What Old Testament passages connect with the measuring in Revelation 11:1? Revelation 11:1 at a Glance “Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, ‘Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers there.’” Why God Measures • Ownership – marking what is His • Protection – distinguishing what will be preserved • Preparation – laying out what will soon be built or restored • Evaluation – testing a people or place against His righteous standard Ezekiel’s Detailed Temple Survey Ezekiel 40–43 is the clearest Old-Testament parallel. • Ezekiel 40:3 – “So he took me there, and I saw a man of bronze standing in the gateway with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand.” • From 40:5 through 42:20 the angel measures the gates, courts, chambers, walls, and finally the altar (43:13-17). • Purpose: to show Israel “the plan” (43:10-11) of a literal future sanctuary, assure them of God’s return, and set holiness boundaries. Parallel to Revelation 11: the same implements (reed/rod), the same focus (temple, altar, inner area), and the same objective (marking out what God will inhabit and protect). Zechariah’s Measuring Line of Safety • v.1-2 – “Then I lifted up my eyes and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand… ‘To measure Jerusalem.’” • v.5 – “ ‘For I will be a wall of fire around her,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will be the glory within her.’” Revelation 11 likewise ties measurement to divine shielding: the inner court is marked; the outer is left exposed to Gentile trampling (v.2). Old-Testament Passages Where Measuring Signals Judgment or Restoration • Isaiah 28:17 – “I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line.” • Amos 7:7-8 – the plumb line set “among My people Israel; I will no longer spare them.” • 2 Kings 21:13 – the measuring line of Samaria stretched over Jerusalem before cleansing judgment. • Lamentations 2:8 – “He stretched out a measuring line and did not withhold His hand from destroying.” • Jeremiah 31:38-40 – after exile, “The measuring line will once again stretch out” to mark rebuilt Jerusalem. The same tool either separates what is spared (Revelation 11:1) or what is judged (v.2). Scripture uses one symbol for both mercy and wrath, determined by covenant faithfulness. Altar Connections • Exodus 30:1-3 – dimensions for the golden altar. • Ezekiel 43:13-17 – the altar’s base, ledges, and horns are measured before God fills the house with glory (43:5). Revelation 11 unites altar and worshipers, underscoring personal consecration, not just architecture. What These Parallels Teach • God literally intends a temple on earth again; the prophetic pattern moves from Solomon’s, to Ezekiel’s future millennial structure, to the tribulation temple John sees. • Measuring defines holy space; those inside are sheltered, those outside face wrath (Revelation 11:2; Zechariah 2:5). • The act reassures believers that—even in global upheaval—God keeps precise, covenantal control of His worship and His people. Key Takeaways • Revelation 11:1 rests squarely on Ezekiel 40-43 and Zechariah 2. • Supplemental texts (Isaiah 28:17; Amos 7; 2 Kings 21; Lamentations 2; Jeremiah 31) show that the measuring line can mark either preservation or purging. • In every age God “measures” to prepare a place for His glory and a people who will worship Him in holiness. |
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