XI. THE SECOND PART OF THE INTERPOSED VISION. THE MEASURING OF THE TEMPLE; THE TWO WITNESSES; THE EARTHQUAKE. THE MEASURING OF THE TEMPLE. — We enter upon the second part of the interposed vision. The Temple proper is secured. The measuring signifies its protection from profanation; the outer court... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE WAS... — Translate, _And there was given to me a reed like a rod_ (we must omit the words “and the angel stood”), _saying._ It is not said by whom the reed was given, nor are we told who speaks the command. The whole transaction is impersonal. The reed, like a measuring rod, is given him,... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE COURT... — Translate, _And the court which is outside the Temple cast out, and measure not it; because it was given to the nations_ (Gentiles): _and they shall tread down the holy city forty and two months._ The outer court — meaning, perhaps, all that lies outside the Temple itself — is to... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL GIVE... — Translate, _And I will give_ (omit “power”) _to my two witnesses, and they shall._.. These are the words of God Himself; the omission of the words “and the angel stood” from Revelation 11:1 prevents any confusion of thought on this point. Two witnesses were required for competen... [ Continue Reading ]
(3-14) THE TWO WITNESSES. — It is the opinion of one able and pre-eminently painstaking commentator that “no solution has ever been given of this portion of the prophecy.” I quote this that none may be disappointed when no satisfactory solution is given here; further light in the knowledge of the Bi... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE ARE... — Translate, _These are the two olive trees and the two candlesticks which stand before the Lord of the earth. This is the verse which refers us to the vision of Zechariah for the basis of our present vision._ There, as here, we have the two olive trees, which are explained to be “the t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF ANY MAN... — Better, _And if any one wills to injure them, fire goeth forth out of their mouths, and devoureth their enemies: and if any one wills to injure them, thus must he be slain. These have power to shut the heaven that the rain may not moisten_ (the earth) _during the days of their pr... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN... — Better, _And when they shall have finished their testimony, the wild beast that goeth up out of the abyss shall make war with them, and conquer them, and kill them._ Only when their work is done has the wild beast power over them. To every one there are the symbolical twelve hours in w... [ Continue Reading ]
(8-10) AND THEIR DEAD BODIES... — Better, _And their corpse_ (is)_ upon the street of the great city, which is called spiritually Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord also was crucified. And some from among the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations look upon their corpse three days and a half, and... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AFTER THREE DAYS... — Better, _And after the three days and a half_ (not simply “three days and a half,”) _a Spirit of life out of (from) God entered into_ (or, _in; i.e.,_ so as to be in) _them, and they stood upon their feet; and a great fear fell upon those who beheld them._ The vision of the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY HEARD... — Translate, _And they heard_ (or, _I heard;_ the MS. authority is divided, though the balance inclines to the first) _a great voice out of the heaven saying to them. Come up hither. And they went up into the heaven in the cloud, and their enemies beheld them._ The resurrection of... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SAME HOUR... — Better, _And in that hour there was_ (took place) _a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and, there were slain in the earthquake names of men seven thousand: and the rest became affrighted, and gave glory to the God of the heaven._ The hour of their triumph... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SECOND WOE... — Translate, _The second woe is past_. (Omit the word “and,” which weakens the proclamation.) The eagle flying in mid-heaven had announced the three woe trumpets. A voice now reminds us that two of these had passed, just as at the close of the fifth trumpet a voice proclaimed that... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SEVENTH TRUMPET — THE LAST WOE TRUMPET. (15) AND THE SEVENTH ANGEL... — Better, _And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in the heaven_ (_persons_) _saying, The kingdom of the world is become (the possession) of our Lord, and of His Christ, and He shall reign to the ages of ag... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE FOUR... — Translate, _And the four-and-twenty elders, who before God were seated upon their thrones_ (not “seats”), _fell upon their faces, and worshipped God._ The four-and-twenty elders represent the Church of God in all ages; they sit with Christ in heavenly places, even while they are to... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CHORUS OF THE CHURCH OF GOD. (17) SAYING, WE GIVE THEE THANKS... — Better, “We thank Thee, O Lord, The God, the Almighty, He that is, and He that was, Because Thou hast taken Thy great power and didst reign. And the nations were angry, And then came Thine anger And the season of the dead to be... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE TEMPLE OF GOD... — Translate, _And the temple of God was opened in the heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunders, and an earthquake, and a great hail._ At the beginning of the chapter we noticed the distinction between the... [ Continue Reading ]