Revelation 11:1

John is given a reed which is strong enough to be a rod one might use to measure. He is told to measure the "temple of God." The word used here for temple is not hieron, which describes the buildings courts and porches (John 10:23; Matthew 24:1-2), but naos, which is literally the sanctuary. (Matthew 27:51) In the New Testament, the church, or its individual members, are frequently called the sanctuary, or dwelling place, of God. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17; Ephesians 2:21; 1 Peter 2:5; 1 Corinthians 6:16; Revelation 3:12) When one considers earlier references to the Jews as the synagogue of Satan (Revelation 2:9; Revelation 3:9), it is impossible to believe we have here the Jewish temple. Instead, we conclude the Revelation follows the New Testament pattern with the temple being the church. The altar of incense is where the prayers of the saints are offered and the worshipers are faithful members of the church. After referring to Revelation 21:15; Ezekiel 40:5; Ezekiel 42:20 and Ezekiel 2:1, Hendriksen concludes, "that measuring the sanctuary means to set it apart from that which is profane; in order that, thus separated, it may be perfectly safe and protected from all harm."