In the middle of Revelation, two mysterious figures appear: two witnesses who prophesy in sackcloth, call down plagues, are killed by the beast, lie in the street while the world celebrates — and then rise and ascend before their enemies' eyes. Who are they? Here is the text, the main views, and what the scene means.
The text
“And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth… These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not… and have power over waters to turn them to blood… And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast… shall overcome them, and kill them… And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet.” — Revelation 11:3–11
The main views
| View | Who the witnesses are |
|---|---|
| Two literal prophets (futurist) | Two real end-times prophets. Most often identified as Moses and Elijah (their miracles match), or Enoch and Elijah (neither died a natural death). |
| The witnessing church (idealist) | A symbol of the faithful church bearing testimony to the world throughout the present age, persecuted but unkillable until its mission is done. |
| Law and Prophets / Word and Spirit | The two olive trees and lampstands (Revelation 11:4; cf. Zechariah 4) as the combined witness of Scripture and the Spirit, or of the two covenants pointing to Christ. |
Why "two"? In biblical law a matter is established "at the mouth of two witnesses" (Deuteronomy 19:15). Two is the number of valid testimony — which fits every reading.
The signs of Moses and Elijah
The witnesses "shut heaven, that it rain not" — exactly Elijah's miracle (1 Kings 17; James 5:17) — and "turn [waters] to blood" — exactly Moses' first plague (Exodus 7). Both men also appeared with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:3), representing the Law and the Prophets testifying to Christ. Whatever their precise identity, the witnesses stand in the line of God's greatest prophetic spokesmen.
The death and resurrection
The witnesses are killed, and the world rejoices over their silenced voices — then "the Spirit of life from God" raises them. The pattern is the gospel pattern: faithful testimony, apparent defeat, and vindicating resurrection. The enemies of God's word never get the last word.
The Apostolic reading
Apostolic (Oneness) Pentecostals emphasize that the witnesses' power is the Spirit — "the Spirit of life from God entered into them" (Revelation 11:11) — the same Spirit poured out at Pentecost who empowers the church's witness: "ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me" (Acts 1:8). On this reading the two witnesses portray Spirit-empowered testimony to Jesus that the world cannot finally silence.
A word of caution
Revelation 11 is vivid and contested, and Scripture does not name the witnesses outright. Faithful study presents the views honestly rather than dogmatizing one. Be wary of teachers who claim to have identified the two witnesses with certainty or pinned them to current headlines.
Why it matters
The witnesses model what every believer is called to: bold, Spirit-filled testimony to Jesus, faithful unto death, vindicated by resurrection. The apostles' answer to "what shall we do?" was direct: repent, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38).