The Last Days
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Lesson 45 | 11/02/25
Revelation 11:1-14 | The Two Witnesses (part 2)
Last week we were introduced to the Two Witnesses of Revelation chapter 11. And in that lesson, we learned of their ministry and purpose and used the book of Zechariah to help us understand who these two men might be. So let’s read the first four verses of chapter 11 and then we will continue looking at their ministry through verse 14, Revelation 11:1-4.
Remember, chapter 11 brings us back to the beginning of the Tribulation week when the antichrist confirms the covenant with the Jews, they build their 3rd Temple, and they begin making daily sacrifices, trampling the blood of Jesus underfoot. So, in Revelation 11, John measures this 3rd temple, taking an account of the people’s hearts and God is displeased with His people. Therefore, in God’s mercy, He sends Two Witnesses, clothed in sackcloth, mourning for Israel and preaching a call to repentance to turn away from their worthless sacrifices and turn to Jesus Christ as the final sacrifice and their Savior.
There is a big debate on who these Two Witnesses could be, Moses and Elijah?; Enoch and Elijah? but as we saw last week, these two witnesses in Revelation 11 are described as “the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth,” v.4
Which led us to the book of Zechariah and two olive trees described in chapter 4, specifically Zechariah 4:14- “These are the two anointed ones, οἱ δύο υἱοὶ τῆς πιότητος, the two sons of the fatness of the olive tree, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth.”
In Zechariah’s time, these two faithful men were Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel. Faithful men who were vessels of God empowered by the Holy Spirit to be a witness of the Messiah among the Jewish people. They were sent to bear witness of Jesus and turn the hearts of the people toward God. We covered this extensively last week, but I want to point out a few more details that we didn’t have time for that will help us gain a better understanding of the ministry of these Two Witnesses in Revelation. Zerubbabel and Joshua were two faithful Jewish believers, two witnesses of that day in which God empowered to bear witness of the Messiah to come. God did this by foreshadowing Jesus as King and High Priest through Zerubbabel and Joshua. These two witnesses are extensions of Jesus, bearing witness of who the Messiah would be.
Joshua
With this in mind, let’s continue looking at the remainder of these two witnesses in Revelation 11...
11:5-6) 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. 6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
These two men are empowered by the Holy Spirit and they are given supernatural abilities.
But their ministry is only for a specific time, the first 3-1/2 years, verse 7,
11:7) When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.
11:9-10) 9 Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. 10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
11:11-12) 11 Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life (πνεῦμα ζωῆς- Spirit of Life) from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.
This ends the interlude between the 6th and 7th Trumpet. Again God helping fill in the details of this first 3-1/2 years. Next week we will finish chapter 11 and see the third woe, the sounding of the 7th Trumpet as the kingdoms of this world crumble and pave the way for Jesus to usher in His Everlasting Kingdom.
PREVIOUS LESSON 44 ← GO TO → NEXT LESSON 46
Remember, chapter 11 brings us back to the beginning of the Tribulation week when the antichrist confirms the covenant with the Jews, they build their 3rd Temple, and they begin making daily sacrifices, trampling the blood of Jesus underfoot. So, in Revelation 11, John measures this 3rd temple, taking an account of the people’s hearts and God is displeased with His people. Therefore, in God’s mercy, He sends Two Witnesses, clothed in sackcloth, mourning for Israel and preaching a call to repentance to turn away from their worthless sacrifices and turn to Jesus Christ as the final sacrifice and their Savior.
There is a big debate on who these Two Witnesses could be, Moses and Elijah?; Enoch and Elijah? but as we saw last week, these two witnesses in Revelation 11 are described as “the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth,” v.4
Which led us to the book of Zechariah and two olive trees described in chapter 4, specifically Zechariah 4:14- “These are the two anointed ones, οἱ δύο υἱοὶ τῆς πιότητος, the two sons of the fatness of the olive tree, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth.”
In Zechariah’s time, these two faithful men were Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel. Faithful men who were vessels of God empowered by the Holy Spirit to be a witness of the Messiah among the Jewish people. They were sent to bear witness of Jesus and turn the hearts of the people toward God. We covered this extensively last week, but I want to point out a few more details that we didn’t have time for that will help us gain a better understanding of the ministry of these Two Witnesses in Revelation. Zerubbabel and Joshua were two faithful Jewish believers, two witnesses of that day in which God empowered to bear witness of the Messiah to come. God did this by foreshadowing Jesus as King and High Priest through Zerubbabel and Joshua. These two witnesses are extensions of Jesus, bearing witness of who the Messiah would be.
Joshua
- Joshua was the high priest, foreshadowing Jesus as our High Priest. Twice Joshua is used to portray the Messiah as “The Branch.”
- The Branch who would judge and rule His house, Zechariah 3:7-10
- And also the Branch who would build His Temple, the Church, 6:11-13a; John 2:19-22.
- Zerubbabel was from the line of Judah, the line of the Messiah, representing Jesus as our King as Messiah, Matt 1:12-16.
- God worked through Zerubbabel to build His temple, Zechariah 4:9-10.
- Both Zerubbabel and Joshua were witnesses of the two offices of the Messiah
- Jesus as King and Priest to His Church, Zechariah 6:13.
- It is the through both offices of Jesus, King and Priest, that redemption is fulfilled.
- As High Priest Jesus made the Way to be reconciled to God through His ministry as Kinsman Redeemer, the Sacrifice, and the Priest to offer the blood.
- As King of God’s Kingdom, He is ushering in Everlasting Righteousness for us to dwell eternally with Him.
- Zechariah foreshadows these two offices, and Revelation completes the merging of these two offices together to fulfill our redemption.
- We see this portrayed beautifully in Revelation 4-5 as the Lamb slain takes possession of the scroll, the title deed to the Kingdom of God.
- In Zechariah’s time in the Old Covenant, the Church wasn’t established yet.
- These two witnesses, Zerubbabel and Joshua, were empowered by the Holy Spirit to foreshadow Jesus building His Church, fueling the Church.
- The two witnesses are being fed by the fatness of the olive tree, supplying the oil to the lampstand, the Church
- One lampstand with the two olive trees feeding the lampstand. Fueling the fire for the Church to be built.
- The two witnesses are being fed by the fatness of the olive tree, supplying the oil to the lampstand, the Church
- These two witnesses, Zerubbabel and Joshua, were empowered by the Holy Spirit to foreshadow Jesus building His Church, fueling the Church.
- In Revelation, the Church has been established
- The two olive trees aren’t feeding the lamps, instead the lamps are a part of the olive tree.
- Now that Jesus has built His Church, represented by the lampstand, the Church is His Witness
- We have the fueling power of the Holy Spirit within us
- Jesus told His disciples before He ascended to Heaven, Acts 1:8- But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
- The Holy Spirit lives within us and we are continually fed by the fatness of the olive tree to shine our light to the world, to bear witness of Jesus Christ.
- We should be an extension of Jesus, bearing witness of Him through the power of the Holy Spirit, 2 Corinthians 3:18.
With this in mind, let’s continue looking at the remainder of these two witnesses in Revelation 11...
11:5-6) 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. 6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
These two men are empowered by the Holy Spirit and they are given supernatural abilities.
- Fire out of their mouths
- Shut heaven so no rain falls
- Turn water to blood
- Strike the earth with all plagues
- Seal #3- Famine and scarcity, Rev 6:5-6
- Four angels holding back the four winds of the earth, Rev 7:1
- Trumpet #1- hail and fire mingled with blood, Rev 8:7
- Trumpet #2- a third of the sea turned to blood, Rev 8:8
- Trumpet #3- bitter water, Rev 8:10-11
- Trumpet #6- three plagues, fire, smoke, brimstone, Rev 9:18-20
But their ministry is only for a specific time, the first 3-1/2 years, verse 7,
11:7) When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.
- After the first 3-1/2 years, at the middle of the week, their testimony will be finished
- The Beast, the antichrist will be empowered by demons from the pit of the abussos.
- He will even be given the authority of Satan, Rev 13:1-2
- The antichrist will kill the two witnesses at the middle of the week
- proof that we are dealing with the first 3-1/2 years, because the Beast is given authority to continue for the latter 42 months, Rev 13:5
- The Beast, the antichrist will be empowered by demons from the pit of the abussos.
- Something to consider... the antichrist is going to supposedly die and come back to life sometime just before this middle of the week, Rev 13:3-4; 17:7-8
- When this happens, the world will marvel at the antichrist because they think he has power over death and then he will rise up and kill these two witnesses who nobody can harm.
- But at the middle of the week, the Two Witnesses will be killed. They will absolutely be dead.
- Their dead bodies will lay in the street for 3-1/2 days
- This is no doubt Jerusalem. The holy city, that great city, where are Lord was crucified. is spiritually dead.
- Sodom = sexual immorality
- Egypt = idolatry
- This holy city has been given over to the Gentiles and will be trodden under foot until Jesus come back.
- The same demons from Sodom and Egypt are running rampant in Jerusalem.
- The same is true with Babylon. The demonic spirits of Babylon from the time of Nimrod are ruling Jerusalem and the world, Rev 17:3-5; 18:2-5.
11:9-10) 9 Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. 10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
- This is the only time we see the earth-dwellers rejoicing in the book of Revelation
- For 3-1/2 days while their bodies are lying dead in the street, they will be having a party
- CNN and all the news will be broadcasting this to the world.
- For 3-1/2 days while their bodies are lying dead in the street, they will be having a party
- Notice how the world will view these witnesses of God... as those who tormented them.
- The Word of God was convicting their souls, but they loved darkness rather than light
- They were told to repent and believe, but yet they rejected the Truth and Judgement came
- These two witnesses had an amazing effective ministry
- They converted the 144,000 Jews to Jesus
- Not to mention many of the myriads of Tribulation Martyrs were also probably a result of their ministry
11:11-12) 11 Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life (πνεῦμα ζωῆς- Spirit of Life) from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.
- God raises them from the dead in front of the whole world and calls them home
- God could have done this secretly, but instead He is making an open show of His power and triumphing over His enemy, Esther 6:6-11; 1 Pet 3:19; Col 2:15; Acts 16:35-40
- If raising the two witnesses from the dead wasn’t enough, God sends Judgement with a massive earthquake in Jerusalem.
- 1/10 of the city of Jerusalem fell. This may have even affected the Temple.
- Showing His power and glory
- The earth-dwellers gave God glory, but not in the same way we do. They can’t help but recognize God’s awesome power, but they are so hard hearted they will not repent.
- 1/10 of the city of Jerusalem fell. This may have even affected the Temple.
This ends the interlude between the 6th and 7th Trumpet. Again God helping fill in the details of this first 3-1/2 years. Next week we will finish chapter 11 and see the third woe, the sounding of the 7th Trumpet as the kingdoms of this world crumble and pave the way for Jesus to usher in His Everlasting Kingdom.
PREVIOUS LESSON 44 ← GO TO → NEXT LESSON 46