Who are the "two witnesses" in Revelation 11:3-6 ?

Douggg

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That says nothing about them being the two witnesses of Revelation
Revelation 11:3
And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

That is 2300 years
1260 days. Then the two witnesses will lie dead in the streets of Jerusalem 3 1/2 days. And then ascend to heaven as everyone watches.
 
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Gregory Thompson

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Moses, Elijah and Enoch are the most likely candidates for Revelation's two witnesses, with most scholars believing the two witnesses are Moses and Elijah. In Matthew 17, when Jesus took Peter, James, and John to the mount and was transfigured in front of them, Moses and Elijah appeared with Him. Enoch was not there. The transfiguration can be seen as a picture of the coming of the two witnesses--Moses and Elijah.

Malachi 4:5 predicts that Elijah will come as one of the two witnesses: "See I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord comes." Elijah was taken up into heaven by a whirlwind and chariot of fire (see 2 Kings 2:9-11); he did not physically die. Likewise, Moses, did not die a normal death. The Bible tells us that God preserved Moses' body (see Deuteronomy 34:5,6; Jude 9). The accounts of their deaths further corroborate the selection of Moses and Elijah as the two witnesses.

The powers given these two witnesses in Revelation 11:3-6, are the very same ones they were each given during their lifetime. The power to shut up the sky so it didn't rain was given to Elijah in 1 Kings 17:1. Moses was given the power to turn water into blood, in Exodus 7:17.


Quasa92r
One hole I see in this argument is that John The Baptizer was the fulfillment of Elijah. Also, who showed up on the transfiguration mountain with Jesus prompting peter to want to build three tents? It is entirely possible that two no name witnesses fullfil the prophecy that fullfills the three and a half times times two in Daniel.
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It is entirely possible that the two witnesses are two organizations or churches as well, related to the question "when I return will there be any faith left on earth?"
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However, the most literal understanding of the two witnesses is of the 144,000 sealed witnesses, these were the last two remaining. Nothing in the text indicates who they were and this information was not important.
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I disagree with the theory that Elijah and Moses will be put back into action after their life proper, this only happened once momentarily in scripture and that was when Samuel was summoned by a witch. The concept of giving resurrected people a second life pre-judgment, is too reincarnation. The scripture does say "one life and then the judgment," (Hebrews 9:27) so staying on thesis (Which God are we talking about?) is also important.
 
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Quasar92

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That says nothing about them being the two witnesses of Revelation
Revelation 11:3
And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

That is 2300 years


As the OP says, the powers these two witnesses will have, are the very same ones they each had while they were living. Who else could they be byr Moses and Elijah!


Quasar92
 
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BABerean2

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FYI, the Scriptures refute you. Review the following:

Mt.17:1 "After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

4Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”


Quasar92

They saw a "vision".


Mat 17:9  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. 


The Apostle John saw "visions" in the Book of Revelation.

Rev_9:17  And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.


Quasar92 said "Who else could they be byr Moses and Elijah!"

Rev 11:4  These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. 



Rev 1:20  The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

 

Rom 11:24  For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? 

.
 
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Quasar92

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They saw a "vision".


Mat 17:9  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. 


The Apostle John saw "visions" in the Book of Revelation.

Rev_9:17  And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.


Quasar92 said "Who else could they be byr Moses and Elijah!"

Rev 11:4  These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. 



Rev 1:20  The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

 

Rom 11:24  For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? 

.


Are the two olive trees what the beast is going to kill? Who will lay in the streets of Jerusalem for 3.5 days? Then be brought back to life again and called up into heaven? Allegorical spiritualizing is a complete failure when prophetic passage of Scripture makes perfectly normal common sense.


Quasar92
 
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David Kent

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John the Baptist came in the spirit and power of Elijah but was not actually Elijah , which is why he denied it when he was asked. The same thing will happen when two fellas show up in the near future , they won't actually be Elijah and Moses , they will simply be fulfilling the role of Elijah and Moses. There ya go!...that was too easy wasn't it.

Matthew 17:10-13 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?
Mt 17:11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.
Mt 17:12 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.
13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
 
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Quasar92

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That says nothing about them being the two witnesses of Revelation
Revelation 11:3
And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

That is 2300 years


FYI, Jesus transfiguration is a vision of when He has come into His Kingdom...Moses and Elijah are both there!


Quasar92
 
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BABerean2

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Are the two olive trees what the beast is going to kill? Who will lay in the streets of Jerusalem for 3.5 days? Then be brought back to life again and called up into heaven? Allegorical spiritualizing is a complete failure when prophetic passage of Scripture makes perfectly normal common sense.


Quasar92

Are the two witnesses men made of wood and metal in Revelation 11:4 ?

Or are you are arguing with Jesus and Paul, instead of me?

.
 
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David Kent

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Truth7t7

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1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 

When the Lord returns, there will be a whole generation of Christians whose bodies will not endure physical death.

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When the Lord Jesus Returns, Every Human Body Will Die as its tried by the Lords fire, the glorified eternal will remain.

"The Fire Will Try All Men's Work"

1 corinthians 3:13, 2 peter 3:10-13
 
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buzuxi02

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Traditionally from Antiquity the two witnesses were identified as Elijah and Enoch or Moses. But most sided with Enoch.
The reason Elijah and Moses appeared in the Transfiguration is first because at that time many Jews still believed Moses never died and secondly Moses represented the Torah while Elijah the prophets finding their culmination in the gospel of Christ.
Enoch just like Elijah never died and thus will die as martyrs as Revelation teaches. Secondly it says they will prophesy and scripture already teaches us that Enoch prophesy about the end times in Jude 14. So Elijah and Enoch it is.
 
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MyGivenNameIsKeith

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Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Enoch and Elijah have never died their mortal death (Moses died at 120 years). They come back as the two witnesses, are killed, and thus fulfill their appointed time to die. Not "in the spirit" like John was "in the spirit of Elijah" either. But the real deal. This will really be them. Otherwise, there would always be two people in the Bible that have never died, and scriptures tell us that all men die once.
 
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Truth7t7

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They saw a "vision".


Mat 17:9  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. 


The Apostle John saw "visions" in the Book of Revelation.

Rev_9:17  And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.


Quasar92 said "Who else could they be byr Moses and Elijah!"

Rev 11:4  These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. 



Rev 1:20  The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

 

Rom 11:24  For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? 

.
The two witnesses will be literal prophets returned, that will have human bodies that will die and lay in a physical street in Jerusalem.

This future event will be a remake of Moses & Aaron against Pharaoh of Egypt, yes the plagues seen in revelation will come upon this literal physical earth :)
 
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Truth7t7

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As the OP says, the powers these two witnesses will have, are the very same ones they each had while they were living. Who else could they be byr Moses and Elijah!


Quasar92
Moses died a physical human death Deuteronomy 34:7, Enoch & Elijah never did?

Hebrews 9:27 states all men will die?

The two witnesses will die future physical death Revelation 11:7-8
 
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David Kent

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The two witnesses are two churches. The seven candlesticks represent the entire church and the two churches represent the church in its lowest extent during the dark ages.

During the Fifth Council of the Lateran, the pope announced that the heretics had been exterminated and the king of Spain and the pope exchanged presents, the pope presenting the king with a golden egg. The witnessing churches were dead. Exactly 3½ years later Luther posted his 95 thesis, beginning the glorious reformation.

The papacy later said that the heretics have come alive in Luther. The witnesses were resurrected in the reformers.
 
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MyGivenNameIsKeith

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Moses died a physical human death, Enoch & Elijah never did?

Hebrews 9:27 states all men will die?
Enoch "walked with God and was not for God took him" Genesis 5:24
Elijah was carried up in a whirlwind 2 Kings 2:11
Moses died at 120 years old Deuteronomy 34:7

Since we are all sinners by nature, and the wages of sin is death (Roman 6:23)
We all owe that one death. As believers, the second death will have no effect.
 
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Brian Mcnamee

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The case for Elijah isn't bad, as the Bible specifically names him as an end-times prophet. Moses, however, is pure speculation, and the fact that Revelation had the witnesses getting killed at the end would mean that Moses would have to die a second time, and be resurrected again, which seems a little excessive.[/QUOTE
Several people died and were raised to life such as Lazarus he died a 2nd time so that is not something prohibited. Calling Moses pure speculation is ignoring the fact he was together with Elijah on the mount of transfiguration and that the miracles done are also already related to him. This makes it more that speculation but an opinion based on evidence. Moses symbolized the law and Elijah the prophets.
 
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Paul of Eugene OR

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As the OP says, the powers these two witnesses will have, are the very same ones they each had while they were living. Who else could they be byr Moses and Elijah!


Quasar92

The law and the prophets, i.e. scripture.
 
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David Kent

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[Staff edit].

The first person to teach dispensationalism was Edward Irving and in his Morning Watch Magazine he gave the date, Christmas Day, 1825. You can find it on Google books/Google Play. But you will have to read through it from the beginning as I didn't make a note of which volume. It was one of the early years but after 1826 because in the same article he said that he next taught it the same day in 1826. The Irvingite prophet Robert Baxter said they taught the rapture would be in 1833* False prophecy on false interpretation.
*Copy of a letter from Mr Baxter to Mr Armstrong, 3 Aug 1835 quoted in Irvingism in its Rise, Progress and Present State by Robert Baxter, 1836.
This was after Mr Baxter left the movement accusing him self of delusion.
 
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