The Two Witnesses are two human beings who will be given extraordinary power for 3 1/2 years just before Christ's return. If anyone attempts to harm them before they complete their ministry, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. They will also have power to produce drought and famine and to smite the earth with plagues. The most notable work of the Two Witnesses will be to give one final warning to this world, bringing them into conflict with the people and the governments in power, and they will be martyred. The whole world will rejoice and give each other gifts as they view their dead bodies, lying unburied in the streets of Jerusalem. However, those same people will be struck with great fear when they see the Two Witnesses come to life again and ascend into the sky in a cloud. The Two Witnesses are called the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth, indicating they will supply the church with oil, spiritually feeding the church during the famine of the Word. Thus, the Two Witnesses will be affiliated with and teaching the members of God's church before and possibly during their greater worldwide ministry.

Among the churches of God, there is a growing anticipation that the Two Witnesses, foretold in Revelation 11, will soon begin to prophesy, especially as global conditions worsen and the return of Christ is expected in the near future. These two prophets are linked to the flow of end-time prophecy, with their ministry of testimony confined to the one thousand two hundred and sixty days of the Great Tribulation. They will be martyred by the Beast three and a half days before the first resurrection, when they are raised to join Christ in the air with the other firstfruits of God's Kingdom. Until the Great Tribulation begins and the holy city comes under the dominion of the Gentiles, the Two Witnesses have not officially started their prophetic work. Before this time, they remain essentially anonymous servants of God. However, Scripture provides hints about their character. They will not be unstable individuals, as nothing suggests God uses people of unsound mind for major works. They will be men, not entities or symbols, as Revelation 11 clearly describes them as prophets who can be killed, have bodies, and are resurrected. The language and allusions in the primary passages point overwhelmingly to masculine figures, aligning with biblical patterns. They will not be resurrected saints from the past, as there is no indication of this in the relevant passages, and God's consistent patterns do not support such a notion. Additionally, they will be neither unconverted nor recently converted, likely being baptized members of God's church and possibly ordained ministers, prepared over an extended period for their significant mission. Revelation 11:4 identifies them as the two olive trees and two lampstands standing before the God of the earth, paralleling Zechariah 4:14, where they are called the two anointed ones who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth. This symbolic description ties them to the provision of spiritual instruction, likely through words and teaching, to the seven churches just before the end. God introduces them as His own witnesses in Revelation 11:3, indicating they are His direct representatives in the last years of man's civilization, reflecting Christ's life and righteousness in their actions and ministry. Though not perfect, they will be men of godly character and virtue, attracting the wrath of Satan, the Beast, and the world, much like Christ did. God will endow them with power to preach, to plague, and to defend themselves during a time of great violence, ensuring they can reveal Him as a final witness before Christ's intervention. At present, their identity remains unrevealed, and the exact timing of their appearance is unknown. The focus should be on seeking Christ-like servants who are feeding the churches through Holy Spirit-inspired works and laboring intensely to equip the saints for the challenging days ahead and Christ's return. God will make them known when their appointed time arrives.

Who are the Two Witnesses? In an essentially literal understanding, they are seen as two individuals, two human servants of God. Some, however, view them as concepts or corporate bodies, such as Israel and the church, or as the Old and New Testaments, meaning the collections of inspired, canonized writings. At present, their true identity remains unrevealed, but it can be determined that they are not the Old and New Testaments. The descriptions of the Two Witnesses employ anthropomorphic language, highlighting human traits and behaviors. They are clothed in sackcloth, which cannot reasonably apply to books. They possess the power of volition, able to strike the earth with plagues as they wish, a capability not attributable to inanimate collections of writings. Furthermore, they die, with their bodies lying in the streets of Jerusalem, a depiction not easily aligned with symbolic death or books. The breath of life from God revives them, they stand on their feet in a real resurrection, and they are translated to heaven, further challenging the notion of them being mere texts. Additionally, they are called prophets, a term consistently used for persons, not Scriptures. Other evidence supports this view. God empowers His Two Witnesses for a specific period of 1,260 days, unlike the timeless power given to His Word. They are described as ministers, preachers, and prophets sent to proclaim His message, bringing welcome news of peace and salvation to those who hear.

The subject of the Two Witnesses in Revelation 11 is a significant prophetic topic that requires careful consideration. This discussion is not intended to be the final word but rather an exploration of possibilities, approached with humility to avoid dogmatic assertions. The context of the Two Witnesses must be understood within the broader framework of Revelation 10 and 11, which form a cohesive unit, an inset section diverging from the main chronological flow of events in Revelation to provide crucial prophetic information. Revelation 10 and 11 together focus on the preaching and work of the church, particularly its leadership, those messengers called by God to speak His Word. The seven thunders in Revelation 10 represent the messages of the seven churches from Pentecost in AD 31 to the beginning of the tribulation. During the tribulation, the preaching of the gospel shifts to the Two Witnesses, who continue this message until the seventh trumpet sounds. The act of eating the little book in Revelation 10:8-10, symbolizing the ingestion of God's Word, connects directly to the mission of the Two Witnesses, reflecting the pattern of preparation and proclamation seen in the prophets of old. The Two Witnesses follow the same pattern as other prophets and apostles, preaching a consistent message of warning, repentance, and growth to Israel, as established in Ezekiel 2 and 3. Their role is to witness of Jesus Christ, pointing the world to Him and ultimately to God the Father. They are described as the culmination of this witnessing, delivering a profound testimony during their 3½-year ministry in the face of the entire world. Their significance lies in embodying the image of Jesus Christ, serving as powerful representatives of Him on earth during the end times.

At the time of the end, the Two Witnesses emerge as crucial servants of God, holding vital importance for the church and the world, especially during the end times. They are identified in Revelation 11:4 as the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the whole earth, symbolizing their role as bearers of light and truth during a period of great darkness. These Two Witnesses, depicted as men and prophets, are tasked with supplying spiritual oil to the church, feeding its light even as the church is hidden in a place of safety during Jacob's trouble and the Day of the Lord. As the only visible lights for God at this time, they draw the attention and hatred of the world, which rejoices at their eventual death due to the intense brightness of their witness. Empowered by God with extraordinary authority during the last 3½ years, the Two Witnesses are endowed with the ability to protect their mission fiercely. If anyone attempts to harm or hinder their work, they face immediate and severe judgment, symbolized by fire proceeding from their mouths, whether literal or as a representation of divine retribution following their spoken words. This power ensures that no one, not even the forces of evil, can obstruct their mission until it is complete. Their role as prophets marks a shift to a new dynamic at the onset of the Tribulation, where they are given carte blanche to destroy opposition, acting with a controlled zeal that keeps them within the bounds of their divine authority. Their influence and work are not localized but extend worldwide, reflecting the global scope of God's plan at the end time.

The Two Witnesses, as presented in Revelation 10 and 11, represent a significant prophetic fulfillment that we should strive to recognize as events unfold. Their role emerges as a possibility, a scenario drawn from biblical symbols, to be understood as God's purpose becomes clear. These two end-time prophets are depicted as sons of thunder, embodying great zeal and power, much like James and John, who were called by Jesus Christ as such. They are products of the seven thunders, carrying forward the messages of the seven churches with intense focus during the critical 3½ years of the great tribulation, standing as the primary representatives of God on earth at that time. Their commission mirrors the pattern seen in prophets like Ezekiel and John, involving the consumption of a book or scroll—sweet at first but turning bitter as the weight of their task is realized. This bitterness drives them to preach a dual message of warning and repentance to two audiences: the world and the church. Their work encompasses both preaching the gospel to the world and feeding the flock, ensuring the church is nurtured and prepared. It is possible that one witness may focus more on the world while the other tends to the church, though they operate in tandem to fulfill God's purpose. The Two Witnesses are given a reed like a rod, symbolizing not only a tool for measurement but also strength and authority to enforce God's standards. Their task is to measure the temple of God, specifically the sanctuary, representing the true church, the elect. They also measure the altar, likely the altar of incense, symbolizing worship, and the individual worshippers, emphasizing personal accountability. This measuring is a judgment against God's standard, evaluating the state of the church as a whole, the individual Christian, and the quality of worship offered to God. Their ministry, which may begin before the tribulation intensifies, involves purification unto holiness in preparation for the Kingdom of God. With the power of the rod, they are equipped not only to measure but to make corrections where necessary, ensuring that both the church and its members align with God's expectations. Their role echoes the spirit of Elijah, preparing a people for the return of Jesus Christ by realigning worship and calling for repentance, readying all for the peace He will bring to Israel and the world.

In the unfolding narrative of Revelation, the Two Witnesses emerge as pivotal figures commissioned directly by Jesus Christ Himself. He declares, "I will give to My two witnesses," endowing them with the necessary authority, gifts, and grace to prophesy for 1260 days, which equates to 3½ years or 42 months, during a time of great tribulation and horror. This period aligns with the trampling of the holy city, Jerusalem, by foreign nations, marking a time of intense conflict and devastation. These Two Witnesses are tasked with a narrow focus on the church, explicitly instructed to disregard the world outside the temple, casting out any concern for it as it is not their responsibility to save the world at this time. Their role involves measuring the temple, the altar, and the worshippers, which signifies evaluating the church as a whole, the quality of its worship, and the individual members' relationship with God. They wield a stout reed like a rod, a powerful tool implying authority to enforce standards and motivate conformity within the church. Identified as the two olive trees and two lampstands standing before God, their identity ties to Zechariah 4, though the precise interpretation remains complex. They are physical individuals, not institutions or abstract entities, called prophets who will perform miracles and ultimately face death. Clothed in sackcloth, they embody mourning for the world's troubles, repentance, humility, austerity, and spiritual poverty, reflecting a life stripped of complications to focus on their divine mission. Their testimony is a powerful witness of God to the world, delivered primarily through words, backed by miraculous acts. They communicate their experiences and knowledge of God, revealing Him as the Creator and Head of the church, Jesus Christ. This witness aims to convict, serving as evidence in a divine judgment, though it will provoke hostility and lead to their suffering and eventual death, amidst a backdrop of global upheaval and divine retribution.