Who Are These Two Witnesses?

Prayer – Lord, please give me insight into the mystery of these two people.

And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will be clothed in burlap and will prophesy during those 1,260 days." These two prophets are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of all the earth. If anyone tries to harm them, fire flashes from their mouths and consumes their enemies. This is how anyone who tries to harm them must die. They have power to shut the sky so that no rain will fall for as long as they prophesy. And they have the power to turn the rivers and oceans into blood, and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they wish. When they complete their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the bottomless pit will declare war against them, and he will conquer them and kill them. And their bodies will lie in the main street of Jerusalem, the city that is figuratively called "Sodom" and "Egypt," the city where their Lord was crucified. And for three and a half days, all peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will stare at their bodies. No one will be allowed to bury them. All the people who belong to this world will gloat over them and give presents to each other to celebrate the death of the two prophets who had tormented them. But after three and a half days, God breathed life into them, and they stood up! Terror struck all who were staring at them. Then a loud voice from heaven called to the two prophets, "Come up here!" And they rose to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched. Revelation 11:3-12

 

Meditate. Consider what it means to be a witness.

 

Have you ever been on a jury or in court? I’m sure you’ve seen some television show or movie where there were witnesses in a court case. If you’ve ever explained how Jesus has made a difference in your life…or what God has done in your life, you have given a testimony.

You must not convict anyone of a crime on the testimony of only one witness. The facts of the case must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. Deuteronomy 19:15

 

Who are these two witnesses that John is indicating in this focus portion of scripture? One is a guy who shut up the sky so that no rain fell.

Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops. James 5:17-18

Look at Moses. He had the power to turn water into blood and to send numerous plagues onto Egypt. So, these “two witnesses” appear to be identified in this scripture passage as Moses and Elijah. They are the two prophets, the two olive trees, and the two lampstands. These two men were both prophets—well known as devoted men of God in their respective times. They were prophesied in the book of Zechariah.

"What do you see now?" he (an angel) asked. I (Zechariah) answered, "I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl of oil on top of it. Around the bowl are seven lamps, each having seven spouts with wicks. And I see two olive trees, one on each side of the bowl." ... Then he said to me, "This is what the LORD says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of Heaven's Armies. ... Then I asked the angel, "What are these two olive trees on each side of the lampstand, and what are the two olive branches that pour out golden oil through two gold tubes?" ... Then he said to me, "They represent the two heavenly beings who stand in the court of the Lord of all the earth." Zechariah 4:2-3, 6, 11-12, 14

The oil of the lampstands represents the Holy Spirit. Matthew Henry suggests that the seven lampstands represent the seven churches. The olive trees are the source of olive oil that is used in the lampstands. This all seems to revolve around the Holy Spirit.

 

Jerusalem - from the City of David
Israel

The two witnesses testify to Jews in Jerusalem—and Israel for 1,260 days…that is 42 months or three and one-half years. Could they already be ministering and testifying somewhere? We don’t know…and they are telling the whole world! When they do come, it is to prophesy to the Jewish community—not the Christians. Note that when the beast comes out of the pit, he kills them. Then sadly, they will lie in the streets of Jerusalem for three and one-half days, and not be respectfully buried. You know that their bodies will be smelly by that time. Miraculously, they will then live again. God Himself will resurrect them, just as He did Jesus. He will breathe life into them…and then call them to come up into heaven. What a witness that will be as undoubtably many people will see this happening. Would this resurrection convince you of their authenticity and of their testimony about Jesus Christ who rose from the dead—was resurrected—nearly two thousand years ago? Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God--your Savior? Do you have God's love in you?

 

Verse of Salvation ~ (Jesus speaking to the Jewish leaders.)

You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life. Your approval means nothing to me, because I know you don't have God's love within you. John 5:39-42

 

© 2023 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm. 

 

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