Rev 10:7 But in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel; just before it’s sounding; the mystery of God will be completed, as it is being proclaimed by His servants the prophets.
Luke 24:44 And He said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be completed, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
Luke 24:45 Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
This is one time in Luke chapter 24, where we see Jesus open the understanding of those following Him, so they might understand the scriptures. Which is what we are trying to do. So let’s take a look at what Jesus said to help them understand the scriptures:
Luke 24:46 and He said to them, “In this manner write, about how it was necessary for Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead on the third day.”
Luke 24:47 and that repentance and remission of sins is to be preached in His name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem.
Luke 24:48 And you are witnesses of these things.
Luke 24:49 And behold, I have appointed the promise of My Father unto you: and I will station you in the city of Jerusalem, until you are clothed with power from on high.
These are the words of Jesus just before His ascension, at the very end of Luke’s Gospel.
So, before we could ever hope to understand who or what the Two Witnesses are, or what they may represent to us; we have to dig a bit into chapter 10 of the book of Revelation for some serious intel; as well as examine a few New Testament and Old Testament verses for further clarity.
Let me show you what I’m talking about by drawing your attention to this verse; it’s the very last verse of Revelation 10:11, it says this:
Rev 10:11 “You must prophesy AGAIN before many people and nations and tongues and kings.”
*This is John, the author of this book,, and he is testifying to what a VOICE from heaven told him, and then what an angel of the Lord spoke to him, that bore witness and brought a confirmation to the Voice from heaven. Look at the previous three verses leading up to this one:
Rev 10:8 And the voice that I heard from out of heaven, spoke to me again, and said, “Go and take the little book that is opened in the hand of the *angel that is standing upon the sea and upon the earth.”
Rev 10:9 And I went unto the *angel, and said to him “Give me the little book” and he said to me, “Take and consume it; and it will make your whole belly bitter, but it in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.”
Rev 10:10 And I took the little book from out of the angel’s hand, and I ate it up; and it was in my mouth, sweet like honey: but once I had I eaten it, my whole belly was made bitter.
Rev 10:11 “You must prophesy again before many people, nations, tongues and kings.”
Okay, before we move on, I want to remind everyone that the word “angel” aggelos in Greek G32 means: a messenger, envoy, one who is sent , and it is used for both celestial and terrestrial messengers of God. Meaning God’s angels/messengers, can be people that live or lived on the earth as well as celestial beings sent by God like Gabriel for example.
I have an entire article that I’ve written titled “Holy Moses!” that explains in detail that the “mighty angel” in Revelation chapter 10 that appears and speaks to John, is indeed Moses. The “little book” that John takes from his hand is the book of Moses and the prophets. Jesus referred to the book of Moses and the prophets more than anyone else in all 4 of Gospels.
And, looking again at Rev 10:11, prophesy again, WHAT? The author is obviously referring to prophesying concerning what he had just eaten, the little book, that he was told first by a Voice from heaven, to take from the angel’s hand, and told to consume it, and then he’s told a second time, by the angel, once he askes for and then takes, the little book from his hand”.
So, it’s pretty clear as to WHAT the WHAT is, in John’s commissioned to “go prophesy again“, it’s obviously what was revealed to him when he ate the “little book”, which again is the book of Moses and the prophets. In exile, John had nothing to do but study the writings of Moses and the prophets; however history states that John died on the Isle of Patmos of natural causes.
This, now leaves us with the next question of HOW? How does John “go prophesy again” in a way that can be circulated and spread to many peoples, nations, tongues and kings, long after he is gone from the Earth? It is by written testimony of course, and this is why I believe the John that wrote Revelation is the same John that wrote the Gospel of John. Just FYI, Moses is mentioned 13 times in the Gospel of John.
According to biblical accounts; none of the characters named John in Matthew, Mark or Luke of the Gospels, other than John the Baptist; are known for being prophetic, for the “again” part of this commission to make sense. But it is the John, the author of the Gospel of John and John of Patmos, that are known for prophesying or speaking prophetically, AFTER the beheading of John the Baptist.
John the Baptist was a man, that God had sent to bear witness to the LIGHT, and at this particular time in this author’s history, John the Baptist, was still known and feared by some as a true prophet of God, even though King Herod had him beheaded.
We know that the author of Revelation is not John the Baptist, but is the only John that actually SAW Jesus on the mountain, and witnessed Jesus transfigured before him, in order for this John to become a witness for Jesus, by seeing with his own eyes, Jesus in His kingdom’s glory as the fulfillment of of the book of Moses and the prophets.
Concerning the book of Revelation; it is agreed by theological scholars to have been written sometime between 95-96 CE, and the Gospel of John, to have been written between 90 and 100 CE. So it’s MORE than likely that these men are the same John, and that it was after this encounter with the Lord, that John wrote the Gospel of John to bear witness to the Testimony of Jesus Christ upon the earth, and that HE was the fulfillment of the book of Moses and the prophets; and to prophesy AGAIN in a way that would reach all nations, peoples, tongues and kings, from his place of exile on the Isle of Patmos.
Two Witnesses actually bear witness on behalf of Jesus all throughout the Gospel of John. Let me show you what I’m talking about. Starting with John testifying on behalf of Jesus and then bearing witness on behalf of the dead John the Baptist. When Jesus arrives on the scene, He gathers, you guessed it, two witnesses, Andrew and his brother Peter, to start off His ministry.
John begins his Gospel by bearing witness and testifying on behalf of the WORD, then moves on to testify that the WORD, was a HIM that God had made flesh to dwell among us.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:4 In Him there was life; and the life, was the light of mankind.
John 1:5 “The LIGHT shined in the darkness, but the darkness comprehended it not”.
John then moves on to the bearing witness on behalf of a SECOND witness upon the earth; the beheaded and very much dead, John the Baptist in verse 6.
Rev 1:6 “But there came a man sent by God, named John.
Rev 1:7 “This one came to you testifying in order to bear witness on behalf of the LIGHT; in order that everyone through him might believe.”
The words “sent by God“ in 1:6 in Greek is: apostellō para theos; and it’s where we get the word Apostle from. It means; one sent.
So, as you can see, TWO are already being sent out and bearing witness in just the first 7 verses of the Gospel of John and it’s very prophetic. What other Gospels writers speak on behalf of God and tell us about things concerning Jesus, like He was the Word and was at God’s side in the beginning? Things nobody else knew. THIS is how John is sent out to prophesy again, by writing the Gospel of John; the most widely circulated book of the Bible. John tells the word for word testimony of John the Baptist, the very one commissioned to make straight the way, operating in the spirit of Elijah, as Jesus told us clearly. So his story needed to be told, by a witness.
John 1:19-34 in the Gospel of John is titled “The Testimony of John the Baptist“, and we know that Jesus said John the Baptist was “the Elijah to come” in Mat 11:14 that Malachi had prophesied concerning. So according to JESUS HIMSELF, when John the Baptist spoke, he was bearing witness in the spirit of Elijah.
Okay, now with all of that in your frontal lobes, let’s move on to Revelation Chapter 11; the actual chapter that discusses the Two Witnesses. Keep in mind that chapters 10 and 11 of The Book of Revelation are meant to be read as a continuation of the revelations that are revealed in previous chapter. The last verse of chapter 10 says “You must prophesy again” and then the first verse of chapter 11 starts with: “And then given unto me was a writer’s reed, that was like a staff”
Rev 11:1 And then given to me was a writer’s reed, that was like a rod, and the angel that was standing there said “Awake from your sleep and measure the temple of God and the alter, and the worshipping that is performed within it!”
Rev 11:2 But the uncovered area outside of the temple leave out, and measure it not; because it has been given to the nations: also the holy city will be trampled upon for forty two months.
Rev 11:3 And there was given unto me two witnesses, that will prophesy for a thousand two hundred and sixty days, covered with sackcloth. *sackcloth is only associated with repentance in the NT, and it’s described as black and made of the hair of animals, used also for keeping things hidden.
Rev 11:4 They are the two olive trees, and the two lampstands that are made to stand before the god of the earth. *2 Cor 4:4 says that Satan is the god of the earth and he has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe, so they are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News for it is hidden from those who are lost.
Rev 11:5 And whoever intends to sin against them, fire goes out from their mouths, and consumes their enemies: and to whomever tries to sin against them, they must in this manner be killed.
Rev 1:6 These have the power to shut up heaven, so that it ceases to rain in the days of their prophecies, and have power over the waters, to turn them into blood, and can strike the earth with any affliction as often as they want if it’s needed.
I’m hoping that at this point in the article, you’re starting to see that the testimony of Moses and the testimony of Elijah (John the Baptist), are the only TWO witnesses that THIS WITNESS, John of Patmos has to work with at this point in the story so far, and it goes right along in sync with the prophetic narrative. Moses and Elijah’s testimonies are the only two in the bible, other than Jesus, that had the power to turn the water, which represents the WORD; into blood, and could strike the earth with affliction by just their words bearing witness, bringing the accusation against their sin. Elijah is the one that caused rain to cease during the time of his prophesies, and Moses known for striking the earth with afflictions and plagues.
Rev 11:7 And as soon as they finished their testifying; the beast ascended from the abyss to make war against them, and to conquer them, and kill them.
Rev 11:8 And they fell upon the broad way of the great city, which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
Rev 11:9 And from out of the peoples and kindreds and tongues and nations, they all looked upon them as fallen for three days and a half, and would not put away those fallen, to be placed into graves.
Rev 11:10 And those dwelling upon the earth were rejoicing over them and were glad, and sent gifts to one another because these two prophets tested those that dwelled upon the earth.
John, in chapter 11 is telling us HOW, God has shown him he is going to “prophesy again” with the help of these TWO WITNESSES, Moses and Elijah. Their testimonies and anointings are the two witnesses that wield this power upon the earth. Remember what it said in Rev 10:7
“But in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel; just before it sounds; the mystery of God will be finished, as it is being proclaimed by His servants the prophets.”
The servants and the prophets are indeed Moses and Elijah and chapter 11 is a vision of how that unfolds spiritually in history before the Seventh Trumpet is sounded.
By the way, swinging things back to the Gospel of John, written after this encounter with God in Revelation. John records a very special interaction between the Lord and two others at the foot of the cross. John 19:25-27 says this:
Joh 19:25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
Joh 19:26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
Joh 19:27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
Joh 19:28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
Notice how AFTER Jesus spoke to both His mother and to John His disciple and gave them the command to be a witness to one another, and watch out for one another, that He said, NOW all things were accomplished, that scripture might be fulfilled.
2 Cor 13:1 “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”
We can see here that Jesus chose a woman, His mother, and a man, John the beloved, to be His Two Witnesses before He died on the cross. His mother Mary, that we must have gotten ALL the information prior to the life of Jesus from:, who else could be a witness to the life of Jesus, the events of Mary and Joseph and be someone that was credible to the witness itself?
God’s first two witnesses were the Light and the Darkness. His first witnesses to mankind were the men Moses and Aaron. God chose these men from among all men, to stand before the god of the this world. Every generation has its witnesses, that stand in the anointing of THE original Two witnesses, to bear witness to the Testimony of Jesus Christ.
Lastly, I want to draw your attention to the Resurrection of Christ, as it is told in the 20th chapter of the Gospel of John. While it was still yet dark, Mary Magdalene came to the sepulcher, and saw that the great stone had been taken away from it’s opening. Then, she runs away and goes and bears witness to Simon Peter and the other disciple and reports what she had found. Peter then bolts out of there at high velocity speeds, with John the beloved just behind him. Then it says, “they ran both together, and the other disciple (John), did out run Peter, and came first to the sepulcher”. It says John got there first and was the first witness that saw the evidence of Jesus missing, when he stooped down. It says “then came Simon Peter, following him into the sepulcher, and saw also the linen clothes lying there” so now, Peter was the second witness to what Mary had just reported to them. Then verse 8 is moving, it says “at the very moment the other disciple, which came first to the sepulcher, when he saw it, he believed it.” Then it states that at this time they didn’t know that the scriptures said that HE must rise again from the dead. BUT, John believed what he heard and what he saw. Then verse 10 finishes by saying “Then the disciples went again back to their homes”. Here, let me post the rest of the verses, so you can see what happens next:
Joh 20:11 But Mary stood without the sepulcher weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulcher,
Joh 20:12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
Joh 20:13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.
Joh 20:14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
Joh 20:15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.
Joh 20:16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
Joh 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
Joh 20:18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.
So, once again Mary goes and reports and bears witness to the things that she has seen and heard from the Lord, to the disciples. Then in verse 19, Jesus appears to His disciples to bear witness to what Mary had told them. It went like this:
Joh 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
Joh 20:20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
Joh 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent Me, even so send I you.
I hope you all have a clearer understanding of the role of a witness in the Bible. I know I do.
Just for the sake of witnesses, and doing things by the book,
My name is Joe Rodriguez, and I confirm this article as being inspired by the Holy Spirit, and bear witness to the testimony of my wife of 33 years.
Be free and Set free in Jesus Name~
Red Letter Publications 