Revelation 11:1.— From this to the nineteenth chapter, we have the third and longest period of this prophesy, distinguished by the seven vials, as the former periods were by seven trumpets, and seven seals. As this is a period much more extensive than either of the foregoing, it seems to have a more full and copious description; and the state of it is represented by several prophetic images; as by measuring the temple; by the prophesy of two witnesses; by the vision of a woman flying into the wilderness; ch. Revelation 11:12 : the representation of one wild beast rising out of the sea, and of another coming out of the earth; ch. 13. So that there are two distinct representations of the state of the church during this period; and another representation of the persecuting power from whence this afflicted state of the church should proceed: and in the end of this, as in each period, we have a representation of the church's deliverance out of its afflicted state. In particular, the afflictions of the church are to end with this period in the most happy and glorious state of peace and prosperity, of truth, purity, and protection; and are not to be renewed in a very short time by a new period of troubles and afflictions to try the faith and patience of the saints, as in the former periods. It appears therefore, that the representation of the two witnesses, of the woman in the wilderness, and of the beast, are several exhibitions of the same time or period, in different views. The time for the witnesses to prophesy in sackcloth, is a thousand two hundred and threescore days, ch. Revelation 11:3. The woman is nourished in her place in the wilderness for a time, and times, and half a time, or three years and a half; equal to one thousand two hundred and sixty days, according to the ancient year of three hundred and sixty days; and so the prophesy itself interprets it, Revelation 11:6. It is further observed concerning the period of the beast, that power was given to him to continue forty and two months, a time equal to three years and a half, or one thousand two hundred and sixty days. These are therefore to be looked upon as different descriptions of the same period, for the more distinct explication of the prophesy, and the greater certainty of its true meaning. The days in question must be interpreted of years, as is not only agreeable to the general style of prophesy, but to the plan of the particular prophesy before us. The order of the prophesies of this book shews, that these one thousand two hundred and sixty days contain the whole time of the third period, or all the time wherein the witnesses prophesy, the woman is in the wilderness, and the beast has power given unto him; that is, all the time of the last state of the church's sufferings, to that glorious state of the church, when Satan shall be shut up in the bottomless pit for a thousand years. In this period the seven vials of God's wrath are to be poured out, and all the historical events that relate to them accomplished. This period is to last till the mystery of God shall be finished: these events are too many, and the times in which they are to be accomplished too long, to be comprised within one thousand two hundred and sixty natural days. The order of the periods shews, that this third is not to begin until the two former are passed; until the nations which had destroyed the Roman empire had divided it among themselves; till the imperial government of Rome was passed away, as the preceding forms of government were before it; and till another form should be established in Rome, which, on some accounts, should be called the seventh; and, on others, the eighth form of government: when Rome, once the powerful mistress of the world, after she had lost her dominion, and, as it seemed, without hope of recovery, should be restored to power and empire again, which was to continue during the one thousand two hundred and sixty days of this period, and then to be utterly overthrown, and never to rise again. Now, as a great variety of concurrent circumstances shew the beginning of this period to have been about the year 756, when the popes were invested with the temporal dominion of Rome, in which only time the several descriptions of this period do all exactly agree, the one thousand two hundred and sixty days of this prophesy are to last so long as this dominion is to continue: which seems evidently to shew, that we are not to understand one thousand two hundred and sixty natural days as the time of this period, but so many prophetic days, or years. See the following notes. See also the Appendix for other views of this subject.
And the angel stood, saying,— That is, the angel mentioned in the foregoing chapter, whom some commentators interpret of Luther. In the former part of this chapter, from the 1st to the 14th verse, says Bishop Newton, are exhibited the contents of the little book mentioned in the preceding chapter. In this verse St. John is commanded to measure the inner court,—the temple of God, &c. to shew, that, during all this period, there were some true Christians who conformed to the rule and measure of God's worship. This measuring might allude more particularly to the reformation from popery, which fell out under this sixth trumpet; and one of the moral causes of it was, the Othmans taking Constantinople, which occasioned the Greek fugitives to bring their books with them into the more western parts of Europe, and proved the happy cause of the revival of learning; as the revival of learning opened men's eyes, and proved the happy occasion of the reformation. But, though the inner court, which includes the smaller number, was measured, yet the outer court, which implies the far greater part, was left out, (Revelation 11:2.) and rejected, as being in the possession of Christians only in name, but Gentiles in worship and practice who profaned it with heathenish superstition and idolatry: And they shall tread under foot the holy city; they shall trample upon and tyrannize over the church for the space of forty and two months.