The Two Witnesses Of Revelation
The Two Witnesses Of Revelation
The Bible tells us that in the end times, during the seven-year time period known as the Tribulation, God will send two witnesses with supernatural powers to prophesy to the world. These two witnesses are the ones Jesus referred to when he told James, John, and their mother “I have no right to say who will sit on the thrones next to mine. My Father has prepared those places for the ones He has chosen” Matthew 20:23 (NLT). For 1,260 days, these two witnesses will prophesy to the world, and despite a plethora of enemies, no one will be able to harm them. During that time, they will have the power to end rainfall, turn the rivers and oceans to blood, and send every kind of plague upon the earth. Revelation Chapter 11 gives us our first and only glimpse of these two prophets:
”And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will be clothed in sackcloth and will prophesy during those 1,260 days. These two prophets are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of all the earth. If anyone tries to harm them, fire flashes from the mouths of the prophets and consumes their enemies. This is how anyone who tries to harm them must die. They have power to shut the skies so that no rain will fall for as long as they prophesy. And they have the power to turn the rivers and oceans into blood, and to send every kind of plague upon the earth as often as they wish.” Revelation 11:3-6 (NLT)
So who are these men God has blessed with such amazing power? Many speculations have been made, and we will not know for certain until the two witnesses actually arrive on the world scene. However, strong evidence exists to believe that these two witnesses will be Elijah and Moses. Here’s why:
1) Malachi’s Prophecy: The very last words of the Old Testament concern God’s coming Day of Judgment, and they issue a warning:
”Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives. His preaching will turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the hearts of children to their parents. Otherwise, I will come and strike the land with a curse.” Malachi 4:5-6 (NLT)
Some people believe this prophecy was fulfilled by John the Baptist, but John was specifically asked if he was Elijah, and his reply was “No” John 1:21. Furthermore, this prophecy states that Elijah will appear before the “great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives,” which is a still future event that will be fulfilled by the Glorious Appearing of Christ. Therefore, it’s more than reasonable to expect that the prophet Elijah will be one of the two witnesses of Revelation 11.
2) The Transfiguration: In the Book of Matthew, we read of the event commonly known as the transfiguration. This is when Jesus was suddenly transfigured “so that His face shone like the sun, and His clothing became dazzling white” Matthew 17:2 (NLT). Moses and Elijah
