It is important to note that the prophesized age of Tribulation is a period of severe judgment, which will take place for seven years. Within these seven years, the last half will be the Great Tribulation, which will be the harshest form of judgment. The two witnesses play a critical role during the given time of test of faith who, firstly, will be clothed in sackcloth, which is a sign or symbol of sorrow and mourning (Schreve). The sackcloth also represents contrition and repentance by asking the Lord God for His mercy. The second key characteristic of the two witnesses is the fact that they are Spirit-led and Spirit-filled. In other words, the statement that they are two olive trees and two lampstands refers to the olive oil being used in the burning process of the lamps, indicating the crucial role of the Spirit (Schreve). The two witnesses have the capacity and power to stop the rain, cause fire upon their enemies, turn the water into blood, and bring plague. On the basis of the provided information, it becomes evident that the two witnesses are Moses and Elijah.
In the case of Moses, he was able to bring a plague on the Egyptians and turn water into blood. Elijah will be capable of halting the rain, causing the drought, and asking the Lord to cast fire upon his enemies (Schreve). Another alternative is that the witnesses are Enoch and Elijah because they both did not die and leave the world through a grave, but rather God took them away (Schreve). However, the former interpretation is more likely since Moses represents the law, whereas Elijah represents the prophets. It should be noted that the ministry of the two witnesses is to turn humanity into the Savior. In other words, the two witnesses are messengers of God demonstrating His mercy even during the time of His wrath.
The third core characteristic of the two witnesses is that they fulfill their mission. Thus, God protects them until they complete their testimony, after which they achieve the Lord’s purpose and become vulnerable to harm. The completion of the mission leads to the next major event, which is the emergence of the beast or Antichrist. The latter will defeat the two witnesses and kill them because God will allow it (Schreve). The defeat of the two witnesses or messengers will result in their dead bodies being desecrated by not giving them a proper burial. Many people will finally rejoice and celebrate since these two witnesses spread the harsh truth and tormented them. However, it is God who will have the final laugh by raising the two witnesses and bringing them their lives back, subsequently taking them away to Heaven (Schreve). The great earthquake will take place after, which will kill seven thousand well-known individuals who likely will be famous, powerful, and influential members of the society.
Work Cited
Schreve, Jeff. “The Two Witnesses in the Tribulation – Pastor Jeff Schreve.” YouTube, uploaded by From His Heart Ministries, Web.