The Two Witnesses
And Their Fullness
Before entering into the Promised Land, twelve men, one to represent each of the twelve tribes, were sent spy out the Promised Land. Only two returned with a good report: Caleb, from the tribe of Judah, and Joshua, frorn the tribe of Ephraim (Numbers 13:2,6,8).
In the Bible, the first example of two who witnessed to truth of the claims of the Holy One of Israel are of Judah Ephraim. Two witnesses gave a good report about the promises of our God: A Judahite and an Ephraimite.
At the end of our Holy Book, Yeshua says of His two witnesses: "I will grant the power of prophecy to My two witnesses" (Revelation 11:3. TAB)
Two witnesses were anointed to speak for the Holy One of Israel. And Yeshua describes them as, "The two olive trees that stand before the Lord of the earth" (Revelation 11:4).
Also, after seeing two olive trees, Zechariah asked the Holy One, "What are these two olive trees"? And He answered "These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth" (Zechariah 4:11,14, NM)
In the Book of Revelation, the two witnesses are "two lampstands." And, "Lampstands are ... churches" (Revelation 11:3,4; 1:20). And, (true) churches ( ekklesias) are assemblies /congregations of called out ones.
Thus do we see the two witnesses as two congregations of peoples. And, in the last days, Yahveh calls forth two congregations of peoples: They are the "two sticks,. " or olive trees," that He will soon make "one" in His hand (Ezekial 37:15-28). Judah and Ephraim.
Metaphorically, the two witnesses are two anointed Olive trees that speak for the God of Israel. And history proves that, though distorted, for two millennia, two peoples, Jews and Christians, have essentially been proclaiming Yahveh's twin truths of Law and Grace. And soon, Yahveh will make His divided house, His twin branched olive tree, "one stick" in His hand. For Israel will have lived through a time of division. They will have come full circle. Once more, two witnesses will be fully united in their testimony about the promises made by the Holy One of Israel.
And once more, they will be able to take the Land...
The Only Two
Judaism and Christianity are the only two religons on the face of the earth that give testimony about the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."
Those of Islamic faith claim to follow the God of Abraham. However, Abraham's God calls Himself,"The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" (Exodus 3:16; Acts 3:13). Islam denies that Isaac and Jacob are Abraham's heirs. Instead, they claim that Ishmael is Abraham's true heir. Therefore, the Allah (god) of Islam and the God of Abraham cannot be one and the same.
If There Are Two Individuals...
If beyond the two companies of peoples of Ephraim and Judah there are two individual witnesses - Scriptural precedent intimates that one will be an Ephraimite and the other a Judahite. If there are two individual witnesses who will yet rise, then they will lead the two houses of Israel in a war against the Beast. For, it is their war.
The Amplified Bible says of this battle, "But with united forces, Ephraim and Judah will swoop down upon the shoulder of the Philistines land sloping toward the west; together they will strip the people on the east [the Arabs]. They will lay their hand upon Edom and Moab, and the Ammonites shall obey them" (Isaiah 11: 14, TAB).
A Witness Even Unto Death
The word "witness" comes from the Greek martus, from which comes the English word martyr. These witnesses will be such in the fullest sense of the word. They will testify even to the peril of their own lives: "They overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even
to death (Revelation 12: 11).
Judah and Ephraim will yet serve and bring to pass a victory for, Yahveh Tsavaot the LORD of Hosts.
Wanting To Escape With Our Lives
Sadly, many Christians look for escape in a"Pre-Tribulation Rapture." But it is not loving our lives, even unto death, that saints gain "patient endurance" (Revelation 13:10)
The late Corrie Ten Boom, a Christian lady who lost most of her family in the Holocaust - because they stood up for and even hid Jewish people in their home - warned Believers, "The rapture-before-tribulation doctrine is now an exclusivly American message." This woman of truly tested faith warned: "Don't listen to those false prophets...."
Those who preach this theory see themselves as "seperate from Israel." They believe that in the end, "God is dealing with Israel." And since "the Church is supposedly missing after Revelation 3:22, " they surmise that they have been raptured.
However, these same people call themselves the saints of the new covenant - until John speaks of the beast making "war with the saints to overcome them" (Revelations 13:7). The they refuse the title. Then they give it to Jewish Israel, their brother.
But to all who show unfailing allegiance during the end times, there awaits a glorious prize. Those "beheaded because of the testimony of Yeshua and because of the word of God....will be priests of God and of Messiah and will reign with Him."
Yeshua gives these faithful ones favored position because, man can show no greater love than to lay down his life for a friend (Revelations 20:4,6;22:12,John15:13;Luke6:23).
Thus all who see martyrdom as something to be avoided through rapture, slight themselves. Tragically, they focus on momentary earthly affliction rather than transcendent eternal reward.
First They Believe - Then They See
Pre-tribulation Rapture Christians believe they will fly away and that Jewish people will go through the tribulation. And then, the Jewish people will come to believe as the Christians do.
However, if this theory were true, then after the Holocaust, Jews should have become Believers by the droves. But in opposition to this errant "wrath brings conversion" notion, Romans 2:4 tells us that it is the "kindness of God that leads you to repentance."
Further, the idea that Judah will look on Yshua and then believe opposes Scripture. "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem," Yeshua said, "who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! For I say to you, from now on you will not see me until you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord'" (Mat.23:37-39)
Judah will not see Yeshua until they first acknowledge Him as the Blessed One. The plan is: First they believe, then they see. And they will believe when those called a "wild olive branch" fulfill their divine mandate and "provoke then to jealousy." That is the Father's declared plan of salvation for all Israel (Romans 11:1-26), and there is no backup plan.
excerpt from "Who is Israel and Why you Need To Know" - Batya Wooten
And Their Fullness
Before entering into the Promised Land, twelve men, one to represent each of the twelve tribes, were sent spy out the Promised Land. Only two returned with a good report: Caleb, from the tribe of Judah, and Joshua, frorn the tribe of Ephraim (Numbers 13:2,6,8).
In the Bible, the first example of two who witnessed to truth of the claims of the Holy One of Israel are of Judah Ephraim. Two witnesses gave a good report about the promises of our God: A Judahite and an Ephraimite.
At the end of our Holy Book, Yeshua says of His two witnesses: "I will grant the power of prophecy to My two witnesses" (Revelation 11:3. TAB)
Two witnesses were anointed to speak for the Holy One of Israel. And Yeshua describes them as, "The two olive trees that stand before the Lord of the earth" (Revelation 11:4).
Also, after seeing two olive trees, Zechariah asked the Holy One, "What are these two olive trees"? And He answered "These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth" (Zechariah 4:11,14, NM)
In the Book of Revelation, the two witnesses are "two lampstands." And, "Lampstands are ... churches" (Revelation 11:3,4; 1:20). And, (true) churches ( ekklesias) are assemblies /congregations of called out ones.
Thus do we see the two witnesses as two congregations of peoples. And, in the last days, Yahveh calls forth two congregations of peoples: They are the "two sticks,. " or olive trees," that He will soon make "one" in His hand (Ezekial 37:15-28). Judah and Ephraim.
Metaphorically, the two witnesses are two anointed Olive trees that speak for the God of Israel. And history proves that, though distorted, for two millennia, two peoples, Jews and Christians, have essentially been proclaiming Yahveh's twin truths of Law and Grace. And soon, Yahveh will make His divided house, His twin branched olive tree, "one stick" in His hand. For Israel will have lived through a time of division. They will have come full circle. Once more, two witnesses will be fully united in their testimony about the promises made by the Holy One of Israel.
And once more, they will be able to take the Land...
The Only Two
Judaism and Christianity are the only two religons on the face of the earth that give testimony about the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."
Those of Islamic faith claim to follow the God of Abraham. However, Abraham's God calls Himself,"The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" (Exodus 3:16; Acts 3:13). Islam denies that Isaac and Jacob are Abraham's heirs. Instead, they claim that Ishmael is Abraham's true heir. Therefore, the Allah (god) of Islam and the God of Abraham cannot be one and the same.
If There Are Two Individuals...
If beyond the two companies of peoples of Ephraim and Judah there are two individual witnesses - Scriptural precedent intimates that one will be an Ephraimite and the other a Judahite. If there are two individual witnesses who will yet rise, then they will lead the two houses of Israel in a war against the Beast. For, it is their war.
The Amplified Bible says of this battle, "But with united forces, Ephraim and Judah will swoop down upon the shoulder of the Philistines land sloping toward the west; together they will strip the people on the east [the Arabs]. They will lay their hand upon Edom and Moab, and the Ammonites shall obey them" (Isaiah 11: 14, TAB).
A Witness Even Unto Death
The word "witness" comes from the Greek martus, from which comes the English word martyr. These witnesses will be such in the fullest sense of the word. They will testify even to the peril of their own lives: "They overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even
to death (Revelation 12: 11).
Judah and Ephraim will yet serve and bring to pass a victory for, Yahveh Tsavaot the LORD of Hosts.
Wanting To Escape With Our Lives
Sadly, many Christians look for escape in a"Pre-Tribulation Rapture." But it is not loving our lives, even unto death, that saints gain "patient endurance" (Revelation 13:10)
The late Corrie Ten Boom, a Christian lady who lost most of her family in the Holocaust - because they stood up for and even hid Jewish people in their home - warned Believers, "The rapture-before-tribulation doctrine is now an exclusivly American message." This woman of truly tested faith warned: "Don't listen to those false prophets...."
Those who preach this theory see themselves as "seperate from Israel." They believe that in the end, "God is dealing with Israel." And since "the Church is supposedly missing after Revelation 3:22, " they surmise that they have been raptured.
However, these same people call themselves the saints of the new covenant - until John speaks of the beast making "war with the saints to overcome them" (Revelations 13:7). The they refuse the title. Then they give it to Jewish Israel, their brother.
But to all who show unfailing allegiance during the end times, there awaits a glorious prize. Those "beheaded because of the testimony of Yeshua and because of the word of God....will be priests of God and of Messiah and will reign with Him."
Yeshua gives these faithful ones favored position because, man can show no greater love than to lay down his life for a friend (Revelations 20:4,6;22:12,John15:13;Luke6:23).
Thus all who see martyrdom as something to be avoided through rapture, slight themselves. Tragically, they focus on momentary earthly affliction rather than transcendent eternal reward.
First They Believe - Then They See
Pre-tribulation Rapture Christians believe they will fly away and that Jewish people will go through the tribulation. And then, the Jewish people will come to believe as the Christians do.
However, if this theory were true, then after the Holocaust, Jews should have become Believers by the droves. But in opposition to this errant "wrath brings conversion" notion, Romans 2:4 tells us that it is the "kindness of God that leads you to repentance."
Further, the idea that Judah will look on Yshua and then believe opposes Scripture. "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem," Yeshua said, "who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! For I say to you, from now on you will not see me until you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord'" (Mat.23:37-39)
Judah will not see Yeshua until they first acknowledge Him as the Blessed One. The plan is: First they believe, then they see. And they will believe when those called a "wild olive branch" fulfill their divine mandate and "provoke then to jealousy." That is the Father's declared plan of salvation for all Israel (Romans 11:1-26), and there is no backup plan.
excerpt from "Who is Israel and Why you Need To Know" - Batya Wooten