Who Are The Two Witnesses Of Revelation?

The Book of Revelation is arguably one of the most challenging books of the Bible to read. With incredible parallels with the Book of Daniel, and a great amount of imagery used, it can be easy to misinterpret, pointing to our need of Holy Spirit and our reliance on Him as we read the Word. Now, who are these two witnesses?

Revelation 11:1-12, "I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.” If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want. Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified. For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth. But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on." (NIV)

Attributes of the two witnesses will be listed, with candidates A, B, and C mentioned. Dashes will be placed in the corresponding category if that individual does not necessarily match the description.

1. The two witnesses are prophets

2. Fire comes from their mouths

3. They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain

4. They can turn the water into blood

5. Can strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want


A. Moses... did die (Joshua 1:1)
1. Was a prophet (Deuteronomy 18:18... also a prophecy of Jesus)
2. ---
3. ---
4. God used Moses to turn water into blood (Exodus 7:20)
5. God used Moses to strike Egypt and Pharaoh with plagues (Exodus chapters 7 through 11)

B. Elijah... did not die (2 Kings 2:11)
1. Was a prophet (1 Kings 18:36)
2. ---
3. Shut up the heavens so it would not rain (1 Kings 17:1)
4. ---
5. ---

C. Enoch... did not die (Genesis 5:24)
1. ---
2. ---
3. ---
4. ---
5. ---


Conclusion: Although the two witnesses are not named, we can speculate who they could possibly be. Moses matches the description best, but Moses already died once. Elijah also fits the description as a potential witness and he did not die during his time on earth. Lastly, there is not much recorded about Enoch besides the Genesis lineage account and again Hebrews 11:5 which states that Enoch pleased God. Though we do not know who the two witnesses are, we can certainly know that the Holy Spirit is the individual working through the two witnesses, just as He worked through Moses and Elijah.