The two witnesses in Revelation

Who are the two representatives of God at the time of the end prophesied in Revelation? ¿What will they do? Why are there two witnesses? 

Zechariah saw two olive trees in his dream, which God explained that "they are the two anointed ones who stand before the Lord of all the earth" (Zechariah 4:14).

In the book of Revelation, God says: "And I will give my two witnesses to prophesy for one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed with sackcloth" (Revelation 11: 3).

There is much speculation about who these two representatives of God will be and their 3½ year ministry. Let's see what the Bible — the only true source of information on the subject — says about these special individuals.

Connection with Zechariah

The passage in Revelation continues to explain: "These witnesses are the two olive trees, and the two lampstands that stand before the God of the earth" (v. 4).

This statement seems to be a continuation of a prophecy that God gave to the prophet Zechariah to show that God carries out things through the power of his Spirit (Zechariah 4: 2-10). Olive oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit of God, and God encouraged Zerubbabel - who led the rebuilding of the temple - to remember that spiritual things would be carried out through the Spirit of God and not by his own strength (v. 6).

After explaining this important principle about how his work is done, God returned to the vision of the olive trees that Zacharias had seen: “These are the two anointed ones who stand before the Lord of all the earth” (Zechariah 4:14, emphasis added in everything). In the book of Revelation God reveals that these two individuals, who will be filled with the Holy Spirit of God to do their work, will arise before Christ returns to fulfill his ministry as a light to the world. Just as God accomplished things through the power of his Holy Spirit during the time of Zerubbabel, He will do the same through his two witnesses during the end times.  

¿Why two witnesses?

Through the Bible, we find that God often works with two individuals. During the time that Zacharias wrote, Zerubbabel served as governor and a man named Joshua served as the high priest (Zechariah 3: 1). Previously, God had used Moses as the leader of the ancient Israelites and his brother Aaron as the high priest.

In the New Testament, Christ sent his disciples "two by two" (Mark 6: 7). Although occasionally they took others to travel with them, Paul and Barnabas worked together to bring the gospel to the Gentiles.

When two people work together, they can often be more productive than when they work alone. Recognizing this principle, Ecclesiastes 4: 9-10 states: “Better are two than one; Because they have better pay for their work. Because if they fall, the one will raise his partner; but woe to the solo! that when I fall, there will be no Second to lift it. ”

Another reason why God will have two witnesses is due to the importance of having at least two people testifying in judicial matters. As Deuteronomy 19:15 states: “A single witness shall not be taken into account against any in any crime or in any sin, in relation to any offense committed. Only by the testimony of two or three witnesses will the accusation be maintained” (also see Deuteronomy 17: 6).

By having two witnesses, God is following his own law as by means of them, he warns people to repent of their sins before punishing them for not paying attention to their instruction.

The work of the two witnesses

The story in the book of Revelation gives us clues about the work of the two witnesses: “If anyone wants to harm them, fire comes out of their mouths, and devours their enemies; and if anyone wants to harm them, he must die in the same way. They have power to close the sky, so that it does not rain in the days of his prophecy; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to hurt the earth with every plague, as many times as they want ”(Revelation 11: 5-6).

As these representatives of God bear witness to the world that all people need to repent of their sins, they will have access to the Holy Spirit of God to perform miracles that remind us of other prophets of God. Like Elijah, they will have the power to stop the rain (1 Kings 17: 1) and kill anyone who tries to harm them (2 Kings 1: 9-12). Like Moses, they will have the power to turn water into blood (Exodus 7:17) and strike the earth with plagues (Exodus 7:14 until 12:30).

But making people suffer is not their main mission. Instead, like Elijah, his goal will be to urge people to turn their hearts to God (1 Kings 18:37). Elijah served for a time when ancient Israel had become excessively corrupted under the evil king Ahab and his idolatrous wife, Jezebel. Biblical prophecies show that the entire earth will be corrupted before the return of Christ (2 Timothy 3:13), and this will be the environment in which the two witnesses will carry out their ministry.

Biblical prototypes

Over the years, many explanations have been proposed for the two witnesses. Previous prophets have often been cited as biblical types of what the two witnesses will do. The Exhibitor's Biblical Commentary says, “Identifications range from two historical figures raised to life, to two groups, to two principles, such as the law and the prophets. Tertullian (d. 220) identified the two with Enoch and Elijah” (comments on Revelation 11: 3).  

We have already seen that Elijah's powers to stop the rain and kill those who tried to harm him were precursors to the powers that the two witnesses will have, but another reference to Elijah must still be taken into account.

Speaking of the ministry of John the Baptist, Luke 1: 16-17 says, “And he will cause many of the children of Israel to convert to their Lord God. And he will go before him with the spirit and power of Elijah, to bring the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and of the rebels to the prudence of the righteous, to prepare a well-disposed people for the Lord. ” This passage shows that God can send additional representatives, such as John the Baptist, with a ministry and powers similar to those of the prophet Elijah. 

While John the Baptist was a fulfillment of the prophecy in Luke 1, indicating that John the Baptist would do a work like Elijah's (Matthew 17: 11-13), Malachi 4: 5-6 indicates yet another fulfillment of a work like that of Elijah at the time of the end. “Behold, I send you the prophet Elijah, before the day of the Eternal comes, great and terrible. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers, lest I come and hurt the earth with a curse” (Malachi 4: 5-6).

Sometimes the prophecies can have multiple fulfillments, and this prophecy regarding Elijah's work seems to be one that falls into this category. John the Baptist was clearly a type of Elijah, and the story in Malachi 4 indicates that God's people will also do a work in the spirit and power of Elijah at the end of this age. Finally, the two witnesses will complete their ministry with powers like those of Elijah.

The explanation of the two witnesses that seems to be better suited to the Scriptures is that they will be two human beings who will prophesy in the spirit and power of Elijah during the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord. They will come to warn the world that they repent of breaking God's laws and will send plagues as punishment for disobedience during the 3½ years of their preaching.    

Counterfeit of the two witnesses

In the book of Revelation, God reveals a prophecy regarding two individuals called "the beast" and "the false prophet," who will oppose the work of the two witnesses. The beast will be the civil leader whom all the people of the earth, except those faithful to God, will follow (Revelation 13: 3, 8). The false prophet is the head of the religious system that will support the beast.

A tool for understanding prophecy is the type- antitype principle. The story in Exodus 7: 10-12 gives us a sample of the things that will happen in the time of the two witnesses. Start with the first encounter between Moses and Pharaoh. Under the direction of Moses, Aaron threw the rod and it became a snake. The magicians (Janes and Jambres) also did the same with their wands (Exodus 7: 11-12). Water became blood, and magicians did the same thing (v. 22). These miracles were done in the presence of Pharaoh. 

During the Great Tribulation, the false prophet will also work miracles. "Wicked whose advent is by the work of Satan, with great power and signs and lying wonders" (2 Thessalonians 2: 9).

Speaking of this same person, Revelation 13:11, 13-14 says, “Then I saw another beast rising from the earth; and he had two horns similar to those of a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon ... He also makes great signs, in such a way that he still lowers fire from heaven to earth in front of men. And he deceives the inhabitants of the earth with the signs that he has been allowed to make in the presence of the beast. ” 

Satan will use the beast and the false prophet as counterfeits of the two witnesses. As a result, Satan will continue to deceive the entire world through "lying signs and wonders" (2 Thessalonians 2: 9) and false religion (see also Matthew 24:24; Revelation 12: 9).

¿Why will people rejoice over his death?

After the two witnesses complete their 3½ year ministry of preaching the gospel to the entire world, they will lose their divine protection and be killed.

“When they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the abyss will make war against them, and overcome them and kill them. And their bodies will be in the square of the great city that in the spiritual sense is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. And the inhabitants of the earth will rejoice over them and rejoice, and send gifts to one another; because these two prophets had tormented the inhabitants of the earth ”(Revelation 11: 7-10).

Why will they rejoice over his death? The vast majority of people in the world will not like your message of repentance. People do not like to be told that what they are doing is bad, that they are sinning and need to change. They will be angry at the plagues brought upon them as punishment for their lack of repentance for their sins, and they will blame the two witnesses for the torment that so many will suffer. 

The joy over their deaths will not last long. After 3½ days, God will raise them from the dead, and their enemies will see them ascend to heaven (Revelation 11: 7-12). As for his ascension to heaven, this happens at the end of this era and is not something that has been happening to good people when they die. For a broader explanation, search this site for our article "What is heaven?"

¿What is the point?

The lesson we learn from the two witnesses is that God will send these two special representatives to warn people to repent and change their sinful ways — to turn their hearts to God. We also see that we need to be careful with the false prophets that according to the prophecy will come and we must be alert not to be deceived. It is much better for us to respond to God now, when we perceive what He expects of us.