Who are the two witnesses?

Yeshua HaDerekh

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most common I hear are Enoch and Elijah since they are the only two people in Scripture that didn't die.

Hebrews 9:27...yes, so at some point they would have to die...some say Moses and Elijah, since they were present at His Transfiguration...to represent the Law and the Prophets.
 
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spiritfilledjm

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The most prevalent theories are Moses and Elijah or Enoch and Elijah. However, due to the fact that they are not named, it is pure speculation. Ultimately, it will be whomever God has planned for it to be.
 
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ArmyMatt

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Hebrews 9:27...yes, so at some point they would have to die...some say Moses and Elijah, since they were present at His Transfiguration...to represent the Law and the Prophets.

yeah, I heard that too.
 
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Randy777

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Hebrews 9:27...yes, so at some point they would have to die...some say Moses and Elijah, since they were present at His Transfiguration...to represent the Law and the Prophets.
God is not bound to Hebrews 9:27.
Are not those alive on earth at the Lords coming caught up and changed on the day?
Wasn't Lazarus raised only to die again?

I think God will appoint 2 witnesses from among the living on earth. We don't know who as it wasn't given. My assumption is that they will descendants from one of the 12 tribes of Israel. They will witness in the power of the Spirit of God. They will have special authority to shut on the sky so it doesn't rain and call down plagues. To turn water to blood. 1260 days is a long drought.
 
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Yeshua HaDerekh

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God is not bound to Hebrews 9:27.
Are not those alive on earth at the Lords coming caught up and changed on the day?
Wasn't Lazarus raised only to die again?

I think God will appoint 2 witnesses from among the living on earth. We don't know who as it wasn't given. My assumption is that they will descendants from one of the 12 tribes of Israel. They will witness in the power of the Spirit of God. They will have special authority to shut on the sky so it doesn't rain and call down plagues. To turn water to blood. 1260 days is a long drought.

I never said He was bound to it (Elijah and Enoch being examples). We do not know what happened to Lazarus. Yes, those miracles the 2 will be able to do is one of the reasons people think Elijah, Enoch or Moses. Scripture also says prophecy until John (Luke 16:16). Another reason some think they will have to be OT prophets. Those on earth at the Lords coming caught up and changed go from mortal to immortal just like every one else who will be resurrected. The end result is the same.
 
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Dorothea

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Elijah and Enoch is the most often mentioned in our Orthodox Churches, except Fr. Tom Hopko thought they may be Moses and Elijah. I think it's E & E, personally.
 
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Randy777

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I never said He was bound to it (Elijah and Enoch being examples). We do not know what happened to Lazarus. Yes, those miracles the 2 will be able to do is one of the reasons people think Elijah, Enoch or Moses. Scripture also says prophecy until John (Luke 16:16). Another reason some think they will have to be OT prophets. Those on earth at the Lords coming caught up and changed go from mortal to immortal just like every one else who will be resurrected. The end result is the same.
You wrote=>Hebrews 9:27...yes, so at some point they would have to die.
They will never die. I am glad you agree that God is not bound to Hebrews 9:27

Unless you believe Lazarus is still walking this earth he died a 2nd time.
 
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Eloy Craft

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Hebrews 9:27...yes, so at some point they would have to die...some say Moses and Elijah, since they were present at His Transfiguration...to represent the Law and the Prophets.
Who better to convert the Jews?
 
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chad kincham

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Most people agree Elijah will be one of the two, and given that he was taken alive to heaven so he can return as one of them, die, and be resurrected, then it logically follows that the second person in all of history to also be taken alive into heaven, will be the other one.
 
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buzuxi02

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Usually Enoch and Elijah.
Elijah because he is still alive and is still expected to return just prior to the second coming. We even seen in the OT how he sent a letter centuries later. The Jews even leave a place open for him on the Passover dinner table.
Enoch because he too is still alive and preaches the second coming of Christ (Jude 14).

There was also speculation it would be Moses with Elijah.
Reason for Moses was that it was unclear whether he ever died, as no one knew of a burial site for him. Also symbolically Moses represented the Law while Elijah represented the prophets, and it was those two who appeared during the transfiguration.
 
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Hazelelponi

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A reminder to visitors that this thread is in the Eastern Orthodox community forum.

What is the EO position...? I thought the EO would have traditionally believed at least one of the witnesses to be the Church is that wrong..?
 
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buzuxi02

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What is the EO position...? I thought the EO would have traditionally believed at least one of the witnesses to be the Church is that wrong..?
I don't think I've ever come across this in Orthodoxy. Of course with end times it's more speculation rather than doctrine.
It's considered that when the two witnesses appear the Church will be persecuted and underground. That the age of spreading the gospel would have come to an official end having reached the ends of the earth. The eyewitnesses will primarily convert Jews to fulfill the teaching that the first will be last and the last will be first. That is the first people to hear the gospel will be the last to receive it.
 
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Yeshua HaDerekh

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You wrote=>Hebrews 9:27...yes, so at some point they would have to die.
They will never die. I am glad you agree that God is not bound to Hebrews 9:27

Unless you believe Lazarus is still walking this earth he died a 2nd time.

IF they are the two witnesses, then yes, they will die (Revelation 11). Lazarus? We do not know. So what happened to all the dead that were raised at His resurrection? We can assume they all died but we do not know. Maybe they were all assumed into heaven?
 
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Randy777

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IF they are the two witnesses, then yes, they will die (Revelation 11). Lazarus? We do not know. So what happened to all the dead that were raised at His resurrection? We can assume they all died but we do not know. Maybe they were all assumed into heaven?
Those that are alive are caught up. Those that Jesus raised from the dead died twice. Paul raised Eutychus from the dead. He would have died twice.
As I stated God is not bound to die once. There is no need to send one back to earth so they can die once.
 
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