Rev. 11:3-12 , read to get a full description, gives us a description of two witnesses that will be preaching during the first 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation in Israel. There has been great debate over the years as to the identity of who these witnesses will be. Many have speculated Moses and Elijah or possibly Enoch.
Their reasoning for these choices is that the Bible tells us "it is appointed to men once to die and then the judgment.' (Hebrews 9:27) Elijah and Enoch did not die but were brought up to heaven by God. Therefore to fulfill this scripture they must die. Also, the miracles they will do are similar to those done by Moses and Elijah. So that is why they might believe it is them.
There are a few reasons why I don't believe it is them.
1. Rev. 11 is vague as to their identities. It calls them "two olive trees and lampstands" which is a designation for Spirit-filled believers. It seems to me if Moses and Elijah were the two witnesses the Bible would specifically tell us it was them since they both represent the Law and the Prophets of the Old Testament. That would be news to know.
2. The miracles they will wrought are much more powerful than anything Moses and Elijah did. They will have the power to keep it from raining for 1260 days. Also, they are given power to devour their enemies with fire that shoots out from their mouths. They will also have the power to turn the water of the earth into blood and cause all kinds of plagues to go world-wide. Moses and Elijahs miracles were limited to the Middle East.
3. As far as fulfilling Heb. 9:27, we know that not everyone will die and go to judgment. The Bible tells us about the event of the Rapture of the Church which will effectively take a huge segment of the population of the earth, the believers in Christ, and bring them up to heaven, without ever tasting death. (see I Cor. 15:50-51) Therefore Elijah and Enoch do not have to come back and die.
So who are they?
We are sure of several things. There are two of them. They work together. Their agreement further establishes the truth of their prophetic warnings. And their message and the plagues they bring leave the world with no excuse for not repenting. They are invincible until their testimony is complete.
What we can speculate is that it will be two Jewish men from Israel, who have received Christ after the rapture of the Church and God calls specifically to this task. Once their testimony is complete the anti-Christ/beast will have power over them to kill them.
The beast will go to Jerusalem, confront the two witnesses and kill them. Their bodies will lie in the streets of Jerusalem for 3 1/2 days while the world celebrates their deaths by sending gifts to one another. This is done to humilate them even further because the world hated them.
After the 3 1/2 days of their death, which anyone who goes without food or water that long is considered dead, God's Spirit/breath will enter them and they will be resurrected and live again. This will be in full view of the world, who will be dumbstruck and filled with great fear to see them come alive again. And at that moment a voice from heaven will call to them to "come up" and they will go up in a cloud.
The after effect of this will be a great earthquake that will level a 10th of the city and kill 7000 people in Jerusalem.
Their reasoning for these choices is that the Bible tells us "it is appointed to men once to die and then the judgment.' (Hebrews 9:27) Elijah and Enoch did not die but were brought up to heaven by God. Therefore to fulfill this scripture they must die. Also, the miracles they will do are similar to those done by Moses and Elijah. So that is why they might believe it is them.
There are a few reasons why I don't believe it is them.
1. Rev. 11 is vague as to their identities. It calls them "two olive trees and lampstands" which is a designation for Spirit-filled believers. It seems to me if Moses and Elijah were the two witnesses the Bible would specifically tell us it was them since they both represent the Law and the Prophets of the Old Testament. That would be news to know.
2. The miracles they will wrought are much more powerful than anything Moses and Elijah did. They will have the power to keep it from raining for 1260 days. Also, they are given power to devour their enemies with fire that shoots out from their mouths. They will also have the power to turn the water of the earth into blood and cause all kinds of plagues to go world-wide. Moses and Elijahs miracles were limited to the Middle East.
3. As far as fulfilling Heb. 9:27, we know that not everyone will die and go to judgment. The Bible tells us about the event of the Rapture of the Church which will effectively take a huge segment of the population of the earth, the believers in Christ, and bring them up to heaven, without ever tasting death. (see I Cor. 15:50-51) Therefore Elijah and Enoch do not have to come back and die.
So who are they?
We are sure of several things. There are two of them. They work together. Their agreement further establishes the truth of their prophetic warnings. And their message and the plagues they bring leave the world with no excuse for not repenting. They are invincible until their testimony is complete.
What we can speculate is that it will be two Jewish men from Israel, who have received Christ after the rapture of the Church and God calls specifically to this task. Once their testimony is complete the anti-Christ/beast will have power over them to kill them.
The beast will go to Jerusalem, confront the two witnesses and kill them. Their bodies will lie in the streets of Jerusalem for 3 1/2 days while the world celebrates their deaths by sending gifts to one another. This is done to humilate them even further because the world hated them.
After the 3 1/2 days of their death, which anyone who goes without food or water that long is considered dead, God's Spirit/breath will enter them and they will be resurrected and live again. This will be in full view of the world, who will be dumbstruck and filled with great fear to see them come alive again. And at that moment a voice from heaven will call to them to "come up" and they will go up in a cloud.
The after effect of this will be a great earthquake that will level a 10th of the city and kill 7000 people in Jerusalem.
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