AN EXPOSITION OF THE TWO WITNESSES – PART 8
September 10, 2018
In Parts 1 through 7 an attempt to build a case has been made to show that: (1) The Two Witnesses represent the prophet Elijah and the law giver Moses, (2) They are figuratively representative of the O.T. Assembly of Israel and the local N.T. Assemblies (Churches) of this present age, (3) They are real flesh and blood men, (4) The N.T. Churches are linked to Elijah through John the Baptist, who preached in the spirit of Elijah, and the Assembly of Israel is linked to Moses, who gave them the Law, the first five books of the Old Testament, and (5) John was the Elijah only to those who believed his message that the Messiah had arrived, and the kingdom was at hand. A case has been made to show that one of the two witnesses will preach in the spirit of Elijah, with the same message of repentance that John preached to Israel, a message of repentance. Sackcloth, the garment of repentance, will be the dress of both witnesses.
Revelation 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.
I believe the man preaching in the spirit of Elijah will go into the Negev wilderness with the one-third of Israel that survives the future attack from the north, and that most of them will eventually believe his testimony, and he will become their Elijah.
Malachi 4:5
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:
When the religious leaders sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask John if he was Elijah, he answered the question directly, saying, “I am not?” He did not lie, for they did not believe his message concerning the Messiah. He was the Elijah only to those who received his message by believing it. Jesus made this spiritual distinction clear in Luke 11:13-15. Only men and women who received John’s message possessed spiritual ears.
Matthew 11:13-15
For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. [14] And IF ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. [15] He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Since all Israel is still in unbelief, a second Elijah will be sent to them during the last 1260 days before the final battle of Armageddon.
Romans 11:32
For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
II Corinthians 3:15-17
But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. [16] Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. [17] Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Immediately after the transformation, where Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus, in answer to a query based on what the unbelieving scribes had stated concerning the coming of Elijah, indicated that their Elijah would eventually come and “restore all things.” John did not “restore all things” during his ministry, so Jesus must be referring to the Messiah of unbelieving Israel, who is yet to come.
Matthew 17:10,11
And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? [11] And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.
The restoring, or restitution, of all things will not come to pass until the Second Advent of Jesus, which is still in our future, and will be the times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord among Israel. At the present time the Messiah of Israel has been received up into heaven until the times of restitution of all things occurs, which will being in the times of refreshing. Most of Israel will turn to the Lord in the Negev wilderness, and their sins will be blotted out. I believe the message to be preached by the two witnesses is found in Acts 3:17-21.
Acts 3:17-21
And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. [18] But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. [19] Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; [20] And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: [21] Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
Acts 2:19-21
And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: [20] The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: [21] And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.