''And when these things begin to come to pass, the look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.'' (Luke 21:28)

Elijah and the Two Witnesses

by

Jeff Booth

In real estate it’s “location, location, location.” In prophecy it’s “timing, timing, timing.” 

When do the prophecies “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet…” (Mal. 4:5) and “…I will give power unto my two witnesses,” (Rev. 11:3) begin? Are they one and the same event? Two different events that overlap time-wise and are fulfilled simultaneously? Or does one prophecy precede the other?

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth [Erets: land, country, Strong’s #776]  with a curse. Mal. 4:1-6.

(Note: I do not believe that the literal Elijah will return but someone in that same spirit and calling.)

Malachi is addressing Israel and Elijah is sent to them and deals primarily with Israel. Elijah seems to have a ministry of restoration and repentance, “Turn the hearts of the fathers to the children…” etc. The Two Witnesses on the other hand seem to have a different agenda. First, there’s no mention of the Two Witnesses being sent to minister specifically to Israel. There’s no doubt, however, that their ministry will have a major impact on that nation and they will minister to them. Their main target, it seems, is the beast and false prophet. They seem to be more global than Elijah. The Two Witnesses are attempting to turn men away from worshiping the beast. Elijah is attempting to return Israel, God’s people, back to God.

Of all the characters we have in Scripture, the Two Witnesses are the most mysterious. Little is known about them.  Just as the “two anointed ones” mentioned in Zechariah 4: who many interpret as the Two Witnesses, are mysterious.

(1) And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep, (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: (3) And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. (4) So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord? (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. (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. (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. (8) Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, (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. (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. (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? (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? (13) And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. (14) Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.

When you read Rev. 11 and Zech. 4 you’re left with more questions than answers. Who are these two guys? God has cloaked these two individuals in a cloud of mystery.  I believe we will only know the full answer when they appear on the world stage.

Understanding prophecy, in some cases, is like driving down a foggy road at night---your headlights can only reach out so far. You have to wait until the object is close before you can identify what it is. There are many points in prophecy that none of us understand because they’re too far down that foggy road. We have to be patient. Many prophecy teachers, unfortunately, lack patience and make claims that later turn out to be false. Many of their “interpretations” are better suited for the Sci Fi Channel. It’s not science fiction---its eschatological fiction. To add insult to injury, after having a book or two published, they will defend this “fiction” with pit-bull tenacity. They will, not unlike John Calvin, consider your disagreement with their interpretation as near-heresy. And Calvin dealt ruthlessly with critics of his interpretation of the Bible.         

In Revelation 11:6, it is says that the Two Witnesses will “…smite the earth with all plagues.” I believe the 10-nation empire of the beast will receive the brunt of “smites” caused by the Two Witnesses. 

There’s no indication in Scripture that Elijah will be in any kind of peril and need special protection to complete his ministry. The Two Witnesses on the other hand are in need of protection virtually all the time. The recipients of their prophecies are trying to kill them. They’re literally given a “license to kill” in order to complete their ministry. The Two Witnesses are operating in a “tough neighborhood” to put it mildly. I believe that the ministry of the Two Witnesses will concentrate primarily in the Middle East and at the same time minister to Christian nations. The separating of the “sheep and goats” nations is beginning to take place. 

We know that their ministry ends in the streets of Jerusalem and I believe it’ll begin there as well. I believe the Two Witnesses will be in Jerusalem when the beast confirms the covenant with Judah and will be in Jerusalem the day the abomination of desolation takes place. I believe the death of the Two Witnesses and the abomination of desolation will take place on the same day. I think the killing of the Two Witnesses will give the beast great credibility in the eyes of his followers, i.e., Muslims. The Witnesses, who are Christians, are over come and killed by a Muslim leader. This gives credence to his followers that Allah is above Jehovah, Muhammad is above Jesus and the Koran is above the Bible. 

“And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.”  II Thess. 2:11.

The death of the Two Witnesses serves as a “strong delusion” for the followers of the beast. The stage is set for a great deception.  Hence, there will be great rejoicing throughout the Muslim World over their deaths. This will confirm that “there is no god but Allah” in the eyes of a billion-plus Muslims. Support for the beast reaches a fever-pitch at this point. What better time is there to sit in the temple of Jehovah in Jerusalem and proclaim himself “god?” What’s strange in this scenario is that one of the beast’s claim to fame is an act of cold blooded murder. Equality strange is the rejoicing throughout the Muslim world over this act of murder.    

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. (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.(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.”

So great is the joy over the death of the Two Witnesses that the Muslim world wants to gaze upon their dead bodies. Hence, their refusal to bury them. Don’t “spoil the moment” is their mind-set. The Muslim world wants time to “rejoice” over their deaths.

Truth be told, as long as the Two Witnesses are alive the beast cannot proclaim himself as god in the temple in Jerusalem. It would be difficult to sit in the temple of God proclaiming yourself as God while two Christian prophets are standing outside denouncing him. Only after their deaths can he proclaim Islam as the one true religion. They MUST be killed---and they are. But their deaths serve as a witness against Islam when the Two Witnesses are resurrected 3 ½ days later. The death of the Two Witnesses, in the eyes of Muslims, signifies a triumph over Christianity and at the same time the beast decimates Judah. A double victory---all in one day.       

The resurrection of the Two Witnesses seems to have little effect on the majority of the beast’s followers but some will recognize the truth. I believe that many who are beheaded during the great tribulation will be Muslims, or I should say ex-Muslims. They will come to recognize the beast for who he really is and refuse to receive his mark.         

There are two schools of thought as to when the Two Witnesses will begin their ministry: Some say at the beginning of Daniel’s 70th week, others say in the middle.

Personally, I believe it’ll start at the beginning of the 70th week. If this is indeed the fact, when will Elijah’s ministry begin? Elijah’s ministry must begin before Daniel’s 70th week begins, before the covenant is confirmed between Israel and the beast. Will 1260 days be allotted to Elijah and another 1260 for the Two Witnesses? How much time will be allotted to Elijah to finish his ministry? Tough question with no easy answers. Some how, some way, these two prophesied events must take place. We know the exact amount of time given to the Two Witnesses, we have no idea how much time is required for Malachi 4 to be fulfilled. 

I believe that the Elijah figure will be one of the Two Witnesses, which leads me to believe that he’ll come first and than at a later date be joined by the other prophet. As I stated in my article; “How Many Tribes do the Jews of Today Represent” when two prophets are put together one takes a dominant/leadership role and the other a subordinate role as was the case with Elijah and Elisha, and Moses and Aaron.  I believe this will be the case with the Two Witnesses.         

                                                                                               Partial fulfillments

“Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.”  Mal. 3:1.

When the priests and Levites ask John the Baptist if he were Elijah, he answered, no.

When pressed for an answer is said, “I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord.” (Jn. 1:23.) John here is quoting Isa. 40:3, but quotes no further. 

The rest of the verse was not fulfilled during John the Baptist’ ministry but was reserved for the future:

“Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.” (Isa. 40:3-5.) The “glory of the Lord” was not revealed in John’s day neither did “all flesh see it together.” Rev. 1:7 says, “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him…” This didn’t happen in John’s day.

We know that the messenger spoken of here refers to John the Baptist:

“For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee” (Matt. 11:10.) This was a partial fulfillment because in Isaiah, who speaks of the same messenger, states, “who shall abide the day of his coming.” This refers to the Second Coming.

When the disciples asked Jesus: “And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.” (Matt. 17:11) Jesus here is speaking of Malachi 4. All things were not restored in the days of John the Baptist.  

Speaking of John, Jesus said: “But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist. Matt. 17:11-13.

Note the difference: “truly shall first come” future, and: “is already come.” Past.

“But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. (Mal. 3:2-3.) John the Baptist fulfilled verse 1, but verses 2 & 3 are still future.

                                                                                                         The Breaker

“The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.” Micah 2:13. There are two interpretations as to who the Breaker is. Some say it refers to Jesus, some say it refers to Elijah in Mal. 4. The Breaker and the King seem to be two different individuals.

Historically speaking, Elijah was a type of Breaker in this sense: Ahab and Jezebel had “bound” the entire nation of Israel in Baal worship. Something drastic was needed to “break” Israel from this bondage. Elijah’s well known act of calling fire down from heaven in the sight of all Israel on Mt. Carmel did just that. This “broke” the bonds of Baal worship and freed the people from its bondage.  Moses also was a Breaker when he sent plagues upon Egypt freeing the Israelites from their bondage. The Israelites broke out of this bondage into freedom.

“The "Elijah" that is to prepare the way before the Lord is the "breaker" described in this prophecy by Micah. As the antetypical "breaker" spoken of by Micah, John the Baptist heralded the first coming of the Messiah and the initial breaking forth of the kingdom of God. His efforts will be repeated by the end-time Elijah, who will lead the breaking forth before the second coming of the Messiah Yeshua that will lead to the full regathering of the 12 tribes into the Holy Land. May that day come soon!” “In the Spirit and Power of Elijah” Bryan T. Huie.

                                                                              Elijah Then---Elijah Now

The return of Elijah mentioned in Mal. 4 raises some interesting questions: Why is his return necessary? What’s lacking in the message of end-time Christianity that requires his return? Why is it our modern-day ministers and evangelists can not “turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to the fathers?” What’s missing from their message? What will Elijah say or do that’s not being said or done in the pulpit today? Fair questions? I think so.

For answers we need only to turn to the OT and read what he did in the past. The first thing Elijah did was call for a drought in the land as a witness against Israel’s spiritual condition.

Secondly, after calling down fire from heaven ending the drought and his encounter with the 450 priests and prophets of Baal---he ordered them all killed. Could acts like this occur in his second ministry? Will preachers and evangelists who have perverted the Gospel meet a similar fate? It’s possible when you consider God “changes not.” (Mal. 3:6.) Should we expect a change in Elijah’s modus operandi?      

Thirdly, on the political scene, when Elijah shows up he will not only go after false Christians leaders/teachers but political leaders as well. Elijah sent a letter to Jehoram, the king of Judah. Elijah’s commission to “turn the hearts of the fathers” will not be thwarted by false Christian teachers or incompetent, self-serving politicians. If they get in the way they do so at their own peril.

II Chron.21:1 “And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah,

(13) But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father's house, which were better than thyself: ( 14) Behold, with a great plague will the LORD smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods: (15) And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day. (16) Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians:

(17) And they came up into Judah, and brake into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king's house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.

(18) And after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease. (19) And it came to pass, that in process of time, after the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so he died of sore diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers.

(20) Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being desired. Howbeit they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.”

Both religious and political leaders was responsible for leading people astray in Elijah’s day(and many periods throughout the OT) in both Israel and Judah.  The most gruesome prophecy recorded in the OT was leveled against a politician. A similar event occurred involving Ahaziah, the king of Israel:

II Kings:1:2 “And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease.

(3) But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?

(4) Now therefore thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed.” 

Another recipient of woes were members of law enforcement. Ahaziah sent a captain with 50 men to place Elijah under arrest.

I Kings 1:9, “Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of a hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down. (10) And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty. (11) Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly. (12) And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.”

Now I don’t believe for a minute that God holds some special contempt for officers of the law. In fact, the Bible teaches the exact opposite (Rom. 13:4.) However, when they follow the edicts of corrupt politicians or judges, especially when dealing with a man sent by God, things can go terribly wrong. These guys were in the wrong place at the wrong time trying to arrest the wrong person.  The point I’m trying to make is this; I don’t think Elijah will be very popular with certain powers-that-be and let’s say some half-baked judge issues a warrant for his arrest. Speaking for myself---I wouldn’t want to be a member of that posse.

When Elijah returns he will do so as a prophet and representative of Jesus Christ, which means he will be visiting Christian nations.  That being said, how does, “And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” (Mal. 4:6) apply to Christians living in Christian nations? Who are their fathers? Who are they the children of?

What impact will Elijah’s return have on the house of Judah? The Jews will recognize Jesus as their Messiah, on a national level, during the great tribulation---but Mal. 4 occurs before that. 

The spiritual and political condition in America today begs for Elijah’s return. A no nonsense, in-your-face, confrontational prophet, who could “hammer” religious leaders who have perverted the Gospel and political leaders who are ruining this nation. We need a prophet who will deliver bone-chilling, mind-numbing prophecies against reprobates, both in the religious and political arenas. I say, bring it on.  Lord knows we need it, more than another time, we need it. 

One aspect in all this that I could never figure out is just how Elijah steps onto the world scene. Does he land at JFK International on an El Al 747, wearing a yamaka, calling for a press conference announcing his arrival? Nah…that doesn’t sound right. Too hokey. And don’t look for him appearing with Paul and Jan on TBN promising a personal prophecy in exchange for a “love offering.”

My guess is it will be some kind of “event.” I believe God will orchestrate some event, a situation, something that will get everyone’s attention. Fox News and CNN cameras will be there, and, quite unexpectedly, something will happen, an individual, unannounced, and unexpected, will appear. But exactly what that event will be is anyone’s guess. This will be Elijah’s entrance onto the world scene.