The Witnesses

(Video Version)

History is cyclic, and there are two matching cycles in the history of Abraham’s seed. These cycles manifest as follows: twelve witnesses in the Promised Land give Israel a chance, but they lose faith—resultant period of bondage—two witnesses lead Israel out of bondage—twelve witnesses observe the Promised Land to give Israel a chance, but they have no faith—resultant period of wandering in the wilderness—two witnesses observe the Promised Land—Yeshua’s army conquers the Promised Land—Yeshua leads His people into the Promised Land. Yeshua and Joshua are two transliterations of the same name, which means: YHWH saves.

The first cycle began with the twelve sons of Jacob and followed their story until they were settled in the land that YHWH had promised to Abraham for his offspring. The second cycle began after the death of Solomon and will conclude after the return of Messiah Yeshua. We are now nearing the end of the second cycle.

Forty jubilee periods equals two thousand years of wandering the wilderness, after which period of time two witnesses will begin observing the Promised Land. This is the point in the second cycle that we have now reached, and the question on everyone’s mind is: who are the two witnesses? When we look at the comparison between the first and second cycles we see that the final two witnesses are not parallel with Moses and Aaron, but rather with the two unnamed men who Joshua sends to spy on Jericho. We will let scripture interpret scripture to solve the mystery of their identity.

The book of Revelation assures us that these two witnesses will come, and gives us some clues as to their identity.

Revelation 11:3-5 And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed.

The first clue is that they are the two olive trees that stand before the Lord of the earth. The two olive trees are from the prophecy of Zechariah.

Zechariah 4:11-14 Then I said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?” And a second time I answered and said to him, “What are these two branches of the olive trees, which are beside the two golden pipes from which the golden oil is poured out?” He said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.” Then he said, “These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”

These two olive trees are the two anointed ones, which also means that the Lampstand must be the Lord of the whole earth. We discussed this briefly in our study, The Olive Tree: Israel, where we identified the two olive trees that Zechariah is referring to as Ephraim and Judah, i.e. divided Israel. However, Ephraim and Judah have both been scattered among the nations, so identifying who they represent today presents somewhat of a challenge.

The second clue is that the two witnesses are also referred to as the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. In Revelation chapter one, seven lampstands originally stand before Yeshua, symbolizing the seven churches.

Revelation 1:12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands,

Revelation 1:20 As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

Yeshua cautions these churches, warning that failure to rectify their actions will result in the removal of their lampstands. There are only two churches out of the seven that are not given a reprimand by Yeshua—Smyrna and Philadelphia—and by chapter eleven there are only two lampstands remaining.

Revelation 2:5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 

In our study on the Seven Churches, we explain how there are three manifestations of the seven churches:

1. the seven actual assemblies in existence in the first century,
2. the seven church ages that span the two thousand years that Israel must wander the wilderness, and
3. the seven distinct types of assemblies in existence when the end-time begins.

If the third manifestation of the churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia are the two lampstands, and Judah and Ephraim are the two olive trees, then Smyrna and Philadelphia are Judah and Ephraim.

The church of Smyrna suffers persecution for ten days, despite not being given any correction from Yeshua.

Revelation 2:8-11 And to the angel of the church of Smyrna, write: These things says the First and the Last, who became dead, and lived: I know your works, and the affliction, and the poverty; but you are rich. And I know the evil speaking of those saying themselves to be Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not at all fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the Devil is about to throw you into prison, so that you may be tried; and you will have affliction ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. The one who has an ear, hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one overcoming will not at all be hurt by the second death.

Once the end-time is in full swing, the State of Israel will enforce the Noahide Laws, and the Messianic Jews living there will be arrested and some will be martyred for their faith. We cover these events in great detail in our end-times prophecy studies. The people who say they are Jewish, but follow the false prophet, the Moshiach, are those whom Yeshua is referring to in Revelation 2:9: I know the evil speaking of those saying themselves to be Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. The Church of Smyrna are the Messianic Jews, and they are repentant Judah.

The Church of Philadelphia is the only assembly that does not suffer persecution or punishment in Yeshua’s messages.

Revelation 3:7-13 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia, write: These things says the Holy One, the True One, the One having the key of David, the One opening and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens; I know your works. Behold, I have given a door being opened before you, and no one is able to shut it, for you have a little power and have kept My Word and have not denied My Name. Behold, I give out of the synagogue of Satan those saying themselves to be Jews, and they are not, but they lie. Behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they shall know that I loved you. Because you kept the Word of my patience, I also will keep you out of the hour of trial which is going to come on all the habitable world in order to try those dwelling on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly. Hold what you have that no one take your crown. The one overcoming, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall not go out any more. And I will write the Name of My God on him, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem which comes down out of Heaven from My God, and My New Name. The one who has an ear, hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

1. A Door Being Opened Before You; The Hour of Trial: This assembly, along with Smyrna, is taken to the marriage supper of the Lamb before the Refiner’s Fire begins.
2. Have Kept My Word and Have Not Denied My Name: They obey YHWH’s commandments and have the faith of Yeshua Messiah.
3. The Synagogue of Satan: The church of Philadelphia will be made judges over the Jews who worshipped the false prophet.

The Church of Philadelphia, which means ‘brotherly love’, is repentant Ephraim.

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Through allowing scripture to interpret scripture, we have discovered that the two witnesses are the Messianic Jews and the Torah Obedient Christians living in Jerusalem when the Jewish Moshiach is revealed. Both of these groups obey the commandments of YHWH and have the faith of Yeshua Messiah, the difference is that one came from a Jewish background and the other from the Gentiles. Essentially, they represent the coming united Israel.

Revelation 12:17 Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

Revelation 14:12-13 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed”, says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

Revelation 11 is the account of the two witnesses. Let’s work through this chapter together and confirm what we have discovered.

Revelation 11:1-3 Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”

In the book of Isaiah, YHWH tells us that those of Israel who label themselves as belonging to YHWH are His witnesses.

Isaiah 44:1-8 But now hear, O Jacob my servant, Israel whom I have chosen! Thus says YHWH who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you: Fear not, O Jacob my servant, Jeshurun whom I have chosen. For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They shall spring up among the grass like willows by flowing streams. This one will say, ‘I am YHWH’s,’ another will call on the name of Jacob, and another will write on his hand, ‘YHWH’s,’ and name himself by the name of Israel. Thus says YHWH, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, YHWH of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen. Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.”

Luke describes the trials that the faithful will endure while they bear witness.

Luke 21:12-20 But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives.

Unrepentant Ephraim and Judah have forsaken YHWH and turned on His prophets. But during the 1260 days that the witnesses prophecy they have the power to make the unbelievers suffer, and its because of this that the people rejoice when the beast eventually kills them.

Revelation 11:4-5 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed.

The prophet Jeremiah warns that Ephraim and Judah will scoff at the words of the faithful prophets, claiming YHWH will not punish them, and then they will attempt to harm them; therefore, YHWH will make fire come out of the mouths of the witnesses and the scoffers will be consumed.

Jeremiah 5:11-13 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have been utterly treacherous to me, declares YHWH. They have spoken falsely of YHWH and have said, ‘He will do nothing; no disaster will come upon us, nor shall we see sword or famine. The prophets will become wind; the word is not in them. Thus shall it be done to them!’ Therefore thus says YHWH, the God of hosts: “Because you have spoken this word, behold, I am making my words in your mouth a fire, and this people wood, and the fire shall consume them.

Jeremiah 23:26-29 How long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart, who think to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell one another, even as their fathers forgot my name for Ba’al? Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? declares YHWH. Is not my word like fire, declares YHWH, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? (Side note: ‘ba’al’ means ‘lord’. See Who is YHWH Elohim.)

The witnesses will possess the ability to invoke drought, and James asserted that all of YHWH’s people have this capability.

Revelation 11:6 They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire. 

James 5:16-17 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.

Perhaps it is only coincidence that when Elijah prayed for drought it last three and a half years, which is the same length of time the witnesses will be prophesying. Some may see that as evidence that Elijah is one of the witnesses, however, the point James was making is that all of YHWH’s people have this ability through prayer, not that Elijah was special. Perhaps the 3 1/2 years of drought brought on by Elijah was a foreshadow of what the final two witnesses will invoke.

Revelation 11:7-8 And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified.

Arguably, to have a war would require more than only two people on one side of the battle. We read of the same account of the beast making war with the saints in the book of Daniel and in Revelation 13.

Daniel 7:21 As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them.

Revelation 13:7 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation,

The nations will rejoice over their victory and will leave the dead from the battle lying in the streets of Jerusalem, until the resurrection of the martyrs.

Revelation 11:9-12 For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb, and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth. But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here!” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them.

This is the first resurrection, the same event described as Yeshua reaping the earth with a sickle from a cloud.

Revelation 14:12-16 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!” Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.

The final two witnesses are not individuals, but represent those believers in Yeshua messiah who faithfully keep the Torah and preach the Gospel of the Kingdom amidst the oppressive strength of Satan’s power on earth.