Witnesses to what, exactly?

It caught my attention the other day... In the book of Revelation, they mention 2 witnesses, who are a part of "the end times"...
My questions are, what are they witnesses of? What will they witness? Witnesses against what? Are they witnessing the world, spiraling down a drain pipe? are they witnesses of an evil among men (crime, corruption, lies, etc.)? (can't think of anymore questions right now)

Got comment?

[I don't know if this was posted before, I didn't take the time to search it]

The unraveller, my understanding is that they are witnesses to the Godlessness
of humanity. They will be the two that stands before the throne of God and testify to the deeds of the nations during the "end times."

[edit on 30-5-2007 by SpeakerofTruth]

Originally posted by The_unraveller
It caught my attention the other day... In the book of Revelation, they mention 2 witnesses, who are a part of "the end times"...
My questions are, what are they witnesses of? What will they witness? Witnesses against what? Are they witnessing the world, spiraling down a drain pipe? are they witnesses of an evil among men (crime, corruption, lies, etc.)? (can't think of anymore questions right now)

Got comment?

[I don't know if this was posted before, I didn't take the time to search it]

The two witnesses of Revelation 11 preach the message of repentence (as designated by wearing sackcloth) to those left in Israel, during the last three and a half years of the tribulation. They preach to the Israelites that Jesus was their true Messiah and God's judgment is at hand.

Originally posted by BugZyZuncle
The two witnesses of Revelation 11 preach the message of repentence (as designated by wearing sackcloth) to those left in Israel, during the last three and a half years of the tribulation. They preach to the Israelites that Jesus was their true Messiah and God's judgment is at hand.

I know that... but why are they called "witnesses"? Shouldn't they be called prophets, then?

Because Witness (noun) means:
1. Someone who sees an event and reports what happened
2. A close observer; someone who looks at something (such as an exhibition of some kind)
3. Testimony by word or deed to your religious faith
4.(law) a person who attests to the genuineness of a document or signature by adding their own signature
5. (law) a person who testifies under oath in a court of law

and witness (verb) :
1. Be a witness to
2. Perceive or be contemporaneous with

I just had to bring that up (sorry)... because all they do is preach the prophecy (Jesus is saviour, God is coming fetch us, etc)... which makes them prophets... not witnesses.

To SpeakerofTruth:
For witnesses/prophets, they sure have a lot of power (they may destroy their enemies by "breathing fire", and cause plagues, etc, I don't have a bible at hand, right now)... they witness this "godlessness", yet they cause havoc, while they witness the horrendous acts of others. Which doesn't make sense. It sometimes makes me wish, that I was a witness.

I have a different view on what the witnesses might do (not magical or spiritual), but that is for a another thread. I just want to know... why "witnesses"? "Death-prophets from heaven" sounds more appropriate... Preaching about Jesus and causing illnesses (as much as they want, I think), and "breathing fire"... since everyone hates the witnesses (they get killed and rises up to heaven for their enemies to see... or something like that), it makes them more like victims than witnesses.

[edit on 31-5-2007 by The_unraveller]

revelation 11:3-7

3And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
4These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
5And 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.
6These 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.
7And 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.

The_unraveller... the two witnesses are primarily going to give testimony (just the same as witnesses in court give testimony to persuade those listening into believing something) to the truth of God's word and the good news -- that Jesus Christ is truly the one and only savior of the world.

They will also prophesy and perform miracles, etc. ("hard truth", one might say) in order to do what testimony alone does not accomplish.

Anyway, that's what I understand and believe it to mean.

The thing is, I don't really believe in this whole spirituality-thing. 2 individuals die, then go to heaven to tell him what is going on (via testimonial). (a question springs to mind) Doesn't God have the power to see what is happening for himself?

To me, it sounds like these witnesses can cause mayhem, and get into heaven... It really sounds like a "get out of hell free card".

SpeakerofTruth, know this... but I try to link the bible (or the symbolism it uses) with current affairs/happenings... But thanks for the help, in anyway, BlackHoleBrain.

The way I understand it, the two witnesses are actually heavenly beings (they are "the two lampstands / olive trees that stand before God" - my paraphrase) who come down to earth --literally, the streets of Jerusalem-- to testify and prophesy for a certain time during the tribulation.

However, they are not witnessing to God, but rather, they are witnessing to the people of earth during the tribulation. Their purpose is to try and open the minds and hearts of any who will listen to the truth of God amidst the great clutter and confusion gripping the world at that time.

And in the same way that Moses was granted power to send plague after plague upon the Egyptians (to try and turn their hardened hearts), so will the witnesses have power to do similar things with the same intentions -- the conversion of sinners.

The two witnesses will certainly 'smite the earth' and stuff with God's full authorization... I've heard it put this way before: "Pain is the megaphone that God uses for the deaf to hear."

Again, just my interpretation/belief.

Unraveller, it seems that you are taking the literalist approach on this. Do you actually think they will have fire coming out of their mouths? I doubt that. Most likely it is a metaphor for speaking with anger. Anger can burn those who don't like what someone is saying.

Originally posted by SpeakerofTruth
Unraveller, it seems that you are taking the literalist approach on this. Do you actually think they will have fire coming out of their mouths?

Not literally...
Like shooting with a rifle/pistol (or something way out: flamethrower), its like "breathing fire" (muzzle-flash... and it depends on what "angle" he saw the person[s] "breathing fire") in a sense. I like to try and imagine what they thought/saw in their "visions". If I recall right, I think we had this discussion in my previous thread about the book of revelations(about how they saw/interpreted their visions differently, than we do today)...

I wish I could see what they saw in their visions... that would help a lot.

Most likely it is a metaphor for speaking with anger. Anger can burn those who don't like what someone is saying.

That's also possible. I look at all the possibilities. But the thing that bothers me is, they turn water to blood and bring down plagues... which sounds really like military/terrorist actions to me (biological weapons)... I don't know. Its better too look in a wider spectrum than into a narrow tunnel, eh?

blackholebrain:
Everyone has their own belief (which I respect)... I don't like forcing my beliefs onto others and I am a person who has a hard time believing, unfortunately (a personal moto of mine).
You've got a point though... about the witnesses doing the same things what Moses has done. I never saw at it that way.

yes they witness, as in give testimony against the world system to God the judge, for judgment.

they are Elijah and the Daughter of Zion.

These two individuals have all along known that God is real because they have been with him. They come down during the tribulation to try to get people to open their eyes in a last ditch effort to save as many as possible.

We were never afforded to live in the time of Christ, to witness for ourselves the miracles he performed, the pain he suffered on the cross, or his resurrection & ascention.

The witnesses must cause us grief, so they can be killed. That's the whole point. God wants the world to see 2 men dead and decaying for 3 1/2 days, so he can breathe life back into them and they will ascend in front of everyones eyes. The resurrection of these two men is Revelation 11:11.

Then the seventh trumphet will sound and things will get interesting really quick.

I used to see the number 11:11 alot. For me it signifies hope and faith.