In this chapter we find two very important individuals that have been simply called the two witnesses by scholars and teachers, and it is stated here that they will give their lives on God's behalf because of their preaching.  There has been much speculation and wondering over the centuries about these two, who they are, what happens to them at Jerusalem, and when it happens.  But when they are slain as the world looks on, there are a lot of other people that are also being murdered at the same time.  These victims have been almost universally overlooked by scholars and teachers.  You see, in addition to the two witnesses mentioned here in chapter 11 there are two candlesticks also mentioned, and as you know from chapter one, candlesticks are identified as churches.  We'll take a hard look at these things later in the chapter, but first it opens with John being instructed to do something very curious indeed.

Rev. 11:1  And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.

In addition to measuring the physical dimensions of the temple the angel also told him to measure them that worship therein.  Very curious indeed.  That means that John was told to measure people, but how do you measure people with a reed?   A reed was used for measuring distance but this reed was like unto a rod, and a rod was also used for counting livestock, especially sheep.  Could there be a connection?  Christ did liken His followers to sheep more than once in the gospels, didn't He?

So, what is this measuring of the temple and the altar when one didn't exist then and one still doesn't exist now?  The answer is that one actually did exist in 96 A.D., and it still exists today.  By the time John penned Revelation the Romans had been treading Jerusalem under foot for nearly 150 years, and the Holy Temple had been destroyed two and a half decades earlier.  But John recorded here that he was told to measure the Temple of God, so one must exist, right?  Well yes, a temple does indeed exist, but it is not a group of buildings made of stone and mortar or wood.  It is made up of people joined together in the Spirit.  The apostle Paul understood this concept and here is what he had to say about it.

2 Cor.6:16  God hath said,  I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Eph. 2:19  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

Eph. 2:20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

Eph. 2:21  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

Eph. 2:22  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

As we try to understand what is going on here, let's recall where we are chronologically in Revelation, keeping in mind that what John is seeing and writing in the book is concerning the end time.  Briefly, here is the situation.  We are at the very threshold of the end of this age.  The allure of the Antichrist is now overwhelming and the churches are succumbing to him.  The time of the sealing of God's saints is about to end, and the famine of the Word of God is come upon the world.  The vast majority of those who call themselves Christians throughout the world are now worshipping Antichrist.  They are deceived by his mesmerizing appeal.  Jesus accused the Jews, and warned us at the same time, that this would happen.

John 5:43  I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

2 Thes. 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

2 Thes. 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Matthew 24:15  When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

Mark 13:14  But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:

What does that have to do with the temple of God?  Much in every way, because the churches comprise the spiritual temple of God and they are typically in lockstep with the policies of their respective government.  Why?  Let's use the U.S.A. for an example.  Here the mainstream churches are allowed to practice religion, but they do it as corporations, and corporations are government regulated entities.  Even their leadership and spokespersons are all licensed by the government and they are limited by the constraints of their licenses.  It doesn't have to be that way, and I don't recall ever reading in the scriptures where Jesus was regulated or licensed.  Nor was Elijah, or John the Baptist, or any of those whose truly served God.  Think about it!

Rev. 11:2  But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

Rev. 11:3  And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

Rev. 11:4  These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

Zech. 4:1  And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep,

Zech. 4:2  And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:

Remember the lamps and lamp stand in the Temple that John saw in chapter one?  That is what Zechariah is seeing here.  The word candlestick should read lamp stand.

Zech. 4:3  And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.

Zech. 4:4  So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?

Zech. 4:5  Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.

Zech. 4:6  Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

Zech. 4:7  Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.

Zech. 4:8  Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Zech. 4:9  The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.

Zech. 4:10  For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

Zech. 4:11  Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?

Zech. 4:12  And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves?

Zech. 4:13  And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.

Zech. 4:14  Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.

These two olive trees supply oil to the reservoir on the lamp stand.   Evidently they are like conduits for the oil.  Zechariah 4:14 above verifies that they are two individuals.  So, who are the two witnesses, these two individuals? 

People have pondered over this since John wrote this book of Revelation and nobody truly knows except God and some of those in Heaven.  Most scholarly sources suggest that they are Elijah, and either Enoch or Moses, but nobody claims to know who they are to a certainty.  I will respond to the question with a question, but before I do consider the following.

We are all here for a reason and all of us have to pass through this old world in the flesh, and die in the flesh, but only one time.  If you don't know why you are here in the flesh go to ourfathersword.org and read my article entitled "The Meaning Of Life".  Even the One whom we Christians call our God has passed through in the flesh.  In other words, no one is exempt from living in the flesh sometime during this world age except God the Father.  Now, that brings me to my question.

Where are the two archangels Michael and Gabriel today?

My question, given as a response to the original question as to who these two are, is not intended to be a statement of fact that these two archangels are the two witnesses.  I submit it only for your consideration.  Don't be hasty and quickly dismiss the idea without giving it some thought.  Oh yes, I know that some teach that these two mighty archangels were exempted from passing through in the flesh but I don't know what they base this conclusion on.  Also one other point you have to consider is that even if they were required to pass through in the flesh like the rest of us, they may have already done so long ago.  Who knows, but I still think that the question has some merit.

There may be more to the story of two witnesses than this but let's move on for the moment to the two candlesticks.  As stated above, candlesticks were identified as representing churches in Chapter 1.  But why are only two candlesticks mentioned here when seven churches are identified in Chapters 2 and 3?  Well, there is something important in all this for us to ponder.  If you will examine what Jesus said to all these churches in chapters 2 and 3 you will find something interesting concerning two of them.

Smyrna and Philadelphia are the only two out of the seven who are not condemned in any way by Jesus.  Likewise, it appears that these two churches are the only ones who know who the tares are, and tells the world about them.  If you don't know what a tare is, go and read Matthew 13.  Also see my work concerning them entitled, "Who Are The Tares?" at ourfathersword.org.

Only two candlesticks are mentioned here and if they are indeed Smyrna and Philadelphia, what happened to the other five churches?  Remember at the beginning of this chapter how John was told to measure the Temple of God?  Perhaps they didn't measure up.  Antichrist is very persuasive and his appeal is enormous.  Did they fall prey to his sweet words?  Sadly, I think that this is so beyond a reasonable doubt.  Go back and study chapters 2 and 3 again and you will see Christ's stern warnings to them.

Rev. 11:5  And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

Rev. 11:6  These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.

Dan. 11:32  And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.

Rev. 11:7  And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.

Rev. 11:8  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

Rev. 11:9  And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.

Rev. 11:10  And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

Rev. 11:11  And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.

Rev. 11:12  And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

Rev. 11:13  And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

1 Kings 19:18  Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

1 Thessalonians 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Rev. 11:14  The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.

The Third Woe

Rev. 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

Rev. 11:16  And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,

Rev. 11:17  Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.

Rev. 11:18  And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

Rev. 11:19  And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

God bless with understanding of His word.