The Two Witnesses of Revelation
There is a lot of speculation as to who or what the two witnesses are, yet if one breaks it down into just the basics, you should be able to discern what they are.
REV 11:
3-12
|
And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they
shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in
sackcloth.
These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceeds out of their mouth, and devours their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. |
Recap
Two witnesses
shall prophesy, clothed in sackcloth, if any man will hurt them, fire proceeds out of their
mouth. When they shall have finished their testimony the beast
shall make war against them and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the
street of the great city where also our Lord was crucified, and the people and
nations shall see their dead bodies and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be
put in graves. And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God
entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them
which saw them. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud and their enemies
beheld them.
So we have learned that the two witnesses are capable of speech (shall prophesy), wear clothing (sackcloth), can be hurt, can kill in self defense, and can and will be killed. They have visible bodies, stand upon feet, and will ascend from the earth into the sky. It couldn't be any clearer, these are physical beings.
Who they are can only be speculation since scripture does not say in definitive words. I can only share my thoughts as to who they are, and how I have arrived at it.
ZEC 4:
11-14
|
Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these
two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon
the left side thereof?
And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves? And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the LORD of the whole earth. |
These two have been anointed and stand with the Lord. To understand, we need to know what it was to be anointed. It usually meant one or more of the following, note #3;
For the wages of sin are death, and all have sinned. Yet! There are two prophets who did not die. According to scripture, both Enoch and Elijah were taken away from the earth without dying.
GEN 5:
24
|
And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took
him.
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2KINGS 2:
11
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And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked,
that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire,
and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into
heaven.
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HEB 11:
5
|
By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see
death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before
his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
|
Could it be that the Lord chose them to be his end time witnesses (prophets)? And that their deaths were put on hold?
