“1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. 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.” – Revelation 11:1-2

At the end of the ten-part series on Matthew 24 that concluded last week, in Part Ten, we gave this broad, unqualified thumbnail sketch of life in Jerusalem prior to the siege and Israel’s destruction.

As background to this passage in Matthew 24, civil order is falling apart leading up to 70AD. Leader is turning against leader (kingdom) and tribe against tribe (nation). The century-long, openly cozy arrangement between the Sanhedrin civil leadership in Jerusalem and the Caesars of Rome is on shaky ground because Jewish infighting has begun. Many on the ruling council believed on Jesus, and many did not (brother against brother).

The relationship has to fall apart as the Jews rebel against Rome because the Lord of Hosts is bringing judgment. Keep in mind; God needs an army to effect His wrath. That army is Roman; they are the world power at that time; this fits the prophetic judgment practice throughout Scripture. “Great tribulation” was coming. This also fits with the historical accounts and the hyperbolic language patterns of Scripture. Do your research.

Ken Gentry has given a documented and well-qualified thumbnail of events just prior to Rome’s full-scale operations against Jerusalem. Here’s a snip:

In AD 66, after a dreadful period of procuratorial incompetence, Israel revolted against her oppressive Roman governor Gessius Florus. By late October / early November, C. Cestius Gallus (the Roman legate of the Syrian province which included Judaea) led a Roman military force to Jerusalem in an attempt to put down the uprising. He assembled “an army of over thirty thousand men in Antioch—the whole of one of the Syrian legions, XII Fulminata, and vexillations from the others, ten auxiliary units, and large contingents supplied by Agrippa, who led his force in person, and two other client kings, Antiochus IV of Commagene and Sohaemus of Emesa” (M. Smallwood). But after surrounding Jerusalem, he unexpectedly withdrew for reasons that are unclear (J.W. 2:18:9–19:9 §499–555; Tacitus, Hist. 5:10).

The article is about Revelation Chapter 11, in which is the much disagreed upon 42 months of treading by the Gentiles. It’s an interesting primer. Read the rest of the well-documented events and his take on Revelation 11.