Dear brethren and called-out of Yahweh's modern descendance of Israel, many people ask: Who are the two witnesses during the Great Tribulation?
These two tribulation witnesses are literal 2 personalities who are going to appear in the 70th week of Daniel! They are ancient (2) Prophets from historical OT Israel! They are preparing the way of the second coming of the Messiah, Who will come as King of kings and as Sovereign of Masters!
In Scriptural history (records) only two mortal men escaped death and were translated into Heaven.
& They are wearing a sackcloth & They will perform miracles! & They will perform their Ministry of prophesying for G-D for 1260 days! & They will be killed; and die; their dead bodies will have to lie in the street for 3½ days! & But...after 3½ days they will rise again! & Before the very eyes of their enemies they ascended into Heaven in a cloud!
Prophet Elijah was the second man to be taken to Heaven in a natural body, (2 Kings 2:11), Enoch being the first (Genesis 5:24; Hebrews 11:5; see Enoch)!
Both have since probably resided somewhere in Heaven in their natural mortal bodies, having never actually died! However, they will die their own appointed death on earth as the 'two witnesses' of the future tribulation period (Zacharias 4:11-14; Malachi 4:5-6; Revelation11:3-12;)
But also Moses could be a "candidate", because he represented the Law of Yahweh, but he died the first death! Then in the book of Zechariah; Chapter 4 there are also 2 other potential candidate to be the 2 witnesses: Zerubbabel & Joshua! (Also men must also die to fulfill Hebrews 9:27)
Many of the early Christians, likewise Irenaeus, Tertullian & Hippolytus, were believing that Enoch & Elijah will be the Two tribulation Witnesses! Quote: ...And I say to you, O my brethren, that they also, Enoch and Elias [Elijah], most toward the end of time return into the world and die - in the day, namely of commotion, of terror, of perplexity, and affliction. For Anti-christ will slay four bodies, and will poor out their blood like water. {The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 8, Page 394; http://www.bible.ca/history/fathers/)
NOTE: The Early Church Fathers is a 38-volume collection of writings from the first 800 years of the Church. This collection is divided into three series, Ante-Nicene (ANF), Nicene and Post-Nicene Series I (NPNF1), and Nicene and Post-Nicene Series II (NPNF2 These writings are not the Bible/Scripture! This collection of early Christians who wrote are not inspired. They are not part of the Bible. They are absolutely not authoritative in determining doctrine.
ONLY THE BIBLE/Scripture, (sola scriptura) is authoritative and inspired! The BIBLE/Scripture is our sole guide. However, these quotes do contain an interesting snapshot of the doctrine early Christians believed after the apostolic age. All quotes are sorted by date. But one final warning. ,There are forgeries within what Christians commonly call the: "Early Church Fathers." Some of the forgeries are obvious, but for others, there really cannot be sure what is forgery and what is genuine.{http://www.bible.ca/history/fathers/}
So we do not know really sure who are to be the two witnesses? But some day in Yahweh's Divine appointed moment of time they will appear during the Tribulation-time! Elijah is one of the 'candidates'! "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of Yahweh" : (Malachi 4:5) (Tribulation-period or "Jacobs trouble"; "Part in Daniel’s 70th")
In Revelation 11:3, two witnesses arise to prophesy to the nations during the time of tribulation and will be given incredible power by Yahweh! (Revelation 13:3-6)! They are the usefully effective "vessels" Yahweh will use to call forth the first six trumpets mention in Revelation Chapters 8-9! In spite of Yahweh's super-natural protection and the power they are using from Yahweh, they be be persecuted as well!
When they are bringing plague after plague upon the face of the Earth, the beast and his followers will view these witnesses as their enemies! The supernatural protection of Yahweh will last for three and half years. (Revelation 11:5) Yahweh then will allow them to be killed by the antichrist. The whole world rejoices at the deaths of these two witnesses, who have caused trouble by saying what the people didn’t want to hear—words about their sin, their need for repentance, and the coming punishment.
Sinful people hate those who call attention to their sin and who urge them to repent! They hated Yashwshua, and they hate His followers (1 John 3:13). When you obey Yahwshua and take a stand against sin, be prepared to experience the world’s hatred. But remember that the great reward awaiting you in heaven far outweighs any suffering that you face now!
But...after 3½ days they will rise again!
It is Yahweh our Elohim Who will raise them back to life before audience world-wide. It seems to be possible to comprehend, how this can ever happen! Probably the Apostle John had a view on our modern day technologies. Now it can happen and all around the world throughout cable news people can watch such an "incomprehensible" spectacle!
" And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from Yahweh entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them." (Revelation 11:11)
The spirit of life entered into them once again, and they stood upon their feet again! The spirit of life in one makes the body live, but when 'the spirit' leaves the body it dies (James. 2:26). This proves the two distinct natures (mortal bodies) of these 2 men -- the material and spiritual natures! Before the very eyes of their enemies they ascended into Heaven in a cloud!
"Then [the two witnesses] heard a strong voice from heaven calling to them, Come up here! And before the very eyes of their enemies they ascended into Heaven in a cloud." (Revelation 11:12 Amp.)
We will see their dead bodies… Nearly 2000 years ago the idea of everybody from all over the Earth seeing the same event would be impossible. Today with cable; satellite TV, internet and radio, dramas of the world unfold daily. Events in Jerusalem, daily find their way into homes, causing everybody to form an opinion on the issues of the Jewish state of Israel.
For 3½ days the world will have time to make sure they are dead. The earth will be celebrating and savoring their death because through them the judgments from Heaven fell on earth. The two witnesses' death and ministry is a 'passion play', of the events in Jerusalem 2000 years ago. They are living witnesses to Yahwshua Messiah / Jesus Christ, they are a demonstration of Yahweh’s love to an evil world.
When a Jew dies in Jerusalem, that person is buried the same day. When a Muslim dies, that person is also buried the same day. However, if a person who has blasphemed Islam is slain, often that person's body is laid in the streets and spat upon and kicked, and the corpse is publicly humiliated in various Islamic nations!
Who are the 2 witnesses during tribulation?
What here is explained is important to know! It will not put a certain 'doctrine" on you. Who are they really? It will give you a way to think but more to pray about Yahweh's plan and His preparation in the last days! Some believe that Enoch and Elijah are the 2 tribulation witnesses! It is up to you according the Scripture to conclude, whether these are the right persons or not! I am not in the intention to put a debate about it. I simply put some Scriptural 'nuggets' before you...
Moses could be a "candidate", because he represented the Law of Yahweh, but he died!
(Deuteronomy 34:5)"So Moses . . . died"—after having governed the Israelites forty years. (Deuteronomy 34:6) He buried him—or, “he was buried in a valley,” i.e., a ravine or gorge of the Pisgah. Some think that he entered a cave and there died, being, according to an ancient tradition of Jews and Christians, buried by angels (Numbers 21:21; Jude 1:9). But no man should known of his sepulcher unto this day—this concealment seems to have been owing to a special and wise arrangement of Providence, to prevent its being ranked among “holy places” and made the resort of superstitious pilgrims or idolatrous veneration in later ages!
Some people believe Moses will be one of the witness in Tribulation time, because he represents the Law, ...but Moses died!
"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." (Hebrews 9:27) Man's inescapable appointment! "Be laid up" (Luke. 19:20; Colossians. 1:5; 2 Timothy 4:8). It is appointed or laid up by divine decree: "Dust thou art, and unto dust shall thou return" (Genesis 3:19). This law of death will hold firm for all men until the time of the harpazo (The great assembly of the righteous saints of the Kehilah of Philadelphia) when the living who are to be translated will not see death (1Corinthians 15:51-58; 1Thessalonians 4:13-16; Philippians 3:21).
There were people who were resurrected back to life, like Lazarus, 'died' a second time (but still his body was still in existence even it was in a grave), so it is not impossible, but Moses body is buried and gone. ONLY Enoch & Eliyah were with their mortal body catch up into Heaven and so will return with their mortal body back on Earth during Tribulation and after their fulfillment of their ministry during Great tribulation-period, will die (their appointed death) when the antiMashiach has killed them! Again they will be resurrected to life in this time in a immortal body just as all the resurrected righteous saint during the 'great assembly of the righteous saints!
These two witnesses bear strong resemblance to Moses (?) and Elijah, two of Yahweh’s mighty prophets. With Yahweh’s power, Moses called plagues down upon the nation of Egypt (Exodus 7–11). Eliyah defeated the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18).
Both of these men appeared with Mashiach at His transfiguration! (Matthew 17:1-7).
Enoch has to be the real "candidate"!
Enoch---a very remarkable & Mysterious ancient prophet in the Scripture! (Before the flood of Noah!) It is fair to say that the patriarch Enoch was as well known to the ancients as he is obscure to modern Scripture readers. Besides giving his age (365 years), the Book of Genesis says of him only that he "walked with Yahweh," and afterward "he was not, because Yahweh had taken him" (Genesis 5:24).
Yahweh "translated" him without dying as in Elijah's case (2 Kings 2; Hebrews 11:5). His biography is brief but outstanding—one sentence revealing the history of 365 years, 300 of which were spent believing, being humble and holy, walking with Yahweh. This exalted way of life and mysterious demise made Enoch into a figure of considerable fascination, and a cycle of legends grew up around him! Enoch did NOT see death! Enoch represented Yahweh’s judgment on the days before the Noah's flood! "And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch: (Genesis 5:18) And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years (962) and he died! " (Genesis 5:20)
Enoch (7-th generation after Adam!) was the father of the oldest man on record of human history: Methuselah, whose age became 969 years! And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: (Genesis 5:21) And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died. (Genesis 5:27)
( REMARK! There is an other "Enoch" recorded in Genesis! And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare "Enoch": and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, "Enoch". (Genesis 4:17) This is not the Enoch of Seth's line who was the seventh from Adam (Genesis 5:18-24; Jude 1:14). This 'Enoch' was third from Adam in Cain's line. This (other) 'Enoch' was the eldest son of Cain and father of Irad, the world first city was named after him!)
It is significant that his name was the first after the middle of ten names from Adam to Noah. In the day of his son Enoch, Yahweh foretold the flood as a judgment upon the apostate and corrupt race!
The Book of Enoch, written during the second century B.C.E., is one of the most important non-canonical apocryphal works, and probably had a huge influence on early Christian, particularly Gnostic, beliefs. Filled with hallucinatory visions of Heaven and hell, angels and devils, Enoch introduced concepts such as fallen angels, the appearance of a Messiah, Resurrection, a Final Judgment, and a Heavenly Kingdom on Earth. Interspersed with this material are quasi-scientific digressions on calendrical systems, geography, cosmology, astronomy, and meteorology.
The fact that something sounds strange, even weird, does not mean that it is necessarily unreal! After all, we are in the End Times and things will get even stranger and much more distasteful before the Messiah returns to end it all as we know it, and then start a new, perfect and beautiful world. I sincerely hope that you all are able to discern in these alternative news and articles the actual fulfillment of many prophecies which multiple generations of believers longed for the honor to see and live!
The Dead Sea Scrolls, a collection of more than 700 Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek manuscripts discovered in a group of caves near Khirbat Qumr'n in Jordan, at the northwestern end of the Dead Sea. The leather and papyrus scrolls, which survive in varying states of preservation, came to light in a series of archaeological finds that began in 1947.
These manuscripts have been attributed to members of a previously unknown Jewish brotherhood. The scrolls include manuals of discipline, hymnbooks, biblical commentaries, and apocalyptic writings; two of the oldest known copies of the Book of Isaiah, almost wholly intact; and fragments of every book in the Old Testament except that of Esther. Among the latter is a fanciful paraphrase of the Book of Genesis. Also found were texts, in the original languages, of several books of the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha. These texts—none of which was included in the Hebrew canon of the Bible—are Tobit, Sirach, Jubilees, portions of Enoch, (Like also include the book of Giants) and the Testament of Levi, hitherto known only in early Greek, Syriac, Latin, and Ethiopic versions.
Enoch prophesied that the Lord is going to return! And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him. (Jude 1:13-15)
This refers to the second coming of Yahwshua Messiah or Christ as conquering King, with all the resurrected saints who will have been raptured at least seven years before this (2 Thessalonians. 2:7-8, Zechariah 14:5; Revelation 19:14).. Where Jude learned of this prophecy is not known, unless it was from the book of Enoch which was known in the early church. (Origen, Tertullian, and others mention a book by this name!). Enoch; a very remarkable & mysterious prophet!
These two witnesses are Enoch & Elijah… For the following reasons:
& Both never died! & Both men were taken in Heaven alive & bodily! & Both men were alive when Zechariah saw his vision & Enoch gave the first prophecy of Yeshua's 2-sd return & the coming judgment (Jude 14-15) & Both men must also die to fulfill Hebrews 9:27 & Elijah is predicted to return before the terrible 'Day of Yahweh"! (Malachi 4:5) & Enoch was a Gentile, and Elijah was a Jew! & Elijah will produce judgments against his enemies!
These two witnesses do have the power…
These two witnesses do have the power… During the period of Elijah ministry he prayed and rain stopped for 3.5 years. (James 5:16), this will be repeated during the 1st half of the tribulation-period. The source of the Judgments that fall on the earth during the first 3½ years will proceed from Jerusalem.
Pla
When they finish their testimony…The time of their witnesses is 1260 days or 3.5 years after that there time, their mission is complete. The will be the reason many on the earth find Yahwshua/Christ. They openly proclaim him with their judgments. This will be a spiritual battle for the souls of men. satan will incarnate the Antichrist after satan is cast out of Heaven. satan in the body of Antichrist will kill the “Two witnesses” at the “end” of the 7-year period!
Islam has a teaching of also that is the "Al-Masih Ad-Dajjal"
Dajjal's Turmoil; Dajjal's Deception; Two angels resembling two Prophets, one on either side will accompany him. This will be to test mankind ; Statement of Muslim side {http://www.inter-islam.org/faith/Majorsigns.html#dajaal} Islam has a teaching of also men that are the Al-Masih Ad-Dajjal and they will appear in Israel for a period of time and 'deceive' people (According Islam!), but the Mahdi will come and kill these two men!
These two witnesses Enoch & Elijah will come for 42 months and they will be killed by the 'beast' or the 'Antichrist' or the 'Mahdi'; that raised out of the pit, or cave(?) (All personalities are the same) (See more about "anti-christ / 'Mahdi' in Revelation Chapter 13 Scroll down to Anti-christ below the Chapter on that page! frame-work about the many-fold power of Antichrist) Islam is actually teaching things that many "Christians" have no idea of it that alluded to our Scriptures especially in the Book of Revelation, but... NOT in the way they (Islam) is teaching it!
Of course Yahweh Elohim of Israel, the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob knows this from history time and revealed to Apostle John for what's really is going to happen! These two witnesses; Enoch & Elijah will be the two witnesses to the Jews, but... the "Al-Masih ad-Dajjal's" to the Muslims! (Muslim tradition teaches that the final Dajjal at the end of days will be a king of the Jews; Revealed in a serie of statements recorded in the Hadith; Ibid)