Many believe these two witnesses are Elijah and Moses.
Others believe they are Elijah and Enoch. The belief the two
witnesses are Elijah and Moses is based on the miracles
Elijah and Moses performed and Moses and Elijah were seen
with the Lord on the Mount of Transfiguration. The belief
one of the witnesses is Elijah in based on Malachi 4:5.
Others see them as Elijah and Enoch who were translated and
never saw death.
The big question is are they literally Moses and Elijah, or
are they two men who will come in the power, spirit, and
character of Moses and Elijah. In Luke 1:17 we are
told that John the Baptist was a forerunner of Christ and
would go forth in the spirit and power of Elijah (Matthew
3:3; Mark 1:2-3). Matthew 17:10-13 teaches us that Elijah
had come and that John the Baptist was that Elijah.
Matthew 11:7-14 adds some very interesting light on the
issue. These verses show that John could have and would have
fulfilled the Malachi passage if Israel as a nation had
believed and accepted his message. However, since they
rejected both John and Jesus, another would have to come to
fulfill the Malachi prophecy and this would need to occur
prior to Christ’s Second Advent. Since John could have and
would have fulfilled the Malachi passage, it seems obvious
the one who will come in the future, will be, like John, one
who will come in the spirit and power of Elijah, but not
literally Elijah himself. He does not have to be a literal
Elijah, or John could not have fulfilled the Malachi
passage.
Therefore it appears the two witnesses in Revelation 11, are
not literally Elijah and Moses, or Elijah and Enoch, but two
men whom God will raise up in the spirit and power of their
Old Testament counterparts. They are similar from the
standpoint of their ministries, but similarity does not mean
identity. Their ministries are similar because they are
ministering to Israel and such similarity would carry great
significance to the Jews.
Some try to symbolize the two witnesses as movements or
powers that occur in some religious sense. However, clearly,
these two witnesses are specific persons and not symbolical
of movements or powers. This is proven by the article used
with the word “witnesses” and by the fact that the term
“witness” in the New Testament is always used of persons.
Further, we must remember that they are not named in the
text that would indicate that God does not intend for us to
identify them. They are simply two exceptional men whom God
will raise up in the Tribulation.
John tells us, “These are the two olive trees and two
lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth”
(Revelation 11: 4). These two figures are taken from
Zechariah 4:1-14 in order to emphasize the truth of this Old
Testament passage as it will relate to these two witnesses.
In addition, in this Old Testament passage there were two
witnesses to God’s people: Joshua, the high priest
(Zechariah 3), and Zerubbabel, the civil leader (Zechariah
4). What is interesting, this Old Testament passage occurred
in connection with the rebuilding of the temple, which was
small by comparison to the temple of Solomon that the
Babylonians destroyed. This smallness had become a matter of
reproach to the people who were looking at things according
to sight rather than according to faith (Zechariah 4:10).
When Zechariah saw the two olive trees and the lampstand he
asked, “What are these my Lord?” The answer given was a word
of comfort and encouragement, but also a warning. In verse 6
he is told, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel
saying, not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says
the Lord of hosts.”
The olive tree was a source of olive oil used to fuel lamps
in ancient times. The oil speaks of the ministry of the Holy
Spirit who is God’s anointing bestowed upon men to enable
them for service. The olive oil, then, is the fuel used in
the two lamps that enabled them to burn brightly, to shed
their light to a lost and needy world. So likewise, the two
witnesses of the Tribulation will operate in the power and
might of the Holy Spirit. Their power and effectiveness does
not lie in human ability or ingenuity, nor can it be
hindered or stopped by the nature of the circumstances.
The ministry of the two witnesses is characterized by four
great miraculous powers: (a) they can killtheir enemies with
fire; (b) withhold rain for three and a half years; (c) turn
water into blood; and (d) bring plagues upon the earth. Why
these specific miracles, first, they are a means of defense
and protection to the two witnesses until their ministry is
over. Second, these specific miracles occur because of their
significance to Israel. They will be used to turn the hearts
of the Jews to the Lord in preparation for the coming King.
As with Moses, Elijah, Peter, Paul and John, the believer
who is in the will of God need fear no man or system of the
world or Satan; no one can shorten our life nor stop our
work for the Lord until He Himself is ready. Remember,
Revelation 3:7-8, He is the One “who opens and no one will
shut, and who shuts and no one opens.” When He puts before
us an open door, no one, not even Satan himself can shut the
door! Of course, men can terminate their own lives or kill
their own ministry by personal rebellion, carnality, and
regression from the Lord as was the case with Saul and as
did some of the Christians at Corinth. But people bring this
on themselves by turning away from God and staying out of
His plan and grace (1 Corinthians 11:30-32; 1 John 5:16-17).
