geneva - 11

geneva@Revelation:11:1 @ And there (note:)The authority of the intended revelation being declared, together with the necessity of that calling which was particularly imposed on John after which follows the history of the estate of Christ his Church, both conflicting or warring, and overcoming in Christ. For the true Church of Christ is said to fight against that which is falsely so called, over which Antichrist rules, Christ Jesus overthrowing Antichrist by the spirit of his mouth: and Christ is said to overcome most gloriously until he shall slay Antichrist by the appearance of his coming, as the apostle teaches in (2Th_2:8). So this history has two parts: One of the state of the Church conflicting with temptations until Chapter 16. The other of the state of the same church obtaining victory, thence to Chapter 20. The first part has two sections most conveniently distributed into their times, of which the first contains a history of the Christian Church for 1260 years, what time the gospel of Christ was as it were taken up from among men into heaven: the second contains a history of the same Church to the victory perfected. These two sections are briefly, though distinctly propounded in this chapter, but both of them are discoursed after in due order. For we understand the state of the Church conflicting, out of Chapters 12 and 13, and of the same growing out of afflictions, out of Chapters 14 to 16. Neither did John unknowingly join together the history of these two times in this chapter, because here is spoken of prophecy, which all confess to be but one just and immutable in the Church, and which Christ commanded to be continual. The history of the former time reaches to (Rev_11:2-14), the latter is set down in the rest of this chapter (Rev_11:15-19). In the former are shown these things: the calling of the servants of God in (Rev_11:4) the conflicts which the faithful must undergo in their calling, for Christ and his Church, thence to (Rev_11:5-10) and their resurrection, and receiving up into heaven to (Rev_11:11-14). In the calling of the servants of God, two things are mentioned: the begetting and settling of the Church in two verses, and the education of it in two verses. The begetting of the Church is here commended to John by sign and by speech: the sign is a measuring rod, and the speech a commandment to measure the Temple of God, that is, to reduce the same to a new form: because the Gentiles are already entered into the Temple of Jerusalem, and shall shortly defile and overthrow it completely.(:note) was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and Either that of Jerusalem's, which was a figure of the Church of Christ, or that heavenly model in (Rev_11:19) but I like the first better, and the things following all agree to it. The sense therefore is, you see all things in God's house, almost from the passion of Christ, to be disordered: and not only the city of Jerusalem, but also the court of the Temple is trampled under foot by the nations, and by profane men whether Jews or strangers: and that only this Temple, that is, the body of the Temple, with the altar, and a small company of good men who truly worship God, do now remain, whom God sanctifies and confirms by his presence. Measure therefore this, even this true Church, or rather the true type of the true Church, omitting the rest, and so describe all things from me, that the true Church of Christ may be as it were a very little centre, and the Church of Antichrist as the circle of the centre, every way in length and breadth compassing about the same, that by way of prophecy you may so declare openly, that the state of the Temple of God, and the faithful who worship him, that is, of the Church, is much more upright than the Church of Antichrist. measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.

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geneva@Revelation:11:3 @ And (note:)I would rather translate it «illud» than «illam» the temple than the city: for God says, I will give that temple, and commit it to my two witnesses, that is, to the ministers of the word, who are few indeed, weak and contemptible: but yet two, that is, of such a number as one of them may help another, and one confirm the testimony of another to all men, that from the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be made good among men; (2Co_13:1).(:note) I will give [power] unto my two witnesses, and they shall They will exercise their office enjoined by me by the space of those 1260 years, in the midst of afflictions though never so lamentable, which is figuratively shown by the mourning garment. prophesy a thousand two hundred [and] threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

geneva@Revelation:11:4 @ These (note:)That is, the ordinary and perpetual instruments of spiritual grace, peace and light in my Church, which God by his only power preserved in this Temple. See (Zec_4:3).(:note) are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

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geneva@Revelation:11:6 @ These haue power to shut heauen, that it raine not in the dayes of their prophecying, and haue power ouer waters to turne them into blood, and to smite the earth with all maner plagues, as often as they will.

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geneva@Revelation:11:8 @ And their dead bodies [shall lie] in the (note:)That is, openly at Rome: where at that time was a most great crowd of people, the year of Jubile being then first ordained by Boniface to the same end, in the year 1300, an example of which is read in chapter 1 «Extra, de poenitentys strkjv@066:011:008 And their corpses shall lie in the streetes of the great citie, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where our Lord also was crucified. amp; remissionibus.» So by one act he committed two wrongs against Christ, both abolishing his truth by restoring the type of the Jubile, and triumphing over his members by wicked superstition. O religious heart! Now that we should understand the things of Rome, John himself is the author, both after in the seventeenth chapter almost throughout, and also in the restriction now next following, when he says, it is that great city (as he calls it) (Rev_17:18) and is spiritually termed Sodom and Egypt: and that spiritually (for that must here again be repeated from before) Christ was there crucified. For the two first names signify spiritual wickednesses: the latter signifies the show and pretence of good, that is, of Christian and sound religion. Sodom signifies most licentious impiety and in the most confident glorying of that city, as it were in true religion, being yet full of falsehood and ungodliness. Now who is ignorant that these things do rather, and better fit Rome, than any other city? The commendations of the city of Rome for many years past, are publicly notorious, which are not for me to gather together. This only I will say, that he long since did very well see what Rome is, who upon leaving, used these verses: «Roma vale, vidi, Satis est vidisse: revertar, Quumleno, meretrix, scurra, cinadus ero.» «Now farewell Rome, I have seen thee, it was enough to see: I will return when as I mean, bawd, harlot knave to be»(:note) street of the great city, which After a more secret type of meaning and understanding. spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, Namely in his parts, as also he said to Saul in (Act_9:5) where also our Lord was crucified.

geneva@Revelation:11:9 @ And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies (note:)That is, for three years and a half: for so many years Boniface lived after his Jubile, as Bergomensis witnesses.(:note) three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.

geneva@Revelation:11:10 @ And they that dwell upon the earth (note:)So much the more shall they by this occasion exercise the hilarity of their Jubile.(:note) shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets The gospel of Christ is the affliction of the world, and the ministry of it, the savour of death to death, to those that perish, (2Co_2:16). tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

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geneva@Revelation:11:12 @ And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, (note:)They were called by God into heaven, and taken out of this wicked world, into the heavenly Church, which also lies hidden here in the earth, to exercise their calling secretly: of whom this wretched world was unworthy; (Heb_11:38). For the church of the wicked is by comparison called the earth, or the world: and the Church of the godly, heaven. As it was in ancient times among the godly Israelites: so among the Jews in the days of Manasseh and other kings, when the earth refused the heirs of heaven, we read that they lay hidden as heaven in the earth.(:note) Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; Yet they could not hinder the secret ones of the Lord (as the Psalmist called them) (Psa_83:3) but they prospered in his work. and their enemies beheld them.

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geneva@Revelation:11:17 @ Saying, We giue thee thankes, Lorde God almightie, Which art, and Which wast, and Which art to come: for thou hast receiued thy great might, and hast obteined thy kingdome.

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geneva@Revelation:11:19 @ And the temple of God was (note:)This is the confirmation of the next prophecy before going by signs exhibited in heaven, and that of two sorts, of which some are visible, as the passing away of the heaven, the opening of the temple, the ark of the covenant appearing in the temple, and testifying the glorious presence of God, and the lightning: others apprehended by ear and feeling, which bear witness in heaven and earth to the truth of the judgments of God.(:note) opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

Revelation 11