Even though the dragon will “cast water as a river out of his mouth after the woman” (Rev. 12:15), verse 16 says, “The earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth.” The earth will open and swallow the armies sent by Satan. This means that during those three and a half years there will be many earthquakes. God will use these earthquakes to open the earth to swallow the armies sent by Satan.
Verse 6 says, “The woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place there prepared by God so that they might nourish her there a thousand two hundred and sixty days.” Verse 14 says that the woman will “fly into the wilderness into her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time from the face of the serpent.” After the rapture of the man-child, the woman will be left on earth to suffer persecution (v. 13). However, God will prepare a place to nourish her for “a time and times and half a time,” or “a thousand two hundred and sixty days,” the three and a half years of the great tribulation, after which, God will bring His people into the millennial kingdom. This is similar to the time when Pharaoh persecuted the children of Israel, and then God brought His people into the wilderness, where He nourished them, before bringing them into the good land.
On the one hand, when Antichrist persecutes the Jews and forces them to discontinue their worship of God (13:7; Dan. 7:21; 8:11-12), he will seize control of Jerusalem. On the other hand, God will give Jerusalem over to him, allowing Antichrist to do whatever he desires to the city of Jerusalem. Thus, Jerusalem will be trampled: “There was given to me a reed like a rod, and someone said, Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship in it. And the court which is outside the temple cast out and do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months” (Rev. 11:1-2). A reed is for measuring (21:15; Ezek. 40:3, 5; 42:16-19), whereas a rod implies punishment (Prov. 10:13; Isa. 10:5; 11:4). Hence, a reed like a rod indicates measuring with punishment. To measure is to sanctify, to preserve, and to possess (Num. 35:2, 5; Ezek. 45:1-3; 42:15, 20; 48:8, 12, 15).
The apostle John was told to measure the temple of God and the altar. Undoubtedly, this is the temple and altar in heaven. This measuring indicates that heaven will be preserved from damage. During the three and a half years, heaven will be preserved because Satan will be cast out of heaven and down to the earth. After the man-child has been raptured to heaven, there will no longer be any place for Satan. Therefore, Satan, Antichrist, and the false prophet, a devilish company, will be on earth doing everything possible to corrupt it. “The court which is outside the temple” will be cast out and not measured, because it will be given to the Gentiles, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months (Rev. 11:2). The holy city refers to the earthly Jerusalem (Isa. 52:1; Matt. 27:53).
During the great tribulation, God will send His two witnesses to give testimony on the earth (Rev. 11:3-12). The Bible reveals that what these two witnesses do is just like the deeds of Moses and Elijah (vv. 5-6; Exo. 7:17, 19; 9:14; 11:1; 2 Kings 1:10-12; 1 Kings 17:1). Moses changed water into blood, and Elijah called down fire from heaven. Furthermore, Moses and Elijah appeared before the Lord on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-3). Moses, representing the law, and Elijah, representing the prophets (Luke 16:16), both testify for God. Therefore, the two witnesses of God must be Moses and Elijah.
These two witnesses are the two olive trees, the two lampstands, and the two sons of oil standing before the Lord of the earth (Rev. 11:4; Zech. 4:3, 11-12, 14). Revelation 11:4 says, “These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands which stand before the Lord of the earth.” Olive trees produce oil for lamps, and lampstands give light with the oil of the olive trees. Therefore, Zechariah 4:14 says that they are “the two sons of oil, who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.” The two witnesses are called the sons of oil because they are full of oil; they are full of the Spirit.
Revelation 11:3 says, “I will cause My two witnesses to prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” The thousand two hundred and sixty days are the forty-two months in verse 2, which is the period of time that Antichrist blasphemes God (13:5-6) and persecutes God’s people (12:6, 14). Because the persecution will be so severe, God will send Moses and Elijah who, being full of the Spirit, will speak for God and testify against the evil doings of Antichrist. At the same time, they will strengthen the Jews as well as the saints who are left in the great tribulation. While the two witnesses are strengthening God’s people, an angel will fly in mid-heaven, preaching an eternal gospel (14:6). This gospel, which is different from the gospel of life and the gospel of the kingdom, will charge people to fear God and to worship Him, implying that they should not persecute His people and that they should not worship Antichrist.