Then there was given to me a 1ameasuring rod like a staff; and bsomeone said, “2Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar of incense, and count those who worship in it. Ezek 40-42John is describing a rod that is about six feet long.The Greek corresponds to a Hebrew verb meaning “to stand” or “arise” which can be an instruction to prepare to fulfill a command, somewhat similar to the military command “attention.”Ezek 40:3-42:20; Zech 2:1; Rev 21:15fRev 10:11 2 But leave out the acourt of the Gentiles which is outside the temple and do not measure it, because bit has been given to the Gentiles ; and they will ctrample dthe holy city for eforty-two months . Dan 8:9-14; Zech 12:3; Luke 21:24Ezek 40:17, 20Luke 21:24Is 52:1; Matt 4:5; 27:53; Rev 21:2, 10; 22:19Dan 7:25; 12:7; Rev 12:6; 13:5 3 And I will grant authority to My two awitnesses, and they will prophesy for btwelve hundred and sixty days , dressed in 1csackcloth.” Deut 18:18; Mal 4:5; Mark 9:4See note 6:12.Rev 1:5; 2:13Dan 7:25; 12:7; Rev 12:6; 13:5Gen 37:34; 2 Sam 3:31; 1 Kin 21:27; 2 Kin 19:1f; Neh 9:1; Esth 4:1; Ps 69:11; Joel 1:13; Jon 3:5f, 8 4 These witnesses are the atwo olive trees and the two lampstands which stand before the Lord of the earth. Zech 4:3, 11-14Ps 52:8; Jer 11:16; Zech 4:3, 11, 14 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, afire comes out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, bhe must be killed in this way. 2+@Kin 1:10-12; Jer 5:142 Kin 1:10-12; Jer 5:14; Rev 9:17fNum 16:29, 35 6 These two witnesses have the power from God to ashut up the sky, so that no rain will fall during bthe days of their prophesying regarding judgment and salvation; and they have power over the waters to cturn them into blood, and dto strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they wish. Ex 7:14-19; 1+@Kin 17:11 Kin 17:1; Luke 4:25Rev 11:3Ex 7:17ff; Rev 8:81 Sam 4:8
7 When they have finished their testimony and given their evidence, athe beast that comes up out of the babyss will cwage war with them, and overcome them and kill them. Dan 7:3, 7, 21Rev 13:1ff; 17:8Rev 9:1Dan 7:21; Rev 13:7 8 And their dead bodies will lie exposed in the open street of the agreat city , which in a spiritual sense is called by the symbolic and allegorical names of bSodom and cEgypt, where also their Lord was crucified. Is 1:9Rev 14:8; 16:19; 17:18; 18:2, 10, 16, 18, 19, 21Is 1:9, 10; 3:9; Jer 23:14; Ezek 16:46, 49Ezek 23:3, 8, 19, 27 9 Those from athe peoples and tribes and languages and nations 1look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and bwill not allow their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb.In Revelation John sometimes uses the present tense to refer vividly to the future.Rev 5:9; 10:111 Kin 13:22; Ps 79:2f 10 And athose non-believers who live on the earth will gloat over them and rejoice; and they will bsend gifts in celebration to one another, because these two prophets tormented and troubled cthose who live on the earth.Rev 3:10Neh 8:10, 12; Esth 9:19, 22
11 But after three and a half days, athe breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear and panic fell on those who were watching them. Ezek 37:5, 10Ezek 37:5, 9, 10, 14 12 And the two witnesses heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “aCome up here.” Then they bascended into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them. 2+@Kin 2:11Rev 4:12 Kin 2:11; Acts 1:9 13 And in that very hour there was a great aearthquake, and a tenth of the city fell and was destroyed; seven thousand 1people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest who survived were overcome with terror, and 2bthey glorified the cGod of heaven as they recognized His awesome power.Lit names of people.These give glory out of servile fear, not worship from the heart.Rev 6:12; 8:5; 11:19; 16:18John 9:24; Rev 14:7; 16:9; 19:7Rev 16:11
14 The second awoe is past; behold, the third woe is coming quickly.Rev 8:13; 9:12
15 Then the aseventh angel sounded his trumpet; and there were bloud voices in heaven, saying,c“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of dHis Christ; and eHe will reign forever and ever.” Ps 22:28; Dan 2:31-45; 7:13, 14, 27; Zech 14:9Rev 8:2; 10:7Rev 16:17; 19:1Rev 12:10Ps 2:2; Acts 4:26Ex 15:18; Dan 2:44; 7:14, 27; Luke 1:33 16 And the twenty-four elders, who asit on their thrones before God, bfell face downward and worshiped God,Matt 19:28; Rev 4:4Rev 4:10 17 saying,“To You we give thanks, aO Lord God Almighty the Omnipotent, the Ruler of all, Who are and Who were, because You have taken Your great power and the sovereignty which is rightly Yours and have now begun to breign.Rev 1:8Rev 19:6 18 And athe nations became enraged, and bYour wrath and indignation came, and cthe time came for the dead to be judged, and the time came to reward Your dbond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, ethe small and the great, and the time came to destroy the destroyers of the earth.” Ps 2:1; 2+@Thess 1:3-12Ps 2:1Ps 2:5; 110:5Dan 7:10; Rev 20:12Rev 10:7; 16:6Ps 115:13; Rev 13:16; 19:5
19 And athe temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and bthe ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of clightning, loud rumblings and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a dgreat hailstorm. 1+@Kin 8:1-12Rev 4:1; 15:5Heb 9:4Rev 4:5; 8:5; 16:18Rev 16:21