Revelation 11:2

The Gentiles would here represent those outside of the church. The marginal reading in the King James is "Cast out," instead of "leave out." This may suggest that some who might be thought of as part of the church, like Jezebel and the Nicolaitans, would be cast out and counted as part of the profane. These profane ones would trample the holy city, which is the church now (Hebrews 12:22) and later will be heaven. (Revelation 21:2; Revelation 21:10; Revelation 22:19) While the faithful are measured, or protected, the nominal Christian will turn to worldly thinking and assist in abusing and tearing down all the church stands for. (Compare Luke 8:12-13; Hebrews 6:4-6) Forty-two months, or 1260 days, or three and one-half years, is a recurring figure in Revelation. (Revelation 11:2-3; Revelation 12:6; Revelation 12:14; Revelation 13:5; also Daniel 7:25; Daniel 12:7) God will not allow the church to be trampled forever, so three and one-half years is used to represent a short, or broken, period of time.