THE TWO WITNESSES

“I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, ‘Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshippers there.  But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles.  They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.  And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.’ ” (Rev 11:1-3)

“These are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands that stand before the Lord of the earth” (Rev 11:4).

“He asked me, ‘What do you see?’  I answered, ‘I see a solid gold lamp stand with a bowl at the top and seven lights on it, with seven channels to the lights.  Also, there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left’ ” (Zech 4:2-3).

“Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?”  So he said, “These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth” (Zech 4:12, 14). 

The Prophet Zechariah sees the two lamp stands on either side of the bowl.  He goes on to say that the temple is being rebuilt.  In Revelation 11:4 the two lamp stands stand before God.  Based on these verses, I believe the Two Witnesses will be in the inner courts and Holy of Holies of the new temple.  I don’t believe we will see much of them in public, if ever, until they are killed. 

I also don’t believe the Antichrist or his minions can enter this area of the temple - the inner sanctuary.  Rev 15:8, “And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.”  Revelation 11:2 said only the outer court was given to the Gentiles.

We know that the Antichrist defiles the Temple, but not the inner sanctuary, and he is confined to the outer court.  “And one who causes desolation will place abominations on a wing of the temple until the end that is decreed is poured out on him” (Dan 9:27b). 

While the Two Witnesses are there, the temple will be filled with God’s glory.  In Revelation 15:8, notice also the timing: God’s glory fills the temple until the plagues are all poured out, or until the last half of the Tribulation is over, which coincides with the work of the Two Witnesses.  After the sixth trumpet blows and the seventh plague is poured out, it appears that the Two Witnesses voluntarily leave the temple and are killed. 

Who are the Two Witnesses?

In all the Bible only two people did not die a natural death: Elijah and Enoch.  Hebrews 9:27 tells us that man is destined to die, “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.”

Case for Elijah

He did not die.  In his lifetime he performed the same miracles as reported in Revelation, his return is prophesied, and he was seen with Jesus and Moses at the Transfiguration.  “Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus” (Matt 17:3).  Malachi 4:5-6, “See, I will send you the Prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes.  He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.”  Elijah withheld rain and brought down fire (2 Kings 18:20-40), just like the Two Witnesses.   

Speaking of John the Baptist, Jesus quoted Malachi 3:1, “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.”  Then Jesus said, “For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.  And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come” (Matt 11:13-14). 

But Malachi also speaks of the end times, “See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me.  Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, who you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.  “But who can endure the day of his coming?  Who can stand when he appears?  For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap.  He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” (Mal 3:1-3).

Then the last chapter of the Book of Malachi is also about the Day of the Lord, “Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace.” (Mal 4:1).  And the last verse, “See, I will send you the Prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord comes.”  John the Baptist came in the spirit of Elijah, and the death of Jesus could be seen as a great and dreadful day.  Likewise, it appears that Elijah, himself, will come and prophesy to people in the end times, where the return of Jesus Christ at the end of the Tribulation will certainly be a great and dreadful day for the earth.

Case for Enoch

He did not die and had a vision of the end times.  “By faith Enoch was taken from this life (Gen 5:21), so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away.  For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God” (Heb 11:5).  Enoch had a vision of the end times: “Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: ‘See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh ungodly words ungodly sinners have spoken against him’ ” (Jude 14-15).

Enoch had a vision of the Second Coming, which places him in the end times scenario.

Case for Moses

Unlike Elijah and Enoch, Moses died and God buried him.  “And Moses, the servant of the Lord died there in Moab, as the Lord had said.  He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is” (Deut 34:5-6).   Another scripture confirms that Moses was dead: “But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you.’ ”  (Jude 9).  He appeared with Jesus and Elijah at the Transfiguration, the same miracles he used are mentioned in Revelation.  Also, Moses represents the Law to Elijah’s representing the Prophets.   

Compromise?

Enoch could come back with the spirit of Moses.  This has been done before: Speaking of John the Baptist, Gabriel said, “And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous.” (Luke 1:17).  Jesus speaking to the disciples said, “But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished” (Matt 17:12). 

God’s wrath is not poured out onto the earth until after the Antichrist is revealed at the Tribulation’s halfway point - the three and a half year mark.  The Antichrist commits apostasy and says he is God, and God punishes the earth for following him.  At that time the Two Witnesses will be revealed in order to prophesy of the coming wrath, warn people to repent, preach Jesus as the Messiah, and effect God’s punishment by calling down the plagues.  They are an instrument whereby the wrath of God is poured out on the earth. 

“These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want” (Rev 11:6). 

It is interesting to note that Daniel says the Antichrist has authority for 1,290 days, but the Two Witnesses will preach for 1,260 days.  Thirty days prior to the end of the Antichrist’s authority, the Two Witnesses will be killed.