Before the Church can give the last-day witness it first must be judged. The key word today is judgment. The saints who are pressing forward in the Lord are learning of the fiery Nature of God. Their love of the world, the lusts of their flesh, and their personal ambition are being brought up for examination.

The "temple of God" is the Church. The "altar" that is mentioned is the Altar of Incense. The Altar of Incense was the next furnishing after the Lampstand. The Altar of Incense symbolizes the believers who are pressing past Pentecost (the Lampstand) to the place where they are totally consecrated to the Lord (the Altar of Incense). The Temple of God (especially the consecrated saints) is experiencing the judgment of God in our day in preparation for the last great outpouring of the Spirit of God.

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 11:2)

The "court which is without the temple" refers to all of mankind with the exception of the Church and the consecrated saints. God is not ready at this time to judge the world, only those who are close to Him—His witnesses. The witness must be purified and prepared. Many members of mankind will be saved in the future, but in the present hour God's attention is focused on the preparing of His saints to proclaim with power the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.

The treading under foot of the holy city may signify that God will permit Israel once again to suffer problems at the hands of Gentiles.

And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. (Revelation 11:3)

The wording of the verse implies that the two witnesses are already present but now are empowered or authorized to bear witness. Otherwise it would say something like, "and I will raise up two witnesses," or "two witnesses will come from Heaven," or "two witnesses will be raised from the dead."

Given the fact that John was charged to prophesy again, and then the Temple of God and the Altar of Incense were measured, we believe these are the witnesses who were prepared and then empowered to begin their witness.

The "thousand two hundred and threescore days" refers to the first half of the seventieth week of Daniel, the last of the prophesied seventy weeks.

Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. (Daniel 9:24)

The first half of the week will include the latter-rain testimony. The last half of the week has been set aside for the great tribulation and the rulership of Antichrist.

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (Daniel 9:27)

The ceasing of the sacrifice and the oblation refers to the fact that the spiritual darkness will be so heavy the citizens of the cities of the earth will not be able to touch God in prayer or be filled with God's Spirit. This is the hour when no man can work, of which the Lord spoke.

To be continued.