(M53) 1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and one said(148),
Rise, and measure the temple(149) of God, and the altar, and them that
worship(150) therein. 2 And the court which is without the temple(151)
leave without(152), and measure it not; for it hath been given unto the
nations(153): and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two
months.
(M54) 3 And I will give unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a
thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 4 These
are the two olive trees and the two candlesticks(154), standing before the
Lord of the earth. 5 And if any man desireth to hurt them, fire proceedeth
out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies; and if any man shall
desire to hurt them, in this manner must he be killed. 6 These have the
power to shut the heaven, that it rain not during the days of their
prophecy: and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and
to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they shall desire.
(M55) 7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that
cometh up out of the abyss shall make war with them, and overcome them,
and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies(155) _lie_ in the street of the
great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their
Lord was crucified. 9 And from among the peoples and tribes and tongues
and nations do _men_ look upon their dead bodies three days and a half,
and suffer not their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. 10 And they that
dwell on the earth rejoice over them, and make merry; and they shall send
gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwell
on the earth.
(M56) 11 And after the three days and a half the breath of life from God
entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell
upon them that beheld them. 12 And they heard a great voice from heaven
saying unto them, Come up hither. And they went up into heaven in the
cloud; and their enemies beheld them. 13 And in that hour there was a
great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell; and there were
killed in the earthquake seven thousand persons(156): and the rest were
affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
(M57) (14 The second Woe is past: behold, the third Woe cometh quickly.)
(M58) 15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there followed great voices in
heaven, and they said,
The kingdom of the world is become _the kingdom_ of our Lord, and
of his Christ: and he shall reign for ever and ever(157).
(M59) 16 And the four and twenty elders, who sit before God on their
thrones, fell upon their faces and worshipped(158) God, 17 saying,
We give thee thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who art and who
wast; because thou hast taken thy great power, and didst reign. 18
And the nations were wroth, and thy wrath came, and the time of
the dead to be judged, and _the time_ to give their reward to thy
servants(159) the prophets, and to the saints, and to them that
fear thy name, the small and the great; and to destroy them that
destroy the earth.
(M60) 19 And there was opened the temple(160) of God that is in heaven;
and there was seen in his temple(161) the ark of his covenant; and there
followed lightnings, and voices, and thunders, and an earthquake, and
great hail.
4 The Vision of Conflict (The Church‐Historic World‐Conflict of the Evil
against the Just)
(A) The Woman and the Dragon