The Two Witnesses.

[Marilyn C]

THE 2 WITNESSES (Rev. 11: 1 - 14)

In Revelation Ch. 10 we saw the Lord Jesus Christ telling the Apostle John to prophecy again, to speak forth what is about to happen.

`You must prophecy again about many peoples, nations, tongues & kings.`
(Rev. 10: 11)


Now in Ch. 11 we are shown the details of this prophecy to `many peoples, nations, tongues & kings.` The first people that Christ deals with are those in Israel who are looking for their Messiah to come. They are the ones who worship in the temple.

The angel (Christ) stood saying,
“Rise & measure the temple of God,
the altar & those who worship there.”
(Rev. 11: 1)


Then Christ allocates the Gentile nations of the world a specific time for them to rule over Jerusalem. They are given 42 months which is the last 3 ½ years of the tribulation before He comes & judges them as to how they have treated His people.

“ But leave out the court which is outside the temple,
& do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles.
And they will tread the holy city underfoot for 42 months.”
(Rev. 11: 2)


Then Christ declares that He will give power to 2 men who will witness of Him to Israel & to the world of His coming kingdom. Their time is 1260 days.

`I will give power to My two witnesses,
& they will prophesy one thousand two hundred & sixty days,
clothed in sackcloth.`
(Rev. 11: 3)

These two times, 42 months & 1260 days indicate to us 3 ½ years of 30 day months.


1260 days, divided by 30 days = 42 months.
42 months, divided by 12 months = 3 ½ years (of 30 day months)


This is God`s measurement of the tribulation, the fulfilling of the Sabbath years of rest for the land & the chastisement of the people. Most of the 490 years (70 x 7 years) has been completed, with only 7 years of the tribulation to be finished.
(Dan. 9: 24 – 27)

 

[Marilyn C]

ANOINTED ONES

These 2 men, Christ`s Witnesses, are represented by olive trees & lampstands.

` These are the 2 olive trees & the 2 lampstands
standing before the God of the earth.`
(Rev. 11: 4)

These symbols are explained to us in Zechariah Ch. 4. The lampstands represent the anointing Spirit of God, while the 2 olive trees are the 2 anointed ones.


`Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,....` (Zech. 4: 6)
`These are the two anointed ones who stand besides the Lord of the whole earth.` (Zech. 4: 14)

These anointed ones, (like Zerubbabel, the King & Joshua, the High Priest) are preparing
for the Lord who is to come, the glorious one who shall be a priest on His throne: a King Priest. They bear witness to the two anointed offices of Christ`s Kinghood & Priesthood.

`He shall sit & rule on His throne;
So He shall be a Priest on His throne,
And the counsel of peace shall be between them.`
(Zech. 6: 13)


We have been told in God`s word who these 2 men are. They are Moses & Elijah. They witnessed Christ`s transfiguration where He told them of His soon departure from the earth. They were also at the tomb & witnessed Christ`s resurrection, & later ascension
into glory.


Mount Transfiguration - `behold 2 men talked with Him (Christ), who were Moses & Elijah,....`
(Luke 9: 30)

The Tomb - `behold, 2 men stood by them in shining garments.` (Luke 24: 4)


The Ascension - `while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up,
Behold, 2 men stood by them in white apparel,` (Acts 1: 10)



Thus we see these same 2 men now appearing to Israel during the second half of the tribulation witnessing of Christ, not only as their soon coming King but also as their High Priest, the one who gave His life for them, & arose victorious over sin & death.

 

[Marilyn C]

GIVEN POWER

God gives the 2 men, God`s Witnesses, Moses & Elijah great power. This is the same power He gave them when they were on earth previously.


`And I will give power to my 2 witnesses,......
If anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth & devours their enemies....
These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls....
& they have power over waters to turn them to blood, & to strike the earth with all plagues.....`
(Rev. 11: 3 – 6)


After 1260 days (3 ½ years) the 2 witnesses are overcome by Satan & their dead bodies lie in Jerusalem for 3 ½ days.

`When they finish their testimony,
the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them,
overcome them, & kill them.
And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city
which spiritually is called Sodom & Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.`
(Rev. 11: 7 & 8)



People from all over the world will be able to see their dead bodies (through the use of technology). They will rejoice because the 2 prophets tormented them..

`Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues & nations
will see their dead bodies three & a half days,
& not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves.
And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them,
make merry, & send gifts to one another,
because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.`
(Rev. 11: 9 & 10)


But after 3 ½ days the 2 Witnesses come alive & ascend into heaven in the presence of their enemies.

`Now after the three & a half days the breath of life from God entered them,
& they stood on their feet, & great fear fell on those who saw them.
And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them,
“Come up here.”
And they ascended to heaven in a cloud & their enemies saw them.`
(Rev. 11: 11 & 12)


In that very hour God caused a great earthquake & a tenth of Jerusalem fell killing seven thousand people. People were afraid & realised that they were under God`s judgment.

`In the same hour there was a great earthquake,
& a tenth of the city fell.
In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed,
& the rest were afraid & gave glory to the God of heaven.`
(Rev.11:13)

 

[kaijo]

Interesting. Tho imo, if the 2 witnesses are indeed men, i would say that these 2 would be Enoch and Elijah. For Hebrews 9:27 states "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment". If Moses were to be one of the 2 witnesses that would mean he would experience death twice. Whereas the only 2 men favored by God that I am aware of who have yet to experience death are Enoch and Elijah. This is just my opinion.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Why cant they be two ordinary believers that receive an extraordinary anointing?

 

[Marilyn C]

Interesting. Tho imo, if the 2 witnesses are indeed men, i would say that these 2 would be Enoch and Elijah. For Hebrews 9:27 states "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment". If Moses were to be one of the 2 witnesses that would mean he would experience death twice. Whereas the only 2 men favored by God that I am aware of who have yet to experience death are Enoch and Elijah. This is just my opinion.

Hi kaijo,

Thank you for your interest. I can see why you would think that. Now have you considered that Moses was not found, as God took him. And that Moses could speak of the Lord being a witness to what happened to him whereas Enoch could not witness of that.

 

[Marilyn C]

Why cant they be two ordinary believers that receive an extraordinary anointing?

Hi carl,

Thank you also for being interested here. Yes that is a thought, however as we are told these 2 men are WITNESSES, they would have had to be actual witnesses of the Lord, to tell others.

 

[honey badger]

the two witnesses take on a myriad of forms ...

 

[Carl Emerson]

There are those among us that have seen Jesus - I know this is controversial but it is also a fact.

 

[garee]

I think the two witnesses of God are not the witness of literal men but men used to represent the unseen witness of faith .The law and the prophets signified by Moses and Elias. The gospel witness

 

[Carl Emerson]

I think the two witnesses of God are not the witness of literal men but men used to represent the unseen witness of faith .The law and the prophets signified by Moses and Elias. The gospel witness

Sorry I don't have a clue what you mean...

 

[garee]

Sorry I don't have a clue what you mean...

Thanks I can try. Sorry in advance for the length and bad grammar.

The bible uses the witness of God unseen separate from the witness of men seen saying the witness of God is the greater. That witness is Christ's faith that works in us to both will and empower us to do His good pleasure .

In that way its not literal flesh and blood men killed. . but the gospel that will be silenced. The gospel, all things written in the law and the prophets are two laws of God working together as the perfect law of God.

The law is represented by Moses as to its letter "death" it kills . And the prophets signified by Elijah the unseen law of faith as the the power of the gospel it heals and creates anew..The two must be mixed

The just (the letter), and the justifier. (the work of faith or called a labor of His love. Those two working as one perfect law.

Peter who was not walking by the faith of Christ that works in the believer as the law of faith looked to the temporal as that seen, as if it was literal flesh and blood Moses and Elijah.

Matthew 17 King James Version (KJV) And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead. And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.
But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

John the Baptist the prophets, the law of faith.

Peter repeatedly did not walk by faith in that way but rather looked to the things seen the temporal .Right after being reinstated having fallen from faith he started a oral traditions as a law of the fathers(not our one father in heaven) saying John would not die. Jesus did the work of dispelling that lie and declared if every time he worked to dispel those kind of ideas we would need a bigger world to store the books which could of been written .

Peter was not walking or understanding by the unseen power of faith as a law which is accredited to the prophets as words our father put on their lips.

 

[Victor in Christ]

Its a very interesting study, but we can become bogged down if we allow our minds to be wrapped up in it. We should grow as Christians and try our best to be effective witnesses for Christ.

We'll know when we get to heaven and meet Christ face to face.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Hi carl,

Thank you also for being interested here. Yes that is a thought, however as we are told these 2 men are WITNESSES, they would have had to be actual witnesses of the Lord, to tell others.

The Scripture says we have the nature of Elijah but it is my view that the church is currently severely disempowered so the Glory of God in works of power is generally not seen.

As He again breathes upon the church - I would not be at all surprised if two humble unknowns step into the breach like David's. After all it is all about Him - not us.

 

[Marilyn C]

the two witnesses take on a myriad of forms ...

Not by what God`s word says. These two witnesses witnessed of the Lord and thus will be able truthfully to witness of Him.

 

[Marilyn C]

There are those among us that have seen Jesus - I know this is controversial but it is also a fact.

However, Carl, we have not witnessed Him telling us of His coming death, (as on Mount transfiguration) or seen His empty tomb or watched Him ascend into heaven.

 

[Marilyn C]

I think the two witnesses of God are not the witness of literal men but men used to represent the unseen witness of faith .The law and the prophets signified by Moses and Elias. The gospel witness

The gospel, good news of the coming king over His kingdom through Israel on the earth.

 

[Marilyn C]

Its a very interesting study, but we can become bogged down if we allow our minds to be wrapped up in it. We should grow as Christians and try our best to be effective witnesses for Christ.

We'll know when we get to heaven and meet Christ face to face.

Yes not to get bogged down however to appreciate that God has written things for our understanding of His character, that He would have prepared these two witnesses to witness of His Son to Israel (& others). How merciful and great is our God.

 

[Marilyn C]

The Scripture says we have the nature of Elijah but it is my view that the church is currently severely disempowered so the Glory of God in works of power is generally not seen.

As He again breathes upon the church - I would not be at all surprised if two humble unknowns step into the breach like David's. After all it is all about Him - not us.

Yes all about the Lord, I agree. However I do believe the Head of His Body is quite capable and is doing a wonderful work that we do not see it all. People tend to look to man`s religious system as an indicator of how well the Lord is doing. Nonsense.

The Lord has been building His Body over the centuries and across the world. Who are we to think we can see every person all over the world and what God is doing in their lives. We have been tricked to expect `revival` of man`s religious meetings. Not going to happen. The Lord is doing a wonderful work in people`s lives and I believe Him when he said He would build and mature His church, His Body.

 

[honey badger]

Not by what God`s word says. These two witnesses witnessed of the Lord and thus will be able truthfully to witness of Him.

i can see these two witnesses in the very first verse of Genesis .....