CLAIM: God will restore Israel’s ministry as a witness of His glory to the nations as a burning and shining lamp in the End Times, especially in the ministry of the two witnesses (Rev. 11:3-6). Israel’s ministry as a kingdom of priests was partially restored in the days of Zerubbabel when the temple was rebuilt, and the priestly ministry restored. However, God’s manifest presence did not return to that rebuilt temple.
False.
It appears that this chapter is fully complete as well. The two witnesses seem to be the two prophetic offices that were established for the perseverance of the temple that was to be built. By the continual issuing forth of the Spirit through prophecy, probably that of Zechariah and Zephaniah, the temple was restored. Because of the Revelation 11 similarity to this passage, these could have been continuing prophetic offices from this time of the establishment of this temple through the time that the temple was destroyed. Fulfilled by various individuals throughout the history of the standing temple until its destruction, they would have had the power to destroy anyone who attempted to harm the temple. Hence, it was not until these two olive trees were taken away that the temple could be destroyed. In response to the description in Revelation, in that there were then two olive trees and two lampstands (instead of just one lampstand), it is possible that one of them still maintained the temple (such as Annus the high priest at the time of its destruction), and the other had been transferred to the maintaining of the new tabernacle (the church).
The message that it was not by might nor by power but by His Spirit, while applicable in many situtations, specifically applied to the temple, in which these two olive trees, established at least in this day if not before, and continuing to the time of the temples apparent destruction in 70AD.
The chapter, however, even though the existance of the olive trees or either lampstand may continue, is fully fulfilled, as the word of prophecy was that it would not be by might nor power by which they would raise the Second Temple. This also spoke of the building of the church, but, that is only secondary, and and instructional of what was to come.