THE TWO WITNESSES
I’ve been in church for over 75 years and I have never yet heard a teaching or preaching message about The Two Witnesses. I never knew why but I believe that it is because it is they who bring down judgments and curses against the Antichrist and those marked with his image. Having grown up in the Assembly of God and Baptist churches I think the reason is that the calamity that comes in the 3 ½ yrs of the GT is attributed to the belief that the GT is the Wrath of God. Then hearing the verse that we are not appointed to wrath but to obtain Salvation, (1 Thess. 5-9) we are then convinced of the pre-trib rapture or that Jesus may appear at any time so we don’t have to experience fear or discomfort.
It helps to know who The Two Witnesses are so we know their abilities and their position with the Father, not that it makes our Salvation any stronger, but in a sense it does because strength in truth cements our faith, faith that will be needed when times get severe.
I’ll start with a clue left us in the last three verses of the Old Testament, specifically 4 and 5. 4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. 5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: There seems to be a hint of importance attached to Moses and Elijah as the Old Testament is concluded, especially with the promise that He will send Elijah again before the Day of The Lord.
We don’t see these two again until the Mount of Transfiguration. Luke 9: 29,30. And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistening. And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.
The next time we see them, though not identified, is at the tomb on Sunday morning as Mary and Martha come to anoint the body of Jesus. There are two young men who appear as angels saying, Why do you seek the living among the dead? Surely, the anointing light that they received at the mount, remained with them and caused them to appear as angels.
Then once more in Acts 1: 9-11. Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. and while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven,will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
The white apparel must resemble the glory that Moses brought down from the mountain after being hidden in the clef of the rock. It was blinding to the ones who saw him that they had to shield their eyes. To me the open and shut-ness of this case is the naming of these as The Two Witnesses. They carried special history with God and they are to be brought back to: (1) witness Christ as both man and God, (2) to witness Him as dead, then risen, (3) to again witness Him as ascended into Heaven. Only they witnessed these aspects of the Savior—thus they are rightly called The Two Witnesses
With power given them by God Himself, they are placed in Jerusalem as mouthpieces of the God of Heaven and they are hated by the Antichrist and those who follow him. When the Father finally allows the Antichrist to kill them, the people rejoice and celebrate for three days—Then—the age of decision abruptly ends as the two receive the breath of life and are standing and talking.
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