The Two Witnesses

~ The Two Witnesses~

 

Rev. 11: 1-14—-These verses tell about these two witnesses.

v3—And I will give POWER unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

v4—These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

 

v5—And if any man will hurt them, FIRE proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

v6—These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.

 

Psm.149:5-9—-Let the SAINTS be joyful in glory; LET THEM SING ALOUD UPON THEIR BEDS.

 

v6–Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two edged sword in their hand;

v7—TO EXECUTE VENGEANCE UPON THE HEATHEN, AND PUNISHMENTS UPON THE PEOPLE;

v8—To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;

v9—To EXECUTE upon them the JUDGMENT written: this honour have ALL HIS SAINTS. Praise ye the LORD.

 

Now, look carefully at the comparison of these two passages of Scripture. Remember, Scripture interprets Scripture.

It said the witnesses kill their enemies with the ‘fire’ coming out of their mouth. It said they smite the earth with plagues, as often as they will.

 

These SAINTS in Psm. 149 execute vengeance and punishments upon people, bind their kings with chains (remember Satan is a whole kingdom; he is bound in ‘chains’ and cast into the bottomless pit) for the 1,000 years reign of the saints. They execute judgment upon them.

So, it should be fairly easy to see that this is the same people being talked about here.

Now, look back at Rev.11:4—-this identifies these witnesses as two olive trees. What are ‘olive trees’?

 

Romans 11:13-26—

v24–For if thou wert cut out of the ‘olive tree’ which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good ‘olive tree’: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? So all Israel shall be saved…

So, here we have identified both Gentiles and Jews as being an olive tree. But Jesus brought them both into one good olive tree. So this good olive tree has to be the same olive tree in Rev. 11.

 

Now, he also said they were two candle sticks. So, what is a candle stick?

Rev.1:20—-The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the Angels of the seven churches: and the seven CANDLESTICKS which thou sawest are the seven churches.

 

So, we see the Scripture meaning of a candlestick: it is a church. Therefore, the olive tree is the new church; likewise the candlestick is the new church. So, two identifications meet the requirement of God to prove every thing in the mouth of two or three witnesses.

But, you ask, how is the church a prophet? They have all the prophecies of God.

 

Rev.19:10—….for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. So, see, if we have the testimony of Jesus that is the spirit of prophecy. So here, we have a third identification of the church as being the witnesses, for we have the testimony of Jesus which is the spirit of prophecy; therefore making us a prophet. Same thing.

 

But, it says two witnesses. So what about the seven churches? They are NOT these two witnesses. They are a mixture of God’s and of Satan’s people. The tares and the wheat grow together until the end of the world.

 

These two powerful churches it is talking being these two witnesses could not be these seven churches that were all messed up.

So where are two other churches identified in the Word.

Joel 2:28-31—-And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions::::

 

(do you see that colon? it means another complete clause is coming up…. another complete thought)

 

v29—AND ALSO (this means in addition to the preceding) … also upon the SERVANTS and upon the HANDMAIDS in those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and FIRE and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.

 

When John the Baptist prophesied of the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and Fire he named them together, because he was prophesying of a subject, not a time matter. He meant at some time in the future these two things will happen. When Joel prophesied of these two baptisms, he likewise put them together, or so it seemed, for it was something yet to happen in the future. But that colon separates these two separate events.

Acts 1:5—For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the HOLY GHOST not many days hence.

 

Now why did he not say and FIRE? For they did not receive the Fire Baptism. It is two different outpourings from God; two different spirits; for two different purposes, at two different times in time; for two different groups of people; two different churches. They were divided in time by at least 2,000 years.

 

Was the church born at Pentecost told to hurt anyone who hurt them? No!! They were told exactly the opposite. They were told not to return railing for railing; to turn the other cheek, etc. Why??? The Spirit of the Holy Ghost that they were empowered with was the spirit of love, grace, salvation etc.

 

Were they God’s witnesses??? You bet they were. They were the first witness. They witnessed God’s power to heal, raise the dead, save the lost, meet one’s every need, etc.

 

PROOF:

Acts 2:32—This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof WE ALL ARE WITNESSES. (but, now remember, they all are one).

Acts 3:15—And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof WE ARE WITNESSES.

 

Acts 5:32—And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. (see, they and the Holy Ghost are one witness).

Acts 10:41—Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.

 

This group of witnesses witnessed of his resurrection; they were there.

Acts 13:31—And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem who are his witnesses unto the people.

So, there you have the first witness; anointed with power from on high with the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, to witness his love power, the resurrection, his healing power, his saving power, etc.

 

After that witness was gone, then came up the seven churches in Revelation, a mixture. Because the anti-Christ had come in and polluted that church after the apostles were dead. This powerful witness, with the power of God in their lives, had held back that evil power. For he could not come in as long as that powerful, anointed church was here. But, when it was gone, then the beast , whore church with the man of sin as its head came in. They changed the truth, cast the truth to the ground, took the people into darkness. And it has been there ever since.

 

Just think for a minute: why do the churches today say none of that power is for us today??? Why do they say that??? Because they do not have it. They are not his witnesses. They are in the darkness of the beast, the whore church. Anyone who denies this power of God, could not possibly be one of his witnesses. It is self evidenced.

Zech. 4 gives the vision of these two anointed ones. Read this whole chapter. Compare it with Rev.11. You will see the two witnesses clearly defined, these two anointed ones, these two churches, along with the other seven.

 

v11—Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two OLIVE TREES upon the RIGHT side of the CANDLESTICK and upon the LEFT side thereof?

Now, he is placing the two anointed churches in time; one on the left side of the seven; the other on the right side of the seven. So, what does this tell us? That one came in before the seven and one AFTER the seven.

We have already shown the first one; the church of Peter and the others of his day. That one came before the seven, therefore it was the one on the left side of the candlestick with the seven lamps upon it.

 

So, that leaves the one which is to come after the seven; the one on the right side of the seven.

See, that he called them olive trees. The New Testament Church.

Zech:4:14—Then said he, These are the TWO ANOINTED ONES, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.

 

Rev.11:4–These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks STANDING BEFORE THE GOD OF THE EARTH.

Need it be any plainer?????????

But, you see, a power of God was not witnessed by that first witness. For indeed, they could not bring it. It was not time. So there has to be a witness of God’s Wrath; of his judgment; of his rule with a rod of iron.

 

People wonder why it seems to revert back to law in the millinium ? This is because it will be law. Only not the OT. law. It will be forced worship by the witnesses. Read Zech 14. And there are many others showing this.

 

Remember the Scripture at the beginning of this message in Psm. 149? That is talking about this second witness. Go back and read that chapter.

Go back to Joel 2:29-31—- Notice that the first pouring out of the spirit was to ALL FLESH. Any and every one could receive that Baptism. It was the one that came at Pentecost. It was for salvation.

 

But, look at v29—This outpouring is only for the SERVANTS and the HANDMAIDS. In other words those ALREADY serving God with the Baptism of the Holy Ghost.

Check what the signs of the first one was: dreams, visions and prophesy.

 

Look what the signs of this second one is: wonders in the heavens (see Rev.12) and in the earth: blood, and FIRE, and pillars of smoke. Sun and Moon darkened.

Remember the FIRE coming out of the mouth of these witnesses? This is where it came from: the Baptism of FIRE. See, that did not come on the day of Pentecost. It is not the tongues of fire which was upon them. This is the spirit of FIRE = wrath, judgment, vengeance etc.

Rev. is dealing with this second witness: Acts with the first one.

 

They are two groups of people (churches) anointed with power from on high to do their work for God. They are said to be one. Peter’s church was one— this second one is the other one.

 

So looking at Joel 2:30-31—we see that their job is to bring blood, fire, pillars of smoke, turn the sun and moon into darkness. So we must find what group does this.

Remember, they must be anointed with power from on high. This takes place in Rev. 7:

V3–Hurt not the earth neither the sea, nor the trees, TILL we have sealed the SERVANTS of our God in their foreheads.

 

Remember, that the Holy Ghost was a seal. So, also is this baptism. Notice, it said seal the SERVANTS OF GOD. Isn’t that who Joel said would receive this baptism? See how it fits every Scripture and proves itself, without guess work???

Notice, also that this is immediately before hurting everything. In other words, wrath, judgment, vengeance.

 

Why a seal in the forehead? For that is where the beast worshipers have their mark. It is in the mind. You are either sealed by God, or you are marked by the beast. It is always there. You are either for him or against him. You are either gathering or scattering. You are a member of Christ’ kingdom or else the beast kingdom. One or the other. Everyone.

Notice also, that those sealed are Jews. We, the true spiritual Jews are the ones who receive this seal.

 

The fifth and sixth trumpets are the work of this witness. Rev.9:2—You have here the smoke, the sun and air darkened by this smoke ( one of the signs of the baptism of fire).They torment the men who have the mark of the beast. See Rev.11:10–they had tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

 

Rev. 9:7–Identifies this group as horses prepared unto battle—compare this to Joel 2–you will see the army of God as horses going to battle. The crowns like gold show the mind of Christ they were sealed with. They had faces as men and hair as women, proving that both the servants and handmaids of God are in this ministry of judgment. Of pouring out the wrath of the Lamb. Of casting Satan into the bottomless pit. Of taking over the kingdoms of this world and ruling them with the rod of iron. That is the powerful second witness. No one will have any power over them: until they finish their testimony. At the end of the 1,000 year reign, they will be over come and killed.

 

Then the final resurrection and the changing of the living saints will occur. Rev.9:17—And thus I saw the HORSES in the vision, and them that sat on them, (Son of Man) having breastplates of FIRE, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions: (one of the faces on the living creature) and out of their MOUTH issued FIRE AND SMOKE AND BRIMSTONE.

 

FIRE coming out the mouths of the witnesses. By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued OUT OF THEIR MOUTHS.

There is the signs of the second baptism: fire, smoke and blood as they kill their enemies.

So, there is the Word of God telling who his two witnesses are.

 

Glory to our great God for he did not leave us to the minds of carnal men to tell us these things. Thank you Lord Jesus for this great revelation.

 

By: Jo Smith