The Temple built after the Babylonian exile, the Second Temple, apparently serves as a ‘spiritual’ model for the times of the Third and/or Final Temple. The prophecies in the Book of Revelation have a world encompassing significance. But the point of reference, the central focus of the Book of Revelation, the central principle and focus, is on the ‘people’ of the revelation and the ‘land’ of the revelation: Israel. The ‘two witnesses’ will proclaim the Kingdom of God in words and in power for three and a half years during the climax of the post-Christian and anti-Christian era. But a theocracy, with divine government over the kingdoms of this world is not conceivable until the Temple in Jerusalem has been built first. The nations, let alone Israel, cannot live in their ‘panelled houses’ and enjoy true peace and prosperity as long as the House of God is still in ruins. “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘This people says, “The time has not come, even the time for the House of the Lord to be rebuilt… Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your panelled houses while this House lies desolate?”2 The ‘two witnesses’ of the ‘end-times’, a period in which the restoration of Israel will take place, are foreshadowed by the ‘two witnesses’, Zerubbabel and Joshua in the time when the Jewish people were restored as a nation in the land of Israel after the Babylonian Captivity – albeit on a much more limited scale and still subordinated to the great powers of those days. Zerubbabel and Joshua are types of these ‘two witnesses’ in the Book of Revelation who, just like these ‘two witnesses’ of the past, are standing and witnessing as a sign of the ‘restoration of the Temple’ and of ‘Theocracy’, the direct dominion of the Lord God over all the earth. In this verse, the physical location is Jewish ground. We are in Israel.
The expression ‘Lord of all the earth/land’ is always connected with the Lord God of Israel, when the Jewish people enter into a new phase of their national existence, just like the time they crossed over the river Jordan to enter into the Promised Land.3 The Lord assumes the name ‘the God of Heaven’4 after the people of Israel have left the land of Israel to go into exile. After Jerusalem has been conquered and destroyed and the population have been carried away. God is called ‘Lord of the whole earth’5 when Israel returns once again, to rebuild the City and the Temple.
The appearance and function of the ‘two witnesses’ in no way resembles that of the commission for the Church of Jesus Christ. Jesus told the Church in Matthew 29:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” But everything these ‘two witnesses’ do is theocratic, in the style of the Old Testament: judgmental and revengeful.
The figures of Zerubbabel and Joshua are typifying the period of a New Temple, a national restoration of Israel. Yet that is in a sense of course spiritual as well. “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty”,6 the prophet Zechariah says. The golden oil that is mentioned in chapter 4:12 “Again I asked him, “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?” refers to the Holy Spirit of the Lord. ‘Oil’ is often a symbol of the Holy Spirit.
Yet the testimony of these ‘two witnesses’ in the Book of Revelation against the enemies is accompanied by violence, as we shall hear shortly. They appear while the Holy City of Jerusalem is being trampled underfoot, during 42 months,7 1260 days,8 a time, (two) times and half a time9—the three and a half years during which the ‘beasts’ will run their course10 and the ‘woman’ will flee into the desert, to a place prepared by God.11 Many expositors do not take these numbers literally, and consider them to refer to the whole course of the centuries during which the Gospel has been proclaimed,12 so during the time since Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out on earth.13 And yes, these have been also very difficult times.14 But here the testimony and actions of the ‘two witnesses’ really refer to the final climax, the end of the end-times, the final three and a half years.
• In his first Epistle, the Apostle John refers to three witnesses in Heaven (the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit) and three witnesses on earth (the Spirit, water and blood)15 and this is undoubtedly also an important and substantial part of the background of the message these ‘two witnesses’ will shortly bring.
• The Babylonian captivity or Babylonian exile is the period in Jewish history during which a number of people from the ancient Kingdom of Judah were captives in Babylonia in the 5th century BC. After the fall of Babylon to the Persian king Cyrus the Great in 539 BC, those exiled Judeans were permitted to return to Judah.
• According to the Biblical book of Ezra, construction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem began around 537 BC. All these events are considered very significant in Jewish history and culture, and have a far-reaching impact on the development of Judaism.
Bible References:
1.NIV 2.Compare Haggai 1b 3.Joshua 3:11 4.Daniel 2:18–19, 28, 44–47 5.Zechariah 4:14 6.Zechariah 4:6 7.Revelation 11:2 8.Revelation 11:3 9.Daniel 7:25, 12:7 10.Revelation 13:5 11.Revelation 12:6,14 12.Hebrews 1:1–2 13.Acts 2:17 14.2 Timothy 3:1 15.1 John 5:7–8
