And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.
Revelation 11:3
The two witnesses appear to find their fulfillment in the historical figures of Ananus ben Ananus (Ananus the lesser), and Joshua (sometimes translated as ‘Jesus’) son of Gamala. Both high priests in the last days before the destruction of Jerusalem, both slaughtered by the Idumeans in the rebellion.
It was written of by the historian Josephus that,
I should not be wrong in saying that the capture of the city began with the death of Ananus; and that the overthrow of the walls and the downfall of the Jewish state dated from the day on which the Jews beheld their high priest, the captain of their salvation, butchered in the heart of Jerusalem.
A man on every ground revered and of the highest integrity, Ananus, with all the distinction of his birth, his rank and the honours to which he had attained, had delighted to treat the very humblest as his equals. Unique in his love of liberty and an enthusiast for democracy, he on all occasions put the public welfare above his private interests. To maintain peace was his supreme object.
Josephus, War 4.5.2 318
Josephus marked the day of the death of these two individuals as the beginning of the end for the Jewish city. It was from this point that the zealots took control of the temple mount, using the temple as their headquarters.
Elsewhere, Josephus writes of Ananus’s activities before this.
By these motives Ananus encouraged the multitude to go against the zealots, although he knew how difficult it would be to disperse them, because of their multitude, and their youth, and the courage of their souls; but chiefly because of their concsiousness of what they had done, since they would not yield, as not so much as hoping for pardon at the last for those their enormities
Josephus, War 4.3.11 193
These two priests held a passion for the law, the Jewish temple, and for God. They defended the temple, and, by Josephus’ accounts, would have likely preserved their city, if they had not been slain.
[A]nd I cannot but think that it was because God has doomed this city to destruction, as a polluted city, and was resolved to purge his sanctuary by fire, that he cut off these their great defenders and wellwishers, while those that a little before had worn the sacred garments, and had presided over the public worship, and had been esteemed as venerable by those that dwelt on the whole habitable earth when they came into our city, were cast out nake, and seen to be the food of dogs and wild beasts. And I cannot but imagine that virtue itself groaned at these men’s case, and lamented that she was here so terribly conquered by wickedness. And this at last was the end of Ananus and Jesus.
Josephus War 5.4.2 323-325
Yet, these “Two Witnesses”, who appear here, have their first appearance in Zechariah 4. In his vision, Zechariah sees two olive trees that are supplying oil for the lampstand. He is told that these two are the “two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth” (Zechariah 4:14). Their purpose is to provide the supply of the Spirit, so that, as the vision states, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD Almighty.” (Zechariah 4:6). That is, through the prophetic release of the Spirit, these two, through their prophetic utterances, will guarantee the building of the temple.
Now, when we come to the passage in Zechariah, these are, indeed, the same two witnesses. What we see in the description, however, is not likely the description of what all they will do solely in the 3 1/2 years of their ministry, but rather, what they will have been doing for the entire duration of their ministry, from the time of Zechariah until the fall of Jerusalem.
The picture is that of a ‘prophetic office’. Just as the rulers of the nations are often positions, rather than a sole identity (for example, the kings of the North and South in Daniel 11 represent a position in the empire, but the human figure changes throughout the course of time), so, these two prophetic roles would have been fulfilled by various people throughout history.
Their purpose is exactly what is described. They see to the Word of the Lord, the rebuilding and protection of the temple, for the entire course of Daniel’s prophecy described in Daniel 9 (the 490 years, roughly).
We see in the text of Revelation,
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 wants to harm them, fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way. These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not 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 plague, as often as they desire.
Revelation 11:3-6
The problem is the verb tense. In v3, the statement is that they ‘will’ be granted authority (future tense). They ‘will’ (again, future), prophesy.
But then, the tense changes. We are no longer speaking of that period, we are talking currently. While this could be an example of the ‘prophetic perfect’, stepping forward in time, it does not need to be. Rather, this is is a prophetic portrait of who these two witnesses are, right then, including what they can do.
John is told that these two olive trees are then the two that stand before the Lord of the Earth, echoing Zechariah 4:14, “the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth”. They are both prophets (Revelation 11:10). And, the next verses following calling them these two roles is not a picture of what they will do, but what they have been doing, through their course, since the time of Zechariah.
That is, two witnesses, prophetic offices, were established in the days of Zechariah. Their prophetic word oversaw and undergirded the work of restoring the temple, in accordance with the Word recorded in Daniel, that it should be built, lived in, and at the end, destroyed. Their prophetic role was filled by various human individuals throughout history, must as Elisha took over being ‘prophet to Israel’ from Elijah, or how the Kings of the North and South of Daniel 11 change from person to person, without mention.
Hence, when we read of someone wanting to harm them, it is speaking of the prophetic word that has always proceeded forth out of their mouths for some near 500 years. Further, their power describes the authority, absolute, of anyone who wished to harm the temple–not only in Zechariah’s or John’s day, but all through the Second Temple period, as it is written, The Lord watches over His word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12), and, surely the Lord does nothing without first revealing it to His servants, the prophets (Amos 3:7).
Thus, God had safeguarded His word, recorded in Daniel 9, and John is told of the fact that these two witnesses have unlimited authority, so far as it concerns the governance and maintenance of the temple. And, why not two? These were filled by men, after all. If one fell into sin, the other could prophesy and he would be removed. Thus, in God’s perfect wisdom and prudence, He foresaw and prepared for every occurrence.
What is important to note, then, is that the first appearance of these two witnesses is Zechariah 4, the establishment of the temple, where God says it will be built by His Spirit. This, then, in Revelation 11, is the last appearance of the two witnesses, and it foretells their removal. This, then, is one clear evidence that Revelation 11, indeed, marks the final destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 70 AD. What was established and used for the protection of the temple, when removed, marks the sure end of it, as described by Josephus.
But, before we go on to the rest of the fulfillment of these two characters, let us consider another possibility.
2 Thessalonians records a ‘restrainer’. What appears to be the case, here, also, is that, by the Spirit of revelation, Paul was aware of these two individuals, who were restraining the destruction of the temple. It was likely one of the rebel leaders who was the man of perdition,who set himself up in the temple as his headquarters, appointing high priests, and whatnot. And, it was the presence of the witnesses, the olive trees (both an “it” and a “he”), that was the literal preserving force within the temple. It was their words, stirring the people, rallying them for right, that motivated the people to deter the zealots. And, it was only after their removal that the man of perdition was truly revealed.
But, as for the rest of the text, when viewed in this manner (as prophetic offices or roles for the preservation of the temple) we can see the text of Revelation 11 fulfilled.
Below, we will make a list of prophecies from the text, and their fulfillment in these two individuals.
| # | v | Word | Yes? | How? |
| 1 | 3 | Prophesy 3 1/2 years | Yes | These two prophesied during the war, and likely before as well. |
| 2 | Clothed in Sackcloth | Unclear | Either this speaks of humility, which is likely, or perhaps Josephus did not record their garments. | |
| 3 | 4 | Two Olive Trees & Candlesticks | Role – Yes | They filled the role of safeguarding the temple, as evidenced by their fruits. |
| 4 | 5 | Fire from Mouth | Role – Yes | Speaking of the power of the prophetic word, of the prophetic office throughout the 500-year history of these roles. Is not clear that this should apply to the 3 1/2 years specifically. |
| 5 | 6 | No rain | Role – Yes | The YLT has ‘in the days of their prophecy’. Taken as a prophetic office or role, these speak of individuals in their role as witness, fulfilled by many individuals throughout the 500-year history of the Second Temple. It does not have to be assumed that this is specifically and only the 1260 days, as the tense follows v6. This describes what each has had the power to do, in the oversight of God’s Word concerning the temple, since the time of Zechariah. While they are metaphorical portraits of the prophetic roles, they echo the description of Moses and Elijah, who both walked in these types of gifts. What is displayed is that, whatever it takes for the establishment and safe-guarding of God’s Word, it would be performed. |
| 6 | Water to Blood | Yes – Role | As above. | |
| 7 | Strike with Plagues | Yes – Role | As above. | |
| 8 | 7 | Attacked after their testmonly | Yes | They served until it appeared, to Josephus, that they were attacked so that the city could be destroyed. |
| 9 | By the beast | Yes | It was the Idumeans, not the Jews, who killed them, through subterfuge on behalf of the zealots. | |
| 10 | Killed | Yes | Both Ananus and Jesus were killed. | |
| 11 | 8 | Bodies in the streets | Yes | The did not permit them to be buried, but threw them into the street. |
| 12 | In Jerusalem | Yes | tacit | |
| 13 | 9 | Lie dead 3 1/2 days | Unclear | Josephus does not record. |
| 14 | Not buried | Yes | See above. | |
| 15 | 10 | People rejoice | Yes | Josephus records them standing over their dead bodies, mocking them with their own speeches they had made when alive. |
| 16 | Send Gifts | Not recorded | Josephus does not record any gifts. “Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.” | |
| 17 | 11 | Raised to life after 3 1/2 days | Not recorded | |
| 18 | Fear on their enemies | Unclear | The Idumeans eventually learned that they had been deceived into coming to Jerusalem. They lamented that they had come, including the needless killing of Ananus and Jesus. | |
| 19 | 12 | ‘Come up here’ | Not recorded | This is the only verse that does not show an immediate fulfillment. Either it was not recorded, or interpretively correlates to something else. Again, it could be speaking more of the prophetic office, or is fulfilled in a way unknown or unexpected. |
| 20 | Ascended on a cloud | Not recorded | See above. | |
| 21 | While enemies watched | Not recorded | See above. | |
| 22 | 13 | Earthquake | Yes | Josephus records the earthquake that day. He records it before their deaths, but such recapitulation of events in Revelation is said not to be unprecedented. |
| 23 | 10th of the city falls | Yes | In the earthquake. | |
| 24 | 7,000 men die | Yes | Josephus records 8,500, which adequately fulfills this. To explain the slight difference, consider any tragedy. Counts are difficult to begin with, for Josephus. Additionally, any number of counting factors may be involved, such as the earthquake may have killed 7,000 at first, and 1,500 simply died later from their wounds, etc. But, technically speaking, 7,000 did die, if 8,500 died. |
As we can see from the above list, interpreting the “Two Witnesses” to be prophetic offices, first appearing in Zechariah and extending to the present time, of 24 criteria, we see that Ananus and Jesus (or, Joshua), the two high priests killed by the Idumeans, clearly fulfill 11 immediately. Understanding v4-6 as describing their role adds another 5 without difficulty. Of non-consequential attributes that bear a strong possibility of existing historically despite the lack of record in Josephus would be being clothed in sackcloth, exchange of gifts, and the length of time their bodies were in the street without burial, which would directly bring the number to roughly 19 of 24. This leaves only the miraculous resurrection and ascension into heaven while their enemies watched (v11-12, complete). All other criteria are fulfilled.
Judging and considering the evidence, it would lend considerable credence to the case for these two individuals. Bearing in mind, some will not be content with any historical opinion, regardless of criteria, a high level of accuracy to the text is shown.
But, because the Bible is 100% accurate, what about those other 5 criteria, verses 12-13?
Well, the Bible never guarantees that history will record its every fulfillment. For example, Isaiah 53 speaks about plucking out Christ’s beard, but the Gospel accounts never record that. It says that He was disfigured beyond any man, but none of the New Testament affirms that. We know it to be so, from the prophecy. As noted above, “Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.”
The same case could be made for the above. Either our interpretational system leaves something to be desired, or, quite simply, Josephus was not there for everything. He may not have been privy to the exchange of gifts, and, certainly, no record is ever spoken of what happened to these two’s bodies after they were thrown into the streets.
What is clear, is the Idumeans, learning of their deception, left the city. And, speaking of these two prophetic offices, no longer of the people involved, the offices were called up to heaven, as is evidenced by the onset of the destruction of the temple, as Josephus records.
Understood this way, as well, a few of the main historical objections to these two in this role are summarily dismissed.
First is the objection is that these were religious Jews, not Christians. When understood through the lens that these were the same prophetic roles appearing in Zechariah for the safe-guarding of the temple, this is to be expected. Further, the objection that ‘my witnesses’ (v3) must be Christians is also dismissed in the same manner. And, finally, it also dismisses the idea that these could not be the witnesses, because Josephus appears to implicate Ananus ben Ananus in the murder of James, the brother of Christ (James the Just). While some historians say that this must have been a later corruption of Josephus, since Josephus calls Jesus ‘the Christ’, understood as a witness to the Word of the Lord concerning the temple does not bar or prohibit such an identification. It was these two’s spiritual roles to protect the temple. Whether the factual detail is correct or not, it certainly does not disqualify him, when understood in this way, despite them being even opposed to Christianity.