John’s Two Deaths and Two Resurrections The Second Witness Identifies Himself
Revelation 9:12-11:14 ESV “The first woe has passed; behold, two woes are still to come. 13Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet [2nd Woe], and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before Yahweh, 14saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of mankind. 16The number of mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand [200,000,000 troops]; I heard their number. 17And this is how I saw the horses in my vision and those who rode them: they wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire and of sulfur, and the heads of the horses were like lions’ heads, and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths. 18By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths. 19For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails, for their tails are like serpents with heads, and by means of them they wound. 20The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, 21nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries [drug, medication, pharmacy sorceries] or their sexual immorality or their thefts.” “1Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. 2He had a little scroll [Book of Daniel] open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land [angel has landed on earth], 3and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded. 4And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write [because John understood what they said], but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” 5And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven 6and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, 7but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of Yahweh would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets. 8Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the scroll [Book of Daniel] that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” 9So I went to the angel [John is on earth during the Tribulation!!] and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” 10And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter. 11And I was told, “You must again prophesy [in the 21st Century] about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.”” “1Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise [from the dead] and measure the temple of Yahweh [John is alive in Jerusalem during the Tribulation] and the altar and those who worship there, 2but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months [3 ½ years]. 3And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days [3 ½ years], clothed in sackcloth.” 4These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. 6They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire. 7And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, 8and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city [Jerusalem] that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord [Yahshua] was crucified. 9For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb, 10and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth. 11But after the three and a half days a breath of life from Yahweh entered them, and they stood up on their feet [Elijah’s first resurrection, John’s second], and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here!” And they went up to heaven in a cloud [Elijah’s second ascension, John’s first], and their enemies watched them. 13And at that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the Divine One of heaven. 14The second woe has passed [6th trumpet]; behold, the third woe [7th trumpet] is soon to come.”
As you have just read above, the timeframe context of the ministry of the future two witnesses is during the 6th Trumpet, or 2nd Woe. Some believe that the ministry of the two witnesses occurs during the first 3 ½ years of Daniel’s 70th week, or Tribulation, but I beg to differ. Look at Revelation 11:1, John is resurrected from the dead [John’s first resurrection at the same moment as Elijah’s first return to earth] to measure the Temple of Yahweh in Jerusalem that is already built, and in full operation, because people are actively worshiping there!! Revelation 11:1 ESV “Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise and measure the temple of Yahweh and the altar and those who worship there,” Most Bible students understand that the next Temple will be built just before or during the first 3 ½ years of the Tribulation. Therefore, the ministry of the Two Witnesses must occur during the second 3 ½ years of the Great Tribulation!! The 6th Trumpet must blow around the beginning of the second half of the Tribulation. How do we know this? Because it is illogical and impossible for the 6th Trumpet to blow BEFORE the Tribulation begins (i.e. around the time of a heretical pre-tribulation rapture)! This is the same logic we use to understand that Paul’s LAST Trumpet of the rapture and resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:52 CANNOT blow BEFORE the Tribulation begins!! Again, there is no such thing as a pre-tribulation rapture/resurrection of the saints to glory. It’s just a silly fairy tale for scripturally ignorant foolish Christian adults.
John first died back in the 1st Century, or at the beginning of the 2nd Century A.D. John’s second death occurs in the 21st Century in Revelation 11:7. John’s first resurrection occurs in Revelation 11:1 in the 21st Century. The word rise there is to awaken or arise from death. John’s second resurrection occurs in the 21st Century in Revelation 11:11, at the same time of Elijah’s first resurrection, 3 ½ days after being murdered by the Antichrist. After the Antichrist murders Yahweh’s two witnesses, he’ll run over to the Temple and sit in the Holy of Holies and declare himself to be god. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 ESV “Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of Yahweh, proclaiming himself to be Yahweh.” It is this act by the Antichrist that rapidly brings on Yahshua’s Advent 2.0!!
Remember, the two witnesses minister during the 6th trumpet, which is the 2nd Woe, or second 3 ½ years of the Great Tribulation. The seventh trumpet announces the beginning of the Millennial Reign of Yahshua on earth! The 7th trumpet announces the end of Yahweh’s plan, Revelation 10:7 ESV “but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of Yahweh would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.” Revelation 11:15-19 ESV “Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah and he shall reign forever and ever.” 16And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before Yahweh fell on their faces and worshiped Yahweh 17saying, “We give thanks to you, Lord Yahweh Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. 18The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.” 19Then Yahweh’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.” The 7th trumpet announces the fulfillment of the little scroll, Daniel 7:13ff. The Kingdom inherited by Messiah in Revelation 11:15 is the same kingdom inherited by the saints in Daniel 7:13ff!!
Elijah is identified as the first witness in Malachi 4:5-6 ESV “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of Yahweh comes. 6And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”
John is identified as the second witness in the following Scriptures: Revelation 11, John 21:21-23, Matthew 20:22-23, Luke 9:51-56, Mark 3:13-19, Revelation 10:1-4; 9-10.
I propose to you that John’s second resurrection, Elijah’s first resurrection, and the Rapture and Resurrection of the saints all occur at the same time at the END of the Great Tribulation, at the END of the 7 years known as Daniel’s 70th week. This is what the Scriptures teach, if you are able to believe it. Forget the pre-tribulation rapture heresy and prepare yourself for an exciting 7-year Tribulation soon to explode on an unsuspecting world, with Yahshua’s Advent 2.0 at the end!!
Gene Benjamin II February 21, 2014 AD
p.s. For a good teaching on the identity of the two witnesses, contact Pastor F.M. Riley at mailto: fmr7sngn at centurylink dot net and ask him for his teaching titled: The Future Ministry of God’s Two Witnesses. Pastor Riley first wrote his study 30 years ago. He is a pre-trib rapturist, but don’t let that influence your appreciation of the two witnesses.
A recent confirming witness by Steve Cioccolanti can be found at: http://www.rapturewatch.net/apps/videos/videos/show/18440651-message-to-all-jewish-people-is-elijah-coming-back-who-are-the-2-end-time-witnesses-