<p>11:2 <i>But the court which is outside the temple, do not measure it. For it has been given to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months</i>- The holy city Jerusalem to be trampled for 42 months is clearly the equivalent of Lk. 21:24 concerning the events leading up to AD70: &quot;Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled&quot;. The &quot;times of the Gentiles&quot; are therefore the 42 months. &quot;From Spring of 67 to August of 70, the time of formal imperial engagement against Jerusalem is a period of 42 months&quot;. John &quot;measures&quot; the inner temple, altar and worshippers - for protection (Ez. 22:26; Zech. 2:1-5). Thus the external temple perishes but the spiritual reality- the true worshippers, the new Israel- are preserved. This is what happened in AD70.</p><p>&quot;The holy city&quot; is one of a series of allusions in this section to the crucifixion, for this same phrase is used about Jerusalem in the context of the crucifixion (Mt. 27:53). The prophecies of persecution in Revelation are shot through with references to the crucifixion; to encourage the people of God that in those persecutions they are in fact sharing in the sufferings of Christ, and will surely likewise share in His resurrection and eternal life. This theme will have especial reference to those who endure the final tribulation- for they are the generation who perhaps will never taste death and will move directly from sharing His crucifixion sufferings to sharing His resurrection glory and eternal life. Rev. 4:4,10; 5:6,8,14 associate the 24 elders falling down in worship with what happened when Christ died and / or ascended to Heaven; but here, that is said to happen during the time of tribulation (:16). The dead bodies lying in the streets of Jerusalem (:8) recalls Mt. 27:52. The description of Jerusalem as Sodom And Egypt both OT descriptions of Jerusalem in apostasy seems almost angry; exactly because the reference is to Jerusalem being the city which killed Jesus (Mt. 23:37). The dead bodies being on display (:9) is apparently what happened in Mt. 27:52- the graves in Jerusalem opened in the earthquake at the death of Christ with the corpses as it were on display, and the bodies arose out of them at His resurrection. Not suffering bodies to be put in graves (:9) is language associated with crucifixion victims, whose bodies were usually cast out from Golgotha into Gehenna. The suffering believers are thereby likened to crucifixion victims. Death for three days (:9) is the same period Jesus lay dead. A case can even be made that He was dead three and a half days rather than 72 hours. &quot;Great fear fell upon&quot; (:11) the persecutors of the saints just as it did upon those who witnessed the resurrection of the crucified Christ (Mt. 27:54; 28:4). Ascension to Heaven in a cloud (:12) evidently recalls that of the Lord Jesus; the earthquake of :13 recalls that of Mt. 27:54. The temple being opened in :19 clearly refers to the veil being rent at the crucifixion (Mt. 27:51). These connections aren't neatly chronological; the point is that the lives of the suffering believers were connected with the sufferings of Christ in various ways and times. Their suffering was riddled with connection and allusion to the crucifixion sufferings of Jesus, just as our lives are, as like Paul we seek to fill up what is lacking in us of the crucifixion sufferings of Jesus. The connection between the sufferings of the last days and the crucifixion sufferings of the Lord are made apparent especially in Mk. 13. &quot;It is done&quot; (16:17) sounds very much like &quot;It is finished&quot;. The Olivet prophecy as recorded in Mark 13 has many allusions to the sufferings of our Lord, thereby suggesting that our sufferings during the coming tribulation will make us fellowship the cross as never before. The whole idea of darkness, earthquake, open graves, rocks shaking etc, which we read of in the Olivet and other last day prophecies is evidently the language of the crucifixion. The description of suffering before &quot;the end&quot; comes (Mk. 13:7,13; Mt. 24:14) invites connection with Christ's death also being described as &quot;the end&quot;, coming as it did after a period of suffering (Mt. 26:58; Lk. 22:37; Jn. 13:1). This connection is strengthened by the way in which each record of the Olivet prophecy leads straight on into the sufferings of the Lord Jesus. Mt. 24:13 commends those who endure to the end- of the great tribulation. The same word occurs in Heb. 12:2,3 about Christ enduring the cross- we fellowship the cross during the last day tribulation. The word in Mt. 24:29 for &ldquo;the tribulation&rdquo; is used in Col. 1:24 about the afflictions of Christ. The tribulation will enable those who endure it to fellowship the Lord's crucifixion sufferings, that they might immediately share His resurrection life at His return. This will be especially relevant to Jews under persecution, who will have to come to repentance regarding His crucifixion:</p><table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0>    <tbody>        <tr>            <td width=256 valign=top>            <p>            &quot; They shall deliver you up to the councils...</p>            </td>            <td width=256 valign=top>            <p>As Christ to the Sanhedrin</p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=256 valign=top>            <p>beaten...</p>            </td>            <td width=256 valign=top>            <p>Christ buffeted</p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=256 valign=top>            <p>rulers and kings for a testimony...</p>            </td>            <td width=256 valign=top>            <p>Chief priests, Herod, Pilate</p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=256 valign=top>            <p>brother shall betray the brother...</p>            </td>            <td width=256 valign=top>            <p>Judas; Peter's denial?</p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=256 valign=top>            <p>turn back to take up his garment...</p>            </td>            <td width=256 valign=top>            <p>John Mark's linen garment</p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=256 valign=top>            <p>false Christs...</p>            </td>            <td width=256 valign=top>            <p>Barabbas</p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=256 valign=top>            <p>the sun shall be darkened...</p>            </td>            <td width=256 valign=top>            <p>As at the crucifixion</p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=256 valign=top>            <p>watch and pray...</p>            </td>            <td width=256 valign=top>            <p>&quot; Watch with me&rdquo;; Gethsemane</p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=256 valign=top>            <p>at even...</p>            </td>            <td width=256 valign=top>            <p>Last Supper</p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=256 valign=top>            <p>at midnight...</p>            </td>            <td width=256 valign=top>            <p>Gethsemane</p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=256 valign=top>            <p>at the cock crowing...</p>            </td>            <td width=256 valign=top>            <p>Peter's denials</p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=256 valign=top>            <p>in the morning...</p>            </td>            <td width=256 valign=top>            <p>Trial and crucifixion</p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=256 valign=top>            <p>find you sleeping&quot;</p>            </td>            <td width=256 valign=top>            <p>Disciples in Gethsemane</p>            </td>        </tr>    </tbody></table>