How to Identify the Two Witnesses in Revelation

End-time Bible prophecy reveals that two individuals called the two witnesses will proclaim God’s message and work great miracles in the days ahead of us.

God will give them power and special instructions in preparation for Jesus’ return. But end-time prophecy also reveals that many “false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive” (Matthew 24:24).

So the question is how can we separate the real from the fake? Who are the two mysterious figures in Revelation 11? And how can we recognize them?

In this video, we’ll answer those questions with three simple points from the pages of the Bible.

1. Know the Timeline: Signs of End-time Prophecy

To identify the two witnesses, we need to recognize the events leading up to their arrival. Let’s plot the events on a general timeline.

In Scripture, an “open door” refers to an opening for the preaching of the gospel (1 Corinthians 16:9; 2 Corinthians 2:12; Colossians 4:3).

Jesus commissioned the Church to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15), and He opens doors for the Church to do this.

So in the last days before the Great Tribulation, those in the Church of God having the Philadelphian spirit will be proclaiming the Gospel and the end-time warning message.

But as described in Amos 8:11-12, there comes a famine of the word when the Church’s organized proclamation of the Gospel is shut down.

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord God, “That I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord, but shall not find it” (Amos 8:11-12).

A “famine” of hearing the truth occurs when the nations of Israel are taken over by a foreign power that prohibits the proclamation and practice of true biblical faith. This happened around 720 B.C. when Assyrians carried the northern 10 tribes of Israel into captivity. It will happen again during the Great Tribulation, when the modern descendants of ancient Israel are punished for their sins (Matthew 24:9; Hosea 5:5; Jeremiah 22:5–9; 30:7).

Now, Matthew 24 and Luke 21 make it plain that the multinational army described in Zechariah 14 will have occupied Jerusalem at the onset of the Great Tribulation.

By comparing Luke 21 with Revelation 11, we see that the Beast power, revealed in Revelation 17, will occupy and control Jerusalem for 42 months, or three-and-a-half years.

To learn more about the Beast power and its mark, just click here: The Mark of the Beast Explained in 10 Minutes.

We also see that prior to the Great Tribulation, the false prophet (or Antichrist) will arise, deceive many (Thessalonians 2:3-4; Revelation 13:11-17), and the holy place will be desecrated (Matthew 24:15).

Then, we find in Revelation 11 the details regarding the two witnesses and what they will be doing leading up to Christ’s return.

“And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days” (Revelation 11:3).

This period of 1,260 days or 3.5 years, includes the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21-22) and the year-long period of the Day of the Lord (Isaiah 34:8; Isaiah 63:4). It is during this time that the two witnesses will prophesy, carrying on the work of God.

This time period is also when a remnant of the Church will be protected in the wilderness (Revelation 12:14), the Four Horsemen will continue their ride (Revelation 6:1-8), and the heavenly signs will announce the Day of the Lord (Revelation 6:12-17)—all of which will culminate with the return of Jesus Christ (Revelation 11:15; Matthew 24:30).

To learn more about these events, click here: Revelation’s End of the World Timeline Explained.

So it is right after the False Prophet and Beast power surround Jerusalem, tread down the Holy City, and desecrate the holy place that God will empower two of His servants, known as the two witnesses, to make their public appearance in Jerusalem.

God will empower them to deliver His message to a world dominated by the power of the Beast and mesmerized by the illusions of the False Prophet.

It would not be surprising if much of the world mislabels the Beast and False Prophet as God’s two witnesses. That is why it is so important to know what to look for from God’s true end-time witnesses.

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2. God’s Prophets vs. a False Prophet

Now, to recognize the two witnesses, we need to know: How does God differentiate true prophets from false prophets?

Jesus explained that prior to His return there would be false prophets. He said:

“For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24).

In the book of Deuteronomy, we are given clear instructions regarding false prophets performing signs.

If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, “Let us go after other gods”—which you have not known—“and let us serve them,” you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. “You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him” (Deuteronomy 13:1-4).

According to Scripture, we differentiate a true prophet from a false prophet by what they teach.

Do they teach the Christianity that Jesus practiced and taught while on earth? If not, then they are false prophets, even if they perform miracles.

This is important to know in advance because the Beast and False Prophet will perform many signs and wonders, but they will also clearly break God’s commandments (Revelation 13:4-8).

To learn more about what Jesus really taught, click the link here: This Is What Jesus Really Taught About the 10 Commandments.

3. Miracles Similar to Moses and Elijah’s

And finally, number 3, to better recognize the two witnesses, we can compare them to their predecessors.

Revelation 11:3-6 states:

“And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands standing before the God of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.”

One interesting connection is that the two witnesses and the miracles they perform resemble the former prophets–Moses and Elijah.

The two witnesses have power to prevent rain for three-and-a-half years, which is reminiscent of the drought worked through Elijah during the reign of Ahab (1 Kings 17:1; 1 Kings 18:41-45; James 5:17-18).

They will also have the power to turn water to blood and strike the earth with plagues, which resembles the 10 plagues brought upon the land of Egypt through the hand of Moses (Exodus 7-11).

Their work may be similar to the prophets of time past, but one thing is clear from the examples of Elijah and Moses—they taught and prophesied in accordance with God’s Word. And we can expect the same from these two prophets.

These two witnesses referred to in Revelation 11 will not only perform miracles, but they will preach the true Gospel of the coming Kingdom of God and the Laws of that Kingdom.

Beware of False Prophets

Jesus warned of many false prophets to come prior to His return. Some of those imposters will perform great signs and wonders. And many people will be deceived, falling victim to their alluring lies and enchanting powers.

This is why it is so important to be able to recognize and identify God’s true servants based on Scripture.

1. The end-time two witnesses will appear on the world scene in Jerusalem after the city is taken over and the holy place defiled.
2. The end-time two witnesses will teach in accordance with the Bible and what Jesus taught.
3. And they will have God-given power, and resemble the true prophets and messengers of the past.

To better understand what the two witnesses will not teach, check out our video, Three Teachings of the Antichrist.

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