Who are the Two Witnesses mentioned in Revelation 11?

WHO ARE THE TWO WITNESSES MENTIONED IN REVELATION 11?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

INTRODUCTION

This question first came up during my evaluation of the controversy associated with a leading prophetic teacher in Kenya who once claimed that he was one of the two witnesses described in Revelation 11. Interesting, this prophetic teacher insisted that his twin witness was invisible to his followers! This claim is frivolous and theologically inadmissible. 

So who are the two witnesses mentioned in Revelation 11? 

I must admit at this point that this is a difficult question that has been the subject of debates in theological circles for centuries. I acknowledge that there are dozens of conflicting answers to this question. I will attempt to offer my response based on my discernment of Scripture.

Allow me to begin with an analysis of the relevant text and thereafter examine five leading postulations or theories touching on the identity of the two apocalyptic witnesses. I will draw a conclusion that conveys my position on the debate.

PASSAGE ANALYSIS

The two witnesses are described in Revelation 11:1-14. John is given a reed-like measuring rod and is instructed to measure the temple of God, the altar and those who worship therein. He is further instructed to ignore the outer court which has been given to the Gentiles (Rev 11:1-2). Some scholars associate this imagery with God's preservation of the true church - the church within the church [ref. Ellicott's Commentary on Rev 11:1-3]. 

Other scholars believe that this is a prophetic reference to the division that is witnessed today between the Muslim and Christian cum Jewish sectors in Jerusalem. The Temple Mount is at the centre of a hot historical dispute between the Palestinians and the Jews. 

It is instructive that the Al Aqsa Mosque was constructed on the Temple Mount during the 400 year reign of the Ottoman Empire between AD 1516 and 1915. Israel regained control of East Jerusalem during the Arab Israeli War of 1967. 

The Bible reveals that the Gentiles would trample the holy city for forty two months (Rev 11:2). Again this is possibly in reference to the Arab occupation of the city until Israel regained control of its key sectors during the 1967 war. Some would argue that the text contemplates a definite period of three and a half years during the global reign of the Antichrist [2 Thessalonians 2:3-12]. 

God proclaims that He will give power to His two witnesses who will prophesy for 1260 days while clothed in sackcloth (Rev. 11:3). Their origin is not identified in the passage but the Greek plural masculine noun confirms that the two are male. This perhaps excludes the possibility that the church is contemplated in this context because she is often identified in Scripture with the feminine noun being the bride of Christ.

The two witnesses will be mourning over the wickedness on earth and the coming judgment of God through the seven bowls that will follow in Revelation 16.

The mention of two olive trees and two lamps-tands standing before God on earth possibly symbolizes the authentic representation of God's glory by the witnesses in the manner that the church did during its earthly ministry. This is not to suggest that these two men are mere symbols though this cannot be entirely ruled out.

The imagery of the olive tree and the lamps-tands is portrayed in a number of Scripture passages as representing God's remnant (cf. Zechariah 4:3-6; Revelation 1:13, 20; 2:1).

The two witnesses are endowed with power to shut the heavens so that it does not rain. They were also granted power to perform dreadful miracles, including turning water into blood and commanding plagues to strike the earth (Rev. 11:5-6).

At the conclusion of their ministry, the two witnesses are finally killed by the Beast who ascended out of the bottomless pit and their bodies lie in a Jerusalem street. Notice that the wicked society of that day refused to bury the witnesses. This is perhaps informed by fear or a mark of open disgrace in Jewish thought! 

Could these two witnesses symbolize Christian martyrs who will be raised by God after the church is raptured?

Notice also that Jerusalem is here metaphorically described as Sodom and Egypt. This allegorical reference is consistent with the scale of wickedness and apostasy prevailing at the time. It is instructive that Sodom was one of the most wicked cities in biblical history. Genesis 13:13 says "But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord." 

Egypt is identified with apostasy and stubbornness. The deaths of the two witnesses are celebrated by the wicked followers of the Beast (Revelation 11:7-10). This is evidence of their obstinacy and avowed rebellion against God and His people. 

We learn from Revelation 11:11-14 that after three and a half days, God resurrects the two witnesses and they dramatically rise to their feet. This brought great shock to the onlookers in Jerusalem.  The two witnesses are finally summoned to heaven by a loud voice and they ascended to heaven in a cloud. God releases a series of judgment shortly thereafter. 

How should the reader of Scripture comprehend this passage?

A BRIEF EVALUATION OF THE FIVE KEY SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT

The debate over the identity of the two witnesses mentioned in Revelation 11:4-14 has led to conflicting opinions ranging from plausible arguments to the most bizarre.

Here is my brief outline of the five popular theories. I must caution here that this reflection article does not convey a comprehensive theological treatment of this question and I recommend that the reader examines scholarly sources and opinions by leading eschatology scholars and Bible commentators.

Let us now briefly examine the five theories below. 

1) MOSES AND ELIJAH

The first school of thought identifies the two witnesses with Moses and Elijah on account of their appearance during the transfiguration of Jesus in Matthew 17 and their powerful prophetic ministries recorded in the Old Testament Scriptures. They say that the two leaders represent the law and the prophets that comprise the two critical sections of the Old Testament Scripture. 

Does this then suggest that the two men will be deliberately left out of the second resurrection described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18? 

Dispensationalists insist that the church is distinct and from Israel and that the second resurrection does not involve the Old Testament saints. If this argument is admitted, how did the twenty four elders access the presence of God before the final resurrection of Revelation 20:11-15? Should their presence in heaven be treated as mere symbolism?

The first resurrection recorded in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 concerns believers or saints which, in my view, should consolidate the Old Testament and New Testament saints. Hebrews 11 describes the Old Testament saints as our heroes of the faith who looked forward to the coming of Christ. This suggests that there is a residual theological connection between the two groups which cannot be ruled out.

One important question arises at this point: Why would the Old Testament saints such as Abraham and Job be left out of the first resurrection of believers if they have been justified by God? 

The second resurrection described in Revelation 20:11-15 concerns the rest of the dead who possibly came to Christ during the great tribulation. Could the two witnesses mentioned in Revelation 11 be symbolic of these saints?

Some scholars argue that covenant Jews of old will not be resurrected together with the church during the first resurrection. They insist that God's covenant dealing with the church is distinct from His dealing with the Old Testament saints. They claim that Old Testament saints will be resurrected during Christ's second coming. They identify Daniel 12:2 as evidence of a separate resurrection that would be specific to these saints. 

This assertion however presents a theological paradox. Besides, no passage of Scripture expressly affirms the two separate resurrections for the two covenant communities. 

2) ENOCH AND ELIJAH

The second school of thought considers Enoch and Elijah as the pair contemplated in Revelation 11. This is on the basis of their having been taken or caught away to heaven alive (ref. Genesis 5:24; 2 Kings 2:1-19). They argue that the two saints must return from heaven to earth to "face death" in accordance with Hebrews 9:27.

This argument however fails simple theological scrutiny. Scripture resoundingly affirms that those who will be found alive at the coming of Christ will not die but will be transformed into glorified bodies in the twinkling of an eye (1 Corinthians 15:52, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-16). Hebrews 9:27 is therefore not a stand-alone text of Scripture. It is an Old Testament truth whose authority has substantially diminished in the light of the present truth revealed in the New Testament Scripture. Not all New Testament believers have to face death before going to heaven. 

Besides, the two saints could not have accessed and dwelt in heaven without adorning glorified bodies! Scripture proclaims that that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption (1 Corinthians 15:50, NKJV). 

3) THE TWO CANNONS OF SCRIPTURE

The third theory holds that the two witnesses are merely symbolic of the two Testaments of Scripture whose witness will be available to the world during the period described in Revelation 11:11-14. However, this theory is considerably constrained by its reliance on biblical imagery. There is compelling evidence from the text that real human beings rather than symbols may be contemplated in the passage of Revelation 11:3-14.

Here is why...

Symbols don't preach and don't die and no symbol hears God's voice and ascends to heaven! Only the redeemed in Christ will access the presence of God upon their resurrection. However, a symbolic treatment of the passage cannot be entirely ruled out. 

4) BELIEVERS IN THE OLD AND NEW COVENANTS

The fourth theological hypothesis holds that the two witnesses represent believers in the twin dispensationalist tier of the revelations of law and grace and therefore symbolize the Old Testament saints and the Church, respectively. Proponents of this theory say that the two witnesses symbolize the remnant of God who will witness for Christ during the tribulation period before they are martyred. 

This argument presupposes that the passage of context conveys symbolism which can only be arrived at through a metaphorical treatment of the text. Some have identified the statement of Revelation 4:1 as evidence that the church may have been caught away during this period of the tribulation. This is perhaps one of the most difficult theories on the identity of the two witnesses. 

5) UNKNOWN PERSONS 

The fifth and final theory holds that the two maie witnesses are anonymous people appointed by God to proclaim His prophecy during the tribulation period. They claim that God chose to conceal their identities for His divine purposes. 

This theory adopts a measured approach to the interpretation of the passage and assigns the theological obscurity to divine resolution.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

My view is that no matter who or what these two witnesses may be in essence, the following facts clearly stand out:

1) The passage context suggests that the two witnesses are human beings and not symbols. They are appointed by God at a time that His window of grace is still open during the great tribulation. As observed earlier, the witnesses will literally preach in Jerusalem and perform great wonders (Rev 11:4-7) and will be killed by Satan, here symbolized as the Beast who will ascend from the bottomless pit and will make war against them. They will be resurrected after three and half days and will ascend to heaven at the command of a voice from heaven (Revelation 11:11-12).

How they will fulfill this mandate is a mystery that is best left to divine resolution.

2) God will use the two witnesses for His divine purposes since the church will possibly have been taken away at this point during the great tribulation. 

3) The fact that the identities of the two witnesses are concealed or withheld from us does not in any way weaken God's revelation in Scripture. If anything, this concealment serves His higher purposes.

In any case there are certain aspects of truth or divine illumination that God has divinely chosen to withhold from us until we appear in His presence. 1 John 3:2-3 says " Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure."

The Bible declares in Deuteronomy 29:29 that "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law."

My concluding view is that whether these witnesses are Old Testament prophets or saints or are symbolic of the witness of the tribulation saints in their Jewish and Gentile distinctions or are sheer symbolism, God's purposes will be served by their ministry and martyrdom. 

It is therefore impossible to conclusively determine from Scripture or through any theological hypothesis who exactly these two witnesses are. God deliberately decided to assign some residual mystery on their identity purely for His glory.

Shalom 



© Ezekiel Kimosop 2019