Revelation 11:2

The court. In the temple of Herod, which John had known well, there was an inner court divided into the Court of the Women, the Court of Israel, and the Court of the Priests. Beyond these was a great outer court, the Court of the Gentiles. A barrier—a “middle wall of partition” (Eph. 2:14)—divided the outer and inner courts, and no Gentile was allowed to pass the barrier on pain of death (see Vol. V, p. 67). In view of the fact that the court mentioned here is “given unto the Gentiles,” it would appear that John has this great outer court particularly in mind. The court has been regarded as representing this earth in contrast with “the temple of God” in heaven (v. 1).

Leave out. John is to measure none but the worshipers of God, those who have a right to enter within the barrier where Israelites alone could go. Only such can hope to be preserved from the final judgments that fall on the earth.

Given unto the Gentiles. As was true of the Court of the Gentiles in the earthly Temple. Here “Gentiles” may be understood as those who are not worshippers, who have not confessed themselves as belonging to the Israel of God.

The holy city. That is, Jerusalem (Dan. 9:24; cf. Luke 21:20). The giving over of the outer court to the Gentiles involves the downtreading of the Holy City. For the symbolic significance of Jerusalem see below under “tread under foot.”

Tread under foot. The present passage is parallel with the description in Dan. 7:7, 23, which delineates a treading down by the fourth beast (see on Dan. 7:7, 8, 25). Inasmuch as this beast’s activities are directed particularly against the “saints of the most High” (Dan. 7:25), it is not illogical to understand that “the holy city” here represents the people of God.

Forty and two months. This period is clearly identical with the “time and times and the dividing of time” of Dan. 7:25 (see comment there).