Two Witnesses Resurrected by God
Understanding Revelation Chapter 11
The Two Prophets of the Tribulation Period
"... but the wise shall understand" (Daniel 12:10 KJV)
Revelation chapter 11 covers several events of the Tribulation Period. We will discuss the most significant event of chapter 11; that of the Two Witnesses. The events are mainly covered from a Earthly perspective. Some have tried to allegorize the story, but if we leave it in its context and balance Scripture with Scripture, the meaning becomes quite clear. The story has quite a few surprises in store for everyone involved.
As with most of Revelation, much of the language is symbolic, requiring an enlightened view of all Scripture and the knowledge of Jesus Christ as God's Chosen Messiah; a knowledge only revealed to and available to a believer (2nd Corinthians 4:4). Therefore, the Book of Revelation, also known as The Apocalypse or Revelation of Jesus Christ, is a perpetual mystery to unbelievers. For this reason, early Christians could copy and repeat the mysteries found in Revelation without fear of the Roman government realizing it was Gospel literature.
Revelation Chapter 11:3-13 (KJV)
Revelation 11:3-4 Here we are introduced to the Two Witnesses (other names for them are also given) and their brief but powerful Earthly ministry is described. They wear the traditional sackcloth of prophets, signifying repentance. The duration of their ministry is 42 lunar months (30 days) clearly explaining that their ministry will cover 1/2 of the 7-year Tribulation period (Daniel 9:27) ... probably the first 1/2:
3 And I will grant authority to my Two
Witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty
days, clothed in sackcloth.
4 These are the Two Olive Trees and the Two Lampstands that stand before the Lord of the
Earth.
Revelation 11:5 As with all of God's prophets, special protection for the Two Witnesses has been provided. As described here, the supernatural powers of self-defense they have been given are quick and powerful:
5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire
flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone
wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way.
Revelation 11:6 Though their true identity will not be known until their arrival, the Two Witnesses have the same powers demonstrated by Moses and Elijah. Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration representing the summation of the Law and the Prophets, respectively. Moses turned the waters of Egypt into blood and called down multiple plagues. Elijah withheld rain from Israel. After the Church Age of Grace, God will manifest the Law and the Prophets once again. In the Old Testament, the Law and the Prophets spoke mainly to Israel ... Here, they will speak to the entire Earth:
6 These have the power to shut up the sky, so
that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying;
and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the Earth with
every plague,
as often as they desire.
Revelation 11:7-8 When their ministry is finished (after 1,260 days) God allows Satan to attack and defeat the Two Witnesses but the story still has surprises to come soon. For now, their deaths are visibly confirmed by their corpses lying in a street of Jerusalem, identified metaphorically in verse 8:
7 When they have finished their testimony,
the Beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with
them, and overcome them and kill them.
8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is
called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.
Revelation 11:9-10 It's a dead man's party, who could ask for more? ... for 84 hours, the world is so happy that these Two Witnesses are dead that they won't allow them to be buried! Rather, the world throws a celebration of their deaths and exchanges presents with each other. Viewing their bodies is a focal point of the party:
9 Those from the peoples and tribes and
tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and
a half days, and will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb.
10 And those who dwell on the Earth will rejoice over them and celebrate; and they will
send gifts to one
another, because these Two Prophets tormented those who dwell on the Earth.
Revelation 11:11-12 One nagging thing about a party ... there's always a party pooper! ... This time it's God ... as part of His surprise, He decides to bring the Two Witnesses back from the dead (probably the ultimate party trick!) right in front of the world ... and it's just when the party had really got going! This really kills the spirit (unearthly that is!) of the party and scares all of the partygoers to death (God did the same thing to the Chaldean King Belshazzar in Chapter 5 of the Book of Daniel) ... For more party fun, God then Raptures the Two Witnesses directly into Heaven, right in front of everyone:
11 But after the three and a half days, the
breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their
feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them.
12 And they heard a loud voice from Heaven saying to them, "Come up here", Then
they went up into Heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them.
Revelation 11:13 God has a little surprise party of His own ... to break up the world's party, He sends a big earthquake upon the city of Jerusalem ... 10% of the city is destroyed ... 7,000 people are killed ... but surprise! ... the remaining partygoers decide to worship God!:
13 And in that hour there was a great
earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand people
were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of
Heaven.
