“And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” (Revelation 11:1-6, NASB)

The darkest day of all dark days is coming soon, and we are to be witnesses to warn people and point them to Christ, who is our salvation. Today, we who are followers of Christ are to be witnesses to His light in the midst of darkness. However, there will come a day when we will be taken up, and our world will experience the darkest days of all because the Antichrist, who will have the authority and power of Satan, will rule the earth. Even in those days, God will send His special bond-servants to bear witness to the light. In today’s passage, we read about two special witnesses who will bear witness to Christ for the first half of the Great Tribulation Period. It says,

“And there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, ‘Rise and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and those who worship in it. And leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months. And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone desires to harm them, fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies; and if anyone would desire to harm them, in this manner he must be killed. These have the power to shut up the sky, in order that rain may not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.”

It appears that God will send these “two witnesses” to warn the people and point them to Christ before the Antichrist comes to power. Here is my reason for believing that this will happen in the first half of the Tribulation. It is because John was given a measuring rod and commanded to measure the temple of God, the altar, and the worshipers, but not the court, which is outside the temple. We are told that the “court” of the temple will be given to the nations, and they will “tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months,” which is 3 ½ years, and the two witnesses will prophesy for “twelve hundred and sixty days,” which is also 3 ½ years. Since the Antichrist comes into power in the middle of the seven years and is given authority to act for 3 ½ years, the 3 ½ year period in today’s reading is not the same one.

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 (NIV) says the Antichrist will “oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.” This is a prophetic reference that Jesus referred to when he told his disciples, “Therefore when you see the Abomination of Desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains” (Mt.24:15-16). Since Paul, Daniel, and Jesus all said that the Antichrist will situate himself in the temple of God, specifically the “holy place,” the 3 ½ years in today’s reading cannot be this period.

Furthermore, Revelation 13:5 says, “And they worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?’ And there was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies; and authority to act for forty-two months (3 ½ years) was given to him.” In other words, the Antichrist will be given authority in the middle of the Tribulation and will carry out Satan’s will for the latter 3 ½ years. Even in the current chapter, it says that when the two witnesses “finished their testimony,” the Antichrist will overcome them and kill them (Rev.11:7). What do you think?

Whether you believe that this is the first 3 ½ years or the latter, the undeniable truth is that God will not leave the world without any witnesses. Like the prophets of old, these two witnesses will have great powers, such as bringing fire from their mouths and devouring their enemies, shutting up the sky so that it will not rain, turning the water into blood, and smiting the earth with plagues. We have seen similar miracles in the ministries of Moses against the gods of Egypt and Elijah against the false prophets. Prophet Malachi prophesied that God would send “Elijah the prophet” before the great and terrible day of the Lord (Mal.4:5). We just can’t be sure whether these two witnesses will be the real Moses and Elijah, or two people who will come in the spirit of these prophets of old.

However, here is a great encouragement for all those who seek to serve God. You may be one or two, but when God stands with you, no one will be able to stand against you, no matter the odds. As long as God is with you, no one will be able to stand against you, just as no one was able to stand against these two witnesses. As God promised Joshua, His promise is true to you: “No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you” (Josh.1:5). Again, God promised, “One of your men puts to flight a thousand, for the LORD your God is He who fights for you, just as He promised you” (Josh.23:10). Although we may not be special witnesses like these two, all believers today are called “witnesses” by Christ. In Acts 1:8, Jesus commanded us, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” Special or not, we are all witnesses of Christ who bear witness to his light in times of darkness.

• What do you think? Which 3 ½ years do you think today’s passage is talking about – the first or the second half of the Tribulation?
• How does it encourage you to be “witnesses” of Christ in today’s world?