By Revelation 11, those living on earth have experienced earthquakes, wars, famine, hail and meteor showers, poisonous insects, poisonous water, and more. To this point, however, those still living have yet to express any form of repentance—that is, until Revelation 11:13. There you will find the first act of repentance in the book of Revelation.

If you are like me, you are probably asking, “What did God finally do to get them to repent?” Since I’ve never encountered hearts as hardened to God as in the tribulation, I expected God to do something He had never done before to get the people to repent. But He didn’t; He stayed with the same plan He had used throughout scripture. He used witnesses.

One of the reasons it’s hard for many of us to see this plan working is that we seldom work the plan. As believers we would rather do anything and everything except witness. We would rather help in the nursery, teach children, go to youth camp, usher at church, sing in the choir, serve on a committee, lead a Bible study group, or even preach a sermon—anything but witness.

Therefore when churches want to see more surrender to Christ, we look for the newest and latest program. We bring in the muscle teams, monster truck rallies, comedians, and special speakers who share how to be saved. They do their part and we do ours. We put out flyers, host pizza rallies, set up chairs, and pass out programs. We feel good about our part because we feel that through our participation someone may surrender their life to Jesus Christ. And no doubt, because of the effort of a group, some do come to know Jesus. The problem with our plan, however, is that it is not as effective as God’s.

When you look at the number of church members compared to the number of those being baptized, it’s quite revealing. In our church, it takes sixty members to see one person saved. That’s what happens when you try to reach people by programs.

Acts 2-6 describes what happens when believers work God’s plan (every believer is a witness) instead of their programs. Six months will transpire between Acts chapters 2 and 6, and in that time 120 witnesses will grow to 10,000. At our current rate of doing evangelism by programs, it will take our church around 150 years to do what the early believers did in just six months.

Our programs are far less effective than God’s plan. The fact that Revelation 11 shows that God is still using His plan, even in the last days, should compel us to get back to working God’s plan because God’s plan works. Every believer is to be a witness. And when you look at the impact of just two witnesses used by God in Revelation 11, you see why God’s plan is so effective. Furthermore, a close look at their efforts will reveal six timeless qualities that should make every believer more effective as a witness for God.

The Two Witnesses

As you will soon read in Revelation 11:2-3, this chapter covers the first 3 ½ years of the seven years of tribulation. The rapture of believers has taken place and those remaining are beginning to experience God’s wrath. Yet it is clear in chapters 7, 10, and now 11 that even in His wrath, God offers grace. Two significant voices of God’s grace during the first half of the tribulation period are simply identified as two witnesses. We are introduced to them in Revelation 11:1-6:

1 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that 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 These men have power to shut up the sky 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.

Their Focus, Identity and Impact
Verses 1-2 make it clear that the two witnesses are focused on a particular group of people—the Jews. When John is told to measure the temple of God, the altar, and to count the worshippers, you will notice there is no record of the numbers. In Revelation 21, John is given a golden measuring rod and told to measure the Holy City of God. In that chapter, he provides both the dimensions and a description of heaven. However, the purpose for John measuring the temple of God in chapter 11 is different. It has nothing to do with us as viewers. It has everything to do with God as the owner. God is saying the temple is His and so are the Jews.

In verse 2, John is told to measure the areas of the temple that the Jews alone can enter—not the court of the Gentiles. John is led through this exercise to reveal that when the two witnesses appear they will not focus on the Gentiles but on preaching God’s grace to the Jews. They will do this to fulfill God’s promises in Romans 11:25-27 and Zechariah 12:1-14, that in the end times all of Israel will be saved. Yet, I believe that not only Israel will be saved, but Revelation 7:9 states that individuals “from every nation, tribe, people and language” will be saved during the tribulation.

This is a good reminder that even though you may be focused on sharing Jesus with a dear friend or loved one, others are watching and even overhearing your conversation. Throughout history, countless have surrendered their lives to Jesus by simply overhearing a witness talking with someone else.

A question many have asked is, “Who are the two witnesses?” Some say they are the priest Joshua and prince Zerubbabel. In Zechariah 4:2-6, these two men reformed Israel and were referred to as a lampstand and two olive trees. The early Church Fathers such as Tertullian, Irenaeus, and Hippolytus believed the two witnesses were Enoch and Elijah, for they were two men who never experienced death while on earth. However, more recently, convictions lean toward the two witnesses being Moses and Elijah. Here’s why:

• The two witnesses will perform miracles similar to Moses and Elijah. (Exodus 7-11; 1 Kings 17:1; 2 Kings 1:10,12)

• Jewish tradition expected Moses and Elijah to return.
  (Deuteronomy 18:15, 18; Malachi 4:5; John 1:21; 6:14; 7:40)

• Both Moses and Elijah appeared at Jesus’ transfiguration.
  (Matthew 17:3 – perhaps representing the Law and the Prophets)

• Both Moses and Elijah left the earth in unusual ways.
  (Moses body was supernaturally buried – Deuteronomy 34:5-6 and Elijah
  left the earth on a fiery chariot – 2 Kings 2:11-12)¹

However, who they are is not as important as the impact of their lives. They were seen as the cause of famines, turning water into blood, and other plagues. They did this not to draw attention to themselves as much as to their message, for throughout their 3 ½ years they never stopped prophesying.

Their Death, Resurrection and Impact
Consider this. If you think people get upset when you mention Jesus today, the reaction is far worse during the years of tribulation. There is no doubt that the constant prophesying of these two witnesses led to their deaths. Yet what the world didn’t know was that the death of God’s two witnesses was all part of God’s plan...as was their resurrection. The impact of these events is described in verses 7-14.

7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. 8 Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days men from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. 10 The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.
11 But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.
13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.

Verse 7 records the first of 36 such references to the Antichrist as “The Beast” in the book of Revelation. It’s important to remember that Daniel 9:27 cites that the Antichrist will make a seven-year agreement with Israel and others, but halfway into that agreement he will break it and show his true nature (2 Thessalonians 2:8-12). His killing of God’s two witnesses marks the turning point in His leadership and the intensity in the remaining years of the tribulation.

What should grab our attention is that verses 8-9 describe an experience that could happen today. The bodies of the two witnesses lie dead in the streets of Jerusalem for three and a half days and the entire world sees it. When I was a boy, that couldn’t happen. The technology wasn’t in place. But today, any event in the world could be captured at any moment and shown to the world. Jesus could come and the tribulation period could begin today.

Yet what is truly sobering about what John sees and writes is his description of the world’s reaction. Author Warren Wiersbe aptly describes the world’s reaction in verse 10 as a Satanic Christmas. People were exchanging gifts over the deaths of the two witnesses.² But, their celebration was short-lived. After lying dead in the streets for 3 ½ days, God breathes life back into His two witnesses. He raises them to life, calls them home to heaven, and the world hears it and sees it all.

Those in Jerusalem who are closest to the events will see it all and be the first to express repentance. Verse 13 says that “they gave glory to God in heaven.” Four other times in Revelation this expression is seen as an act of repentance (Revelation 4:9; 14:7; 16:9; 19:7). Therefore, finally, after 3 ½ years of wars, famines, and plagues you have the first expression of repentance by anyone on earth—and it took the lives of two witnesses to make it happen.

Neither One was “Superman”
Thus far in Revelation, we’ve read of angels in various ranks and order, and living creatures—all with supernatural abilities. Therefore it would be easy to assume that these two witnesses were super human as well—like “Superman.”

Years ago I heard Paul Harvey’s radio program “The Rest of the Story.” If I remember correctly, he talked of two cartoonists named Joe and Jerry. It was 1938 and Hitler was beginning his tyrannical move to annihilate the Jews. Joe and Jerry, along with DC Comics, created Superman that year, and in many of the comic books Superman’s enemies were Nazi’s. What many didn’t know was that Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel were Jewish. Thus, the discussion for years has been the similarities between Superman and Moses. Superman came from a different planet, while Moses in Egypt came from a different culture. Superman was discovered as baby and raised by Jonathan and Martha Kent, while Moses was discovered and raised by Pharaoh’s daughter. Both Moses and Superman saved nations from oppression.

The influence of Moses on Superman is still being debated as is whether or not Moses is one of the two witnesses. However, one issue can be settled right now. The two witnesses were not superhuman like any of the angels, living creatures, or Superman. They were human just like you and me. The only reason they could perform these supernatural acts was because they were acting on behalf of God. Everything they did as witnesses in the end times we have the potential to do in our time—not because of who we are and what we can do, but because of who God is and all God can do. We are just the witnesses.

Seven Timeless Qualities
of God’s Witnesses

When you take a closer look at the words used to describe the lives and actions of the two witnesses and compare them to the other witnesses of God throughout scripture, you discover seven timeless qualities of God’s witnesses. Whether or not you embody these qualities will determine the degree to which you see God do extraordinary things in and through your life.

#1 – They are Sent with Authority
Verse 3 opens with the phrase, “And I will give power to my two witnesses....” Translations differ on whether to use the word “power” or “authority” here. I found that the American Standard Version didn’t use either word. According to the Greek manuscripts, the American Standard Version is right. Neither the word “power” nor “authority” appears in this statement. Translators inserted one or the other for clarity. For so many translations to do so there must have been a good reason. And, there was.

In verse 6, you find the word “power” used twice. Thus, the translator must have felt that it also fit the statement in verse 3. Then, why have some translations used the word “authority”? It’s because the Greek word used twice in verse 6 is “exousian.” It comes from the word “exousia” which means “authority in legitimate hands.” It’s the same word Jesus used in Matthew 28:18-19 when He tells His followers, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations....” Because Jesus alone is the sole and legitimate authority in heaven and on earth, He commissions His followers to go and act on His behalf. The two witnesses do that in Revelation 11, and the world takes notice of them.

A good picture of those who act and speak with legitimate authority are police officers. When they tell a criminal to stop running, or a suspect to open the door they tell them to do so “in the name of the law.” Officers understand that without the law their authority is no different than anyone else. But because of the law, they have the legitimate authority to act and speak.

As an individual, your opinion and your beliefs are no different from anyone else. But as a believer in Jesus Christ, you should live, speak and act differently for you are under the highest authority. You should live, act, and speak with confidence because you do so in the name of Jesus Christ—the true and legitimate authority in heaven and on earth.

#2 – They Deliver God’s Message
Verse 3 adds, “And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days....” When most hear the world “prophecy” they think of someone telling the future. But that’s not the purest meaning of the word “prophecy” or of the role of the prophet. The role of the Old Testament prophet was to “speak forth” the message of God. Though some of the messages had future implications, the prophets were to speak forth every message God gave them to deliver.

Think for a moment how valuable your role is as a courier of God’s message. Think of your value to the recipient. If you are carrying the message of a prisoner’s pardon, he or she wants you to deliver it as soon as possible. If you are carrying the message of a hospice patient’s cure, he or she doesn’t want you to stop for coffee. As God’s witness, you carry in your testimony news that will set people free from the guilt of their sin. You carry with you the lone message that gives life.

As God’s messenger you are important to the recipient, but you are also important to the sender. God has entrusted you with that which is important to Him—the costly message of salvation and life. The message you carry came at a high price. God sacrificed His only Son to create the message you carry. It’s precious to God. We usually keep items that are valuable and precious under lock and key, but the price God paid for the message we carry will be wasted if we don’t deliver it.

#3 – God Numbers Their Days
You also see in verse 3 how John was told that God’s two witnesses would testify for 1,260 days. We would calculate that to be 3 ½ years. God knew in advance how long He had ordained them to testify before they died. He knew to the day that it was 1,260 days.

I truly believe there would be a greater urgency in our efforts to witness if we remembered that God has numbered our days as well. Psalm 139:16 and Job 14:5 both indicate that like the two witnesses in Revelation, God has numbered our days. Each day lived is one less day to witness.

Living far from family makes it special when they all decide to come and visit— hectic, but special. What makes it hectic is trying to get the house in order. “To Do” lists for another day suddenly become a priority. It was in the middle of a day when Loree and I had more on our list than we had hours in the day that she said something profound. She said, “If I knew Jesus was coming tomorrow, cleaning my house wouldn’t be the most important thing for me to do today. I would want to be telling as many as I could about Jesus.”

Too often we have too much to do and too little time to do it regarding everything else but witnessing. That’s why we seldom do our witnessing, because we feel we don’t have enough time to get everything else done. If we simply remember that with each passing day we have one less day to witness, we would once again have an urgency to witness.

#4 – They are Broken before God and for Others
Before we leave verse 3, there’s one more lesson to learn. It’s seen in what the two witnesses were wearing. Verse 3 says they were prophesying for 1,260 days in “sackcloth”. Wearing sackcloth in the Old Testament was an indication of brokenness. Depending on the reference, either the individual in sackcloth was broken before God in repentance, or broken for others in mourning (Genesis 37:34; 2 Samuel 3:31; 1 Chronicles 21:16; 2 Kings 6:30). Regardless of why they were broken, these and other such references of brokenness prove an important point. God uses best those who are broken the most. Furthermore, I believe being broken for others will come naturally once we are broken before God.

The great wordsmith Vance Havner said it well, “God uses broken things. Broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread to give strength.”³ Havner then pointed to Simon Peter as an example. Here was a man broken over his failure before Christ and yet rose from his brokenness to accomplish great things with Christ.

I’m sure Havner was referring to Peter’s encounter with Jesus in John 21:15-19. In this encounter we see three prerequisites to brokenness before God. First, you must BE STILL to be broken. Peter had a fish breakfast with Jesus when Jesus confronted him. Many of us stay too busy to ever be broken before God. Second, you must BE OPEN to be broken. Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him with the love of God. Peter was open and confessed that he only loved Him like a good friend. Sadly, when we get still with God we remain closed to God. As a result, many of us aren’t open enough to be broken enough for God to use. The third prerequisite for brokenness is to BE READY. With each open confession Jesus was willing to put Peter to work, telling him to “Take care of my lambs,” “Take care of my sheep,” and “Feed my sheep.” Furthermore, Jesus told Peter that He would have to carry him in the work. It would be too much for Peter to handle alone. That is why Peter would have to stay broken before God. Again, this is why many of us fail to be broken enough for God to use enough to accomplish great things. In our hearts we are not ready to serve, be stretched and stay broken in a way that God uses best.

However, if more were still before God, open before God, and ready to serve, stretch and stay open before God, can you imagine all God could do? I could. More of us would be like the two witnesses in Revelation 11.

#5 – God Displays His Power through Them
In verse 6 the word “power” is used twice to point to the abilities of the two witnesses to cause famines and unleash plagues. As was stated earlier, the Greek word for “power” used both times in verse 6 is “exousian.” It means “authority in legitimate hands.” Thus, under God’s authority you should have God’s abilities to act in ways that give authenticity to you as God’s witness and to the message you deliver.

People today are looking for authentic believers, not professional Christians. Yet it seems that people have always been looking for authenticity from those claiming to belong to God.

There are three times in scripture that God’s power was on display more than others. The first was in plagues and miracles found in Exodus. Here God was making it clear that Israel belonged to Him. The second was the ministry of Jesus described in the Gospels. The miracles He performed pointed to Him as the messiah. The third was at the birth of the church in the book of Acts. Through the signs and wonders they performed, God wanted all to know that these witnesses and their message truly belonged to Him. In these examples, God’s authority gave His followers and His Son godly abilities to act in ways that would authenticate Israel as His people, Jesus as His Son, and the New Testament believers as His witnesses.

Seeing God’s authority and abilities displayed at different times, here’s a tough question to ask, “What have you done that non believers can’t do that would cause them to realize you truly belong to God—that you are an authentic witness for Him?” As you think of answering this question, here are some answers that won’t work.

• Going to Church – non-believers do that
• Reading the Bible – non-believers do that
• Helping the Less Fortunate – non-believers do that
• Living an Ethical Life – non-believers do that
• Raising a Good Family – non-believers do that

Again, the question is “What have you done that non-believers can’t do that would cause them to realize you truly belong to God, that you are an authentic witness for Him?” The short answer is, “BE LIKE JESUS!” That means you will love like Him, forgive like Him, and sacrifice like Him. Non-believers can’t do that, not like Jesus.

Furthermore, like Jesus, you need to DO WHATEVER GOD SAYS! It’s when you do whatever God says that God will do what only God can do—and He’ll do it through you. That’s when the authority of God reveals the abilities of God in and through your life. And that’s when non-believers will see you as an authentic witness.

#6 – God Predetermines Their Death
The sixth quality is one many believers fail to consider. Verse 7 clearly discloses that God has already predetermined the death of His two witnesses. This is more than the day they will die, for we’ve already discussed how God numbers our days. This refers to the fact that God has already predetermined how they will die. He will allow the Antichrist to kill them. Their deaths will be public and ugly. For 3 ½ days their bodies will decay on the streets of Jerusalem for the godless world to see and celebrate.

On the rare occasions I’ve listened to believers talk about dying, most of the scenarios sound like this, “I just want to go to sleep one night and wake up in heaven.” That may be what we want when we die, but have you considered that God may want more from your death?

In 1935, Dr. Bill Wallace began serving as a medical missionary in Communist China. Through the years of China’s instability put him at risk, he stayed to care for the people and witness to them about Jesus. On December 19, 1950, officials raided his home, arrested him, beat him and accused him of being a spy. After two months of torment, officials said Dr. Wallace hung himself and his body was buried in an unmarked grave. At risk to their own lives, Chinese believers removed his body from the unmarked grave and gave Dr. Wallace a proper burial. Above his grave they placed the sign, “For me to live is Christ.”⁴

The statement over Dr. Wallace’s grave comes from Philippians 1:21. There, the verse reads, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” I’ve often interpreted Paul’s words here to mean that while he lives he wants to be like Christ, but when he dies that will be even better because he will enter heaven. That still may be way Paul meant it, but after viewing the deaths of the two witnesses and the death of Dr. Bill Wallace, I see the verse meaning even more. It also means that while I live I want to live like Christ, but when I die I want my death to gain even more for the Kingdom of God.

The death of the two witnesses and the death of Dr. Wallace and others should cause us to rethink how we might want to die. Instead of simply wanting to go to sleep and wake up in heaven, maybe our prayer should be, “Lord, use my life and even my death in ways that will be a great witness for you.”

#7 – God Uses Their Home-going
I love this last quality seen in the lives of the two witnesses. Not only did they witness for God through their lives and their deaths, but verses 11-13 portray how God used their home-going to witness as well.

After lying dead for 3 ½ days, the world would become the unexpected participants at the funeral service of the two witnesses. The one officiating the funeral was God, and I like the way God conducts the funeral for His witnesses. First, God WAKES THEM UP by breathing life back into them. Then, God CALLS THEM UP. The entire world hears God in a loud voice say, “Come up here.” Finally, God SNATCHES THEM UP as, before the eyes of the world, they ascend to heaven in a cloud, just as Jesus did in Acts 1:9.

Witnessing the funeral of the two witnesses, something happens that hasn’t happened in the first 3 ½ years of the tribulation. In verse 13, the Bible states that “the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.” In the 3 ½ years that the two witnesses lived and prophesied, the people listening to them endured God’s wrath through wars, famines, plagues, and more. In chapter 6, they ran from God instead of to Him. In chapter 9, they returned to their rebellious ways instead of repenting and turning to God.

It seems that 3 ½ years of living and speaking as faithful witnesses wasn’t enough. It took their faithfulness in death and God’s faithfulness to raise them to life to finally get through to a hardhearted world.

In the decades I’ve served as a pastor, I’ve seen the same take place several times. Faithful witnesses have shared their faith to family members, friends and co-workers for years. Yet instead of running to God, they keep running from God. It’s not until the witness dies that they realize the authenticity of their life and message. At the funeral service, they come to grips with their need and surrender their life to Jesus Christ. It happens because, I believe, God speaks to the present at the home-going of His witnesses.

A Timely Performance Review

Most professions conduct what is called a “Performance Review.” Though I want to stress that the world needs authentic witnesses, not professional Christians, it wouldn’t hurt to conduct an occasional performance review on our effectiveness as witnesses. The following is a list of questions you can use as a personal performance review:

• As a Witness...
• Do I live confident that I have God’s authority to act on His behalf?
• Do I frequently represent God and deliver His message?
• Do I act with urgency because I realize my days are numbered?
• Do I speak passionately because of my brokenness before God and for others?
• Do I display the power of God, thus making me a credible witness?
• Am I willing for God to take my life in a way that makes me a better witness
• Am I living in a way that will cause others to surrender to Jesus at my passing?

I’ve never met Dan Greene, but I like what he said. Dan said, “Witnessing is not a spare-time occupation or a once-a-week activity. It must be a quality of life. You don’t go witnessing, you are a witness.”⁵

Witnessing is not another program for the church. Being a witness is God’s plan for reaching the world. Both the past and the future prove that God’s plan will work if we as believers will work God’s plan.