiah, and consecrated to this high office. Mt 1:1. He is called "his Christ," because he is set apart by him, or appointed by him to perform the work appropriate to that office on earth. Such language as that which occurs here is often employed, in which God and Christ are spoken of as, in some respects, distinct--as sustaining different offices, and performing different works. The essential meaning here is, that the kingdom of this world had now become the kingdom of God under Christ; that is, that that kingdom is administered by the Son of God.

And he shall reign for ever and ever. A kingdom is commenced which shall never terminate. It is not said that this would be on the earth; but the essential idea is, that the sceptre of the world had now, after so long a time, come into his hands never more to pass away. The fuller characteristics of this reign are stated in a subsequent part of this book, (chapters 20-22) What is here stated is in accordance with all the predictions in the Bible. A time is to come when, in the proper sense of the term, God is to reign on the earth; when his kingdom is to be universal; when his laws shall be everywhere recognised as binding; when all idolatry shall come to an end; and when the understandings and the hearts of men everywhere shall bow to his authority. Compare Ps 2:8, Isa 9:7, 11:9, 45:22 Psalms 60 Dan 2:35,44,45, 7:13-14,27-28, Zech 14:9, Mal 1:11, Lk 1:33. On. this whole subject, see the very ample illustrations and proofs in Barnes on "Da 2:44-45; 7:13-14,27,28" and Barnes on chapters 20-22.

(a) "seventh angel" Rev 10:7 (b) "kingdoms" Rev 12:10 (c) "he shall" Dan 2:44, 7:14,18,27

And the four and twenty elders, which sat, etc. Rev 4:4.

Fell upon their faces, and worshipped God. Prostrated themselves before him--the usual form of profound adoration. Rev 5:8, seq.

(a) "four and twenty elders" Rev 4:4

Saying, We give thee thanks. We, as the representatives of the church, and as identified in our feelings with it, (Rev 4:4) acknowledge thy goodness in thus delivering the church from all its troubles, and, having conducted it through the times of fiery persecution, thus establishing it upon the earth. The language here used is an expression of their deep interest in the church, and of the fact that they felt themselves identified with it. They, as representatives of the church, would of course rejoice in its prosperity and final triumph.

O Lord God Almighty. Referring to God as all-powerful, because it was by his omnipotent arm alone that this great work had been accomplished. Nothing else could have defended the church in its many trials; nothing else could have established it upon the earth.

Which art, and wast, and art to come. The eternal One, always the same. Rev 1:8. The reference here is to the fact that God, who had thus established his church on the earth, is unchanging. In all the revolutions which occur on the earth, he always remains the same. What he was in past times he is now; what he is now he always will be. The particular idea suggested here seems to be, that he had now shown this by having caused his church to triumph; that is, he had shown that he was the same God who had early promised that it should ultimately triumph; he had carried forward his glorious purposes without modifying or abandoning them amidst all the changes that had occurred in the world; and he had thus given the assurance that he would now remain the same, and that all his purposes in regard to his church would be accomplished. The fact that God remains always unchangeably the same is the sole reason why his church is safe, or why any individual member of it is kept and saved. Compare Mal 3:6.

Because thou hast taken to thee thy great power. To wit, by setting up thy kingdom over all the earth. Before that, it seemed as if he had relaxed that power, or had given the power to others. Satan had reigned on the earth. Disorder, anarchy, sin, rebellion, had prevailed. It seemed as if God had let the reins of government fall from his hand. Now, he came forth as if to resume the dominion over the world, and to take the sceptre into his own hand, and to exert his great power in keeping the nations in subjection. The setting up of his kingdom all over the world, and causing his laws everywhere to be obeyed, will be among the highest demonstrations of Divine power. Nothing can accomplish this but the power of God; when that power is exerted nothing can prevent its accomplishment.

And hast reigned. Professor Stuart, "and shown thyself as king;" that is, "hast become king, or acted as a king." The idea is, that he had now vindicated his regal power, (Rob. Lex.;) that is, he had now set up his kingdom on the earth, and had truly begun to reign. One of the characteristics of the millennium--and indeed the main characteristic--will be, that God will be everywhere obeyed; for when that occurs, all will be consummated that properly enters into the idea of the millennial kingdom.

(b) "which art" Rev 16:5 (c) "hast reigned" Rev 19:6

And the nations were angry. Were enraged against thee. This they had shown by their opposition to his laws; by persecuting his people; by slaying his witnesses; by all the attempts which they had made to destroy his authority on the earth. The reference here seems to be to the whole series of events preceding the final establishment of his kingdom on the earth; to all the efforts which had been made to throw off his government and to crush his church. At this period of glorious triumph it was natural to look back to those dark times when the "nations raged," (compare Ps 2:1-3,) and when the very existence of the church was in jeopardy.

And thy wrath is come. That is, the time when thou wilt punish them for all that they have done in opposition to thee, and when the wicked shall be cut off. There will be, in the setting up of the kingdom of God, some manifestation of his wrath against the powers that opposed it; or something that will show his purpose to destroy his enemies, and to judge the wicked. The representations in this book lead us to suppose that the final establishment of the kingdom of God on the earth will be introduced or accompanied by commotions and wars which will end in the overthrow of the great powers that have opposed his reign, and by such awful calamities in those portions of the world as shall show that God has arisen in his strength to cut off his enemies, and to appear as the vindicator of his people. Compare Rev 16:12, seq. Rev 19:11, seq.

And the time of the dead, that they should be judged. According to the view which the course of the exposition thus far pursued leads us to entertain of this book, there is reference here, in few words, to the same thing which is more fully stated in chapter 20, and the meaning of the sacred writer will, therefore, come up for a more distinct and full examination when we consider that chapter. Rev 20:4, seq. Rev 20:12, seq. The purpose of the writer does not require that a detailed statement of the order of the events referred to should be made here, for it would be better made, when, after another line of illustration and of symbol, (Rev 11:19 and chapters 12-19) he should have reached the same catastrophe, and when, in view of both, the mind would be prepared for the fuller description with which the book closes, Revelation 20-22. All that occurs here, therefore, is a very general statement of the final consummation of all things.

And that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants. The righteous. Compare Mt 25:34-40 and Re 21-22. That is, in the final winding up of human affairs, God will bestow the long-promised reward on those who have been his true friends. The wicked that annoyed and persecuted them, will annoy and persecute them no more; and the righteous will be publicly acknowledged as the friends of God. For the manner in which this will be done, see the details in Revelation 20-22.

The prophets. All who, in every age, have faithfully proclaimed the truth. On the meaning of the word, Rev 10:11.

And to the saints. To all who are holy--under whatever dispensation, and in whatever land, and at whatever time, they may have lived. Then will be the time when, in a public manner, they will be recognised as belonging to the kingdom of God, and as being his true friends.

And them that fear thy name. Another way of designating his people, since religion consists in a profound veneration for God, Mal 3:16, Job 1:1, Ps 15:4, 22:23, 115:11, Prov 1:7, 3:13, 9:10 Isa 11:2, Acts 10:22,35.

Small and great. Young and old; low and high; poor and rich. The language is designed to comprehend all, of every class, who have a claim to be numbered among the friends of God, and it furnishes a plain intimation that men of all classes will be found at last among his true people. One of the glories of the true religion is, that, in bestowing its layouts, it disregards all the artificial distinctions of society, and addresses man as man, welcoming all who are human beings to the blessings of life and salvation. This will be illustriously shown in the last period of the world's history, when the distinctions of wealth, and rank, and blood shall lose the importance which has been attributed to them, and when the honour of being a child of God shall have its true place. Compare Gal 3:28.

And shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. That is, all who have, in their conquests, spread desolation over the earth; and who have persecuted the righteous, and all who have done injustice and wrong to any class of men. Compare Rev 20:13, seq.

Here ends, as I suppose, the first series of visions referred to in the volume sealed with the seven seals, Rev 5:1. At this point, where the division of the chapter should have been made, and which is properly marked in our common Bibles by the sign of the paragraph, (,) there commences a new series of visions, intended also, but in a different line, to extend down to the consummation of all things. The former series traces the history down mainly through the series of civil changes in the world, or the outward affairs which affect the destiny of the church; the latter--the portion still before us--embraces the same period with a more direct reference to the rise of Antichrist, and the influence of that power in affecting the destiny of the church. When that is completed, (Rev 11:19 and Revelation 12-19) the way is prepared (Revelation 20-22) for the more full statement of the final triumph of the gospel, and the universal prevalence of religion, with which the book so appropriately closes. That portion of the book, therefore, refers to the same period as the one which has just been considered under the sounding of the seventh trumpet, and the description of the final state of things would have immediately succeeded if it had not been necessary, by another series of visions, to trace more particularly the history of Antichrist on the destiny of the church, and the way in which that great and fearful power would be finally overcome. The way is then prepared for the description of the state of things which will exist when all the enemies of the church shall be subdued; when Christianity shall triumph; and when the predicted reign of God shall be set up on the earth, Revelation 20-22.

(d) "angry" Rev 11:9 (e) "time" Heb 9:27 (f) "reward" Rev 22:12 (g) "small" re 19:5 (1) "destroy" "corrupt"

And the temple of God was opened in heaven. The temple of God at Jerusalem was a pattern of the heavenly one, or of heaven, Heb 8:1-5. In that temple God was supposed to reside by the visible symbol of his presence--the Shekinah--in the holy of holies. Heb 9:7. Thus God dwells in heaven, as in a holy temple, of which that on earth was the emblem. When it is said that that was "opened in heaven," the meaning is, that John was permitted, as it were, to look into heaven, the abode of God, and to see him in his glory.

And there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament. Heb 9:4. That is, the very interior of heaven was laid open, and John was permitted to witness what was transacted in its obscurest recesses, and what were its most hidden mysteries. It will be remembered, as an illustration of the correctness of this view of the meaning of the verse, and of its proper place in the divisions of the book--assigning it as the opening verse of a new series of visions--that in the first series of visions we have a statement remarkably similar to this, Rev 4:1: "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven;" that is, there was, as it were, an opening made into heaven, so that John was permitted to look in and see what was occurring there. The same idea is expressed substantially here, by saying that the very interior of the sacred temple where God resides was "opened in heaven," so that John was permitted to look in and see what was transacted in his very presence. This may confirm the idea that this portion of the Apocalypse refers rather to the internal affairs of the church, or the church itself--for of this the temple was the proper emblem. Then appropriately follows the series of visions describing, as in the former case, what was to occur in future times: this series referring to the internal affairs of the church, as the former did mainly to what would outwardly affect its form and condition. And there were lightnings, etc. Symbolic of the awful presence of God, and of his majesty and glory, as in the commencement of the first series-of visions. Rev 4:5. The similarity of the symbols of the Divine Majesty in the two cases may also serve to confirm the supposition that this is the beginning of a new series of visions.

And an earthquake. Also a symbol of the Divine Majesty, and perhaps of the great convulsions that were to occur under this series of visions. Compare Rev 6:12. Thus, in the sublime description of God in Ps 18:7, "Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth." So in Ex 19:18, "And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke--and the whole mount quaked greatly." Compare Amos 8:8-9; Joel 2:10.

And great hail. Also an emblem of the presence and majesty of God, perhaps with the accompanying idea that he would overwhelm and punish his enemies. So in Ps 18:13, "The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice: hailstones and coals of fire." So also Job 38:22-23:-- "Hast thou entered into the treasures of snow? Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail? Which I have reserved against the time of trouble. Against the day of battle and war?" So in Ps 105:32: "He gave them hail for rain. And flaming fire in their land." Compare Ps 78:48, Isa 30:30, Eze 38:22.

(a) "temple" Rev 15:5,8 (b) "lightnings" Rev 8:5 (c) "earthquake" Rev 16:18,21

Observe here, 1. The command given by God to St. John to take a survey of his church, his spiritual temple, consisting of living stones, and built upon the chief corner stone, Jesus Christ. God's faithful and true worshippers are only those whom God will have to be measured, and taken notice of as being his part and portion, his tabernacle in which he will dwell. And, blessed be God! in the worst of times they are measurable; even in times of epidemical degeneracy, and universal apostasy, God has a number to stand up for his name, and to bear witness to his truth.

Observe, 2. That the temple, the altar, and the worshippers therein, are here all joined together, and the command given is, to measure them together. Arise, and measure the temple, the altar, and them that worship therein; intimating, that the true church, and the true worshippers, are ever found together; and by the true worship, and the true worshippers, is the true church ever known; so that if the question be asked, "Where is the true church?" the answer is, where the true altar is; and where the true worship is, there the true church is; that church which will bear God's measuring reed, the scrutiny of the scriptures, and the examination of his holy word; where that worship is found, here the church of God is found.

Observe here, What St. John is forbidden to measure, and commanded to leave out, as no part of the true church, namely, The court which is without the temple; that is, that part of the visible church which is over-run with idolatry and Anti-christian worship, as bad as Gentilism, and accordingly shall by treated as Gentiles, and trodden down under foot as drossy hypocrites: Measure the temple, says God, but not the outward court.

The temple had but few worshippers, the priests only, in comparison of the outward court, where the body of the people was; whence we see that the true church is but small, very small, in comparision of the false and Anti-christian church, and consequently multitude can be no right note of the true church.

Observe farther, That whereas these Gentiles are said to tread under foot the holy city forty-two months, thereby is signified, that they should kill and persecute the true spouse and church of Christ, (called the holy city, in allusion to the earthly Jerusalem,) during the time of Anti-christ's prevalency, shall be but for a limited time, a short time; the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

Observe here, 1. That the church of God during Anti-christ's prevalency, shall not want witnesses or faithful teachers, though removed by persecution into corners.

Observe, 2. By mentioning two only, we may gather the paucity of faithful teachers, during the time of Anti-christ's prevalency; two are a number, but the least of numbers; we must not have our eye upon the multitude, or conclude that it is not truth which is not embraced and practised by the most; the train of Christ is not large, nor are his ways thronged as they ought, few comparatively there be that walk in them. As they, whom he calls forth to be eminently his witnesses, are not many, therefore called two; so they that received their witnesses are but few, for the world wonders after the beast.

Quest. But who and what are these witnesses?

Ans. The whole succession of faithful ministers, martyrs, and confessors, which Almighty God from time to time has raised up in his church to be the assertors and maintainers of divine truth, and to bear their testimony for Christ against all heresies, blasphemies, idolatries, and usurpations, in the time of Anti-christ's reign.

Observe, 3. The proper work of these witnesses declared, it is to instruct the people how to worshop God according to his word and will. The manner of their prophesying is said to be in sackcloth; that is, in much affliction and with great lamentation, bewailing the pollutions of the church, by the overspreadings of idolatry; and the time of their prophesying is said to be a thousand two hundred and threescore days; that is, during the time of Anti-christ's reign, so long the witnesses shall have a mournful time of it; during the whole reign of Anti-christ, God will have a true church, a true ministry, and faithful witnesses, whom, though Anti-christ will fight with, yet he shall never prevail against.

Observe, 4. How God is pleased to own and bear witness to these his witnesses.

1. He calls them his, my two witnesses.

2. He gives them power to prophecy; that is, they have their commission and authority from him, and they are enabled, assisted, and succeeded, by him, in the discharge of their testimony; their resolution and courage is from God, who calls them forth to bear their testimony for him.

Learn hence, That when God calls any of his to a martyr's fire, he does endue them with a martyr's faith; he furnishes his ministers and faithful servants with noble endowments, answerable to their great employments; God evermore gives much grace, where he tries grace much. As the command of God makes every duty necessary, so the assistance of God makes every duty easy, and the reward of God makes every duty and service gainful and advantageous.

Observe here, 1. A double title given by God unto the two witnesses, spoken of in the former verse; they are styled olive-trees and candlesticks. As the olive-tree is always green, so the ministry of these witnesses is lively and efficacious; as the olive is a sign of peace, and the oil that drops from the olive an emblem of grace, so the ministry of these witnesses was a ministry both of grace and peace. Again, they are called olive-trees, because they are to minister oil to the candlesticks, which are to hold out light unto others.

Here note, That the title of candlesticks given to the churches, chap. 1 is here given to the ministers of the church; partly to show the near relation that is between them, and partly to point out the duty that is mutually incumbent upon them; namely, to hold forth the light of truth unto others.

And farther, these candlesticks are said to stand before the God of the earth, signifying their fidelity in the discharge of their duty, as in the presence of God, before whom they stand.

Observe, 2. The efficacy and power of these witnesses' ministry in the certain effects of it. What was said of Elijah and Elisha literally, is applied unto them spiritually.

1. As Elijah brought fire down from heaven, which devoured the enemy, so fire proceeds out of these witnesses' mouth, not by way of imprecation, but by way of denunciation, pronouncing the threatenings and judgments of God against them, continuing in their impenitency.

2. As Elijah had power to shut heaven, so have these witnesses power to do the like during the time of their prophecy; that is, God is provoked for the world's ill treatment of his faithful witnesses to withhold the spiritual rain of the word, and the refreshing doctrine of the gospel, from them.

Again, when it is said that these witnesses have power to turn the waters into blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, there is a manifest allusion to Moses and Aaron, who exercised such a power. Exod 7:1-25.

Accordingly, God being provoked by the indignities offered to his faithful witnesses, permits the pure doctrine of the gospel to be corrupted, and avenges their cause, by bringing judgments on the world, as Moses did upon Egypt, according to the threatenings denounced by them.

Whence we may learn, what great credit and esteem the faithful witnesses and ministers of Christ are in with God; what power and prerogative is given to them, far surpassing the power of any mortal prince, even a power to open and shut heaven, to turn waters into blood, and to smite the earth: that is, God doth all these things upon a just occasion in vindication of them, and in revenge for the injuries done unto them.

These verses set before us the barbarous usage which the two witnesses should meet with from the antichristian world, for the faithful discharge of their duty; they shall be slain, politically and civilly, say some; deposed, silenced, imprisoned, and laid aside as useless and dead.

Literally, say others, they shall be put to death for the testimony of Jesus, by bloodshed, fire, and faggot. They shall overcome them, that is, in their persons, but not in their cause.

See here the Christian church founded in blood, that of Christ its head; watered with blood, that of his ministers and members. God suffers his sometimes to be actually slain, for his own glory, their honour, and the church's good: but mark the time specified when the witnesses were slain; it was when they had finished their testimony.

Observe, 2. Besides the antichristian cruelty, in killing these witnesses, their barbarous inhumanity, in denying them burial, not suffering some to be buried at all, and digging up the bones of others that had been long buried. The place where this was done is called Sodom and Egypt, and the great city where our Lord was crucified: which, if literally understood, signifies Jerusalem, compared to Sodom for the abominable sins of the Gnostics committed in her; and to Egypt, for oppression: but if mystically understood, Rome, or the Roman empire, is conceived by most Protestants to be here intended by Egypt and Sodom; like Egypt, for idolatry, tyranny, spiritual darkness, obstinacy, and obduracy; like Sodom for uncleanness, yea, worse than Sodom, uncleanness being not only practised but tolerated, yea, allowed publicly, licences being ther given to such public houses, and books written in defence of Sodomy at Rome, where Christ may be said to be crucified in his members as long as this apostate power holds up.

Observe, 3. The great joy and exultation which is here discovered at the slaughter of these witnesses; the antichristian rabble triumph and make merry, rejoice and send gifts, to one another.

Lord! how madly do the wicked rejoice at the death of those men that used their utmost endeavours to have saved them! They that dwell on the earth shall rejoice and make merry.

Observe, 4. The special reason assigned why the members of antichrist's kingdom did thus triumph at the head of the witnesses, and their supposed utter extinction, namely, because the two witnesses tormented them that dwell on the earth; that is, by their public preaching, by their private reproving, by their denouncing of God's judgments against them; for not suffering them to go on quietly and undisturbedly in the ways of sin, they grew very uneasy with them, and rejoiced when they thought the world fully rid of them.

Lord! how does the preaching of thy word, which comforts and supports thy children, which is sweeter to them than the honey, and more esteemed by them than their necessary food, how does the same word preached torment notorious sinners; and, instead of receiving the message, they rage at the messenger, and triumph and dance with Herod, to see that head cut off whose tongue was so bold to tell them of their faults: They rejoiced, because these two prophets that tormented them were slain.

The death of the witnesses was described in the foregoing verses, their resurrection is declared in these. This is understood politically by some, that they who were civilly dead, that is, laid aside as useless, were now politically alive; that is, restored to their public work and employment in the church again, God causing princes and magistrates to own and favour them; and accordingly, by their ascending up into heaven, they understand their re-entering into the church, their re-enjoying their public liberties and gospel privileges, which, in comparison of the low nd sackcloth condition they were in before, was like heaven and earth unto them.

And they ascended in a cloud, that is, gloriously, and their enemies beheld them with an envious eye, because of the work in their hands, which it was not in their power to hinder. Others understand this resurrection (in the manner forementioned) to be meant not of the same spirit and office, restored to the same work, to the admiration of the good, and consternation of the bad; and that the voice of Christ spake to the slain witnesses, saying, Come up hither, that is, into heaven, to receive the reward of your sufferings and services, and others that succeed you in office shall partake of your spirit, and perfect that work which you began and carried on.

Where note, That ofttimes God's faithful witnesses, namely, such magistrates and ministers as have done great things for the church of God, are taken up to heaven before they behold the desired issue, which is left to their successors to see completed.

These words are conceived by interpreters to set forth the great success of the witnesses' ministry after their resurrection; it was accompanied with a mighty earthquake, or a great shaking of the kingdom of antichrist; insomuch that a tenth part of the city fell; that is, many nations and kingdoms under antichrist's tyranny and dominion shook off the yoke, and disowned his jurisdiction, and fell off from him.

Observe farther, What this earthquake and fall produced, namely, a twofold effect.

1. Seven thousand were slain.

2. Others were affrighted, turned from their sins, and gave glory to God.

Behold here the great power of the word of God, and the happy success thereof, to the shaking of antichrist's kingdom, which falls not at once, but by degrees, as it rose. The man of sin is to be consumed with the breath of Christ's mouth at first, which is a gradual death, till at last be be quite abolished by the brightness of his coming.

Upon the whole then we may comfortably conclude, that whatever ground antichrist on the one hand may seem to have gained of late in any place, that yet he is certainly in a deep consumation; nay, far gone in it, and will languish more and more till he draws his last breath: and, on the other hand, whatever clouds may overspread the church of Christ in any place, it will not be long ere they will vanish, and that affairs are moving forward towards the church's highest outward prosperity, and most flourishing condition that she shall ever arrive to on this side of heaven, which is to be under the blessed Millinium, or thousand years, which began probably with the resurrection of the witnesses at the beginning of the Protestant reformation, by the preaching of Luther.

Thus speaks our learned Dr. More, Myst. Inq. p 477. "I doubt not," says he, "but this vision of the resurrection of the witnesses was a prediction of our Protestant reformation, begun at Spires in Germany, Anno 1529, when several German princes and imperial cities made a solemn protestation against the innovations and usurpations of the church of Rome; from whence came the name of Protestants, which continues to this day."

"This therefore," says he, [mark his inference]" should make our reformation the more sacred, and keep all persons that wish well to our holy religion, from casting any dirt upon our first reformers, whose names ought to be had in honour, and will be so in the church of God throughout all generations."

An account is here given of the angel's sounding the seventh trumpet, at the beginning of Antichrist's ruin and downfall; St. John heard great acclamations and shoutings in heaven for the victory which Christ by his witnesses had gotten over him, saying, The kingdoms of this world, that is, several kingdoms, or main bodies of kingdoms and nations, are now brought in to acknowledge Christ for their sovereign and lawgiver, who did not so before: but whereas formerly they owned another master, namely, antichrist, now they do especially own and acknowledge Christ, by professing to believe in him, and be coming a pure church to him; and he shall reign for ever and ever. Even under antichrist's reign and tyranny Christ had a kingdom; but he will have a more visible kingdom in the world, and which shall continue without any eclipse by antichrist, or any other, as it suffered before.

This chapter concludes with a doxolgy and solemn thanksgiving in heaven, for the victory which Christ obtained over antichrist here on earth, that is, for the begun victory over him.

Here observe, 1. The persons rendering praises, the four and twenty elders; all the ministers of the church, say some; the whole church, say others, who are said to sit before God; denoting,

1. That they rest from their labours; they walked as pilgrims before, they sit now. Would we with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, sit down in the kingdom of God in heaven? we must with Abraham walk before God in uprightness here on earth, Gen 17:5.

2. It denotes the honour and dignity unto which they were now advanced; as servants they stood before, as friends they sit now: but upon this great occasion mark their humble gesture, their prostrations and adorations before God, They fell upon their faces and worshipped.

Observe, 2. The ground and occasion of it; what it is which they thus solemnly bless God for, namely, for Christ's victory over his enemies, for assuming to himself his great power, and universal dominion; and because the kingdoms of the world were now become the kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Christ.

For if there be joy in heaven at the conversion of one sinner unto Christ, what is there, suppose we, at the conversion of nations and kingdoms unto Christ: behold here the whole host of heaven, the church triumphant in the New Jerusalem, breaking forth into the highest praises for establishing the public exercise of religion in its purity, never more to be driven into corners, as it was twice before; first by Pagans, next by Pagan Christians.

Observe, 3. The doxology or thanksgiving itself, Lord God Almighty, we give thee thanks for this begun overthrow of Antichrist, which by thy almighty power thou wilt certainly carry on, being always the same, and as able to help thy church as ever, because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.

As if they had said, in the time of antichrist's full power, when thy church was under a bitter and bloody persecution, thy power seemed to be laid aside, and thou seemedst not to reign, having thy power obscured by his tyranny; but now thou showest thyself to be a ruler over all the world, both king of saints and king of nations.

Observe, 4. The indignation and wrath which the friends of antichrist express upon this occasion, ver. 18. The nations were angry, that is, the idolatrous nations; they who formerly persecuted, do now fret because they are overcome; they gnash their teeth at the successful progress of the gospel; and because thy wrath, that is, the time to execute thy wrath, is come, upon all idolaters and false worshippers.

And the time of the dead, that they should be judged and rewarded: that is, the time is now come when those witnesses, which were civilly dead, and accounted as dead by the world, shall revive again; or, the time of the dead, that is, of those that have been slain by Antichrist; the time is come that their blood shall be avenged, and all thy faithful servants and sufferers recompensed and rewarded; particularly thy prophets, whose work being greater, such shall their reward be also.

And all that fear thy name, both small and great; that is, all true believers of a more private capacity, who have cleaved unto Christ's pure and undefiled religion, how obscure soever they have been in the world, none of these shall miss of a recompence, when God's time of rewarding is come; and then he will destroy them which destroy the earth; that is, those bloody persecutors, who destroy the inhabitants of the earth by persecutions, or false doctrines.

Observe, 5. The great blessing which follows upon the downfall of antichrist, ver. 19. The temple of God was opened; alluding to the frequent shutting up of the temple of Jerusalem by idolatrous princes, Ahaz, and others, when the ark, in which the law of God lay, was not seen; but Hezekiah and Josiah, those two reforming princes, opened the temple, and restored the true worship of Almighty God.

In like manner, during antichrist's reign, the temple of God was shut up, his true worship suppressed: but now, since antichrist's falling, the temple is opened, the ark seen, the pure word of God expounded, and a more than ordinary presence of God (of which the ark was a symbol) found in his church. Well might the church then, upon this happy occasion, triumphantly say, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.