Title: Two Witnesses - The True Church
Contents
2007' Lecture on Revelation from the pulpit of the tendency (69)
Two Witnesses (The True Church)
Revelation 11:3-4
Scale movement (Rev 11:1~2)
Two Witnesses (Revelation 11:3-4)
Revelation 11:3 says, “I will give authority to my two witnesses.” 11:4 says, “These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth… ' he said.
who is it
1. Misinterpretation
1) This is the interpretation of Enoch and Elijah.
Both Enoch and Elijah ascended to heaven without seeing death. The fact that they ascended to heaven was interpreted as meaning the ascension of the two witnesses (Revelation 11:12).
2) The interpretation of Moses and Elijah.
Moses and Elijah were men of power. Moses turned the water into blood before Pharaoh. And they struck Pharaoh king of Egypt with many plagues. Finally, the surrender was achieved and the Exodus movement was successful.
Elijah prayed before King Ahab and caused fire to fall from heaven and rain fell. So all the people said that the God of Elijah was the true God. These two witnesses are interpreted as Moses and Elijah (Revelation 11:6) because they all lived in the age of sin and lived with the greatest grace.
3) Interpretation of the Law and the Prophets.
The law is the writing of Moses, and the prophets are the writings of prophecy.
This is the interpretation of a witness to testify of God.
4) Interpretation of the Old and New Testaments.
In short, the Bible is said to be two witnesses. But the Bible is a revelation, and the witness is the witness to that revelation.
5) Other cults say that the two witnesses are pointing to them.
In the history of the church, there are often those who commit such arrogance. It is said to refer to a particular self who exercises power and authority.
2. Correct interpretation
1) It means the true Church of Jesus Christ and its messengers.
Revelation 11:3 says, “I will give power to my two witnesses… ' he said.
Here 'two witnesses' (h'' du,o ma,rtuj) is the plural of 'two witnesses'. “I” is the name of Jesus Christ Himself. When he says that he gives authority to his witnesses, he means that he empowers his witness, the church, and its messengers.
The reason that these two witnesses can mean the true Church of Jesus Christ and its messengers is that
(1) It is Matthew 16:18.
“… On this rock I will build the church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.” Here ‘I… “I will build my church” has the same meaning as “I will give authority to my two witnesses.”
The church is the body of Jesus Christ, purchased with the blood of the Lord. It is the testimony of the Lord Himself.
(2) It is Matthew 10:1.
“Jesus called the twelve disciples and gave them power to cast out unclean spirits and to heal all diseases and infirmities.”
Here it is said that the Lord has given power to his witnesses. This is the authority that the Lord gave to the two witnesses in Revelation 11:3 and 6. (3) It is Acts 1:8.
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
The witness here (ma, rtuj) is the witness in Revelation 11:3. It was said that this witness will receive power and will go to the ends of the earth to be a witness of the universal Jesus.
(4) It is Luke 10:1.
“After that, the Lord appointed another seventy and sent them ahead two by two to each town where he was going to go.”
It was the number of evidence that sent publishers here two by two.
(5) Deuteronomy 19:15.
“Anything a man commits any evil shall not be condemned by one witness alone, but by the mouth of two witnesses or of three witnesses the case shall be established… ' he said.
In Matthew 18:16, it is also said, “Let the mouths of two or three witnesses bring in every word, if a case is brought against a brother for a crime.”
In this case, the ‘two witnesses’ are responsible witnesses.
(6) Matthew 18:20.
“Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them,” he said. This is the number of church establishments.
(7) It is Revelation 11:3-6.
Considering that the ministry of the two witnesses is the ministry of the church, this meant the church or the messengers.
When we look at the ministries of prophecy (preaching the Word), repentance (wearing sackcloth), prayer, and final martyrdom, it is clear that the two witnesses are the church and its messengers.
2) Two olive trees.
Revelation 11:4 says, “These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth… ' he said.
Here ‘two olive trees’ (ai’ du,o evlai,a) means ‘the two olive trees’ and also means the church and its angels. The word 'ou-toi' is 'these', meaning two olive trees, which describes the two witnesses that preceded it.
In Zechariah 4 there is a lighthouse of pure gold. There are two olive trees by the lighthouse. It was called "Jadul oiled" (Zechariah 4:14). This meant the two leaders Zerubbabel and Joshua. After returning from Babylonian captivity, they rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem. It means the church of the Holy Spirit that shines.
3) Two candlesticks.
Revelation 11:4 also says, “… Two olive trees and two candlesticks... ' he said.
Here, ‘two candlesticks’ (ai’ du,o lucni,a) means ‘the two candlesticks’ and also means the church. Revelation 1:20 says, “The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”
4) Two prophets.
Revelation 11:10 says, “For these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth… ' he said.
This also meant the true church and its messengers.
This is because the church is a prophetic organization with the mission of prophesying 1,260 days in this world (Revelation 11:13).
So far we have considered two witnesses. He nailed the two witnesses to be the true Church, the body of Jesus Christ, and its messengers.
These two witnesses were established by the Lord Himself and empowered by the Lord Himself. They are the ones responsible to testify on the stage of history the facts they have heard.
The proof is until death. is evidence of martyrdom.
Therefore, ‘two witnesses’ = ‘two olive trees’ = ‘two candlesticks’ = ‘two prophets’ = ‘the church and the messengers’. They are the Lord's own witnesses. That is why the Bible is called “my two witnesses” (Revelation 11:3).