By Cohen G. Reckart,
Pastor
1.) Introduction
2.) Different Opinions
3.) Looking Behind The
Scenes
4.) A Look At The Text
Estimated 25 Million Martyrs put to death
because of Jewish, Gentile, Catholic, and Protestant hatred against those
seeking Messianic restoration.
Introduction
I am convinced that the identity of the two witnesses is not the issue
of
Rev
11. I am also convinced that as long as there are different levels
of spirituality of those seeking to understand the book of Revelation, there
will be as many different opinions. In all of my Ministry (over 25
years), I met ten or less who were focused on the religious system and nation
the two prophets are prophesying against and not the identity of the prophets.
As of this writing, there are millions out there still deceived, who have
missed the entire purpose of this chapter even being in the book of Revelation.
And as long as deception is the cause of spiritual blindness, there
will be all sorts of theories and opinions as to who the two witnesses are,
rather than WHY THEY ARE IN JERUSALEM in the
first place.
Different
Opinions
The Catholic Church doctrine on this subject, is that the two witnesses
are Enoch and Elijah. Most of Protestantism holds the same theory and merges
it within their doctrine of Dispensationalism. These two are suggested
because Enoch never died but was translated into immortality because of his
walk with God. Elijah also did not die but was translated into immortality
because of his walk with God. These are selected for several reasons:
1.) They say the Scripture reports that it is appointed unto
men ONCE to die and then the judgment. Since neither Enoch or Elijah
died, they must be reincarnated in mortal human bodies, give up immortality,
prophesy again in Israel, be killed, and then die ONCE to fulfull this Scripture.
2.) Only Moses turned water into blood and only Elijah shut up heaven
that it rain not, so they reason who else could invoke these powers except
Moses and Elijah are reincarnated to do them again?
There are other opinions concerning the identity of the two witnesses.
Some claim that God put into their mind they were Elijah and Moses.
Elijah because of aforementioned in #2 above, and Moses, because he
was the only one to turn water into blood and smite the earth with plagues
as found in
Rev
11:6. The idea is that God could do it for Moses but never again
for another Prophet. Therefore Moses must be resurrected or reincarnated
again (Moses died he was not translated into immortality). These teach that
Moses must prophesy against Israel in Jerusalem for their apostasy.
Their evidence that the witnesses are Elijah and Moses is the transfiguration
of Jesus, when in a vision the Apostle Peter saw Moses and Elijah talking
with Jesus.
Another theory is that the two witnesses are the Old and New Testaments
as sacred writings, and the writings of the prophets within them will prophesy
against Israel and the goings on at the new rebuilt temple by the antichrist.
The Bible will be clothed in sackcloth which is said to be a black
binding or cover, a figure of pending death and woe. They teach that
the Old Testament is one witness and the New Testament is the second witness:
also that the one olive tree is the OT and the other is the NT; That
they are killed, that is the OT and NT rejected, and their dead bodies (Bibles
thrown down) laying in the street of Jerusalem, that this means Israel will
reject both the OT and the NT for salvation and after this, they cannot be
saved. Dead for three days and ascend up to heaven: these teach
this means only that God will not work through his Word any longer toward
the Jews during the last three and one half years of the tribulation; and
ascend up to heaven means God will rapture the Bible (OT and NT), and the
world will be without salvation thence afterward and no person in all the
world can then be saved.
I read also where many claim the two witnesses are John the Baptist and
Jesus, both of which became martyrs in Jerusalem for the Word of God. And,
it is said that the time John and Jesus prophesied together (3 1/2 years),
although not at the same time, was the 1,260 days of three and one half years
which they say was the length of the Ministry of Jesus. And, they report
that both John and Jesus were raptured to heaven. Now we know Jesus
went up, but John? Not a word of Scripture for this.
Some have become so frustrated with all these different versions and opinions
that they feel the solution is to spiritualize the whole event and say there
never will be two actual witnesses, that this is some figure of the Church,
perhaps representing the Jewish segment (one witness) and the Gentile segment
(second witness). After all they reason, is it not taught by Paul there
is one olive tree in the NT and in it are grafted together Jews and Gentiles,
the two witnesses of grace? But since when does spiritualizing the
Scripture all of a sudden have the ring of truth? Did not the Jewish
and Catholic mystics spiritualize and by this method fabricate several
heresies?
And there are even more theories all of which want to be heard, expressed,
and thrown on the table of confused theology for consideration. But
is all of this necessary? Is there a greater event going on in the
text that we should focus upon and quit fussing over the identity of the
witnesses? I think so, and that conclusion led me over twenty years
ago to look behind the identity of the witnesses to their Ministry and what
they are prophesying against. What I found was a shock. And if
you honestly take a look, you also will be shocked, that instead of God RETURNING
TO THE JEWS, he has instead sent his last two prophets to that nation to
rebuke them, expose their religious system as profane and apostate, and to
condemn them for their final and conclusive rejection of Jesus Christ as
Lord, King, and Messiah. Why else would God care to prophesy against
this city, nation, and religious system unless it was utterly profane and
without any redeeming value?
Looking
Behind The Scenes
What is lost in all of this effort to know who the two witnesses are,
are answers to the questions 1.) WHY ARE THEY PROPHESYING? 2.) WHO
ARE THEY PROPHESYING AGAINST? 3.) WHY ARE THEY IN JERUSALEM PROPHESYING
AND NOT ROME? And, is it not reasonable that in the Church, which is
noted to have Prophets, that God could raise up two actual men? Could
God do again by new and different men what he did for Moses and Elijah? Why
must Enoch and Elijah be reincarnated to die? Is *reincarnation* once
a person possesses immortality a NT doctrine? And Moses: is it
reasonable that he die TWICE when they have already said it is appointed
ONCE for a man to die and then the judgment? And, the idea that John and
Jesus turned water into blood and smote the earth with plagues before ascending
to heaven? Where is this found in the Scriptures?
I would propose to all who read this, that if God wanted us to know the
identity of the two witnesses he would have told us. And also, if they
were two men to be raised up in the endtime, we would not know their names
anymore than we would already know the actual name of the antichrist.
Should not our focus then be on why they are in Jerusalem prophesying
and not on who they are? Are we being led on a wild-goose chase to
identify the prophets when we should be wanting to know what it is in Jerusalem
that antichrist is doing that God hates and these two witnesses pronounce
judgment against. And should we know something about the religious
system then in Jerusalem against which these two prophets are prophesying,
and when they are DEAD, the religious followers of the Jerusalem cult will
rejoice and exchange gifts? Looking behind the scenes at the religious
perversion (identified as Sodom and Egypt) being masqueraded in Jerusalem
as a revival of the way of God, will give us insight on why these two witnesses
are even in Jerusalem where our Lord was crucified.
A Look At The
Text
Please notice that the word *witnesses* comes from the Greek and means
*Martyr*. So their deaths for their prophecies is the focus and not
who they are.
Greekÿ3144. martus, mar'-toos; of uncert. affin.; a witness (lit.
[judicially] or fig. [gen.]); by anal. a "martyr":-martyr, record,
witness.
Rev
11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy
a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in
sackcloth.
Elucidation: There is no reason
to spiritualize the two men who will be martyrs after they conclude their
prophesying for 1,260 days or three and one half years.
4 These are the two olive trees, and the two
candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
Elucidation: The 2 candlesticks
mean only tthat they are prophets of God filled with his Spirit and a curse
to the spiritual darkness of the time. The phrase *two olive trees*
can mean nothing but that they were anointed of God for this Ministry.
Each man representing an olive tree. This is first found in
Zech
4. Here the olive trees are suggested to be Joshua the high priest
in chapter three and Zerubbabel in chapter four. Their anointing and
mission was to restore to Israel the ancient worship of God in true holiness
and righteousness. Joshua and Zerubbabel were considered by God to be the
two upon earth who stood by him, that is why the olive trees in Zechariah
are on each side of the Menorah or candlesticks which represent the seven
Spirits or attributes of God (see
Isa
11:2 and count them). Taking this then as a clue to interpretation of
Prophecy rather than a vision, the conclusion is evident. The two witnesses
will be anointed of God to *restore* something ancient of God (I believe
this is the original message of Jesus concerning the Kingdom and salvation
by the new birth of water and Spirit in Jesus' name
Acts
2:38. And this being rejected for a final time and the Prophets
abused like the saints and Apostles of the early Church, they shall have
authority to pronounce judgments upon Israel, Jerusalem, and the world.
That these are in the second *WOE*
(Rev
11:14), may also indicate they are the reasons of some of the events
found in the seals, trumpets, and vials. And that they do this within
1,260 days, a time parallel with other tribulation events *seals, trumpets,
and vials* suggest this connection.
5 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.
Elucidation: *Fire proceeding
out of their mouth* can only refer to judgment by means of prophecy, so that
to prophesy fire from heaven
(Rev
8:5-8) would mean the fire came because of what was spoken out of their
mouth. They speak fire from heaven and it falls. Fire then is
seen to come out of or the result of what they say with their mouths. And,
would it not be reasonable that the false Talmudic priesthood then upon Moriah
in those days will also summon fire from heaven from a space station using
a laser beam to try and deceive the people that God has returned upon them
and revived animal sacrifices
(Rev
13:13) used as proof the two gadflies wailing in the streets are antisemites.
Is it possible that this contest between Law and Talmudic Phariseeism
against Grace and New Testament Salvation will have its final show-down in
Jerusalem where this conflict started so many centuries ago at Calvary and
concludes the present Church age? If not, why then after this show-down
is it said in
Rev
11:15 that the kingdoms of the world are become the kingdoms of Christ
and then he will reign for ever and ever? Why is nothing said that
Israel was converted into the Kingdom of God? And if converted, why
is wrath still poured out on Jerusalem and the Temple destroyed with an
earthquake? Why would God punish Jews for something the Gentiles did?
And, would not all of these at this time already have the mark of the
beast and could never be saved. They didn't flee to Petra? Was
not then this show-down in Jerusalem a sign to the remnant of saints world-wide
who had not taken the mark or worshiped the image of the temple recently
rebuilt, that the millennial is imminent and for a final time God rejects
Phariseeism which today hides and masks itself behind what is called Talmudism?
Why else would the two rivals call fire down except it be for validation
of one or the other's religion and or faith as being the authentic one approved
by God? And We KNOW THE WINNERS ARE NOT THE TEMPLE MOUNT TALMUDIC SETUP!
Does God really approve the Phairsees and animal sacrifices after all
in the end? Is it true as some suggest that the Law IS NOT ENDED at
all at Calvary?
6 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.
Elucidation: This can refer to
none other then the events within some of the seals, trumpets, and vials.
And it gives us some clue why God is pouring out his vengeance upon
Jerusalem, Israel, and the world. And it is not because the Pope is
there plopped down on a throne in the new rebuilt temple celebrating Mass,
and a choir of monks singing the Avi Maria. If Rome is God's target,
why will the winepress be stomped out in the valleys around Jerusalem and
not rather Rome?
7 And when they shall have finished their testimony,
the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against
them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
Elucidation: The beast that comes up
out of the bottomless pit (the grave),
Rev
17:8, is the resurrected beast that had a wound by a sword (war) and
yet after a long period of time is resurrected or come to life again. This
beast or Kingdom/nation, for the word beast means a nation or Kingdom in
prophecy (see
Dan
7:23). This beast is unique: *it
was* that is it once existed; *it was
not* that is it ceased and was naught; *and
yet is* that means has come back or REVIVED again into existence.
This can never fit the Catholic Church. And to say it is the
Roman Empire revived is a joke to long told to avoid the obvious truth.
This can refer to none other than Israel re-established in 1948.
Because of the seven hills some jump to the conclusion it is Rome.
But wait: Jerusalem also sat on seven seven hills in the time of Christ
and the Apostles 1.) Mount
Olives; 2.)
Mount Ophel;
3.) Mount of Evil
Counsel; 4.)
Mount of Offense;
5.) Mount
Moriah; 6.)
Mount Calvary and;
7.) Mount Zion.
This is further identified as Jerusalem and not Rome in the words: *And
the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings
of the earth
Rev
17:18.* The identity *great city* is not speaking of some ancient greatness,
but in the very endtime of this prophecy. The city and nation that
lives again after the wound by the sword (war 70AD Titus and Jerusalem).
And in
Rev
11:8 the great city is identified as the place where Jesus was crucified.
That can be none other than Jerusalem. See the next verse in
the text. Are there *two* great cities or ONE? And is Jerusalem
the *one* mentioned?
8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street
of the great
city, which spiritually is called Sodom
and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
Elucidation: Anyone can see that
this is Jerusalem. And the final show-down between the Lord Jesus Christ
and his prophets of the New Testament against Phariseeism masquerading as
Talmudism, will take place in Jerusalem. Even today, it is against
the Law in Israel for a Christian Preacher to hold a street service in Jerusalem
and invoke the name of Jesus Christ for the purpose of making converts. A
person doing so will be arrested, abused, and possibly killed, the authorities
claiming converting Jews to Jesus is antisemitism. And on this scene
and challenging this law against the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ comes
these two brave and fearless Prophets of Christian Judaism. Personally,
I believe they will be converted Jews to the Apostolic
Acts
2:38 message. It started in Jerusalem with brave and fearless Jews,
why not end there to conclude the final rejection of Jesus and usher in the
long awaited and just wrath of God, the guilt of which was laid first and
foremost against antichrist Israel and the temple cult. The blood flowed
and the texts below the blood prove it.
(Mat
23:35; Rom 11:3; 1Thes 2:15; Rev 16:6;17:6; 18:24)
9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues
and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall
not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
Elucidation: The whole world has
been deceived that those who have rejected Jesus and his finished work of
Calvary are still the chosen people of God. And when two Jews come
on the scene to protest the goings-on at Mount Moriah, who shall they find
attending the sacrifice of a red heifer but possibly Rev. Irwin Baxter, Rev.
Clyde Lott, and Rev. Garner from Porterdale, Georgia; all huddled in an sweet
embrace with smug grins, patting each other on the back and approving this
historic event. While somewhere in the city streets comes forth
the cry of two prophets that such practices will never be accepted by God,
and such sacrifices are just a continued sign from the Jews that they reject
Jesus, his vicarious sacrifice, and his blood atonement.
10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice
over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these
two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
Elucidation: And with so many
deceived that God will return to the Jews after they rebuild a new temple
with a rip-proof vail, and after the red-heifer sacrifice when fire is called
down from heaven to the Temple Mount; is it any wonder this same mass
of deceived will rejoice when the two last Prophets to Israel and Jerusalem,
speaking in the name of Jesus and preaching about the only true salvation
in Acts 2:38 ARE KILLED, accused of being antisemites and also because they
did not have the seal/mark authorized out of the Temple in their right hand
or foreheads?
11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of
life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great
fear fell upon them which saw them.
Elucidation: Here I give a possible
event that could happen at the time of the above, given certain facts now
existing. As Rev Irvin Baxter (UPC), Rev. Clyde Lott (ALJC), Rev.
Garner (ALJC), and their holy-land tour party relax board an airplane for
the trip back to America, Baxter, Lott, and Garner work of a report
that they saw first-hand a mob killing two stupid antisemites, prophesying
against the Jews and them. But we believe God has other plans to rapidly
begin unfolding. While these "sacred cowboys" discuss their slides
and how they can boast their prophecies have come to pass about the red heifer:
and how they will prepare their videos to show many Churches the capture
of the fire falling from heaven upon the sacrifices: the news breaks over
the televison aboard, that the two murdered antisemites who have been dead
for three days were allegedly seen alive, but other witnesses claim they
have mysteriously disappeared and someone *stole* their bodies. As the airplane
engines hum over the mid-Atlantic and frantic telephone appointments are
made with big rich Pentecostal Churches who will pay lots of money to be
the first congregations to view the videos and hear the reports of Rev. Baxter,
Rev. Lott, Rev. Garner. But a second news-break flashes across the
one-eyed devil: THERE HAS BEEN AN EARTHQUAKE IN JERUSALEM,
ABOUT A TENTH OF THE CITY HAS BEEN DESTROYED (Rev 11:13). THE
TEMPLE IS NOW IN RUINS AFTER A WORLD SHOCKING EVENT THERE JUST THREE DAYS
AGO WHEN AFTER 2,600 YEARS FIRE FELL FROM HEAVEN AGAIN ON A TEMPLE SACRIFICE.
MANY CITIZENS ARE IN FEAR. PSYCHOLOGIST ARE BEING SENT IN TO HELP PEOPLE
COPE WITH THE CATASTROPHE. PEOPLE ARE IN THE STREETS WITH HANDS TO
HEAVEN ASKING GOD WHY. THE MILITARY IS ON FULL ALERT. THERE ARE
THOUSANDS INJURED AND THE DEATH TOLL IS EXPECTED TO BE IN THE THOUSANDS.
SEVERAL PEOPLE WERE SEEN CARRYING PLACARDS SAYING THE EARTHQUAKE WAS THE
JUDGMENTS OF GOD. THESE WERE HURRIEDLY REMOVED FROM THE STREETS FOR
THEIR OWN PROTECTION. REPEAT, JERUSALEM HAS JUST BEEN HIT WITH A LARGE
EARTHQUAKE AND THE TEMPLE RECENTLY REDEDICATED HAS BEEN DESTROYED. YOU HAVE
BEEN LISTENING TO ACN Chanel 666 NEWS.
Rev. Baxter, Rev. Lott, Rev. Garner, and party all bow their heads
in fearful prayer: asking *WHAT MEANETH THIS JESUS?* Rev. Baxter
scribbles some notes for his next EndTime magazine-*Could this be the end?*
Then suddenly, a sound like a million thunders shakes the plane and it begins
to descend in midnight darkness out of control toward the ocean grave below.
Screaming is heard, and someone ask: Do you think that was the
last trumpet we heard? But these will not know at this time, they missed
it, having joined with antichrist and at the last show-down they were on
the wrong team (do not be on the wrong team when the show-down comes
or this story will be repeated in several places, in several ways, by many
people).
12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying
unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and
their enemies beheld them.
13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake,
and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of
men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the
God of heaven.
Elucidation: When
it says *remnant* above, it is not meaning a small group of Jews remaining
in Jerusalem who were on the wrong team. The word *remnant* in the
New Testament describes the small group of Apostolic Messianic Believers
who were saved out of the large number of unbelieving Jews
Rom
9:27. So, the text is showing us that the remnant in the day of
the destruction of Jerusalem and all these deaths, will be those who are
saved according to
Acts
2:38, NOT save Pharisee-Talmudic Jews who still had rejected Jesus. These
will glorify God and say he is righteous to have poured out this
judgment.
14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third
woe cometh quickly.
15 And the seventh angel sounded (the last one that
signals the coming of the Lord); and there were great voices in heaven, saying,
The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his
Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
Elucidation: We can see that the
rapture of the Church takes place at the beginning of the third WOE. This
is not a pre-trib secret snatch; it is not a mid-trib air ride to safety
to avoid the necessity of facing the antichrist; it is not a pre-wrath
escape to miss being here when God pours our his wrath upon the wicked.
The Church and saints in those days will see water turn to blood and
many plagues sent upon the world by the prophecies of the two prophets.
Their presence in Israel and in Jerusalem will signal to the remnant
of God's elect in those days that the coming of Jesus is near, even at the
doors. When it is over, it is we, the tribulation saints, the remnant
remaining who WERE NOT DECEIVED because our names are in the Lamb's Book
of Life, it is we who will give glory to God
(Rev
13:8, 17:8, 20:15). So we wait with expectation for the two prophets
and the rebuilding of the temple, because to the endtime Church, these signal
the end is near. And when we are caught up to meet the Lord in the air, at
that moment, the antichrist and the false prophets will receive the judgments
of God and be cast into the lake of fire
(Rev
14:10-12, 16:10). Then, we with Jesus will return with him to reign
in the millennial and we shall walk upon the ashes of the wicked
Mal
4:3.
16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before
God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty,
which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy
great power, and hast reigned.
Elucidation:
Hallelujeh
This concludes this article on the two witnesses. Again, it is more
important to know what is going on behind the scenes in this great prophecy,
than it is to know who they are. And, a last point: All of the
Revelation is PROPHECY. Just because an event or revelation is veiled
in symbolism, is no just cause to deny all or part of an event can be literal.
Symbolism is a manner to convey prophecy. Not all of the revelation
is symbolism. The prophecy of the two witnesses was given himself by
Jesus to John and no spiritualizing was intended or implied. So, there
is no compelling need to spiritualize this event. For the endtime Church
the two witnesses are a benchmark and a firm sign of the soon arrival from
heaven of our Lord. And pointing to this very time frame, Jesus said:
*When ye shall see these things begin to come to pass, then LOOK UP, and
lift up your heads for your redemption draweth night
(Luke
21:28).*
Cohen G. Reckart,
Pastor