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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1721)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>R E V E L A T I O N.</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XI.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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In this chapter we have an account,
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I. Of the measuring--reed given to the apostle, to take the dimensions
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of the temple,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+11:1,2">ver. 1, 2</A>.
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II. Of the two witnesses of God,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+11:3-13">ver. 3-13</A>.
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III. Of the sounding of the seventh trumpet, and what followed upon it,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+11:14-19">ver. 14</A>,
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&c.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Re11_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Re11_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Measuring of the Temple.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT VALIGN=BOTTOM><FONT SIZE=-1>A. D.</FONT> 95.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel
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stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the
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altar, and them that worship therein.
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2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and
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measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy
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city shall they tread under foot forty <I>and</I> two months.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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This prophetical passage about measuring the temple is a plain
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reference to what we find in Ezekiel's vision,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eze+40:3">Ezek. xl. 3</A>,
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&c. But how to understand either the one or the other is not so easy.
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It should seem the design of measuring the temple in the former case
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was in order to the rebuilding of it, and that with advantage; the
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design of this measurement seems to be either,
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1. For the preservation of it in those times of public danger and
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calamity that are here foretold; or,
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2. For its trial; that it may be seen how far it agrees with the
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standard, or pattern, in the mount; or,
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3. For its reformation; that what is redundant, deficient, or changed,
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may be regulated according to the true model. Observe,</P>
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<P>
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I. How much was to be measured.
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1. <I>The temple;</I> the gospel church in general, whether it be so
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built, so constituted, as the gospel rule directs, whether it be too
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narrow or too large, the door too wide or too strait.
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2. <I>The altar.</I> That which was the place of the most solemn acts
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of worship may be put for religious worship in general; whether the
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church has the true altars, both as to substance and situation: as to
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substance, whether they take Christ for their altar, and lay down all
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their offerings there; and in situation, whether the altar be in the
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holiest; that is, whether they worship God in the Spirit and in truth.
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3. The worshippers too must be measured, whether they make God's glory
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their end and his word their rule, in all their acts of worship; and
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whether they come to God with suitable affections, and whether their
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<I>conversation be as becomes the gospel.</I></P>
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<P>
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II. What was not to be measured
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+11:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>),
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and why it should be left out.
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1. What was not to be measured: <I>The court which is without the
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temple measure it not.</I> Some say that Herod, in the additions made
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to the temple, built an outer court, and called it <I>the court of the
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Gentiles.</I> Some tell us that Adrian built the city and an outer
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court, and called it <I>Ælia,</I> and gave it to the Gentiles.
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2. Why was not the outer court measured? This was no part of the
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temple, according to the model either of Solomon or Zerubbabel, and
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therefore God would have no regard to it. He would not mark it out for
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preservation; but as it was designed for the Gentiles, to bring pagan
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ceremonies and customs and to annex them to the gospel churches, so
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Christ abandoned it to them, to be used as they pleased; and both that
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and the city were trodden under foot for a certain time--<I>forty and
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two months,</I> which some would have to be the whole time of the reign
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of antichrist. Those who worship in the outer court are either such as
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worship in a false manner or with hypocritical hearts; and these are
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rejected of God, and will be found among his enemies.
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3. From the whole observe,
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(1.) God will have a temple and an altar in the world, till the end of
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time.
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(2.) He has a strict regard to this temple, and observes how every
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thing is managed in it.
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(3.) Those who worship in the outer court will be rejected, and only
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those who worship within the veil accepted.
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(4.) The holy city, the visible church, is very much trampled upon in
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the world. But,
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(5.) The desolations of the church are for a limited time, and for a
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short time, and she shall be delivered out of all her troubles.</P>
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<A NAME="Re11_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Re11_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Re11_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Re11_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Re11_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Re11_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Re11_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="Re11_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="Re11_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="Re11_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="Re11_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Two Witnesses.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT VALIGN=BOTTOM><FONT SIZE=-1>A. D.</FONT> 95.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>3 And I will give <I>power</I> unto my two witnesses, and they shall
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prophesy a thousand two hundred <I>and</I> threescore days, clothed in
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sackcloth.
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4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks
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standing before the God of the earth.
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5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their
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mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt
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them, he must in this manner be killed.
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6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days
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of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to
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blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they
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will.
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7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast
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that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against
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them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
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8 And their dead bodies <I>shall lie</I> in the street of the great
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city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our
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Lord was crucified.
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9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations
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shall see their dead bodies three days and a half, and shall not
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suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
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10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them,
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and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because
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these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
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11 And after three days and a half the Spirit of life from God
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entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear
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fell upon them which saw them.
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12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them,
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Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and
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their enemies beheld them.
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13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the
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tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of
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men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave
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glory to the God of heaven.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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In this time of treading down, God has reserved to himself his faithful
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witnesses, who will not fail to attest the truth of his word and
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worship, and the excellency of his ways. Here observe,</P>
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<P>
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I. The number of these witnesses: it is but a small number and yet it
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is sufficient.
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1. It is but small. Many will own and acknowledge Christ in times of
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prosperity who will desert and deny him in times of persecution; one
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witness, when the cause is upon trial, is worth many at other times.
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2. It is a sufficient number; for in the mouth of two witnesses every
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cause shall be established. Christ sent out his disciples two by two,
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to preach the gospel. Some think these two witnesses are Enoch and
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Elias, who are to return to the earth for a time: others, the church of
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the believing Jews and that of the Gentiles: it should rather seem that
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they are God's eminent faithful ministers, who shall not only continue
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to profess the Christian religion, but to preach it, in the worst of
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times.</P>
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<P>
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II. The time of their prophesying, or bearing their testimony for
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Christ. <I>A thousand two hundred and threescore days;</I> that is (as
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many think), to the period of the reign of antichrist; and, if the
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beginning of that interval could be ascertained, this number of
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prophetic days, taking a day for a year, would give us a prospect when
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the end shall be.</P>
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<P>
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III. Their habit, and posture: they prophesy in sackcloth, as those
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that are deeply affected with the low and distressed state of the
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churches and interest of Christ in the world.</P>
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<P>
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IV. How they were supported and supplied during the discharge of their
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great and hard work: they stood before the God of the whole earth, and
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he gave them power to prophesy. He made them to be like Zerubbabel and
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Joshua, the two olive-trees and candlestick in the vision of Zechariah,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Zec+4:2"><I>ch.</I> iv. 2</A>,
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&c. God gave them the oil of holy zeal, and courage, and strength, and
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comfort; he made them olive-trees, and their lamps of profession were
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kept burning by the oil of inward gracious principles, which they
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received from God. They had oil not only in their lamps, but in their
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vessels--habits of spiritual life, light, and zeal.</P>
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<P>
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V. Their security and defence during the time of their prophesying:
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<I>If any attempted to hurt them, fire proceeded out of their mouths,
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and devoured them,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+11:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>.
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Some think this alludes to Elias's calling for the fire from heaven, to
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consume the captains and their companies that came to seize him,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+1:12">2 Kings i. 12</A>.
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God promised the prophet Jeremiah
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+5:14"><I>ch.</I> v. 14</A>),
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<I>Behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people
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shall be wood, and it shall devour them.</I> By their praying and
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preaching, and courage in suffering, they shall gall and wound the very
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hearts and consciences of many of their persecutors, who shall go away
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self-condemned, and be even terrors to themselves; like Pashur, at the
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words of the prophet Jeremiah,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+20:4"><I>ch.</I> xx. 4</A>.
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They shall have that free access to God, and that interest in him,
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that, at their prayers, God will inflict plagues and judgments upon
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their enemies, as he did on Pharaoh, <I>turning their rivers into
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blood,</I> and restraining the dews of heaven, shutting heaven up, that
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no rain shall fall for many days, as he did at the prayers of Elias,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+17:1">1 Kings xvii. 1</A>.
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God has ordained his arrows for the persecutors, and is often plaguing
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them while they are persecuting his people; they find it hard work to
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<I>kick against the pricks.</I></P>
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<P>
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VI. The slaying of the witnesses. To make their testimony more strong,
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they must seal it with their blood. Here observe,
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1. The time when they should be killed: <I>When they have finished
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their testimony.</I> They are immortal, they are invulnerable, till
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their work be done. Some think it ought to be rendered, <I>when they
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were about to finish their testimony.</I> When they had prophesied in
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sackcloth the greatest part of the 1260 years, then they should feel
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the last effect of antichristian malice.
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2. The enemy that should overcome and slay them--<I>the beast that
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ascendeth out of the bottomless pit.</I> Antichrist, the great
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instrument of the devil, should make war against them, not only with
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the arms of subtle and sophistical learning, but chiefly with open
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force and violence; and God would permit his enemies to prevail against
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his witnesses for a time.
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3. The barbarous usage of these slain witnesses; the malice of their
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enemies was not satiated with their blood and death, but pursued even
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their dead bodies.
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(1.) They would not allow them a quiet grave; their bodies were cast
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out in the open street, the high street of Babylon, or in the high road
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leading to the city. This city is spiritually called Sodom for
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monstrous wickedness, and Egypt for idolatry and tyranny; and here
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Christ in his mystical body has suffered more than in any place in the
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world.
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(2.) Their dead bodies were insulted by the inhabitants of the earth,
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and their death was a matter of mirth and joy to the antichristian
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world,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+11:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>.
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They were glad to be rid of these witnesses, who by their doctrine and
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example had teased, terrified, and tormented the consciences of their
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enemies; these spiritual weapons cut wicked men to the heart, and fill
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them with the greatest rage and malice against the faithful.</P>
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<P>
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VII. The resurrection of these witnesses, and the consequences thereof.
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Observe,
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1. The time of their rising again; after they had lain dead <I>three
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days and a half</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+11:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>),
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a short time in comparison of that in which they had prophesied. Here
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may be a reference to the resurrection of Christ, who is <I>the
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resurrection and the life. Thy dead men shall live, together with my
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dead body shall they arise.</I> Or there may be a reference to the
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resurrection of Lazarus on the fourth day, when they thought it
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impossible. God's witnesses may be slain, but they shall rise again:
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not in their persons, till the general resurrection, but in their
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successors. God will revive his work, when it seems to be dead in the
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world.
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2. The power by which they were raised: <I>The spirit of life from God
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entered into them, and they stood upon their feet.</I> God put not only
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life, but courage into them. God can make the dry bones to life; it is
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the Spirit of life from God that quickens dead souls, and shall quicken
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the dead bodies of his people, and his dying interest in the world.
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3. The effect of their resurrection upon their enemies: <I>Great fear
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fell upon them.</I> The reviving of God's work and witnesses will
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strike terror into the souls of his enemies. Where there is guilt,
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there is fear; and a persecuting spirit, though cruel, is not a
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courageous, but a cowardly spirit. Herod feared John the Baptist.</P>
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<P>
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VIII. The ascension of the witnesses into heaven and the consequences
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thereof,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+11:12,13"><I>v.</I> 12, 13</A>.
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Observe,
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1. Their ascension. By heaven we may understand either some more
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eminent station in the church, the kingdom of grace in this world, or a
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high place in the kingdom of glory above. The former seems to be the
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meaning: <I>They ascended to heaven in a cloud</I> (in a figurative,
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not in a literal sense) <I>and their enemies saw them.</I> It will be
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no small part of the punishment of persecutors, both in this world and
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at the great day, that they shall see the faithful servants of God
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greatly honoured and advanced. To this honour they did not attempt to
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ascend, till God called them, and said, <I>Come up hither.</I> The
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Lord's witnesses must wait for their advancement, both in the church
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and in heaven, till God calls them; they must not be weary of suffering
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and service, nor too hastily grasp at the reward; but stay till their
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Master calls them, and then they may gladly ascend to him.
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2. The consequences of their ascension--a mighty shock and convulsion
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in the antichristian empire and the fall of <I>a tenth part of the
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city.</I> Some refer this to the beginning of the reformation from
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popery, when many princes and states fell off from their subjection to
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Rome. This great work met with great opposition; all the western world
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felt a great concussion, and the antichristian interest received a
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great blow, and lost a great deal of ground and interest,
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(1.) By the sword of war, which was then drawn; and many of those who
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fought under the banner of antichrist were slain by it.
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(2.) By the sword of the Spirit: <I>The fear of God fell upon many.</I>
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They were convinced of their errors, superstition, and idolatry; and by
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true repentance, and embracing the truth, <I>they gave glory to the God
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of heaven.</I> Thus, when God's work and witnesses revive, the devil's
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work and witnesses fall before him.</P>
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<A NAME="Re11_14"> </A>
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<A NAME="Re11_15"> </A>
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<A NAME="Re11_16"> </A>
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<A NAME="Re11_17"> </A>
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<A NAME="Re11_18"> </A>
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<A NAME="Re11_19"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec3"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Seventh Trumpet.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT VALIGN=BOTTOM><FONT SIZE=-1>A. D.</FONT> 95.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>14 The second woe is past; <I>and,</I> behold, the third woe cometh
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quickly.
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15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices
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in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become <I>the
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kingdoms</I> of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for
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ever and ever.
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16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on
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their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
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17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art,
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and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy
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great power, and hast reigned.
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18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the
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time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou
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shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the
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saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and
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shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
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19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was
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seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were
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lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and
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great hail.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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We have here the sounding of the seventh and last trumpet, which is
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ushered in by the usual warning and demand of attention: <I>The second
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woe is past, and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. Then the
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seventh angel sounded.</I> This had been suspended for some time, till
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the apostle had been made acquainted with some intervening occurrences
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of very great moment, and worthy of his notice and observation. But
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what he before expected he now heard--the seventh angel sounding. Here
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observe the effects and consequences of this trumpet, thus sounded.</P>
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<P>
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I. Here were loud and joyful acclamations of the saints and angels in
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heaven. Observe,
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1. The manner of their adorations: they rose from their seats, <I>and
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fell upon their faces, and worshipped God;</I> they did it with
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reverence and humility.
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2. The matter of their adorations.
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(1.) They thankfully recognize the right of our God and Saviour to rule
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and reign over all the world: <I>The kingdoms of this world have become
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the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+11:15"><I>v.</I> 15</A>.
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They were always so in title, both by creation and purchase.
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(2.) They thankfully observe his actual possession of them, and reign
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over them; they give him thanks because he had taken to him his great
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power, asserted his rights, exerted his power, and so turned title into
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possession.
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(3.) They rejoice that this his reign shall never end: <I>He shall
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reign for ever and ever,</I> till all enemies be put under his feet;
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none shall ever wrest the sceptre out of his hand.</P>
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<P>
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II. Here were angry resentments in the world at these just appearances
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and actings of the power of God
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+11:18"><I>v.</I> 18</A>):
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<I>The nations were angry;</I> not only had been so, but were so still:
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their hearts rose up against God; they met his wrath with their own
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anger. It was a time when God was taking a just revenge upon the
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enemies of his people, recompensing tribulation to those who had
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troubled them. It was a time in which he was beginning to reward his
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people's faithful services and sufferings; and their enemies could not
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bear it, they fretted against God, and so increased their guilt and
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hastened their destruction.</P>
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<P>
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III. Another consequence was the opening of the temple of God in
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heaven. By this may be meant that here is now a more free communication
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between heaven and earth, prayer and praises more freely and frequently
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ascending and graces and blessings plentifully descending. But it
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rather seems to intend the church of God on earth, a heavenly temple.
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It is an allusion to the various circumstances of things in the time of
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the first temple. Under idolatrous and wicked princes, it was shut up
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and neglected; but, under religious and reforming princes, it was
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opened and frequented. So, during the power of antichrist, the temple
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of God seemed to be shut up, and was so in a great degree; but now it
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was opened again. At this opening of it observe,
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1. What was seen there: <I>the ark of God's testament.</I> This was in
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the holy of holies; in this ark the tables of the law were kept. As
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before Josiah's time the law of God had been lost, but was then found,
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so in the reign of antichrist God's law was laid aside, and made void
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by their traditions and decrees; the scriptures were locked up from the
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people, and they must not look into these divine oracles; now they are
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opened, now they are brought to the view of all. This was an
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unspeakable and invaluable privilege; and this, like the ark of the
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testament, was a token of the presence of God returned to his people,
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and his favour towards them in Jesus Christ the propitiation.
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2. What was heard and felt there: <I>Lightnings, voices, thunderings,
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an earthquake, and great hail.</I> The great blessing of the
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reformation was attended with very awful providences; and by terrible
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things in righteousness God would answer those prayers that were
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presented in his holy temple, now opened. All the great revolutions of
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the world are concerted in heaven, and are the answers of the prayers
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of the saints.</P>
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