(I have had a powerful writer's block for many months, so please forgive my silence. I cannot write except under inspiration and have tried many times fruitlessly since my last post. I have much more to say when that inspiration permits it.)
I've been studying Revelation with a group of men led by pastor and teacher Gene Smith. Last week he taught from chapter 11 wherein the two witnesses prophesy from Jerusalem for 1260 days during the first half of the final seven years of judgement.
Gene indicated that most scholars regard these two witnesses to be the re-embodied Moses and Elijah from the Old Testament, or at least people who have the same power and ministry.
I did some of my own research (which I always do regardless of who is teaching) and reached the same conclusion! Here's how I challenged the assertion and the possibilities I studied.
Enoch and Elijah
First, I noted that the two witnesses died. The Bible says it is appointed unto man once to die, and then comes judgement. There are only two people mentioned in the Bible who never died - Enoch (Genesis 5:24) and Elijah (II Kings 2:11). Many scholars believe these are the two witnesses at the end of days. There is some logic here, because these two could return to life in the last days and actually be killed for the first time. Furthermore, although little is known about Enoch, Jude mentions Enoch as an end-time prophet:
It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh
generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with
many thousands of His holy ones, to execute
judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds
which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which
ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” Jude 1:14-15
There is little doubt that one of the two is Elijah, as Malachi prophesied and the Jews affirm (even to this day). Even Jesus referenced John as Elijah's prototype to prepare the way for His first coming.
Moses and Elijah
As Pastor Gene pointed out to us:
Who had the power to shut off the sky so that rain will not fall? Elijah. (James 5:17, Luke 4:25, I Kings 17:1) How long did the two witnesses prophesy? (1260 days or three and a half years.) That is exactly the same amount of time the rain did not fall during Elijah's prophesying. Amazing!
Who had the power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with
every plague? Moses. (Exodus chapters 7-10)
Who appeared with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:2)? Moses and Elijah.
The two witnesses stand before the Lord continually.
What better two authorities could reach the Jewish people and turn their hearts to the living Messiah than Moses and Elijah? These two represent the embodiment of the Old Testament, the Law and the Prophet.
Malachi mentions both Moses and Elijah in his end-time prophecy:
“Remember the law of Moses My servant, even the statutes and ordinances
which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel. “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the
prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD. “He will
restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the
children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a
curse.” Malachi 4:4-6
There is just one minor problem with Moses as the second witness. Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab (Deuteronomy 34:5). So Moses doesn't exactly parallel Elijah as a person alive and standing before the Lord in heaven. Today I resolved that conflict (in my own understanding at least.) The little book of Jude sheds unique light on what happened to Moses after God buried his body.
But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the
body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said,
“The Lord rebuke you!” Jude 1:9
Deuteronomy 34 says the Lord buried him in the land of Moab, but his eye was not dim nor his vigor abated. I think God might have just resurrected old Moses and took him to heaven alive. Why? If God didn't hide Moses' body the Jews might have worshiped his shrine. If God took him to heaven in a chariot before their eyes they might surely have worshipped him as some sort of deity. It makes sense that if God wanted to take him, He might have to do it rather discreetly. So He sent Michael to go get his body and bring him up to heaven (I suspect).
Getting to the point
On balance I am convinced the two witnesses are Moses and Elijah, in the flesh. Can you imagine the power of these two mighty men of God after spending thousands of years in heaven before the throne of God, returning to earth by God's authorization to convert their Jewish brethren? If that didn't impress you, how about a little fire from their mouths to slay those who try to kill them? By the way, who called fire out of heaven to destroy his enemies, not once but twice (II Kings 1:10,12)? Elijah.
At the end of days, these two mighty witnesses and the 144,000 chosen from every tribe of Israel will lead the nation of Israel back to the Lord. That will be a day I would like to see, but as Pastor Gene pointed out, that will probably be from heaven. At that time the age of the gentile church has been fulfilled and God will once again extend His infinite mercy to his chosen people. Oh Halellujah, praise God, that'll be the day!
