Two witnesses, who and what

are they?

As we are going through the study on the End Times, there is one
aspect that we need also to look at. The two witnesses. Who and
what are they? Is it literal or symbolic of what God is going to do?
Let’s have a look at Revelation 11:1 – 8.

1599 Geneva Bible Revelation 11:1-8 1 The temple is commanded

to be measured. 3 The Lord stirred up two witnesses, 7 whom
the beast murdereth, 9 and no man burieth them. 11 God raiseth
them to life, 12 and calleth them up to heaven, 13 the wicked are
terrified, 15 by the trumpet of the seventh Angel the resurrection,
18 and judgment is described. Then was given me a reed like unto
a rod, and the Angel stood by, saying, Rise and mete the Temple of
God, and the Altar, and them that worship therein. But the Court
which is without the Temple cast out, and mete it not: for it is given
unto the Gentiles, and the holy city shall they tread under foot, two
and forty Months. But I will give power unto my two witnesses and
they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days,
clothed in sackcloth. These are two olive trees, and two
candlesticks, standing before the God of the earth. And if any man
will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouths and devoureth
their enemies: for if any man would hurt them, thus must he be
killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days
of their prophesying, and have power over waters to turn them into
blood, and to smite the earth with all manner plagues, as often as
they will. And when they have finished their testimony, the beast
that cometh out of the bottomless pit, shall make war against them,
and shall overcome them, and kill them, And their corpses shall lie
in the streets of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and
Egypt, where our Lord also was crucified.

Too many have a literal interpretation of this portion, placing them in

Jerusalem, when they were standing before God. Let’s allow
Scripture to interpret Scripture. The first key here is in verse 7, the
Beast from the bottomless pit making war against them. Revelation
13: 7 where the Beast will make war against the saints and
overcome them. Also in Daniel 7:21 of the Beast who will make war
against the saints and overcome them.

Who are the saints? They are the ones who are born again in Christ
Jesus. Why are the saints symbolized by the two witnesses? In
verse 4 we find the next key. The two olive trees and lamp stands.
In Romans 11:17 and 18 where Paul the apostle speaks of the olive
tree, the Jews who are the natural branches and gentiles the wild
olive branches crafted in.

The saints who are Christians and part of the body of Christ,
consisting both Jews and Gentiles who are part of the Body of
Christ. The two candlesticks and olive trees who are the two
witnesses represent and symbolize both the Jew and Gentile saints
in Christ Jesus who will be witnesses unto Him in the first three and
a half year of the Great Tribulation.

According to Revelation 11: 3 – 8 the two witnesses will minister in

power and prophesy for 3 and a half year witnessing unto Christ
Jesus. They will operate in power and authority and demonstrate
the power of the Holy Spirit in such a way like never before.

God will give them power and authority like never before which
includes plagues and other things. It will also include signs,
wonders and miracles like we never had seen and never
afterwards. This also had been spoken of by the prophet Joel in
Joel 2:28 till 32.

1599 Geneva Bible Joel 2:28-32 And afterward will I pour out my
Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall
prophesy: your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men
shall see visions. And also upon the servants, and upon the maids
in those days will I pour my Spirit. And I will show wonders in the
heavens and in the earth: blood and fire, and pillars of smoke. The
sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before
the great and terrible day of the Lord come. But whosoever shall
call on the Name of the Lord, shall be saved: for in mount Zion, and
in Jerusalem shall be deliverance as the Lord hath said, and in the
remnant, whom the Lord shall call.

This portion of Scripture has a two-fold fulfillment, first in Acts 2 and

again in the last days, just as the Great Tribulation will start. God
will pour out His Spirit on all flesh, our sons and daughters will
prophesy and old men shall dream dreams and young men shall
see visions. This again ties up with Revelation 11:3 – 8 where God
will show signs and blood and billows of smoke. Moon shall become
like blood and sun like sackcloth which we also read in Matthew 24
and Revelation 6. It all ties in as Scripture interpret Scripture. I will
give more details in my next article on this topic of the two
witnesses and how God will operate through His Church