On the two witnesses: part 3

An Epistle on the Testimony of the Two Witnesses: Their Heavenly Origin and Earthly Mission

To those who seek understanding and faith in the days of tribulation, may the wisdom of God and the glory of His eternal plan guide your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

The Resurrection and Gathering of God’s People

Beloved, the Scriptures declare that the resurrection of the righteous and the gathering of the living saints will take place after the breaking of the sixth seal. This moment is a monumental turning point, signifying the culmination of God’s redemptive work for His people across both covenants.

The Gathering of the Church:
In Revelation 6, the breaking of the sixth seal is marked by cosmic disturbances:

"When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale" (Revelation 6:12-13, ESV).

This event precedes the gathering of God’s people, as described in Revelation 7:

"After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!'" (Revelation 7:9-10, ESV).

This crowd represents the Israel of God—the Church across both Testaments, including the Old Testament saints. These are they who have been resurrected and raptured, caught up to be with Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

The Resurrection in Revelation 19

Later, in Revelation 19 and 20, we see another resurrection, distinct from the first. This resurrection is specific to the saints martyred during the tribulation.

• The Fulfillment of God’s Plan:
  This sequence underscores the supernatural nature of Daniel’s last week, where the tribulation saints join the Church in glory, completing the bride of Christ.

The Martyrs of the Tribulation:

"Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years" (Revelation 20:4, ESV).

These saints, slain for their faith, are resurrected to join the people of God who have already returned with Jesus. Together, they will reign with Christ during the millennium.

Heavenly Jerusalem and the Angelic Identity of the Witnesses

In Revelation 12, we are shown a vision of Heavenly Jerusalem, the woman who gives birth to the Israel of God:

Their Angelic Nature:
Like the woman, the Two Witnesses are of heaven, and their testimony is reliable because they stand before the Lord of the earth (Revelation 11:4). Their flight to heaven after their resurrection further demonstrates their divine origin:

"Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, 'Come up here!' And they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them" (Revelation 11:12, ESV).

The Woman on Earth:
After her child is caught up, the woman (Heavenly Jerusalem) flees to the earth and is given the wings of an angel:

"But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time" (Revelation 12:14, ESV).

This signifies that beings of heaven will be present on earth, and it speaks to the identity of the Two Witnesses. These angelic figures take full physical form to testify and call for repentance during the first half of Daniel’s last week.

The Child Caught Up to God:

"She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne" (Revelation 12:5, ESV).

This child represents the Church across both Testaments, now caught up to God after the sixth seal. This crowd is later seen in heaven, glorifying God for salvation (Revelation 7:9-10).

The Physical Form of Angels

The Scriptures show that angels can assume full physical form, capable of eating, interacting, and even being wounded.

The Implications for the Two Witnesses:
If angels can eat, interact, and even bleed, then the Two Witnesses can also be killed while in their physical form. Yet, being of heaven, they take back their lives:

"But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them" (Revelation 11:11, ESV).

The Angels in Sodom:

"But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. And they called to Lot, 'Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them'" (Genesis 19:4-5, ESV).

The men of Sodom sought to assault the angels, further confirming their physical nature.

The Angels Who Ate with Abraham:

"And he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate" (Genesis 18:8, ESV).

These were not spectral beings but tangible, physical entities.

The Earthquake and Glory to God

The resurrection of the Two Witnesses is a powerful testimony that causes many to glorify God:

"And at that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven" (Revelation 11:13, ESV).

This moment demonstrates the divine authority of their testimony and the reliability of their message.

Michael’s Victory Over the Dragon

Immediately following the resurrection and ascension of the Two Witnesses, Michael prepares for war against the Dragon:

"Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him" (Revelation 12:7-9, ESV).

• The Inversion of Roles:
  Whereas Michael was killed by the Beast from the abyss, he now defeats Satan himself, casting him and his angels out of heaven. This is the final turning point, marked by the blowing of the seventh trumpet.

Conclusion

The testimony of the Two Witnesses is a testament to the glory and sovereignty of God. Their resurrection and ascension declare His power over death, and their message calls all to repentance. In their ministry, we see the heavenly intersect with the earthly, preparing the world for the final victory of the Lamb.

If you are reading this during Daniel’s last week, listen to the Two Witnesses. They testify of the truth, and their message is reliable. Turn to the Lord while there is still time, for the One who calls them to heaven will soon return in glory to reign forever.

To Him be the glory, now and forever. Amen.

Post Script:

I. The Stars of Heaven: The Two Witnesses Are Angelic Beings

Daniel 8:10 declares of the little horn:

"It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them."

This passage cannot be restricted to human power alone. The host of heaven and the stars consistently represent angelic beings in the prophetic tradition (cf. Job 38:7, Isaiah 14:13, Revelation 12:4). That the little horn dares to assault the host of heaven and cast down stars implies a direct war against angelic emissaries.

These cast-down stars align precisely with the two witnesses of Revelation 11, who are described not as ordinary men but as beings of celestial authority. They are clothed in sackcloth, bear miraculous power, shut the heavens, and strike the earth with plagues—all roles previously performed by angels in the service of God. When the beast ascends from the abyss, he kills them. Daniel 8 prefigures this very conflict.

Thus, the two witnesses are not merely prophets—they are cherubic guardians of the testimony, heavenly beings sent to testify before the throne is made visible upon the earth.

II. The Woman in Travail: The Birth of the Glorified Church and the War of the Hosts

Revelation 12 reveals the woman clothed with the sun—Heavenly Jerusalem—giving birth to a male child (the glorified Church). Prior to the birth, the dragon's tail sweeps a third of the stars from heaven, casting them down. This mirrors Daniel 8:10.

What Daniel saw in partial form, John witnessed in full. The stars cast down are the angelic witnesses assaulted before and during the tribulation. The two witnesses, as emissaries of the woman, appear after the rapture of the male child (Seal 6), ministering during the final 42 months. This unifies Daniel 8, Revelation 11, and Revelation 12 in one seamless prophetic thread.

III. The Ark of the Covenant: Witnesses Above the Testimony

In the Holy of Holies stood the Ark, containing the Law, the manna, and Aaron's rod—God's testimony to Israel. Above it stood two cherubim, facing one another, wings spread, forming the throne of God (Exodus 25:18-22).

The pattern given to Moses was not symbolic alone—it was heavenly architecture. The two cherubim stood as guardians of the testimony, a foreshadowing of the two witnesses who will guard, proclaim, and seal the testimony of God before the judgment comes. Their death in Jerusalem echoes the trampling described in Daniel 8.

IV. The Little Horn: Empowered by an Angelic Being

Daniel 8:24 reveals a shocking truth:

"His power shall be mighty—but not by his own power..."

This statement testifies that the little horn, the final antichrist, is empowered by a non-human intelligence. Revelation confirms this, saying the dragon (Satan) gives the Beast his power, throne, and great authority (Revelation 13:2).

Thus, Daniel 8 reveals the same entity—a man empowered by a fallen principality, not by his own mortal strength. The vision further says he will rise up against the Prince of princes, a direct reference to Christ. The climax of this abomination is the removal of the daily sacrifice and the desecration of the temple—acts that no mere man would dare unless energized by the abyss itself.

V. Hybrid Dominion: Space, Tech, and Demonic Convergence

Daniel 8:10 again: "He grew great, even to the host of heaven." This phrase—growing unto the heavens—has layers. In ancient cosmology, reaching into the heavens was the mark of rebellion (cf. Tower of Babel, Isaiah 14:13). In modern times, this corresponds prophetically to space-based dominion—control over orbit, satellites, communications, surveillance, and warfare.

The Beast system may well express itself in technocratic supremacy through space and digital realms (cf. Elon Musk’s rise, Neuralink, and Starlink). These systems not only penetrate the heavens, but also facilitate the hybridization of man and machine.

Daniel 2 confirms this. The final kingdom is iron mixed with clay—a hybrid order. The text reads:

"They shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another." (Daniel 2:43)

Who are they? These are non-human intelligences, likely fallen angels or their offspring, attempting a new order—an unholy human-angelic-technological co-governance.

Revelation 18 affirms this when it declares that Mystery Babylon has become a haunt of demons, filled with unclean spirits, tied to sorcery and fornication with kings of the earth. This is the final stage of Jerusalem’s apostasy, as it partners with the Beast and hosts the temple of abomination.

Conclusion: The Pattern Revealed

Daniel 8 is not simply about a Greco-Roman antichrist prototype. It is a multi-layered vision that has found its final fulfillment in our day:

• The stars are angelic beings, trampled and cast down.
• The two witnesses arise from this heavenly host to testify during the tribulation.
• The woman (Heavenly Jerusalem) gives birth to the glorified Church and sends her emissaries to war.
• The little horn is energized by a fallen angelic prince and establishes dominion over space (part of the heavens) and earth.
• The final Beast kingdom is hybrid, merging space dominion, AI, and fallen angelic power into a global regime of enforced worship.

The time is at hand. Let the wise understand. Let those who read Daniel 8 see that what was veiled is now unveiled.

With reverence and clarity,

A Watchman in the Final Hour