The Two Witnesses

Gary answers a listener question about the two witnesses from Revelation 11.

Immediately after the destruction of the temple and the judgment of Jerusalem, the Old Covenant age came to an end. The New Covenant was realized in all its fullness. The author of Hebrews writes that God had promised “Yet once more” to “shake not only the earth, but also the heaven” (Heb. 12:26). “‘Yet once more’ … denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, in order that those things which cannot be shaken remain” (12:27).

God did this house cleaning in His judgment coming in A.D. 70. The temple, priesthood, and animal sacrificial system—“as of created things”—were gone forever. While the stones of the temple were cast down, a new temple would be raised made of “living stones … being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5). This new spiritual edifice would consist of Jews and Gentiles “brought near through the blood of Christ” (Eph. 2:13). Both groups (Jews and Gentiles) “are no longer strangers and aliens” but “are fellow-citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord” (2:19–21).

No longer is Jesus’ message directed only to the “lost sheep of Israel” (Matt. 10:6; 15:24); it now includes “the children of God who are scattered abroad” (John 11:52). The nations began to recognize Christ as King, not only of Israel but of the world. In context, Matthew 24:31 does not refer to the end of the world. Rather, it speaks of the spread of the gospel to the nations and their eventual discipleship (28:18–20).

Gary answers a listener question about the two witnesses from Revelation 11. Are these actual people, or groups of people, or something else? There is of course an Old Testament applicability to these witnesses and we must not ignore the OT requirement in interpreting Revelation 11, as well as the rest of the book.

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American Vision’s mission is to Restore America to its Biblical Foundation—from Genesis to Revelation. American Vision (AV) has been at the heart of worldview study since 1978, providing resources to exhort Christian families and individuals to live by a Biblically based worldview. Visit www.AmericanVision.org for more information, content and resources