The Two Witnesses vs. End Time False Prophets

You may have heard people claim to you that they are one of the Two Witnesses or claim to have met the Two Witnesses. Over the years, many people have made these claims to me.

I have ignored claims about the Two Witnesses because the Bible gives us a good idea of what to look for from the real Two Witnesses.

I don’t want you to get deceived. In this article, I’ll share with you insight about the Two Witnesses who will appear, including their likely identity.

The Two Witnesses

The Two Witnesses have not begun their ministry yet. In fact, the ministry of the Two Witnesses will not begin for a while.

God will assign two people to prophesy near the midpoint of the tribulation to counter the spread of Antichrist’s one-world religion. They, the Two Witnesses, will prophesy for 1,260 days or 3.5 years:

“(3) And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. (4) These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.” (Revelation 11:3-4)

The topic(s) the Two Witnesses will prophesy about shall not contradict the Word of God or God’s Will. Deuteronomy 18:22 implies that a prophet from God predicts things that come to pass while a false prophet says things that do not come to pass:

“When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:22)

Based on this, you can know that you’re dealing with a false prophet when they claim to you to be one of the Two Witnesses and make a failed prediction.

The Message of the Two Witnesses

Revelation 11:3 tells us that the Two Witnesses will wear sackcloth clothing during their ministry:

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

The sackcloth may give us a hint about what the Two Witnesses may stress to people during their ministry. The Bible suggests that sackcloth is worn at times of mourning (Genesis 37:4, Isaiah 22:12), when one seeks to show humility (Daniel 9:3), or when one is seeking to repent (Jonah 3:6-8):

Genesis 37:34 (Mourning): And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.

Isaiah 22:12: (Mourning): And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:

Daniel 9:3 (Humility): And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes

Jonah 3:6-8 (Repenting): (6) For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. (7)And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: (8) But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.

The Two Witnesses may urge people to humble themselves before God and to repent their evil ways during their ministry. The wicked will refuse to heed the words and warnings of the Two Witnesses.

Don’t Try to Harm Them

The Two Witnesses will practically be invincible during their 1,260 days of service. The Two Witnesses are not people you want to mess with for the following reasons:

  • Anyone who tries to harm them will die.
  • They will have the authority to punish the earth with plagues:

“(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. (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.” (Revelation 11:5-6)

Revelation 11:6 indicates that it may not rain during the 1,260 days of their ministry. One reason why people may try to harm the Two Witnesses is for bringing this long drought. The Two Witnesses will smite the earth with other plagues as well, so the wicked will have plenty of reasons to hate them.

The Identity of the Two Witnesses

The identity of Two Witnesses is subject to debate. However, many agree that the Prophet Elijah will be one of the Two Witnesses. God promised in Malachi 4:5-6 that He will send Elijah to perform work before the coming of the Day of the Lord.

“(5) Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: (6) 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.” (Malachi 4:5-6)

The focus of the debate concerns the identity of the second person. The three main candidates are:

  1. Enoch
  2. John, the author of Revelation.
  3. Moses

I believe Moses is likely the second of the Two Witnesses. Here are two key items to consider:

The Battle for Moses’s Body

Jude mentions that Satan and the Archangel Michael contended over the body of Moses:

“Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.” (Jude 1:9)

This begs the question why would Satan want Moses’s physical body? Normally, a corpse should not concern Satan. However, in this case Satan wanted to prevent Michael’s attempt to gain (or maintain) custody over Moses’s body.

It’s reasonable to conclude that there was a strong demand for Moses’s body because it may be used again when Moses serves as one of the Two Witnesses.

Transfiguration

Second, Moses and Elijah (Elias) appeared together when Christ was transfigured.

“(1) And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, (2) And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. (3) And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.” (Matthew 17:1-3)

The appearance of Moses and Elijah with a transfigured Jesus complies with the description of the Two Witnesses standing before God in Revelation 11:4.[1]

The Death & Rise of the Two Witnesses

Antichrist will manage to kill the Two Witnesses near the end of the tribulation in Jerusalem, the city where the Lord was crucified. The wicked will celebrate the deaths of the Two Witnesses after they tormented them during their ministry:

“(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. (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.” (Revelation 11:7-10)

The detail about how the bodies of the Two Witnesses will remain in the streets gives us some idea of how much the wicked will despise them.

  • The wicked will show disrespect to the bodies by not giving them a proper burial.
  • The dead bodies will be on display so people can derive joy from the slaying of the Two Witnesses.

However, three days later the Two Witnesses will rise from the dead and ascend to Heaven to the chagrin of all those who celebrated their death:

“(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. (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. (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.” (Revelation 11:11-13)

The people who witness this event may begin to realize who is exactly in charge-and it’s not Antichrist! It’s God in Heaven!

Conclusion

Beware of people who claim to you that they are one of the Two Witnesses. You are likely dealing with a person who is not one of the Two Witnesses. Be skeptical of what they tell you.

Be careful as many false christs and false prophets will arise in the future who will seek to deceive many unsuspecting people. Don’t become one of their victims.

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Note

  1. Under this scenario, Moses would die twice, which does not seem right at first glance. However, according to Got Questions, a popular Christian Q & A website, there’s biblical precedent for a person to die twice.
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Wayne Croley
Wayne Croley

Hi! I’ve studied and written about Bible prophecy since I was a teenager. My goal is to make Bible prophecy easy for you to understand while avoiding the sensationalism seen elsewhere. I am the author of several end time books, including Prophecy Proof Insights on the End Times, a comprehensive book about the end times. I hold an M.B.A. and degrees in Managerial Economics and Political Science.

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  1. My name is Alan Finch. In April of 1976, I submitted myself to the Lordship of JESUS CHRIST.

    God’s main mission for the “Two Witnesses” will be that of Preparing the “Bride of Christ” which is made up Believers in Christ (the true Church) for the return of the “Bridegroom,” JESUS CHRIST. This is why that there is no “Pre-Tribulation Rapture.”

    I have put together 3 documents that clearly expounds upon these 2 individuals. “The Two-End Time Witnesses”, “The Two Lampstands & The Two Olive Trees”, “The Message of the Two End-Time Witnesses.”

    These documents are too lengthy to post in the comment section. If anyone is interested in reading these 3 documents, email me at: ([email protected]), and I will be more than happy to email you the 3 copies.

  2. Many people believe that the “Two End-Time Witnesses” will be Elijah and Enoch, or Elijah and Moses.

    Enoch, Elijah and Moses in their day fulfilled God’s purposes for them. Throughout history there have been certain generations in which God has “raised up” certain individuals to carry out a specific task for Him. The same will be true for the generation that we are now living in.

    It is important to emphasize strongly the term “raised up.” We find throughout Scripture that the Lord “raised up” His Prophets.

    One very important fact is the fact that there is no place in the Bible that states that the “Two End-Time Witnesses” are sent from Heaven. If that were the case, then it would have been clearly stated in the Bible.

    Also, there is a great misconception that Enoch & Elijah did not experience death. However, that is not true. When an individual dies, their eternal Spirit leaves their physical body. Their physical body is left behind here on Earth and becomes a dead corpse.

    Ecclesiastes 12:7 states that upon death that our body shall return to the Earth as dust from which the body came, and the Spirit which God has breathed into man, shall return to God.

    When God took Enoch & Elijah, only their eternal Spirits went to Paradise, their physical bodies became dead corpses and remained here on Earth. The 34rd Chapter of Deuteronomy states that God Himself buried the physical body of Moses. Therefore, it becomes evident that after God took Enoch & Elijah, that just as He did with Moses, God also buried the physical bodies of Enoch & Elijah here on Earth at locations not revealed to us.

    The Lord is not going to transport 2 individuals from several thousand years ago to minister to a generation that they cannot even identify with. The only way that an individual can identify with a generation, is to experience the times of the generation that they grew up in.

    The Lord will do what HE has always done, which will be to “raise up” 2 individuals from a generation that they were born in, and grew up in, which in this case will be His “Two End-Time Witnesses.”

    Because of the “enormity” of the task that the Lord will assign to the “Two End-Time Witnesses,” that just like Moses, the Lord will first take them through many years of a Spiritual wilderness experience which will be His method of development and training for them.

    The two “End-Time Prophets” will not be newly converted Christians. They will be seasoned Prophets who have withstood the test of time.

    The Bible clearly points out to us that the Lord delights in “raising up” people to fulfill a particular task that He has for them in their generation. Throughout the Bible, God shows us time and time again that He is in the “raising up” business.

    In Matthew 3:9 Jesus told the Jewish people to not look back to Abraham, that God was able to “raise up” stones to fulfill His purposes.

    There is zero doubt in my mind that they are alive at this present time of December, 2017. It is quite possible that at this present time of December, 2017 that they do not even know that the Lord has chosen them to be the “Two End-Time Witnesses.”

    As explained earlier in this article, the “enormity” of the task that the Lord will assign to the “Two End-Time Witnesses” will require that they go through many years of a Spiritual wilderness experience which will be the Lord’s method of development and training for them.

    It is my belief that at the time that the Lord reveals to them that they are the “Two End-Time Witnesses,” that HE will not immediately thrust them into functioning in their role as the “Two End-Time Witnesses.”

    It is my belief that the Lord will likely reveal to them their role as the “Two End-Time Witnesses” a few months in advance or maybe even longer, before being thrust into functioning in their role as the “Two End-Time Witnesses.”

    This unveiling of their assignment from the Lord may be a step by step process of coming to an understanding that they have been chosen for their role as the “Two End-Time Witnesses.”

    It is my belief that the “Two End-Time Witnesses” will need to know their role a few months in advance or maybe even longer, in order to fully come to terms that they have been chosen for such an “enormous” task from the Lord.

    Also, they will most likely still need further development and training of a different sort from the Lord before stepping into their role as the “Two End-Time Witnesses.”

    It may very well be that the “Two End-Time Witnesses” will work independently from one another during their ministry.

    Also, the “Two End-Time Witnesses” will minister in the 1st half of the final 7 years of this present Age. They will be “UNHINDERED” in delivering God’s Message of truth in the “1st half.” This is why that God will give them such great power in the 1st half, because God is not going to allow anything to stop His Message of Truth from going forward.

    In the “2nd half” God will send strong “DELUSION” to those who rejected the message of truth delivered from the “Two End-Time Witnesses.” in the 1st half. God will send the strong “DELUSION” by way of the “False Prophet” & the “antichrist.” They will be able to do so “UNHINDERED” because the “Two End-Time Witnesses” will have already been taken out of the way.

  3. They are already here. And no nobody’s gonna like what they say they’re going to call them blasphemers and they’re not going to think that they had the spirit of prophecy because they’re going to be women he tells you he’s coming for his Bride that’s female. You can believe me if you want or you can seek him out like he said to do I know who I am I know the truth and I have the right of prophecy but it says your to test them you will know them by their fruit and what is fruit knowledge. All my friends have stopped hanging out with me and I’ll tell you this is not what you think people need to start getting real about the bible if you really want to know what’s going on you need to get real about it and you have to be zealous in your heart. I know what I have to do and I know what my end will be that’s OK . If everything you needed was in that Bible wise there’s things sealed up things that he says I will not write you right now I will give you the spirit of truth if it was in the Bible. It is ludicrous the things that over half these pastors preachers or whatever you want to call him in America are teaching they are leading the sheep astray but he has sent those to try to correct way to make the way straight. For churchs to think that they are the bride of chist they are in direct offense of them the law. Being ignorant will not work when you stand before the true judges you had plenty of time to seek you have plenty of time but you’ve let the world overtake you you do not give reference to God he is not the forbearance of your heart. You should really go hard about what you taken in what you believe there is a danger in heaven blind faith. Jesus said to them I speak in parables but to you I speak plainly think about the things he saying preachers try to explain it away or I don’t know but there’s an answer when you talk to a real person that is sent from God to deliver the message. And let me tell you ladies things have changed why do you think there’s always those stories about Jesus talking all these women is because it the woman’s turn. And I implore you brothers and sisters if you want to test my fruit please do because it is for the benefit of your soul and your spirit so you will not be deceived and I say this with all lovingly apart so that none my parish because that is the job I was sent to do .

    • It is precisely because I study the Scriptures that I know the two witnesses are not here. The Bible is clear as to when they show up and prophesy. It is the last half of Daniel’s 70th week. Anyone who claims to be them, until antichrist sits in the temple declaring himself to be God, is a false prophet.

        • What about thepromisesoflove.com testimony? Has anyone read it? Is this another false teacher? He claims to hear Jesus speaking like John did—sounding like many waters. If he is lying about what he saw/heard, it’s a pretty convincing counterfeit.

      • Please watch the 4 short videos on the “Electric Earth” YouTube channel. Start with “Who is Babylon the Great, Mother of Prostitute Religions?” and be sure to read all the comments posted there. As you watch, keep in mind that the original Elijah set God’s people free from Babylonish religion. Also recognize that the modern-day Elijah counterpart will “restore all things” (Matt. 17:11). That restoration work includes scientific truth as found in Scripture, as well as Christianity itself.

  4. Biblical sackcloth is black and made of animal hair, usually from a goat. It is not the burlap, which is brown and made of plant fibers. If the two witnesses are wearing brown burlap, that would be a sign they are false prophets.

    Revelation 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.”

    Revelation 6:12 “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;”

    Isaiah 50:3 “I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering.”

    • Actually the Bible tells us that Elijah sent a letter to the King of Judah from about 6-10 years (that’s as definite as the Scriptures get) after his being taken up in a whirlwind. Considering that, I would not want to say conclusively that Elijah did not die. He appears to have merely been transported someplace else, as Philip was in the New Testament, to another place, from which he obviously wrote the letter years later. I don’t know why so many pastors who supposedly are studying the Bible miss that.

  5. The reason the two prophets are wearing sack cloth is because they have no money, they do not accept the mark of the beast so can not buy, sell or trade.

    Lawlessness as we understand it will be gone in those days, it will be the strong against the weak with no compassion.

    Early in their prophecy they will be aproached about the fact they are killing people by burning them. They will respond that they are only defending themselves. They are asked it they would hirt people who weren’t trying to kill them, they respond no. So the questioner asks what if someone steals from them? They respond with give to anyone who asks of you, if anyone takes from you do not ask for it back (Luke 6:30). The questioner then asks for their clothes, which they oblige, then ask if anyone wants these sacks by the trash, can they wear them or do they want them also? The questioner laughs and leaves and the two witnesses put on the sack clothes to not be naked and for protection from the elements.

    • Jim, Jan. 10th. The reason the two prophets are wearing sack cloth is not because there is no money, it is because this is the traditional gowns that were worn by them as prophets of old. They don’t need money because, they will not be eating, sleeping, or in need of shelter. They are on a supernatural fast, and will remain on them, until their days are accomplished. They will not speak, unless God allows them to. They are to represent the coming of the Lord, and His great wrath, upon the world. They are to testify to his coming, by their physical being on this earth. They will most likely be, the two prophets who did not suffer death on earth, Elijah and Moses. Those that see them physically, will instinctively know who they are, as God will tell them mentally. Great fear is supposed to fall on all who see them. The same effect, that the Ark of the Covenant, had on the children of Jehovah. Touching the Ark, without being allowed to, may mean certain death. Those that plan to destroy them, either mentally thinking about it, or doing it, will die by the ways that they chosen, from the prophets themselves. This spectacle, shall be seen by all, and they are supposed to be in Israel, standing near or at the Temple Mount. With our present day communications such as we have, I expect their bodies to be seen world wide. When their number of days are up, they will be killed. Three days later, they will be resurrected by God, in the presence of them all, and again, great fear and consternation will fall on all. They will not heed their warning, but continue in sin. Jn

      • As with the previous writer, I am curious as to where you got some of your information. Supernatural fast? Where exactly did you read that? Remember the warning about adding to this book. Both of you should.

    • May I ask where you got this dialogue that you are presenting as factual information between the witnesses and someone? It’s not in my Bible.

    • Hi everyone.

      If a truth I am one of the 2 witnesses. My names are Charles Mwangi Gachichio, from Kenya

  6. My understanding is that Zerubbabel in Zechariah 4 and Haggai 2 is symbolic of 1 of the 2 witnesses. It won’t be Zerubbabel re-incarnated or anything.

  7. 7 Seals must first be opened before the trumpet judgments can begin
    6 trumpets must sound before 6 bowl plagues can begin
    5th 6th and 7th trumpet judgments are simultaneous with the three woes
    7th trumpet 7th bowl plague and 3rd Woe are all simultaneous and run congruently. In them the wrath of God is complete upon the earth.

    Revelation 8:1. When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.

    Revelation 8:12. Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened; and a third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night. 13. And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”Revelation 11:7. Now when they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. 8. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified…11. Now after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. 13. In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand men were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven. 14. The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.Revelation 15:1. Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete… Revelation 10:7. but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.
    Revelation 11:15. Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”
    Revelation 16:17. Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is done!”
    Revelation 16:19. Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.

  8. In order to understand the prophecies in the book of the Revelation, we need to understand that the events do not occur in a completely linear fashion, i.e. 7 seals, 7 trumpets, then 7 bowls. When you read the prophecies, certain verses make it impossible for them to occur in that order. First and foremost, the 7 seals are sealed on the scroll to keep it from opening. Once the Lamb has opened all 7 seals, the scroll is completely unraveled and the prophecies are ultimately fulfilled, the mystery of God is complete. That’s why when the 7th seal opens, there is silence in heaven for half an hour! It is finished. So, the Seven Seals are a mini prophecy of the Last days, from beginning to ending! Although the 7th seal and first four trumpets are contained within the same chapter, they are not part of the same vision. Nor does the 7th seal introduce the 7 trumpets. That is a common misconception. The opening of the 7th seal is actually a continuation(and ending) of the previous verses, where the saints are seen as having come out of the Great Tribulation(the Great Multitude).

    Now in regards to the Two witnesses, the timing of their appearance is crucial because it is around this same time that the Antichrist (the Beast) appears. Yes, you heard right. The two witnesses prophesying for 1,260 days occurs during the same 42 months that the Beast reigns on earth. He cannot hurt them during this time because anyone who tries will be burned alive. Only at the end of the 1,260 days does God lift his heavenly protection from them and allow them to be killed by the Beast. Now, the prerequisite for the Witnesses to appear is actually explained within the first two verses of chapter 11:
    Revelation 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. 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.

    It is here that we are given the clue as to when the witnesses will appear..after the gentile nations have invaded Jerusalem! Once this occurs the next verse makes perfect sense:

    Revelation 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.

    The same 42 months that Jerusalem(and possibly most of Israel) is overrun by invading armies, is the same 1,260 days of the two witnesses prophesying. And in turn, the same 42 months that the beast reigns. All the time periods in the Book of the Revelation refer to 31/2 years, not 7! That is a misinterpretation of the last verse of the 9th chapter of Daniel, aka the 70th week. Also, the Harvest (NOT “rapture”) occurs towards the end of this 31/2 year period, before the 7 bowls are poured…not BEFORE the Great Tribulation as so many misguided pastors and preachers would have us believe! Do not cleave to this false doctrine, or you will be utterly disappointed when the Antichrist arrives and you are still here to live through his torment!
    Shalom and God Bless,
    Sister Priscilla<3

    • I agree with a lot of what you wrote. In particular, my views have shifted over the past year where I can really understand what you wrote in the first part of your comment about the progression of events in the Book of Revelation.

      • Wayne, so are you saying that you do not think the seals are followed by the trumpets which are followed by the vials? How are you seeing them laid out then, and why?

        • I saw them laid out sequentially but then I had problems constructing a timeline that I was fully comfortable with. There are elements of the Pre-Wrath position which I think are true but there are also elements of the Post-Trib position which I think are true.

          What I’ve been trying to develop is a fusion of the two positions. During my research developing a hybrid view I read about the Semitic view of Revelation’s chronology which intrigued me. I’ll have more to say when I’m ready to present the view I’ve been working on.

          • Connie, Wayne, Priscilla,

            Once you understood when the Mystery of God will be completed, not just where you found the exact words mentioned in Revelation, only then you will understand the Seals.

            The Seals, once all removed, will reveal the content of the Scroll. The content of the scroll is the Mystery of God.

            In Colossians 1:26, The Mystery of God is Christ. It is through Christ, His son Jesus, that God’s plan of Salvation and Justice to mankind will be fully executed.

            We know that all the enemies of God, death, and sin will finally be destroyed; and all kingdoms, powers, and authorities will be handed over to God, will finally be in completion at the end of the millennium, at the end of the age, prior to eternity.

            So you see the Mystery of God will not be completed yet at the end of the Great Tribulation, it will be finally be completed at the end of the Millennium.

            Seal 7 is the Millennium. Trumpet Judgement; the release of Satan, the beast from the bottomless pit; The attack of Gog, Satan, the 8th King, and Magog the 200 million man army, the deceived nations, to God’s people in the Holy Mountains; The Opening of the Little Scroll and Prophesying again of the Two Witnesses for the chance of the rebelling nations to repent; will happen at the end of the millennium for 1,260 days, the last half of the 70th week. Only then that all transgression, iniquities, and sin will be put to an end, the everlasting righteousness will be brought in, and the Most Holy will be anointed as Kings of kings and Lord of lords, and God the Father Almighty will be all in all.

    • Sister Priscilla, exactly what verses do you see as making it impossible for the seals, trumpets, and vials to be laid out in that order? I see no discrepancy or problems with that chronology.

      • Connie and Wayne,

        Priscilla is right, here are some of the discrepancies:
        1. Mountains and Islands removed/fled from its place twice, given if the event in Seal 6 and Bowl 6 happened at the exact same part of the earth.
        2. In Seal 6, The kings of the earth and the mighty men (armageddon?) gets to see first the Face and the wrath of the Lamb instead of the Dead in Christ and Raptured Alive in Christ if we say the resurrection and rapture happens at the trumpet judgement, and in my case, in the bowls judgement.
        3. The Darkening of the Sun and the Moon turning into blood happening twice one at Seal 6 and the other at the end of the great tribulation as Jesus prophesied in the Olivet Discourse.
        4. The Resurrection and Rapture of the 144,000 and the great multitude that came out of the great tribulation happening twice at Rev. 7 and at the end or right before the very end of the great tribulation.
        5. Great Earthquake happened each to Seal 6 and Bowl 6 (This one can be easily twisted)

    • 2 Peter 3:8
      But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

      Psalms 90:4
      A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.

      The 1260 days prophesied in the bible are represented as such to help us understand they refer to human YEARS, not days. This helps us to understand that the 1260 days = 1260 years in time.

      This time, not coincidentally, is the exact time-frame that the Papacy ruled uncontested as the dominating religion in the world…after it eliminated Ostrogoth (one of the 3 horns subdued by the little horn in Daniel, the other two being Vandals and Heruli. The 3 were pagan kingdoms that would not submit to the will of the papacy). That was in 538 AD, when Emperor Justinian captured Rome and successfully defended Rome from Ostrogoth.
      538 AD started the absolute authority of the Catholic Empire. It ended in 1798 when Napoleon’s General, Louis Alexandre Berthier, marched uncontested into the Vatican and demanded the renunciation of temporal and universal power by the Pope.

      Sounds like a big coincidence…especially when you consider that Daniel 7:25 also mentions that the “little horn” that speaks boastfully & against God will try to change God’s appointed times and festivals and speak against the most high.

      The Roman Catholic Empire was started by the Holy Roman Emperor named Constantine, who changed Sabbath Day (an appointed time and weekly festival of God) to Sunday worship (dies venerabilis solis, lit. “the venerable day of the sun” – sun god worship day) and Passover (a yearly festival that was altered to be perfect by Jesus with bread and wine) into the weekly or monthly communion and Easter worship (Babylonian Deity that has nothing to do with the resurrection of Jesus). He also instituted the Pagan birthday worship of the Sun God (Dec. 25th) as the birthday of Jesus, despite the fact that most historians and theologians collectively agree that Jesus was most likely born sometime in spring.

      Vicarious Filii Dei [In place of God, Substitute of the Son of God) was the official title used to describe the Pope by Constantine in the early 4th century and does equal 666 in roman numerals. (Revelation 13:17-18 – ..so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the NAME of the beast or the NUMBER OF ITS NAME. This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man.[a] That number is 666.)

      Last I checked, saying you are essentially God on Earth (Substitute of the Son of God) is blasphemy and speaks against God, who is the only God with no substitute (except Satan….who tries to be God) and the evidence kinda proves that.

      Coupled with the data surrounding the # of years the beast is supposed to reign, it can be safely understood using biblical scripture that the Roman Catholic Empire (who’s colors are mostly scarlet, white and violet) is, in fact, the beast mentioned in Daniel and Revelation and the Pope is the little horn. This would make sense, since nearly the entire world celebrates Christmas (a pagan tradition that is abhorrent to God) and worships on Sunday (which is the worship day of the Sun God, Sol Invictus, Constantine’s favorite God). That would mean the Devil has already succeeded in leading the entire world astray, as it’s prophesied he would absolutely do in Revelation 12:9. This also means the Second Coming Christ (who prophesied that he wouldn’t find ANY faith on the earth when He returned, Luke 18:8) will HAVE to come restore all the truths of God before we can be saved….because if the Christ comes again to take us to Heaven, and only those who have faith and do as God’s will commands get to go to Heaven (Matthew 7:21-23), who’s going to heaven? Then God must come back and restore all of what Jesus commanded so we can go to Heaven! That’s why Hebrews 9:28 states that Jesus will bring salvation…because Salvation and Judgement (which are interpreted by most Christians as the same event) are NOT the same event. If God judges us in fire while there is no faith on the earth (which Jesus prophesied is how He’s going to find the earth when He returns), then we’d all burn in hell. But God wants ALL mankind to be saved and gain the knowledge of the Truth of God (1 Timothy 2:3-4) so we can all go to Heaven. So let’s find the truth of God, which is hidden in the Bible, so we can gain eternal life and go to the Kingdom of Heaven!

      • Acts 20:7-“On the first day of the week, we gathered with the local believers to share in the Lord’s Supper. Paul was preaching to them, and since he was leaving the next day, he kept talking until midnight.”

        Constantine did not institute Sunday worship, the apostles (you know, those guys who personally knew and hung out with Jesus) did. They worshiped on this day because it is the day that the LORD Jesus Christ rose from the dead. You need to recheck your Bible. What you are preaching is legalism and works righteousness, the two main reasons Jesus continuously rebuked the Pharisees.

        Colossians 2:16-17-“So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality.”

        We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone. We are justified by what Christ did, not by worshiping God on a certain day or following ceremonial Jewish law. Notice I said ceremonial, not the Ten Commandments, so don’t come back at me with that garbage. If we could follow all of God’s commands and save ourselves Jesus wouldn’t have had to die to save us. The reality is every person on this planet has at one point in time broken every single one of God’s commandments, all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. There is nothing we can do to save ourselves, only God can save us. Ephesians 2:8-9 “for you are saved by grace, through faith, and this is not your own doing but a gift from God. Not by works, so that no one may boast.” Check your theology, before you end up deceiving someone and causing them to stumble. I’m sure you’re well aware of what Jesus said about what would happen to anyone who caused one of His little ones to stumble. Peace.

        • You are right that Constantine didn’t institute the worship of God on Sunday. Other men did, but he made it a legal issue, and also made it illegal to worship on the Sabbath. That said, men do not have the right to change God’s commandments. The commandments were given to show us our SIN. When you break a commandment, you are SINNING. The commandments are in an ark in heaven, and the Sabbath is a perpetual covenant with God’s people, not a ceremonial issue, so it is not a dropped commandment. There aren’t Nine Commandments. There are TEN. The commandments are not the same as the laws of Moses. The commandments are what would have to be kept perfectly if one were trying to work their way to heaven, which we can’t, which is why Christ kept ALL of them perfectly and took the punishment for our breaking the commandments in our place. Does that mean that we can now sin with impunity? As Paul said, “God forbid!” Christ’s sacrifice is not a license to sin with impunity. Now we have the FREEDOM to keep the commandments, not out of obligation, not to earn our salvation, but out of love for God showing our obedience. As Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.”

          As for the verse quoted in Acts, the lack of understanding of Judaism is a real disservice to understanding the Scriptures sometimes. The first day of the week began at sundown on the Sabbath. They gathered to celebrate the Lord’s Supper at dinnertime on Saturday (the first day of the week began at sundown), and Paul preached until midnight. He left the next morning (Sunday morning). It was Paul’s custom to go to the synagogues on the Sabbath to preach, not on Sunday. When he told them to set aside their money on the first day of the week so that they wouldn’t be taking offerings on the Sabbath when he returned, it was because they observed the Sabbath. They worked until sundown on Friday, and didn’t have time to do their accounts, as that was forbidden on the Sabbath. On the first day, Sunday, they could now do their accounts before opening up for work on Sunday, and could set aside and save AT HOME (that’s what “in store” means) as he told them to do, 1 Cor. 16:2 “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.” So in an obscure way, we can see that he is saying to observe the Sabbath.

          The verse in Colossians you quote does not refer to THE Sabbath, but to the many ritual Sabbaths included in the feasts. Celebrating the feasts in a correct way were impossible after the temple was destroyed, thereby releasing people from the mandatory observance of them. All of these feasts and festivals were a shadow of Christ’s first and second coming. The original Sabbath however was established by God that first creation week, as a memorial to His resting on the seventh day. He declared it eternally HOLY. He created the Sabbath for man, according to Christ. Has that been changed by God? Not in my Bible. Nowhere do I read where God said that the Ten Commandments are no longer required as a GUIDE to OBEDIENT and PROPER Christian living. Not to work your way to heaven, but to live a holy life in obedience and love to God. Please point me to the verse if you can find one where God says we can skip that commandment as a guide for how not to sin against Him, for I can’t.

          Christ verifies that His followers should be still observing the Sabbath when He returns, for He tells His disciples, His followers who became His apostles and the leaders of the church, who all continued to observe the Sabbath, that they should pray that they not have to flee on the Sabbath. Why would He even say that to His followers if His followers, the original Christians were not to be observing it even to the day He returns? There are no Jews or Greeks in Christ, only Christians. So it is a covenant sign, not just for Jews, but for all Christ’s followers. He calls Himself the Lord of the Sabbath.

          Christ did not change the Sabbath to Sunday, when He rose on the first day of the week. He rose on the day designated as a Feast of Firstfruits. It was fulfilling a feast day that had been given as a shadow of His coming, just as dying on Passover was. You know why it was the first day of the week? Because they weren’t to work and gather the firstfruits on the Sabbath, for it was a commandment not to work on the Sabbath. Rising from the grave on the Sabbath would have been work or “a work”, so God put the feast on the first day. It had no relevance to changing the Sabbath observance at all. Men decided to worship God on Sunday as a tradition which they themselves began. Not because God ordained it, but because they decided to on their own. Since when does man decide to change God’s laws without His permission? The apostles never said we should in spite of your thinking they did. The few verses, such as the ones you quote, that are used to try to defend man’s traditions in place of God’s commandments are misinterpreted, as I just demonstrated above, due to lack of understanding. And when John says in Revelation that he was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, guess what. They called the Sabbath the Lord’s Day, for Jesus was Lord of the Sabbath. God calls it His holy day. How do we dare decide that what God has called holy and set apart for Him in perpetuity, a thing to be changed and thrown away? By what right do we do that? Shall we also throw away the commandment that says do not commit adultery? Seems that many Christians have. Shall we steal, lie, covet, worship idols? Is that okay? Can we change those by our own decision? I guess some feel they can, but God doesn’t say we can. This idea that grace has supplanted the law is just not understanding the Scriptures.

          God did not give them the law to save them. He gave it to show them their sins. Salvation has always been by grace through faith. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Read Hebrews 11. It is the faith chapter. They all found salvation by faith and grace, not by keeping the law, and if you don’t think the laws existed before Moses, check on Genesis 26:5 “Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.” Abraham knew God’s commandments, AND his statutes and laws. Many of them existed right from the beginning. Thou shalt not murder. That was a law after Cain murdered Abel. Sacrifices existed from Adam on. Just because they aren’t listed before Exodus doesn’t mean these laws didn’t exist. The Sabbath existed before Mt. Sinai. They were told to REMEMBER it. They were to be observing it before that law was given in Ex. 20. Go back a few chapters to where the manna came down and they were told not to gather it on the Sabbath. They knew about the Sabbath, they just hadn’t been observing it due to the slavery in Egypt.

          We do not keep the commandments to earn our way to heaven, any more than the Old Testament saints did. That and sacrifices did not earn them heaven. It was their faith (Heb. 11), just as it is our faith in Christ’s sacrifice. The only difference was that they looked forward and we look back. That does not mean that we don’t have to be obedient to God as good children and servants. You can’t live a holy life if you are disobeying God and living in sin, and the Ten Commandments were given to show us our SIN. Those commandments are SIN if they are not kept. Not keeping the Sabbath was a serious sin punishable by death. Does that tell you how important God saw it? Now think about how many Sabbaths you have not kept and how sinning against God is an obstacle in your relationship with Him and in your prayers. Keeping the commandments does not work our way to heaven, keeping the Ten Commandments keeps your relationship with God open and sin-free which then makes your prayer life effective and your walk with Him one that is a testimony. It is not legalistic to obey God. It is loving and obedient and what you do when you love Him. It is necessary in order to have a good free-flowing relationship with the Father. Again, it is the Ten Commandments we are speaking of, not the Laws of Moses, which were not put in the ark along with the Ten Commandments and were for the governing of a nation. God wrote these with His own finger on the tablets. They are eternal and are in heaven. ALL of them.

      • Clap, clap,clap!!! I’ve just recently gained some of that pagan history after asking GOD to enlighten me. So I no longer say the pledge of Allegiance, salute the flag, place my hand over my heart, celebrate Christmas, easter (eshtar), ect. I am a patriotic vetran, and had gotten pushback/harsh looks & comments from pastor & congregation alike. My point is this… with so much false teaching, (from prominent “pastors”)lies, deceit ect. My “allegiance is with the most high GOD! Not a flag (idol), not their red (fiery cross) Christian flag, but with GOD alone!

  9. The sackcloth they are clothed in is a spiritual reference to the mourning they will be in, mourning that the world is fallen into Babylon, that the church is fattened while people in need of the gospel are left behind, and the destruction and punishment that is necessary (and only partial) to rid the world of sin. It is not an easy task nor is it the most joyful position to fulfill, but the church benefits from a revival and every person will have seen the power and glory of God, and therefor will be forced into making a decision to be for or against God (sadly most will choose plagues and death over repentance)

  10. I had heard about the show, but didn’t find out when it was on until too late.  I am hoping they will repeat it.  I have seen some of the clips and one thing that struck me was the idea that an electromagnetic pulse would be used to knock out our technology.  There is speculation that terrorists might also use this to bring down our country.  In thinking about that it brings to mind a problem with the mark of the beast being a chip that is electronically monitored.  If the technology is brought crashing down, a chip would no longer be useful to them.  It would require some other type of mark.  Even the techno tattoos would be useless without internet control and connections.  It’s something to keep in mind when trying to figure out what the mark will end up being. 

  11. Krugman’s comment is just one in a long line of “off the cuff” comments (think Reagan) or “leaking of information” type of things that have been going on for some time. The astronauts are all coming forward now with stories too. Even the number of alien invasion shows and movies have been multiplying.  They have been conditioning the people to accept this for quite some time.  I believe there is a two-fold thing going on. I know the government long ago developed holographic technology (with sound accompaniment) to simulate something like this.  Also, I believe there is a group who are interacting with demonic beings and fallen angels, who are posing as aliens.  I think there are two factions going here, both will be fake alien invasions, as there are no “aliens” per se, but while one is government controlled through technological deception, I think the other will be very real through the manifestation of beings who are not human or are part human. Then there is possibly a different third wave which will be the releasing of the 5th trumpet judgment (unless they are the second group). Who will beat out whom for being first at this game is the question, and when they are planning on carrying the plan out is the other.  I have heard for quite some time that this year or next is the scheduled time. I am thinking that one group is thinking possibly this year if things break loose in the Middle East, and I’m thinking the other group is targeting Dec. 21, 2012.  Just a guess, but putting together all of the information I have gathered, that is a hypothesis I have formed.  It is possible that one group will be the “evil aliens” and the other will be the “good aliens” who come to rescue us from the “evil aliens.” We can only sit back and watch what happens and be aware it is all part of Satan’s doings, and we should not believe anything that they say.

  12. I agree with the alien deception possibly being used to mischaracterize the two witnesses. I found this site from a google search to see if anyone else had come to this conclusion. Now Paul Krugman is talking about fake alien invasions on CNN. Look for it and Thanks.

  13. I agree that the two witnesses will be on Earth for much of the trumpet judgments. However, the idea that the two witnesses would predict events associated with the trumpet judgments did not register in my mind until now for some reason. Thanks for mentioning that.

  14.  People wonder what these two will be prophesying other than a drought, but it occurred to me years ago that they will be prophesying the events of the trumpet judgments as prophets always prophesy what is about to occur to afflict the people.  The first few trumpets will, by their aftermath, probably cause a drought to occur.  It is my belief that God will be re-establishing a pre-diluvian environment for the millennium and as such, all the waters will have to go back up into the atmosphere to create a vapor canopy.  Thus no rain as was the case before the Flood.  As part of the trumpets seem to be a releasing of demons/fallen angels to torture and kill mankind, and since Satan has spent a great deal of time and trouble setting up an alien delusion, I believe that the prophets will announce the arrival of these creatures, and people will believe that they are aliens themselves by virtue of their miraculous abilities, possibly even thinking that they are these creatures controllers.  Naturally when they are killed, the world will think that the “alien” invasion is over, as these two are no longer able to bring these creatures on and thus the great rejoicing.  It’s a hypothesis to consider. (I found out that I need to be on Disqus to post without doing it through a reply – mea culpa).