Revelation 11:2 Revelation 11:2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. In this verse is contained, first, John’ s prohibition, he might not measure the outward court of the temple. Secondly, the reason, why he was prohibited, for it is given unto the Gentiles. Thirdly, a prophecy adjoined to the reason of John’ s prohibition; And the holy city shall they (viz. the Gentiles) tread under foot forty and two months. First, John’ s prohibition; But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not. Solomon’ s Temple (unto which Christ here alludes) had three courts, the first whereof was called the outward court \ where all the people worshipped \ the second was called the inward court, \ And he brought me into the inner court of the Lord’ s house, etc. where the priests burnt incense upon the altar before the Lord \ when they went into the temple of the Lord. The third was the inmost Court, called the Holy of Holies, the most holy place or house of God \ where the High Priest went in alone once every year, not without blood, etc. He being a type of Jesus Christ. And there was a wall of separation between the sanctuary and the profane place, where the publicans, heathens, even all sorts of profane people, were permitted to come to see, and hear. This court without the tabernacle, sanctuary, and temple, was measured also. \ Five hundred cubits long, and five hundred cubits broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place or court without. By the Court which is without the Temple, in this verse, we may understand any material Court, or external place of separation; for this is but an allusion unto that court without Solomon’ s Temple. And the temple here, which was to be measured, being mystical, and figured forth by that of Solomon’ s, this court which was without the temple, must be understood mystically; to wit, the Papal Gentiles, of whom it is here prophesied, that the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. By these Gentiles we are to understand false Christians, namely, atheists, papists, and all profane and ungodly persons; the unbelieving Jews also, and the unconverted Gentiles likewise; especially the Roman Gentiles, by whom the holy city, Jerusalem, that now is, the churches of saints, that now are, are trodden under foot, as our blessed Saviour foretold his disciples. \ And Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. Therefore, the angel said unto John, leave it out, and measure it not. Thirdly, the prophecy adjoined to the reason of John’ s prohibition. And the holy city shall they -the Roman Gentiles- tread under foot forty and two months. By the holy city here is meant mystical Jerusalem. As the great city of the Roman Church, is called Mystery, Babylon the great, the Mother of Harlots. \ So the holy city of God, his true Church, is mystically called Zion, and Jerusalem, that now is, and is in bondage with her children, \ whilst the holy city is trodden under foot of the Gentiles; that is to say, persecuted, imprisoned, confiscated, banished, and killed by the popes, potentates, emperors, kings and princes of the Gentiles, who have given their kingdom, power, and strength to the Beast, \ and do exercise dominion over the churches, and the people of God, who are the woman in the wilderness and her seed, who have the commandments of God, and the testimony of Jesus. \ The time here numbered, that the holy city (the church and saints of God) shall be trodden under foot by the Horns of the Gentiles; that is, persecuted and killed by the kings of the earth, \ who have given their kingdom, power, and strength to the Beast of the seventh and eighth head, the Pope of Rome, etc. I say the time is forty two prophetical months, which computing thirty prophetical days to a month, are one thousand two hundred and sixty years (a day for a year, and each day for a year, as Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6); so long the two witnesses of Christ prophesy in sackcloth, \ so long the woman shall be fed and preserved in the wilderness, \ and so long the Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit, who shall kill the witnesses, and that did rise out of the sea, and out of the earth, shall continue. \ And power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. All these four prophecies are contemporary, for they all begin and end at one and the same time: Whereof we shall say more in the exposition of the third verse of this chapter. See KNOLLYS: Revelation 11:3