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to see what is the breadth thereof and what is the length thereof. . . . Jerusalem shall be
inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein. For I, saith
the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of
her" (Zech. 2: 1-5).
What is intended of the city here seems to be intended of the temple in Rev. 11: The
passage in Revelation is concerned only with reserving the innermost part of the temple,
the court is cast out and the city is trodden under foot. This emphasizes the fact that the
temple and its worship is to be specially remembered in this section.
There are several passages of O.T. Scripture which refer to the time of trouble that
will overtake the Lord's people, and indicate their place of refuge. Take for example the
following:--
"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of
the Almighty" (Psa. 91: 1).
". . . . to enquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His
pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a
rock" (Psa. 27: 4, 5).
"Thou shalt hide them in the secret of Thy presence from the pride of man: Thou shalt
keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues" (psa. 31: 20).
This secret place, the secret of His tabernacle and presence, seems intended in Rev. 11:
The pride of man reaches its height in the blasphemy of the beast. This period is given as
42 months in 13: 5, which is exactly the same period given for the treading down of the
city in Rev. 11: 2. All except the inner shrine of the temple (naos) is given over to the
Gentiles. But God has reserved His portion. There is a secret place. The sealed 144,000
will find a secure haven from the pride of men and the strife of tongues. The Lord (in
Luke 21: 24) says:--
"Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be
fulfilled."
We will not go into the question as to when these times commenced; it will be
sufficient for us here to state broadly that they commenced with Nebuchadnezzar as the
King of Babylon. Rev. 11: does not speak of the whole Gentile times but only of the final
period of 42 months when blasphemy will reach its height. During this period two
specially equipped witnesses will prophesy:--
"And I will endow My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred
and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth."
This period, given in days, is the same as the 42 months already mentioned. While the
final treading down of the city takes place, the two witnesses prophesy. As a result of
Elijah's prayer the heaven was shut for the same period, three and a half years, so that
there was no rain (Luke 4: 25; James 5: 17). The history of that event and character of
the King should be remembered as a type of the end. Many expositors believe that Elijah
will be one of the two witnesses, and those who argue that as he did not die he must come
back to do so usually take Enoch to be the other witness. Others, by reason of the
transfiguration, prefer Moses and Elijah. The better plan is to abide by the statement of