Month 3:16, Week 3:1 (Rishon/Pesach), Year:Day 5940:74 AM
2Exodus 3/40, Yovel - Year 50/50 Omer Count - Day-After-7th Sabbath #8
Gregorian Calendar: Monday 20 June 2016
The Two Witnesses
A Prophetic Word
Continued from Part 1
Who are the Two Witnesses?
A question I am sometimes asked is who are the "two witnesses" (Rev.11:3) and numerous times I have come across people who either claim to be those two witnesses or claim to know who they are. Whole ministries have revolved around these people. This morning my wife related to me such a claim she had heard online and wondered what to make of it.
Identidying the Witnesses
I instantly got a Davar Elohim (Word of God), crystal clear:
"Tell the people not to concern themselves over who the two witnesses are but tell them to concern themselves over what they represent. The two witnesses are the Torah (Law, Teaching) and the Nevi'im (Prophets), represented by Moses and Elijah when they appeared transfigured together with Yah'shua (Jesus) before Peter, James and John on the mountain (Mt.17:1-6). This is what you shall concern yourself with: does my obedience to the Torah (Law, Teaching) and Nevi'im (Prophets) witness of Messiah in my life? Am I living Yahweh's Torah and heading the warnings of the Nevi'im? Are they the back-up witnesses of my testimony of the Besorah (Gospel)?"
The Gospel Essentials
Then I asked myself, "What are the essentials of the Besorah (Gospel)?" and at once I was taken to Paul's witness to the Corinthians:
"Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the Besorah (Gospel) I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this Besorah (Gospel) you are saved, if you hold firmly to the Davar (Word) I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Messiah died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born" (1 Cor.15:1-8, NIV)
The Two Jerusalems
I thought back on the two witnesses and their witness in Jerusalem and I heard the Davar Elohim (Word of God) again:
"Jerusalem, being as it is the City of Hagar the bondwoman (Gal.4:24-25), represents dead religion, the "hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world" (Col.2:8, NIV). This dead religion hates and seeks to destroy all who stand for Torah (Law, Teaching) and the Nevi'im (Prophets), having slain them in the past and who will continue to slay them to the very end. That is why the two witnesses must be slain and resurrected as a testimony that the Torah (Law, Teaching) and Nevi'im (Prophets) are witnesses of Messiah and the Besorsah (Gospel). That is why Moses and Elijah appeared together with Messiah, glorified, because these three are echad (one). These represent "the Jerusalem that is above [and] free, and she is [y]our mother" (Gal.4:26, NIV)"
The End-Time Slaying and Witness
In these last days, as in times past, the false church and assembly will slay these two witnesses but they will always be raised up again because they are echad (one) with the true Messiah. So if anyone asks you, 'Who are two witnesses?', we are to tell them whoever preaches the Besorah (Gospel) that Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) died for our sins, was buried, and was raised on the third day, and appeared to over 500 people as a testimony that He lives and still saves today. We are to "stand firm and hold to the teachings [the aposttles] passed on to [us]", and to spread this Good News "whether by word of mouth or by letter" (2 Thess.2:15, NIV) - preaching, teaching, witnessing with our mouths or with our hands by letter, using the Internet, text messaging, or by whatever means Yahweh lays at our disposal.
The Two Literal Witnesses
Will there be two actual witnesses who go forth and preach, die, and are raised up again in the modern city of Jerusalem, the city of Hagar, the city of Dead Religion and Human Philosophy? I believe so, and when this happens we will know it and be glad. Whether they are two believers from the last generation or Moses and Elijah returned physically [1] I cannot say. But until then, and until Yah'shua (Jesus) comes, we are to bear witness of Messiah, the Torah (Law, Teaching, Doctrine) and the Nevi'im (Prophets) by mouth, by "letter" and, above all, by actually living all three. For "there are three that testify [on earth]: the Ruach (Spirit), the mayim (water) and the dahm (blood), and these three agree" (1 Jn.5:7, NRSV).
What are You Doing?
Are you submitted to, witnessing of, and living the correct Doctrine, Teaching and mitzvot (commandments) which are Yahweh's Torah (Law)? Are you submitted to, witnessing of, and living the teachings of Yahweh's Nevi'im (Prophets)? And are you using them to point to Messiah? And finally, most important of all, are you submitted to, witnessing of and living the Besorah, Gospel or Good News that Yah'shua (Jesus) died for our sins and was resurrected, bringing new and everlasting chayim (life) to those who would put their trust in Him, doing everything He taught them, including the Davar (Word) of His Father?
Our Task
This is the business of all who claim to be talmidim (disciples) of the Master Yah'shua (Jesus) and this is what they will be doing and living. Anything else, whether in part or not at all, is of the Jerusalem below, which is perishing, along with all who dwell within her whether physically or in spirit. This is the warning and this is the task. Amen.
Endnotes
[1] Elijah was translated or transported to heaven in a symbolic 'chariot' without tasting death. There is some debate as to whether Moses actually physically died or was translated like Elijah. If it is these two men who return, they will do so to witness and then die like ordinary men and be raised from the dead as a testimony of the power of the resurrection to those who murdered them.
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