Why will there be 2 Witnesses?
Scholars disagree as to the identity of God’s 2 Witnesses and exactly when they will arrive, yet no one seems to be considering why God sends them.
2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. 3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. (Revelation 11: 3)
Near the end of this age, the temple in Jerusalem will be trampled by the Gentiles for 42 months. That is when the Antichrist will be in power and the Great Tribulation will take place. During that time, God will send His 2 Witnesses to prophesy for 1260 days (aka 42 months).
Why are 2 Witnesses needed?
6 At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness, he shall not be put to death. (Deuteronomy 17: 6)
God’s law requires that there be at least 2 witnesses before a death sentence can be assigned and implemented. God chooses to follow the laws He created.
God’s judgment against Sodom & Gomorrah
21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. 22 And the men [angels] turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the Lord. (Genesis 18: 21-22)
Before implementing a death sentence to Sodom & Gomorrah, God sent 2 angels to witness the wickedness in those areas. After receiving first-hand confirmation as to the evil there, God completely destroyed everyone and everything in that area.
But before destroying Sodom and Gomorrah, God called His people out of that land. Then He poured out His wrath onto the wickedness there.
God’s judgment at the end of this age
Before implementing a death sentence onto the evil in this world at the end of this age, God will send His 2 Witnesses to prophecy and also to witness what the world does to God’s people. In particular, God will send His 2 Witnesses to testify as to what the world does during the time of Great Tribulation.
Before destroying the wickedness of the world (on the great and terrible Day of the Lord), God will call His people out of that land. Therefore, the rapture takes place after the Great Tribulation but before the Day of the Lord.
When I was trying to confirm the sequence of events including the rapture, God told me: “Prepare to stay until the Day of My Wrath.” It is the only major end times event that we cannot calculate.
The Great Tribulation begins halfway through the final 7-year treaty and it will last 3-1/2 years. During the Great Tribulation, the Antichrist will be in power for 42 months (3-1/2 years). The 2 Witnesses will prophesy for 1260 days (3-1/2 years). Their bodies will lie unburied for 3-1/2 days before God resurrects them, then this age will be over and God’s wrath will begin to be poured out (the 7 Golden Bowls/Vials).
We can calculate the timing of all those events – except for the Day of the Lord (aka the battle of Armageddon) (the 7th Bowl/Vial of God’s wrath) (the 7th Trumpet).
The 2 Witnesses are mortal
Because the 2 Witnesses will be killed and then resurrected, they are human. Angels do not die. People who have died and been resurrected do not die a second time (Hebrews 9: 27).
The Holy Bible mentions only 2 humans who were caught up to heaven before they died: Enoch and Elijah. They are in heaven with God but their human bodies have not experienced death. That is why they are very likely to be God’s very special 2 Witnesses.
Enoch lived before the flood. The Great Tribulation appears to include the return of Nephilim, therefore Enoch’s previous experience with the Nephilim is very relevant.
Elijah lived after the flood. He was from Abraham’s lineage but before Immanuel (Jesus Christ) came to the earth.
Enoch and Elijah represent 2 different eras of the human experience.
Enoch is a Gentile and Elijah is Jewish. They represent the 2 olive trees.
Each is in a unique position to bear witness to what happens during the Great Tribulation.
The Timing of the 2 Witnesses
The 2 Witnesses will prophesy for 1260 days, are then killed, and their bodies remain unburied for 3-1/2 days while the world celebrates. After they are resurrected, the Great Tribulation ends and God’s wrath begins.
Satan’s Wrath
12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. (Revelation 12: 12-13)
17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 12: 17)
The Great Tribulation is the time of Satan’s wrath – not God’s wrath. Satan will wage war against the Jews but God will protect a Jewish remnant in the wilderness. Then, Satan turns his wrath onto Christians.
God’s Wrath
16 And said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” (Revelation 6: 16-17)
After the Great Tribulation is over, the kingdom of this world becomes the kingdom of the Lord. He will begin by punishing wickedness and cleaning out the evil in the world. The 7 Golden Bowls/Vials of God’s wrath (Revelation 15 & 16) will be poured out.
Babylon is Destroyed
19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.(Revelation 16: 19)
When the Great Tribulation is over, Mystery Babylon will be completely destroyed in a single hour (like Sodom & Gomorrah). This happens after the Great Tribulation is over. God will annihilate the great city Babylon because He holds it responsible for the blood of His martyred saints (Revelation 17: 6). Vengeance belongs to the Lord.
The Day of the Lord
The great and terrible Day of the Lord includes the battle of Armageddon (the 7th Bowl of God’s Wrath) which takes place after the 6th Seal is opened and the 7th Trumpet is sounded.
We can know the sequence of events but we do not have a way to calculate the exact day or hour of this particular event.
God’s Judgment & His Timing
Because God sent His 2 Witnesses, He will judge and implement His judgment against certain people immediately (on the Day of the Lord) (at the battle of Armageddon).
Others will be judged later at the Great White Throne (Revelation 20).
God’s Judgment: Alive in Eternal Torment
When Jesus arrives to save Israel from complete annihilation by the world’s armies, He will cast the Antichrist and False Prophet alive into the lake of fire for eternal torment (Revelation 19: 20).
God’s Judgment: Death & Eternal Torment
Those who took the mark of the beast and worshiped his image will be killed and cast into the lake of fire for eternal torment (Revelation 14: 11).
God’s Judgment: Death
Jesus will destroy the world’s armies with the sword of His mouth (spoken words) (Revelation 19: 21). If there is anyone who was part of the world’s armies but did not take the mark of the beast, it appears that they will be killed but would await sentencing at the Final Judgment and Great White Throne.
In addition, anyone that God did not call out of Babylon before He destroyed it will be killed (Revelation 18: 4).
God’s Judgment: Satan is bound
Satan will be bound and Jesus will reign over the earth for a thousand years (Revelation 20: 2). When the thousand years are over, Satan will be set loose for a short while. He will raise armies of the world against Jesus for one final battle. Satan will lose. (Revelation 20: 7-10)
God’s Judgment: Eternal Torment
Satan will be cast into the lake of fire for eternal torment (Revelation 20: 10).
God’s Judgment: The Great White Throne
God will judge everyone except for those who participated in the first resurrection (aka the rapture and marriage supper of the Lamb of God) (Revelation 20: 6).
Everyone will give an account for every careless word and action (Revelation 20: 12-13) (Matthew 12: 36) (Romans 14: 12).
Anyone whose name is not in the book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20: 15).
Anyone whose name is in the book of life will be saved and spend eternity with the Lord.
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