Who Are The Two Witnesses?

Who Are The Two Witnesses? March 8, 2014 Virginia Crow I have been meaning to write this for a long time and just keep putting it off. But I think that now is the right time. We have all read lots of articles on this subject and lots of people have lots of different ideas on this subject. I can not take credit for all of the information in this article but I believe that I have expanded the subject and included my own thoughts on the subject. It is probably two years ago that I read an article by Brian Huie titled Who are the two witnesses. This article immediately rang of truth. Based on this article and my study since then I truly believe he is correct. Most start their study with Revelation 11: 3, but I am going to start with Revelation 10:1-11. John saw a mighty Angel (messenger) coming down from heaven clothed (wrapped) with a cloud. A rainbow was around his head, his face shone like the sun and his feet like pillars of fire. He had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, and cried with a loud voice as when a lion roars. When he cried out seven thunders uttered or sounded their voices. Could this be Christ? The description is almost identical to the description of Christ in Chapter one verses 13 through 16 and Revelation 5 verses one through seven describe a scroll or book that was written on the inside and on the back sealed with seven seals. The only one worthy to open the scroll and loose the seven seals that kept it closed was The Lion of the tribe of Judah. This Lamb that was also the Lion of Judah had seven horns (seven golden candlesticks) and seven eyes (seven stars) which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. In verse seven He takes the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. (God Almighty, the Father). The seven thunders that utter their voice are the same as the seven stars and the seven eyes or Spirits of God which are also the seven messengers to the seven churches. If you will notice in Revelation 10, the book in the hand of the mighty Angel is now open. John was about to write down what the seven thunders had uttered when a voice from heaven told him to seal up the things the seven thunders had sounded and not write them down. Then John saw this mighty Angel raise his hand to heaven and swear by Him who created all things (Yahweh God Almighty) that there should be delay no longer but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets. Then the voice from heaven spoke to John Again and told him to take the little book which is Open in the hand of the Angel who stands on the sea and on the earth. Then this mighty Angel (which I believe to be Christ) speaks to John and tells him to take the book and eat it. (to ingest the contents) and verse 11 says this Angel spoke to him Again and told John he must prophesy about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings. 1

Then continuing in Chapter 11, this same Angel gives John a reed that is to be used as a measuring rod. The Angel then tells John to Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there but leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it. This is a truly awe inspiring statement! The word Measure means to give or divide an inheritance by lot! Daniel was told that he would die but that he would stand in his lot (or arise to his inheritance) at the end of days. The temple of God (which I believe to be the first fruits) the altar, (which I believe to be those who have died in the faith) and those who worship there. (Which I believe are those who are not part of the 144,000 first fruits but are counted worthy to receive their inheritance) I believe these are the ones, who are either taken to the sea of glass or possibly into the wilderness, that are counted worthy to escape the things that are going to come to pass hereafter. The court that is outside the temple is not to be measured (yet) for it has been given to the Gentiles (nations other then the Jews) and they will tread (walk upon) the holy city for forty-two months. I believe some of these are those who have not been counted worthy to escape the things that will happen; instead these will be among the two witnesses spoken of in the very next verse. The court outside the temple is not to be measured instead (the Angel is still speaking) I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. These do not yet have the white linen of the bride but according to Daniel chapter 11, verses 32 through 35, it says this; Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery, but the people who know their God shall be strong and carry out great exploits. And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering. Now when they fall, they shall be aided with a little help: but many shall join them by intrigue. And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them and make them white, until the time of the end: because it is still for the appointed time. These witnesses are not yet complete, they still need to be refined and purified to become pure gold and to receive the white garments of righteousness spoken of in Revelation 3:18. Now we come to the verse that identifies exactly who these two witnesses are. I know that some are of the church of God who have not been counted worthy to escape and who in order to be saved must be a part of this martyrdom, but they are not the only ones. Verse 4 of Revelation 11 says this, These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. We have always been told to let the bible interpret it self, so let us see if these things are spoken of some where else in the bible. 2

Immediately we find two olive trees and one lampstand spoken of in Zechariah 4: verses 2, 3,11,12,13, and 14. Zechariah said he saw a lampstand or candlestick made of solid gold with a bowl on top of it and on the lampstand seven lamps with seven spouts and two olive trees standing next to the lampstand, one on either side. In verse 12 he also asked the question, what were the two olive branches that dripped their oil into the receptacles of the two gold pipes from which the oil then drains into the bowl. The Angel then answers Zechariah and says, These are the two anointed ones who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth. The answer was already given as to what the lampstand was in verses 6 through 10 of Zechariah 4 and verses 8 and 9 of Zechariah 3. In plain language it is talking about the New Testament church that would be established by the spirit of God through grace by His Servant the Branch or as Christ called Himself the Vine and His chosen ones the branches. First we need to understand why these two olive trees are called the anointed ones who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth. The word used here for anointed means Sons of glistening oil or sons of light. Who ever these sons of oil are, they are the ones that fuel the seven lamps or lights of the lampstand. Why are they shown as olive trees? First of all the lamps could not burn with out the purest of olive oil just as the lamps on the candlestick or lampstand of Revelation 1 can not continue to burn and shed their light unless the people that make up the church of God, which the lamps represent, are living their lives as Christ commanded them to. We are to be the lights in this world of darkness. We have been told to let our lights so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven. We are these sons of the oil or sons of light. But where have the ones called into the church of God come from? In Jeremiah 13 Yahweh had Jeremiah take a linen sash or belt and take it and hide it in a hole in the rock for many days and then go and retrieve it. Of course it was ruined and Yahweh said in verse 10 and 11 these words, This evil people who refuse to hear my words, who follow the dictates of their hearts, and walk after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be just like this sash which is profitable for nothing. For as the sash clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to Me, that they may become My people, for renown, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear. Yahweh had brought the two houses of Israel or Jacob as near to Himself as they could possibly get, in fact He had married Israel and became their husband. Out of all of the peoples of the earth, He had chosen them for Himself to be a reflection of the light that can only come from Him to glorify His great name and to benefit the rest of the world, but they refused. Even though it is very clear that the two anointed ones who stand beside the God of all the earth, Yahweh, are the two houses of the children of Israel, there are still other scriptures that leave no doubt as to who God is calling the green olive trees. 3

In Jeremiah 11: 14-17, Yahweh has this to say, Do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry out to me because of their trouble. What has My beloved to do in My House, having done lewd deeds with many? And the holy flesh has passed from you. When you do evil, then you rejoice. Yahweh called your NAME, GREEN OLIVE TREE, lovely and of good fruit. With the noise of a great tumult He has kindled fire on it, and its branches are broken. For Yahweh of hosts, who PLANTED YOU; has pronounced doom against you for the evil of the HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND OF THE HOUSE OF JUDAH, which they have done against themselves to provoke Me to anger in offering incense to Baal. Yahweh the God of Israel had named His people, the children of Israel, Green Olive Tree, but at this time of Jeremiah, branches had been broken off of the tree because the House of Israel had already been conquered by the Assyrians over a hundred years before and scattered to the four winds. Symbolically God had divorced the house of Israel and sent them into the wilderness to become lost to the point of not even knowing who they were. Eventually they became know as Gentiles, they forgot who they were, the fact is most still do not have a clue as to their heritage, but God has never forgotten and He said there will be a day when He will began to gather them and bring them back to their own land once more. (Read the book of Hosea) The two witnesses are the two houses of Israel; these are the 144,000 that are sealed in Revelation 7, plus the great multitude from all nations, tribes, peoples and tongues. Three times, Yahweh the King and Redeemer of Israel, said to Israel in Isaiah 43: 10 & 12, and Isaiah 44: 8, You are my witnesses, that I am God. Israel is Gods elect, they will be humbled and brought back to the knowledge of who their true God is, and then they will witness. Also in Revelation 11: 4, the two lampstands also show us who these witnesses are. The first candlestick or lamp stand we read of is in Exodus 25: 31-40. While Yahweh was still on the mountain in the wilderness of Sinai, He gave Moses instructions on building a dwelling place for Him among the Israelites. Included in the plans for this tabernacle was a solid gold lamp stand or candlestick. It was made of one solid piece of gold, with three branches coming out of each side and the middle post made a total of seven lamps to burn on this candlestick. I have read that it resembles an almond tree in bloom. I know it has something to do with the rod or staff of God that He holds in His hand but I do not know exactly what it means. The rod or staff that Aaron carried was also called the rod of God and in the rebellion of Korah Aarons rod blossomed with flowers and even almonds. I know that this lamp stand with the seven lamps also has something to do with the seven spirits before Gods throne but again I do not fully understand. I do know that God told Moses all of these items made for the tabernacle were exact copies of His throne room in Heaven and to be very careful and make them exactly like he said. The fact that He allowed Moses to make these things proves the very importance of them and the fact that no other people except the Israelites had this copy of Gods very own lamp stand that is before His throne again identifies who the two witnesses are. 4

The second lamp stand is the one Zechariah saw. It also was made of solid gold, with seven lamps on it, but it must have looked different then the one Moses made. This one had a bowl on top that must have had two golden pipes, one from a branch of each olive tree, that dripped the oil into the bowl and from the bowl through 7 golden pipes the oil went to each lamp on the stand. Again we know the lamp stand and the lamps had something to do with the New Testament church and the seven spirits that are also the seven messengers or angels of the seven churches shown in Revelation. Everything that God tells us and shows us has some very important meaning for His chosen people and I think the vision of two olive trees, which we have shown are the house of Israel and the house of Judah, dripping into this golden candlestick show that most if not all of the ones called into Gods church over the centuries have been from the house of Israel and Judah and mostly from Israel. Read Romans chapters 8 through 10 very carefully and remember one very important thing. The house of Israel became scattered and mixed among the Gentiles. They came to be known as Gentiles, they believe themselves to be Gentiles. The Gentiles that Paul traveled and preached to were Israelites. The word translated Gentile only means Non Jew or a Greek speaking people not as most people think a non Israelite, but there are hundreds of books and other information showing where the Nation of Israel traveled and settled. In Hosea God said that even though Israel would no longer be know as His people they would still become as the sand of the sea in multitude. They were scattered to the four corners of the earth, they are everywhere and they will be gathered from everywhere they have settled. I realize a lot of people do not want to believe this but from Genesis to Revelation this is what the Bible teaches. The two witnesses are not two individuals; they are the Children of Israel, the house of Israel and the House of Judah; the Israel of God spoken of continually by Paul in his epistles. Sincerely Virginia Crow 5