Rev 11.1-19 tells us that John is told to measure the Temple and the altar in Jerusalem; the outer court of the Temple; the ministry of the Two Witnesses and their death; their resurrection; the seventh shofar sounds; the twenty-four elders worship Yehovah; the Temple in heaven is opened.
v 1…And there was given me a measuring rod like a staff (speaks of authority) and someone said, “Rise and measure (“measuring” speaks of judgment-2 Kings 21.12-14; Isa 34.11; Lam 2.8 or preservation-Ezek 40.3 to 48.35; Zech 2.1-5) the temple of God (the word here in Greek is “naon” meaning the Sanctuary, the Holy Place in particular. The Greek “hieron” refers to the temple in general. The temple here is referring to the physical temple), and the altar (the altar of incense located in the Holy Place and speaks of true worship and prayer) and those who worship in it (spiritually measuring the Temple, meaning to study it in contrast to what the False Messiah will be saying about, which is it needs to be done away with.).
v 2…And leave out (of the measurement of judgment) the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations (this area was never measured when measuring the Temple. The False Messiah and his followers will be against the Torah, or “anomos”), and they will tread underfoot (idiom for “not respecting”) the holy city for 42 months (42 is the number of transition in the Scriptures. Israel moved 42 times in the wilderness, there are 42 generations between Adam and Yeshua. This is referring to the last three and half years of the Birth-pains).
v 3… And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1260 days (the first half of the Birth-pains, from Yom Kippur and Tishri 10, the first day of the Birth-pains to Nisan 10 of the fourth year of the Birth-pains, contrasting the truth of the Torah and the Temple against what the False Messiah and the False Prophet will be saying about it), clothed in sackcloth (referring to their prophetic office. They will stand in the way of any takeover of Jerusalem).”
v 4…These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands (menorah’s) that stand before the Lord of the earth (this alludes to Zech 4.1-14. The lampstand in Zechariah represents Israel, and it is the same here. The two witnesses have an impact on the amount of light that descends from above to the earth to the menorah, or Israel. The two witnesses will not be Moses, Elijah or Enoch. These witnesses will be two men anointed by God in the spirit and power of Moses and Elijah like John the Baptist came in the spirit and power of Elijah-Luke 1.17. They will represent the Law and the Prophets. The two menorah’s speak of the heavenly and the earthly).
v 5… And if any one desires to harm them, fire proceeds out of their mouth (alluding to Elijah and the prophets of Baal) and devours their enemies (their inspired pronouncements of judgment come to pass); and if anyone would desire to harm them, in this manner (in like manner-Rev 13.10) he must be killed.
v 6…These have the power to shut up the sky, in order that rain may not fall during the days of their prophesying (rain here refers to spiritual truth and physical provision as discussed above. Rain is God’s blessing, both spiritual and physical); and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and smite the earth with every plague, as often as they desire (this alludes to the signs of Moses in Egypt. Moses and Elijah personified the Law and the Prophets in Hebrew thought, and the two witnesses at a Jewish wedding. The battle in the Tribulation will be over whether one believes in Yeshua follows the Torah or not).
v 7… And when they have finished their testimony (that Yeshua is the Messiah and that people should be Torah observant-Rev 12.17), the beast that comes up out of the abyss (the false messiah has not been mentioned yet, but this is the same beast of Dan 7.3-11 and Rev 13.1; 17.8) will make war with them (Dan 7.21), and overcome them and kill them (at the exact half-way point of the Birth-pains, on Nisan 10 of the fourth year).
v 8…And their dead bodies will lie in the street (literally “broad place” meaning the temple mount) of the great city which is mystically called Sodom (Isa 1.10; 3.9; Isa 58.6; Ezek 16.48-50) and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified (apostate Jerusalem).
v 9…And those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations (those who hold possession of Jerusalem that have moved into the city with the false messiah after Russia was defeated 6 months earlier) will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days (from Nisan 10 till noon of Nisan 14 and Passover), and will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb (this is against Jewish law).
v 10… And those who dwell on the earth (can be translated “land” meaning the land of Israel) will rejoice over them and make merry; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth (they have refused to listen to the truth and God withheld his mercy. This was prophesied for the last days and God turned them over to their own desires so that they should believe a lie-2 Thes 2.10-12).
v 11…And after three and a half days (from Nisan 10, this is Passover, Nisan 14, at noon. Passover is the only festival that begins at noon with certain ceremonies. Two loaves are put into the Royal Stoa. One is removed at about 9 am, and the the other is removed at noon. This may be to remind the people to remove the leaven their homes) the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were beholding them.
v 12…And they heard a loud voice from heaven (called the “bat kol” meaning the “daughter of the voice”) saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in the cloud (the cloud is associated with the Shekinah of God and it is similar to when Yeshua ascended into heaven in Acts 1.9-11) and their enemies beheld them.
v 13…And in that hour there was a great earthquake (to “shake” the people. This is similar to another earthquake in Matt 27.51-53 when Yeshua died on Passover. The veil to the sanctuary of the temple was torn and in v 19 coming up we see the temple of God in heaven is opened) and a tenth (the number of judgment) of the city fell; and seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest (the remnant, survivors of the Jewish people there) were terrified and gave glory to the God of Heaven.
v 14…The second woe (lamentation) is past; behold; the third woe (lamentation) is coming quickly (after Satan is expelled from heaven-Rev 12.12).
v 15…And the seventh angel sounded; and there arose loud voices in heaven saying, “The kingdoms (plural) of the world has become the kingdom (singular, unity) of our Lord and of his Christ; and he will reign forever and ever (this alludes to Dan 2.44).”
v 16…And the 24 elders who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshipped God,
v 17… saying, “We give you thanks (for answering our prayer), O Lord God, the Almighty), who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and has begun to reign.
v 18…And the nations were enraged (Psa 99.1-man in conflict with God) and your wrath came and the time came for the dead to be judged (starting with the second coming of Yeshua), and the time came to give rewards to they bond-servants the prophets and to the saints (the tzaddikim) and to those who fear your name, the small (spiritual babes) and the great (the mature) and to destroy those who destroy the earth (retribution in kind).
v 19… And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened (meaning a deeper insight is coming) and the ark of his covenant appeared in his temple (Yeshua and his Torah will be clearly seen), and there were flashes of lightning (truth and illumination) and sounds (voices) and peals of thunder and an earthquake (upheaval to shake the people) and a great hailstorm (hard truth to break self-righteousness).
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