Two witnesses in Revelation?

Question

My pastor said that the two would most likely be Moses and Elijah. Has anyone else ever heard this?

Answer 1

No analysis of the "two witnesses" would be complete without mentioning Moses and Elijah. The visions of these two prophets were themselves symbolic when they appeared at Jesus' transfiguration"! That event pointed forward to the time when Christ would sit in glory on the throne of God's Kingdom, which Jehovah's Witnesses believe occurred late in 1914 (see references below).

(Matthew 17:2,3) [Jesus] was transfigured before them, and his face shone as the sun, and his outer garments became brilliant as the light. And, look! there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, conversing with him.

(Matthew 25:31) When the Son of man arrives in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit down on his glorious throne


Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the symbolic "two witnesses" of Revelation 11:3,4 represents Jehovah's Witnesses themselves between 1914 and 1919. Anointed Christians among Jehovah's Witnesses preached despite terrible persecution for three and half years, their work seemed "dead" for a brief period, and then their preaching work re-activated larger than before!


The Scriptural passage which introduces the "two witnesses" mentions the "prophesying" or preaching and teaching work they perform for 42 months, and connects the "two witnesses" with lampstands and olive trees.

(Revelation 11:2-4) [The nations] will trample the holy city underfoot for forty-two months. 3 And I will cause my two witnesses to prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days dressed in sackcloth.” 4 These are symbolized by the two olive trees and the two lampstands and are standing before the Lord of the earth.


Jehovah's Witnesses note strikingly similar language from the bible book of Zechariah (compare with Rev 11:2-4):

(Zechariah 4:1-3,11-14) And the angel who was speaking with me ...said to me: "What are you seeing?” So I said: "I have seen, and, look! there is a lampstand... And there are two olive trees alongside it... And I proceeded to answer and say to him: "What do these two olive trees on the right side of the lampstand and on its left side mean?" ...Accordingly he said: "These are the two anointed ones who are standing alongside the Lord of the whole earth."

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that all (or most) Witnesses in the first few decades of their modern history were "anointed"; that is, these expected a heavenly resurrection at their deaths.


Jehovah's Witnesses also believe that the 42 months is a literal length of time, because the time period is repeated in another unit of measure as "1260 days" (42 months of 30 days). Jehovah's Witnesses believe that this same 42 month period of time is discussed as 'three and half years' in Daniel 7:25. (Note that 3.5 years = 42 months = 1260 days.)

(Daniel 7:25) [The "small horn"] will speak even words against the Most High, and he will harass continually the holy ones themselves of the Supreme One. And he will intend to change times and law, and [the holy ones] will be given into [the "small horn's"] hand for a time, and times and half a time [or literally, "one year and two years and half a year"]


The book of Daniel seems to use that "small horn" to represent the Anglo-American world power which has dominated the world scene since World War I (See "Pay Attention to Daniel's Prophecy" (page 141), published by Jehovah's Witnesses).
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How did these secular governments "harass continually the holy ones" (Dan 7:25)?

As WWI heated up, persecution against Jehovah's Witnesses accelerated because the preaching work tormented the secular governments. The 42 months (Rev 11:2) seems to have begun in December 1914 when the Witnesses were moved to chose as their 1915 year-text "Are ye able to drink of my cup - Matt 20:22, KJV". Over the next three and half years and amidst the war hysteria, anointed Christians among Jehovah's Witnesses were imprisoned and even tortured in Canada, Britain, and the United States. Witness publications were banned, and even in the United States certain Witness publications were deemed "illegal". The 42 months of preaching in the face of persecution seems to have culminated in June 1918 when the U.S. sentenced the president and directors of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society to long prison terms. With the Witness "leaders" imprisoned, political entities around the world thought Jehovah's Witnesses were dead.

(Revelation 11:7-10) And when [the two witnesses] have finished their witnessing, the wild beast [representing secular governments] kill them. And their corpses will be on the broad way... nations will look at their corpses for three and a half days, and they do not let their corpses be laid in a tomb. 10 ...these two prophets tormented those


These "two witnesses" must have been "dead" long enough to stink, and to seem really dead to the observations of their enemies and other onlookers (compare John 11:39). So too all of Christendom assumed Jehovah's Witnesses were gone permanently when their "leaders" were imprisoned. Yet what does history tell us?

(Revelation 11:11) And after the three and a half days spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet

On March 25, 1919 the president, officers, and directors of the Watch Tower Society were released from federal prison. By September 1919, Jehovah's Witnesses were again publicizing the hypocrisy of Christendom and the superiority of God's Kingdom over human governments. Jehovah's Witnesses, the "two witnesses" of Revelation 11, were again alive in preaching the Kingdom message despite the feelings of "the wild beast" and false religion (see Kingdom News #37).
http://watchtower.org/e/kn37/

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/20040401/
http://watchtower.org/e/dg/index.htm?article=article_09.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/lmn/index.htm?article=article_10.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/pr/index.htm?article=article_07.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/jt/index.htm?article=article_02.htm

Answer 2

The 2 witnesses of Revelation 11 are said to be Moses and Elijah

"Several Old and New Testament figures have been suggested as the identities of these two, including Moses, Elijah, Enoch, John and Nathaniel.

But if the two witnesses are Biblical figures from the past, the most logical candidates are Moses and Elijah, and here's why. The supernatural signs used to authenticate the ministry of the two witnesses are the same ones that Moses (plagues, and water into blood) and Elijah (drought and fire) used to authenticate theirs and are decidedly Old Testament in their nature. Moses is known in Judaism as the giver of the Law, while Elijah is considered the greatest of Israel's Prophets. In fact the Old Testament is often called "the Law and the Prophets", hinting at the contributions of these two great leaders from Israel's history. Who better to represent God on Earth during the time when He brings events foretold in "the Law and the Prophets" to their ultimate climax?........"

Answer 3

i have heard it all my life. it may be true, it may not!
i would speculate that Moses already lived and died. or was lifted up. that is debateable. therefore it would not be required of him to come to earth again and preach in the mortal toil.
I would also speculate that elijah also lived once again, the prophecy that says elijah will return to his seat in the jewish community seems to have already been fulfilled with the mission of john the baptist as Jesus confirms. So the jews may be looking for a false sign to be fulfilled. If john the baptist could have completed the prophecy of elijah returning than maybe it is done by the spiritual means. and seeing it was NOT exactly Elijah himself, personally, I think its possible that God will raise a man from the land to become a witness unto the people.
but in reality, it is for God to answer the truth.
I have been trying to profile what these two witnesses are my entire life. Not all things are what they are told to be ! Not all beliefs are truth, and not all signs and wonders come from God. but God does sustain the faithful and his ways are above Our ways.

Answer 4

Yes, I have heard it. It's Biblical scholars opinions because of what is written.

Mal 4:4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.
Mal 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
Mal 4:6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

Notice what is written in verse 6, to their fathers, plural.
Some to God and some to Satan.

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Answer 5

Enoch walked with God and he was not for God took him.genesis 5:24 and Elijah is translated in a Chariot of fire into heaven 2Kings 2:11: These men didn`t die and the word says that all men will die once except those who are alive when Jesus returns for his own.I believe these two men are the prophets that are the witnesses of God.They will be killed in that time of Revelations.

Answer 6

they do the same type of works as moses and Elijah.moses exalted the Jews god whose name is Jehovah at exodus 6:3 to the Egyptians.and Elijah exalted the Jews god whose name is Jehovah at 1 kings 19:10 even Elijah's name means my god is Jehovah.so it has reference to witnesses of Jehovah god or true Christians that recognize that Jehovah is god

Answer 7

I've heard that, but I think it more likely that it will be Enoch and Elijah. They were both translated up to Heaven before death, and Hebrews 9:27 reads 'And it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.'
Neither of these men died.

Answer 8

Moses because of the Priesthood and Elijah because of the prophet ,Yes I agree but I also sometimes think it may be John the Baptist because he was at the mount of transfiguration along with Moses

Answer 9

I Think the 2 witnesses are Enoch and Elijah since neither one of them has died yet

Answer 10

I've usually heard that they could be Enoch and Elijah because those people did not die they were taken to Heaven. However no one knows for sure.

Answer 11

The 2 witnesses will be the reincarnation of the prophet Muhammad (Mahdi) and his wife