And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days,
clothed in sackcloth. They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands,
and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.”
Revelation 11:3-4
In the above verse, John records quotes from Zechariah 4:12-14. The angel told Zechariah that the two witnesses “are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth”. So who exactly are these olive trees/lampstands/witnesses?
We know in the verses that follow in Revelation 11 that these two will prophesy for 1,260 days, be clothed in sackcloth, be able to destroy their enemies, stop it from raining, turn water into blood, and strike the earth with plagues. They are unable to die until they have finished their testimony. Then the beast will kill them and their bodies will lie in the street “for three and a half days”. (Does this period of time sound familiar?) God revives them and they are then taken up to heaven.
I’m not sure what your experience has been, but I was taught that the two witnesses were either Moses and Elijah or Enoch and Elijah. The reason for Moses and Elijah is because they were on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus (Matthew 17:1-13). Since they appeared on earth at that time, they could do so again. Malachi 4:5 also states that Elijah would return again, but Jesus on the Mount actually clarified that this was fulfilled through John the Baptist (read the passage).
The reason for Enoch and Elijah is because neither seems to have tasted death. They ascended to heaven at the end of their time on earth (Enoch: Genesis 5:24 and Hebrews 11:5; Elijah: 2 Kings 2:11). I’m not going to get into a theological debate now as to which of the three heavens (covered in a previous devotional) they ascended to and if they really did escape death.
There is another belief that the two witnesses are figurative and represent Israel and the Church. They are viewed as being God’s witnesses on the earth. In Romans 11:11-24 Paul describes Israel as the cultivated olive tree and the Gentile church as the wild olive tree. And Revelation 1:20 states that the seven lampstands John had just seen represented seven churches.
Still, others believe the two witnesses represent the Old and New Testament. It can get confusing and frustrating.
Whether it is literally one of these men of old, or two future men that come in the spirit of Moses, Elijah, and Enoch, or if they are two figurative witnesses, I urge you to once again focus on God’s ultimate victory at the End of the Age. And, in the here and now, how can you be a more effective witness for Him?