REVELATION 11:1–14 — THE TWO WITNESSES. FABIAN MASSA

 

The Two Witnesses 11 I was given a measuring rod and told, “Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count those who worship there. 2 But do not include the outer court of the temple; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles, who will trample the holy city for forty-two months.” Here, “Gentiles” should be understood as non-believers, who will “trample,” meaning defile, Jerusalem for three and a half years.

3 “I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for one thousand two hundred sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” 1,260 days — that is, forty-two months or three and a half years: the time during which non-believers will trample the Holy City.

4 These two witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6 They have power to shut up the heavens 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.

The actions of the two witnesses mirror those of Moses, who testified for God against Pharaoh (a type of the Antichrist, the final and greatest enemy of Israel), turning water into blood and striking with plagues; and of Elijah (God’s witness during a near-universal apostasy in Israel—except for the 70,000, like the 144,000 sealed, Zech. 7:4), who by his word called down fire on his enemies and shut the heavens so it would not rain for three and a half years—the same period (1,260 days) during which the two witnesses prophesy. Also, the words “witness” and “prophesy” are typically applied to individuals, not abstractions. Baptist Bible Commentary by Jamieson-Fausset & Brown.

As for who the two witnesses might be, it’s all speculation:

• Elijah and Moses
• Enoch and Elijah
• Elijah and John

7 Now, when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the abyss will wage war against them, conquer them, and kill them. (Rev. 13:11–18) 8 Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified. 9 People from every tribe, language, and nation will gaze on their bodies for three and a half days and will not allow them to be buried. 10 The inhabitants of the earth (non-believers) will rejoice over their death and celebrate by exchanging gifts, because these two prophets had tormented them.

11 After the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 Then the two witnesses heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on. The Breath of Life from God defeats Death, showing that God is invincible.

13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake, and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed, and the survivors, terrified, gave glory to the God of heaven. Seven thousand — a symbolic number — representing the death of the wicked who were destined to perish.