3 And I will grant authority to My two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days (forty-two months; three and one-half years), dressed in [a]sackcloth.” 4 These [witnesses] are the two olive trees and the two lampstands which stand before the Lord of the earth. 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire comes out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way. 6 These [two witnesses] have the power [from God] to shut up the sky, so that no rain will fall during the days of their prophesying [regarding judgment and salvation]; and they have power over the waters (seas, rivers) to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every [kind of] plague, as often as they wish.
Revelation 11:3-6 New International Version (NIV)
JOB 3 And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4 They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.”
Hidden Manna 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die.
3.5 Prophecy Power 6 They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
Zechariah 4 New International Version (NIV)
1 Then the angel who talked with me returned and woke me up, like someone awakened from sleep. 2 He asked me, “What do you see?”
I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven channels to the lamps. 3 Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”
4 I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?”
5 He answered, “Do you not know what these are?”
“No, my lord,” I replied.
6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.
7 “What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’”
Purpose of the two witnesses
8 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.
10 “Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone in the hand of Zerubbabel?”
11 Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?”
12 Again I asked him, “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?”
13 He replied, “Do you not know what these are?”
“No, my lord,” I said.
14 So he said, “These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth.”
Revelation 11:3-6 (MBriggs Interpretation)
3 And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days (three and half years starting at June 1, 3830 AD - Jan 1, 0001ADA), clothed in sackcloth.” 4 They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.” 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6 They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
Appoint - assign a job or role to (someone)
Witnesses - one who is a spectator of anything, a person who sees an event, see take place, give or serve as evidence of; testify to. An expert witness is one who allegedly has specialized knowledge relevant to the matter of interest, which knowledge purportedly helps to either make sense of other evidence, including other testimony, documentary evidence or physical evidence (e.g., a fingerprint). An expert witness may or may not also be a percipient witness, as in a doctor or may or may not have treated the victim of an accident or crime. A reputation witness is one who testifies about the reputation of a person or business entity, when reputation is material to the dispute at issue.
Prophesy - say that (a specified thing) will happen in the future, to prophesy, to be a prophet, speak forth by divine inspirations, to predict to prophesy with the idea of foretelling future events pertaining esp. to the kingdom of God to utter forth, declare, a thing which can only be known by divine revelation to break forth under sudden impulse in lofty discourse or praise of the divine counsels
under like prompting, to teach, refute, reprove,
Clothed - to throw around, to put around to surround a city with a bank (palisade) of garments, to clothe one to put a thing on one to clothe one with a thing to put on or clothe one's self. put clothes on (oneself or someone); dress."she was clothed all in white" synonyms: dress, attire, robe, garb, array, costume, swathe, deck (out), turn out, fit out, rig (out); More provide (someone) with clothes. past participle: clothed "they already had eight children to feed and clothe" endow with a particular quality. "you have been clothed with power from on high"
Sackcloth - a sack a receptacle for holding or carrying various things, as money, food, etc.
a course cloth, a dark course stuff made especially from the hair of animals
a garment of the like material, and clinging to the person like a sack, which was wont to be worn (or drawn over the tunic instead of the cloak or mantle) by mourners, penitents, suppliants and also by those who like the Hebrew prophets, lead an austere life.
Sackcloth is a coarse, black cloth made from goat’s hair that was worn together with the burnt ashes of wood as a sign of mourning for personal and national disaster, as a sign of repentance and at times of prayer for deliverance.
Olive trees - the two witnesses are the olive trees that each harness the lampstand, operate not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty. Zerubbabel is stronger than any mighty mountain as he is able to level any impossible obstacle to the ground. The Glory of God will be shown through the works of Zerubbabel and he will have great support from many. Those supporters will gladly receive the capstone which we interpret as Eternal Tabernacle Prayer. Not only will Zerubbabel be the one to bring forth the Eternal Tabernacle to the world but they will be the leading voice of the church from the time of the laying of the capstone until the time of the beast 0ADA. The confidence and reliance the Church will give to Christ Jesus will reach unprecedented levels as a result of the witness of the work of Zerubbabel. The host of heaven will do the work of identifying and declaring the mantle of Zerubbabel. Not by his own strength or power but by the Spirit will he be established to the whole world. A small nothing that no one ever knew will rise to be a world leader of the God's people for a couple millennia on earth until the day of 0ADA. Their will be two Zerubbabel's one for the western world and the other for the east. The one for the west will be a Cush and the other will be the old testament Jewish captive that stood before the lord of Babylon. The Zerubbabel's are twin souls having the same job (appointment) and favor of God (anointing). Zerubbabel has high appointments and anointing from Apollyon as well up until 3.5 years before 0ADA. The Jewish Zerubbabel laid the capstone of the Second Temple that dwelled in Jerusalem. The Cush Zerubbabel will lay the capstone of the Eternal Tabernacle that dwells in the hearts of every being called to the land of Havilah. The Jewish Zerubbabel will soon return to Earth with the rest of the Saints that patiently wait to take dominion upon the Earth. The Jewish and Cush Zerubbabel will share a twin assignment to continue the building of the Eternal Tabernacle in every person that will receive the Gospel. They will also serve as the anointed prophets to herald the word of King Jesus to the inhabitants of the Earth as well as to represent Kingdom of God before The Ruler of the Earth.
Gold Pipes - the two witnesses will both be equipped with a spiritual gift of harvesting revenue without toil. Their job is to manage the wealth and profits of other people so that those people and they themselves will prosper. The income is unlimited and will flow abundantly to them as readily as water from a spout. The flow of income is readily abundant, pure, and unending. The income made will pour out from an organization liken to a company or enterprise that will be highly valuable.
Lampstands - we know the lampstand is the divine Harp also mentioned in the book of Revelation. The lampstand is the instrument used to communicate the will of heaven to the musician. The lampstand simultaneously lights the path of the player and brings delight to God who is the audience of the music. In this case the two witnesses are the musicians who serve as the lead ambassadors of the Kingdom of Heaven before King Apollyon and his Kingdom Babylon the ruler of Eden. In his absence The Witnesses will peacefully negotiate directly with the sons of Apollyon and will later work directly with Apollyon when he appears. The Witnesses will also administrate the business of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. All negotiations and administration will be channeled through the perspective of the lampstand.
Harm - the penalty of anyone who wants to, wills to, intends to, or tries to harm the Two Witnesses is assassination by fire. The verbal command from the two witnesses is all that is required to be eaten by fire. Anyone that wants to harm the witnesses will painfully be devoured by fire that will lead to death. Meaning those that have the intent to harm the two witnesses will die by fire even when the Two Witnesses are not aware of the intent. Harm is defined as any action that would threaten anything the two witnesses have an interest in or care for. This would include but is not limited to body, people, organizations, possessions, plans, etc. There is no limit on what degree of harm would be classified by heaven as a breach of "want" to harm. There is no mercy, lesser penalty, or gradient to the law. Any level of planning or intent to harm the Two Witnesses is automatically without due process bares the burden of an immediate and brutal death by fire. Desire to harm may not result in death however when the desire crosses over to wanting to harm them then the person would be immediately put to death more than likely by the host of heaven or by command of one of both of the two witnesses. The witnesses will be made aware of all threats and will have no fear of loss. Refer to Elijah in 2 Kings 1 as an example of such power.
Enemies - the two witnesses will have those who are actively opposed or hostile toward them however the seed of their feeling will not reach beyond the realm of desire as any action beyond that point would result in death by fire.
Power - power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases. During the time they are prophesying they have the ability to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain and turn water into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want. In other words these two earthly beings will be granted all the controls of earth for three and a half years June 1, 3820 AD - Jan 1, 0001 ADA.
Plague - For three and a half years of the prophesy they will have the power to cause a blow, stripe, wound, public calamity, heavy affliction, and continual trouble or distress to the earth. They have the power to strike the earth with any and every kind of plague, as often as they wish. The two have power from God to shut up the sky, so that no rain will fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters (seas, rivers) to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every [kind of] plague, as often as they wish. They essentially will have the power of Moses listed in Exodus 7-11.
Interpretation of the Two Witnesses
In days to come two men will represent King Jesus of the New Jerusalem to come before the all mankind. They will serve as ambassadors of King Jesus and the stewards of the will of heaven on earth. The world Church will listen to them and will be well equipped by the power and resources of the two witnesses. They will unit the Church body under one mission and common purpose of building the Eternal Tabernacle within the hearts and mind of as many people that will receive the good news. In order to fulfill the word of the Lord, the Lord will move the heart of Apollyon King of Babylon to support the two witnesses in their appointed assignment of building tabernacle temple message (Ezra 1 - 2). The two witnesses work directly with King Appollyon the ruling lord over all the earth and enjoy his full support on all their efforts (Zec 4:14; Rev 11:4).
The two witnesses are and will be equipped with certain Powers and Resources that will help many people come to believe in the message of Jesus Christ and his will the Eternal Tabernacle. The building of the Eternal Tabernacle started with the Jewish Zerrubabbel from Zechariah 4 and will be completed by both of them upon their rising to life in Revelation 11:7-13. The two witness will harness the power of the following recourses:
- lampstand
- the favor of the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of earth
- no harm is allowed to come upon them or anything or anyone they care for
- unlimited and abundant flow of universal financial currency given to them without toil. Their financial profession will be more in line with being investors.
- during the last three and half years of their lives upon earth they will reach the height of their power as they will be given authority over all the ecosystem of the earth. Anyone that moves from desire to harm to intent is liable to die by fire.
References:
https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/dictionary-of-bible-themes/6742-sackcloth-ashes
