PRO:The two witnesses of Revelation  by Dave Geauvreau

   Revelation 11:3-14

   "And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy
one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth."

   These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before
the God of the earth.

   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.

   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. Now when they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends
out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them,
and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the
great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our
Lord was crucified.

   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.

   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.

   Now after the three and a half days the breath of life from God
entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on
those who saw them.

   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.

   In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the
city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand men were killed, and the
rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.

   The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.

   VERSE BY VERSE BREAKDOWN

   VERSE

   3 - Christ will give power to the two witnesses. - They will hold
the office of the prophet for they will prophesy. - They will function
for 1260 days. - They will be clothed in sackcloth. 4 - They are the
two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the
earth. 5 - If anyone seeks to harm them during this period, fire will
proceed from their mouth and will devour them as they must be killed in
this manner. 6 - They are given the power to shut heaven so that no
rain will fall in the days of their prophecy. - They have power over
the waters to turn them to blood. - They have the power to strike the
earth with all types of plagues as often as they wish. 7 - When their
testimony is finished the Beast that ascends from out of the bottomless
pit will make war on them and will kill them. 8 - Their bodies will lie
in open view in the street of the great city which is spiritually
called Sodom and Egypt, where Jesus was crucified. This is the city we
know as Jerusalem. 9 - For 3 1/2 days the world will not allow them to
be buried but will have them on public view. - Through satellite and
television the whole world will be able to view this at the same time.
10 - The world will rejoice that those who troubled them are now dead.
And they will party and give gifts to one another because of this. 11 -
After 3 1/2 days God will put back the breath of life into the two
witnesses and the whole world will see them stand to their feet and
great fear will fall on them who see them. 12 - They will hear a voice
from heaven saying to them, "Come up here". 13 - At the same hour a
great earthquake will hit Jerusalem and a tenth of the city will
collapse killing 7,000 men. - The rest will be afraid and will give
glory to the God of heaven. 14 - This is the finish of the second woe.
But the third is coming quickly!

   THE IDENTITY OF THE TWO WITNESSES

   ELIJAH

   Mal.4:4-5 - "Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, which I
commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the
great and dreadful day of the Lord. 2 Kings 2:11 - Then it happened, as
they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared
with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up
by a whirlwind into heaven.

   ENOCH

   Gen.5:21-24 - Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah.
After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years,
and begot sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three
hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God; and he was
not, for God took him.

   Heb.11:5 - By faith Enoch was translated so that he did not see
death, "and was not found because God had translated him"; for before
his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

   1 Kings 17-18 - Elijah was a prophet of judgment.

   Jude 14-15 - Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about
these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of
His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly
among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an
ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have
spoken against Him."

   Hebrews 9:27 - And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after
this the judgment.

   1 Cor.15:51-58 - The rapture!

   NOTE!

   If Enoch was translated and given a glorified body which could not
see death, he was given one over thirty-five hundred years before
Christ received His glorified body. Then, in that event, Christ would
not be the "firstfruits" of the eternal state among the sons of men,
which of course He is:

   Romans 5:12-21 (21)- So that as sin reigned in death, even so grace
might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ
our Lord.

   1 Cor.15:20-23 - But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has
become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by
man came death, by man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as
in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each
one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are
Christ's at His coming.

   1 Cor.15:45-49 - And so it is written, "The first man Adam became a
living being." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the
spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.
The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the
Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust; and as is the heavenly Man,
so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of
the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.

   God had a purpose in translating Enoch, as well as Elijah, and what
was it if it was not to supply the other witness? Elijah pleased God
and was translated by faith. Enoch pleased God and was translated by
faith. The cases are parallel and stand or fall together. Also by the
process of elimination, these are the only two men who could possibly
comply with the plain description of the two witnesses in every point.

   Study by Dave Geauvreau, Sysop of The Christian BBS.

   The only Copywrite is the conviction of the Lord to keep the study
in whole if reproduced, for context sake. This study my be freely
passed along, for as we have freely received let us freely give.
