The Two Witnesses
The Prophets who Tormented the Beast - Revelation 11:3-14
He said to me, "What do you see?" I said, "I have seen, and behold, a menorah all of gold, with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps thereon; there are seven pipes to each of the lamps, which are on the top of it; and two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl, and the other on the left side of it." (Zechariah 4:2-3)*
Since the sounding of the sixth trumpet, John has revealed visions of an army of fire-breathing horses, an angel coming on the clouds of heaven with a scroll, and a command to measure the temple along with those who worship in it. The final element of the second woe is about two witnesses, which John will describe in Revelation chapter 11.
I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred sixty days, clothed in sackcloth." (Revelation 11:3)*1
When I have read these verses in the past, I assumed that these two witnesses would be like John the Baptist and imagined them in some isolated desert venue wearing camel hair for clothes and eating locust and wild honey. I’m not sure why I thought this way, but lately I have started to think more broadly about these prophets and how they might “prophesy” in the modern world of cell phones and social media.
John tells us that they will prophesy for 3.5 years clothed in sackcloth. While the time period might be a literal 3.5 years, the sackcloth is almost certainly symbolic. In ancient times, people who were mourning would often wear clothing made of rough cloth that was itchy and uncomfortable in order to show their sadness. While these prophets may not be dressed in burlap sacks, they will bring a message of sadness, mourning and woe. It may sound like the first chapter in the prophesy of Joel and probably align with the key messages from the first five trumpets. They will tell the people to beware, for a powerful enemy has attacked the land and is destroying their agriculture, their economy, their culture and their religion. “Wake up, you drunkards, and weep!” - (Joel 1:5a)*
These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands, standing before the Lord of the earth. (Revelation 11:4)*
The reference to olive trees and lampstands points to the vision of a menorah, in Zechariah chapter 4. In this vision, there are two olive trees providing oil to seven lamps. The oil represents the holy spirit and the Word of the Lord to Zerubbabel is “not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit”2. This suggests that these two witnesses will be lights to the world and by the holy spirit they will prophesy with power during a time of persecution.
The vision of Zechariah also suggests that these witnesses will empower others to become lamps who shine the light of truth to the world. The two olive trees supply oil to seven lamps by way of seven pipes from a bowl. In like manner, these two witnesses will be the source of courage and power for others to shine brightly. They will be a channel of the holy spirit that will spread the light of truth to the entire world through the faithful witness of people from all nations who believe their message. These witnesses are the lamp-stands while God’s people are the lamps.
“This Good News of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14)*
Fire-Breathing Prophets
The two witnesses are given power to prophesy and perform great signs and wonders. They can breath fire out of their mouths to devour their enemies. They will be able to stop the rain, turn water to blood, and strike the earth with many plagues.
If anyone desires to harm them, fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies. If anyone desires to harm them, he must be killed in this way. (Revelation 11:5)*
This is another case where a weapon is represented as fire coming out of somebody’s mouth. Just like the fire-breathing horses in chapter 9, the symbolism used here suggests that these witnesses will use words as the primary weapon against their enemies. When someone wants to harm them, they will strike back with powerful words and flaming rhetoric that will destroy their enemies. This is consistent with how Christ defeats his enemies in Revelation chapter 19. Because the dragon’s kingdom is built on lies, truth will ultimately destroy the beast, the false prophet and those who dwell on the earth. Once the people stop believing lies, the power of the beast is gone.
The rest were killed with the sword of him who sat on the horse, the sword which came forth out of his mouth. (Revelation 19:21a)*
If the fire proceeding out of the mouths of the witnesses is a metaphor for an attack with words, then the word “killed” is probably also a metaphor. Not many people die from a verbal assault, but with slander or public exposure people’s lives and careers can be destroyed in a way that seems like death.
Those who attack these witnesses are the same people who tried to hide from the wrath of the lamb with the opening of the sixth seal in chapter 6. They are trying to hide from the light and cover up the wicked deeds that they refuse to repent of in chapter 9. The two witnesses will prophecy against their wickedness with truth that exposes the deception and corruption and ultimately destroys their credibility. Those who attack the two witnesses may be killed in the sense that they will lose their power, their position and their ability to influence the people.
For these two witnesses to be a threat to the beast, they must have a very large audience who can hear their message and share it broadly. This could be through television, radio, or more likely on social media. It will require a massive social media presence with millions of followers. They will surely be slandered by the beast and the false prophet, accused of hatred, intolerance, and bigotry because they attack their enemies with the truth that exposes wickedness. They will be famous throughout the entire world for their “fiery” words and “those who dwell on the earth” will be offended and hate them.
Prophets with Power
In addition to prophecy, these witnesses have the ability to perform signs and wonders. My first impression of verse six makes me think of someone like Elijah or Moses performing miracles with supernatural power from heaven. That may be the case, but it also may not be the case. It is possible, that God provides this power by placing them into strategic positions of influence in the government or private industry.
These have the power to shut up the sky, that it may not rain during the days of their prophecy. 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 11:6)*
The context of this statement is during a time of war. The symbolism is very similar to that used in the first few trumpet plagues. They are describing how war is conducted with the beast. The plagues will torment those who worship the beast and its image.
To shut up the sky and stop it from raining means to cut off the source of prosperity and cause a famine. In this case, it means cutting off resources and funding that the beast needs to maintain its dominion. What if these witnesses had the power to freeze financial assets or cancel funding of a corrupt money laundering operation? Is that like shutting up the sky and stopping the rain?
The second one is turning waters to blood. This is the same plague that comes with the second trumpet sound. In this context, it probably means the disruption of commerce and supply chains that the beast depends upon for executing its operations. This might involve illegal arms trade, drug smuggling, money laundering and human trafficking.
They will have the ability to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire. When I hear the word plagues, I tend to think about Moses sending flies, locust and frogs to torment the Egyptians. That doesn’t have to be the case here. This could be almost anything that would cause pain and suffering to the beast and those who dwell on the earth. The ten plagues of the Exodus represented things the Egyptians worshiped in their religion, the plagues mentioned here probably affect things that are worshiped by those who dwell on the earth (technology, sexual immorality, and power for example).
Many believe that these witnesses will be Elijah and Enoch because they are the only two saints in the bible who never died. This may be the case, I cannot say for certain. If they are, I doubt that we would recognize them for who they are. I have no idea what Enoch looked like and they probably won’t be wearing name tags. Will they be wearing long robes made of camel hair with long white beards and preaching in a desert like John the Baptist? I no longer have this expectation. We may find them walking the halls of government, or academia, or in a corporate board room, or preaching in a mega church, or doing live interviews on television.
Killing the Prophets
When the 3.5 years are finished and their testimony is complete, they will be killed by the beast. Those who dwell on the earth will celebrate their demise, but people from all around the world will not allow them to be placed in a tomb.
[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] Their dead bodies will be in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. [9] From among the peoples, tribes, languages, and nations people will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not allow their dead bodies to be placed in a tomb. [10] Those who dwell on the earth rejoice over them, and they will be glad. They will give gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. (Revelation 11:7-10)*
The beast will make war with these witnesses and eventually overcome them. The people who worship the beast and its image will celebrate the demise of these prophets because they believe that this is the end of their torment. This speaks to just how much power and influence these two witnesses have if the beast (and those who worship it) fear and hate them so much.
The beast will eventually kill them and their dead bodies will lie in the street because some people will not allow their bodies to be buried. Leaving the bodies in the street could be a form of public humiliation. This was common practice for some cultures who left the bodies of their criminals or their defeated enemies hanging in a public place as a warning to others.
However, the people who do not allow the bodies to be buried are not the same group who rejoice at the demise of these prophets. If anyone would want to humiliate these two witnesses, it would be “those who dwell on the earth”. The people who look at their dead bodies in the street are from among the peoples, tribes, languages, and nations. Who are these people? The text doesn’t really say, but I can speculate based upon the visions of Zechariah.
There will be some people, scattered among the nations, who believe their prophesy, who are inspired by the message, and who find hope and comfort in it. These are represented by the seven lamps on the golden lamp-stand. They are the light of the world and they spread the light by sharing it with others. When they look on the dead bodies, they are actually mourning the loss of these witnesses who spoke the truth and provided hope. When they refuse to place their bodies in tombs it is because they do not want the message to die with the messenger. They are unwilling to accept defeat and they do not want to give up their hope, so they persevere in faith even after the witnesses have ended their prophecy.
This is another case where death could be literal, or it may be symbolic. Being killed may be a metaphor for being taken down, removed from power and being silenced. In other words, death could mean being “canceled”. This would end their time of prophesy and create a crisis for those who believed their message. If death is a metaphor, their dead bodies would represent the written legacy of their prophetic message. Those who believed the message would continue to look at the writings, share them with others, and prevent the message from being buried in a tomb of forgetfulness. The lamps would continue to shine, even after the lamp-stands had been removed.
Back from the Dead
A shocking thing happens next. The witnesses come back from the dead and are called up to heaven in the sight of their enemies.
[11] After the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered into them, and they stood on their feet. Great fear fell on those who saw them. [12] I heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here!" They went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies saw them. (Revelation 11:11-12)*
The literal interpretation of this event is a preview of the first resurrection. God brings His witnesses back from the dead in the sight of everyone and the response is like that of Jesus calling Lazarus from the tomb. If the death is symbolic, then this will be the come-back story of the century as they are restored to power against impossible odds. Either way, God will affirm in a very public way, that His hand is on these anointed servants and that He is with them. The response of the people who witness this will be fear and panic.
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. (Revelation 11:13)*
An earthquake can be a shaking of the earth or it can mean civil unrest among the people. When the prophets return, it is easy to imagine that the people will be stirred to action. This event will likely mark a turning point in the war. Those who mourned over their dead bodies will be vindicated and those who doubted will start to believe.
When one-tenth of the city fell, that is most likely a reference to Babylon the Great. Probably not a reference to a physical city, but a reference to the corrupt world system. Babylon the Great is beginning to crumble. The fall of Babylon is coming soon. Those who are living in Babylon are terrified. Their panic will be obvious to everyone. They will even give glory to God because of the things they saw.
The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe comes quickly. (Revelation 11:14)*
There is a lot in this chapter and it is difficult to know what is to be taken literally and what is symbolic in nature. What can be known for certain is that this event will have a powerful impact. People will be terrified and give glory to God. This final phase of the trumpet plagues will shake many people out of their spiritual slumber. These two witnesses will play a key role in awakening the people and gathering the saints for the final battle. The last trumpet is about to sound and the mystery of God will soon be completed.
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Biblical Reverences
*All Scripture quotations are from the New Heart English Bible unless specifically designated otherwise. The New Heart English Bible [NHEB] is in the public domain. https://nheb.net/