Session 3: Powerful Prophets in the Land

The Two Witnesses

Session 3: Powerful Prophets in the Land

I.Eye Witnesses of the End Time Drama:

In this session we will look at the Two Witnesses as the prophets that the Lord will raise up to answer evil in the final years of this age. They are representatives from God to bear witness to the injustices of that hour that will be filling the Earth flowing forth from the Antichrist regime. Their role as eye-witnesses is one of the reasons they are positioned in Jerusalem, the headquarters of the Beast Kingdom.

A.In the Law:

God established a principle in the Law that everything must be set by the account of Two Witnesses. The requirement was that there must be at least two people bearing witness to oaths or bring accusation against someone for a criminal act and at least two to bring an accusation against a leader in the New Testament.

“One witness is not enough to convict a man accused of any crime or offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses (Dt. 19:15).”

“Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses (1Ti. 5:19).”

B.Witnesses as in a Court:

Court witnesses are called up to testify about what they have seen and heard in regard to a case. These Two Witnesses will do similarly making their case on behalf of God’s righteousness and standing as eye witnesses to the depravity and evil of mankind. These men are the fulfillment of the two witness mandate and come as those who make their final assessment before the coming King.

“And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sack- cloth.” These are the two olive trees and the two lamp- stands that stand before the Lord of the earth(Re. 11:3-4).”

“Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them (Re. 11:7).”

C.Standing to the Right and Left:

This detail is mentioned multiple times and must have some sort of significance. It is possible that this could speak of different ways or different realms that they stand for or operate in. They minister together, but it is possible that one stands strongly for some specific things while the other speaks out and judges on other issues.

“Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank (Da. 12:5).”

“Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left (Zch. 4:3).”

“These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth (Re. 11:4).”

D.Witnesses of Jesus’ Coming:

Not directly related to the Two Witnesses but still very pertinent to the subject of divine witnesses it is important to note that both at Christ’ leaving and at His return righteous men are raised from the dead as a witness of His divinity. This is one of the most powerful statements being made at the rapture.

“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first (1Th. 4:16).”

“And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people (Mt. 27:50-53).”

II.Giving Apostolic Leadership:

Most of this section is simply a review of ideas we have already covered but connecting them together under the theme of how these two prophets will be acting as global leaders with apostolic authority. The scope of the ministry of the Two Witnesses will be world wide in scope and will affect the billions of people that make up the global population of the Earth.

1. God is Restoring Apostles and Prophets:

The Church at the end of this age will be restored to apostolic power and authority with actual apostles leading the charge. As in the First Century Church apostles provide leadership to the Church internationally.

“Rejoice over her, you heavens! Rejoice, you people of God! Rejoice, apostles and prophets! For God has judged her with the judgment she imposed on you (Re. 18:20).”

“It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets…to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Eph. 4:11-13).

1. Leading the End Time Prayer Movement:

The Church and the World will both be watching the activity of these two men closely. They will lead the charge in the end days and set the tone and direction for the Church to follow suit. As we saw in session 2, these men are dynamically connected to the Temple and the priestly ministry. Their lives will be testimonies of how to walk in intimate relationship with Christ in the midst of the difficulties of that hour. They will serve as leaders of the global prayer movement praying and prevailing powerfully against the Antichrist. They will give cues of what to pray for and what to expect.

1. Leading the Christian Resistance Movement.

They will be icons of the Christian resistance and their testimonies and lives will embolden the Church. These guys are going to be our heroes for sure; the whole Church will draw strength from them. We will finally have a powerful worldwide witness of the good guys winning, and for their season they will be unstoppable.

1. Leading the Charge Under Persecution:

They will be hated by the whole world but yet they will stand true to the testimony of Christ no matter what comes. They will even loose their lives for their stand; they will serve as perfect models of how the Church should live and die under the persecution of that hour.

1. The Majority of the Earth will Fear and Hate Them:

It is clear that the inhabitants of the Earth will credit the Two Witnesses as the ones who were primarily responsible for the plagues of the Seals and Trumpets. Undoubtedly the witnesses will prophesy each of these events before they happen and when the people of the Earth determine to retaliate because of the drought, famine and each of the judgment events, they will be put to death. Not only after their resurrection, but throughout their whole ministry as they prove to be invulnerable to all opposition (Re. 11:5-6), men will shrink back in terror at the presence of these two holy ones.

“But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them (Re. 11:11).”

III.Anointed Prophetic Messengers:

Prophets prophesy and so will these two men. They will speak things forth and tell of events that are yet to come as well as interpret the will and emotions of God related to those events. These men, like John the Baptist of old, will prophesy, declare judgment and convey God’s saddened heart over the sinful state of man. Their ministry will be a combination of proclamation and power demonstration.

“These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want (Re. 11:6).”

A.Prophesying for 1260 Days:

We are told the exact number of days that they will minister for; 1260 days. This is another term defining the length of the Great Tribulation and is the same period of time as the previously mentioned 42 months.

“And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth (Re. 11:3).”

B.Clothed in Sackcloth:

These men, like John the Baptist of old, will prophesy with the rough outerwear symbolic of their state of mourning over the sins of the people and of God’s saddened heart. This is to serve as a clear sign to the Jews in Jerusalem and around the world that they are coming bearing the Joel 2 message of fasting and prayer for God torelent. Likely their main message will be to call the nations to repentance, much like John the Baptist before them.

C.Completing Their Testimony:

This states that they have a message and a ministry agenda. There are probably specific people that God has in mind for them to talk to or speak before, particular events that they are to partake in and things they are to orchestrate, judgments to proclaim etc. The point of this statement is that these two men will carry out everything that they were given to do and then they will be handed over, not before. It is a statement reminding us who is in charge of all the end time events; an encouragement to the Church that God is still in control.

“Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them (Re. 11:7).”

D.Most Important Ministry Since Jesus:

It could be argued that their testimony to the nations and their opposition of Antichrist is the most important ministry since the ministry of Jesus. Their testimony, at the end of the age, calling the nations of the Earth to repentance is a massive statement of mercy from God to turn men’s hearts from wickedness. It’s not only the release of judgments upon the Earth but also the proclamation of God’s mercy that calls men to repentance. Even in the face of the greatest wickedness the Earth has ever seen God will guarantee that a clear witness of His love and plan for redemption is released in the Earth so that men will have an opportunity to hear truth and turn to righteousness.

IV.Working Powerful Miracles:

Revelation chapter 11 reveals many of the particulars of what these powers will consist of. But we will not really know the total potential of the authority and power these two men will walk in until they come.

1. Unprecedented in History:

With the exception of Jesus, there will have never been a more powerful prophetic ministry than that of the Two Witnesses. The miracles these men will do will be unprecedented in history; none have walked out a greater anointing for miracles and signs as these two men will.

“And I will give power to my two witnesses…they will prophesy…These men have power to…and they have power to…strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want (Re. 11:3-6).”

“So he said, "These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth (Zch. 4:14).”

1. Given Power:

These prophets are given power, in other words, rather than ones who continually need to be re-filled, it is likely that they will operate in continual intimacy with the Father and the Son. Just as the Heavens were opened to Jesus (Mt. 3:16) they will live under a continual open Heaven, earthly portals of kingdom power. Other believers will be operating under similar realities at this time.

1. Power to Strike the Earth with Every Plague:

They have the ability to release plagues upon the planet as often as they desire. God equips these two with power and then authorizes them to manifest this power as they will. It is very likely that they will prophesy each of the seal and trumpet judgments. Each of these judgments will have a global dimension. It is also likely that they will prophesy and release plagues in localized areas that are not specifically identified in the book of Revelation.

“These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want (Re. 11:6).”

1. Moses and Elijah were Types of the Two Witnesses:

If the Two Witnesses are not actually Moses and Elijah themselves they were at least types of the men who will fulfill these roles. Some of the miracles that the Two Witnesses will perform are the same as those that Moses’ and Elijah’s did. They will have the power to shut the heavens as Elijah did and call down plagues as Moses did; yet the unique feature to their ministry will be that the power that they possess is given to them. In other words they are able to manifest these amazing miracles and judgments according to their own will (Re. 11:6).

1. Power to Shut the Heavens:

Just as Elijah called for a drought in the days of Ahab (1Ki. 17:1, Jm. 5:17) that lasted 3.5 years, the Two Witnesses will call for a drought that will last the entire time of their prophecy, 3.5 years. Since their prophetic ministry will start at the time of the 1st seal, it is clear that the famine of the 3rd seal will come as a result of the drought conditions prophesied by the Two Witnesses. It is likely that near the beginning of their ministry, which again is the same time frame as the unveiling of the Antichrist at the mid way point in his 7 year covenant with Israel, that the 2 Witnesses will make a public proclamation declaring a 3 ½ year drought. This also follows the pattern of Elijah, who is thought by many to be one of these 2 Witnesses.

“They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying (Re. 11:6)”

1. Power to Turn the Waters to Blood:

In similar fashion to how Moses turned the Nile River and all the waters of Egypt to blood (Ex 7:17-19), the Two Witnesses will also turn waters to blood. Undoubtedly they will prophesy the 2nd Trumpet judgment that turns a third of the rivers and springs of water into blood before it happens. Imagine the shock that will take hold of the globe as these two prophets speak to rivers and streams and they turn to blood right before men’s eyes.

“They have power to…turn the waters into blood (Re. 11:6)”

V.Those Who Stand Against the Antichrist:

Just as Moses opposed Pharaoh face to face and Elijah opposed Ahab face to face, so will the Two Witnesses opposes the Antichrist face to face.

1. Ministering in Jerusalem:

The ministry base for the Two Witnesses will be Jerusalem. They will do the majority of their prophetic ministry in the city that will be one of his main powerbases, Jerusalem. There is no doubt that the city that is identified here is Jerusalem; for though it is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, we know that the city in which our Lord was crucified was Jerusalem.

“Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. But exclude the outer court…I will appoint mytwo witnesses, and they will prophesy (Re. 11:1-3)”

“Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified (Re. 11:8).”

1. Fire Devours Their Enemies:

John is either told or he views scenarios where people come to arrest or to kill the Two Witnesses and they are unable to because fire consumes them that proceeds forth from their mouths. It’s difficult to imagine how this will actually manifest but the underlying truth is that during the days fire will consume the enemies of the Two Witnesses.

1. Fire from their mouths:

Some see them as actually breathing fire, causing the individuals to be physically devoured.

“If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies (Re. 11:5).”

1. Fire from the sky:

Others see it as they will speak a word and those who attempt to harm them are killed by the power of the words they speak. The latter seems to be more likely. Several times throughout Scripture God’s word is identified as fire (Je. 5:14, 23:39, Ps. 18:8, Jb. 41:19-21) and a similar situation occurred with Elijah when King Ahaziah sent men to arrest him.

“Then he sent to Elijah a captain with his company of fifty men. The captain went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, “Man of God, the king says, ‘Come down!’” Elijah answered the captain, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!” Then fire fell from heaven and consumed the captain and his men (2Ki. 1:9-10).”