Revelation 11 speaks of a vision of 2 witnesses that prophesied for 42 months and/or 1260 days in sackcloth. After which God called them up to heaven (v 12), a judgment was passed (v 13) and the kingdom of God was subsequently established on earth (v 15). I advise you to read entire Revelation 11 before you continue. But why do we have to study them?
Since the end of their 42 months prophecy was followed by an event, then the kingdom of God was established, it is important we understand who they are so that we can find out the exact year their prophecy terminated. This will bring us closer to the time of the end, or the year of the return of Jesus which if God permits, can be accurately interpretated from the revelations of God in the Bible. The kingdom of God was established after the end of their prophecy and the woe that followed:
“15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”” Revelation 11:15.
The two witnesses of Revelation 11 when compared to Ezekiel 37 are the representatives of the House of Israel that is Judah and Ephraim and now more appropriately the House of Israel and the spiritual House of Israel or those in Christ. First of all, we know because Israel is the one referred to as Yahweh’s witnesses in Isaiah 43:10 in the Bible. Also, the description of their resurrection after they were slain in Revelation 11:11 mirrors the resurrection of the slain dry bones in Ezekiel prophecy who are also the House of Israel.
You’ll also observe the exact language of the trampling down of Jerusalem until the times of Gentiles be fulfilled is reechoed in Revelation 11:2.
Also in Revelation 11, the 2 witnesses are represented as 2 Olive (trees cf. Zechariah 4:3) and Ezekiel 37 represents Israel as 2 trees. Although the Hebrew עֵץ is rendered stick, it is actually translated as tree(s) 168 times in KJV and only translated as stick(s) 6 times if you remove Ezekiel 37 occurrences.
Let’s compare the two parallel scriptures.
| Revelation 11 | Ezekiel 37 |
| “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.” V11 | 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. 11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ |
| 3 And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. | 15 The word of the Lord came to me: 16 “Son of man, take a stick (Heb. Also tree)and write on it, ‘For Judah, and the people of Israel associated with him’; then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph (the stick of Ephraim) and all the house of Israel associated with him.’ 17 And join them one to another into one stick, that they may become one in your hand. |
| 15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” 16 And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying, “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. 18 The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.” | 24 “My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd. They shall walk in my rules and be careful to obey my statutes. 25 They shall dwell in the land that I gave to my servant Jacob, where your fathers lived. They and their children and their children’s children shall dwell there forever, and David my servant shall be their prince forever. 26 I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will set them in their land and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in their midst forevermore. 27 My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 28 Then the nations will know that I am the Lord who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.” |
So even chronologically, Ezekiel 37 and Revelation 11 speak of the same event that ends in the establishment of the kingdom of God.
To further identify Israel as the two witnesses, you can see that the emblem of the modern state of Israel has 2 Olive branches and a lampstand very similar to Zechariah 4:3 and Revelation 11:4:
Also, Paul in Romans 11:17-27 refer to the two Olive trees/Two witnesses as the entire House of Israel, this time:
- The natural Jews who remain in unbelief of the messiah Yeshua
- The adopted Jews who by their faith in Christ Jesus are now Jews.
He also made an indirect reference to the times of the nations/Gentiles (ethnos) when he wrote:
“For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.’ Romans 11:25 NET
The ministry of the 2 witnesses:
The 2 witnesses were described as prophets. A closer look at 11:6 reveals that the message of these two representatives of the whole house of Israel will be like that of Elijah and Moses. Let’s break it down:
| Revelation 11:6 | Explanation |
| They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, | This is exactly what Elijah did for 42 months. See Luke 4:25, James 5:17, 1Kings 17:1. |
| and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire. | This is exactly what Moses did. See Exodus 4:9ff. I strongly suggest that Moses’ ministry from the time of his call lasted for 42 years. What we know is that he was 80 years old when he first met Pharaoh (Exodus 7:7) and he died at 120 years Deut 34:7 which marked the end of his 40-year wanderings. I suggest it would take Moses 2 years from the time of his call (Exodus 3:1) to make up his mind, settle with his in-law Jethro, move from Midian to Egypt, reacquaint himself with fellow Hebrews, convince them of the Genuity of his vision before finally meeting Pharaoh at 80 years of age. This will sum up his total ministry from his call to death at 42 years. If this is true, and I believe it is, then it once again shows us the precision and order the invisible finger of God directs every activity on earth especially with his holy ones. For the ministry of the 3 greatest prophets represented in the mount of transfiguration had something to do with 3.5 times or 42. Elijah’s was 42 months, Moses most likely 42 years and Jesus was 42 months. This is also the relationship they have with these two witnesses: 42 months. This is a real number. We can use it to find out the beginning of the time of the end. Indeed, the Most high declares the end from the beginning. He alone is God Isaiah 46:10. |
Why Elijah and Moses?
Elijah-Witness:
Elijah withdrew rain for 42 months against the idolatrous Israel in king Ahab’s time. Just like Elijah did, withdrawal of rainfall is a reminder of the idolatrous state of the house of Israel. It is a reminder of the warning and curse of God in the Torah:
“16 Take care lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them; 17 then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you, and he will shut up the heavens, so that there will be no rain, and the land will yield no fruit, and you will perish quickly off the good land that the Lord is giving you.” Deuteronomy 11:16-17, also Zechariah 14:17.
Also worthy of note is that since Elijah is the forerunner of the Messiah, this is also a prophecy/witnesses of the messianic or Christian Jews reminding the apostate churches, natural Jews, politicians and policy makers that Israel is not ordinary but of God and to turn away from Idolatry and have faith in the one God has sent and will send again: Yeshua the Messiah.
So, on one hand, there will be a religious consciousness among the Jews (cp John the Baptist) for them to become more religious and go back to the Torah while in exile. Not necessarily to accept Yeshua as messiah since that is reserved for another time Zechariah 12:10.
The withdrawal of rain here in the book of Revelation for a period of 1260 days and/or 42 months is also a metaphor for a cessation of God’s blessings on Jewry. This Elijah-witness will remind the house of Israel and also the gentile nations who trampled on the temple mount that the God of Israel lives and will remember Israel once they sought His face. This is also what Elijah did throughout his ministry and battle with the worshippers of Baal.
Moses-Witness:
Moses turning water into blood is a reminder of the political and back to Zion consciousness that will be seen in the world Jewry during this sad period of prophecy. So just as Moses led the children of Israel out of the gentile lands through signs, God would put the Zionism consciousness in every Jew during exile for them not to be too comfortable in the foreign lands.
The spirit of Elijah and Moses is equal to the soul of a Jew. Remove one of them and destroy the Jewish soul. Without the religious consciousness of the Torah (Elijah) and the political back to Zion/promised land (Moses) consciousness in the Jew, his soul will be destroyed and he will assimilate with his host community and be lost.
The House of Israel is the 2 witnesses.
When is the termination of this 42 months prophecy?
It can be difficult to ascertain the starting point of the 42 months prophecy, but it is very easy when we consider the already revealed termination point of the prophecy. An angel inquired of the end. Another angel replied it was after 3 and half times which is 42 months or revelation 11. And when Israel is no more scattered. This was revealed to Daniel, the man of God here:
“6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, how long shall it be to the end of these wonders?
7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.” Daniel 12:6,7 KJV
So, the prophecy of the two witnesses terminates at when Israel is no more scattered/shattered but repossess the land of Israel which is a summary of the Hebrew there. We know that this is true because the Ezekiel 37 equivalence of the resurrection of the 2 witnesses terminated in them possessing the land again!
“12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. 13 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. 14 And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.”
So, we have the confirmation of the 42 months termination both from Ezekiel, Daniel and even Revelation 11:15 since the kingdom cannot be established without Israel occupying the Land.
Israel indeed got the sovereignty over the land in 1948. They also got sovereignty over Jerusalem in 1967. So, which of these years is the end of the 42 months prophecy of the 2 witnesses? You will be amazed at how God works and control the affairs of men. Let’s proceed.
When is the starting point of this 42 months prophecy?
First of all, the answer is in the beginning of Revelation 11:
“1 Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, 2 but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. 3 And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
It starts when the holy city and more specifically the temple mount area is trampled by the nations. This time not specifically by the Greeks/Gentiles or beast or Rome, but by multitudes or ἔθνος in Greek or better translated ‘nations.’ Indeed, many nations trampled on the land of Israel especially Jerusalem and more especially the temple mount. Also see Luke 21:24.
But when exactly did the trampling of the temple mount in Revelation 11 start? Since according to tradition, John wrote down this vision almost 30 years after 70 Ad, we will look at the next most significant event that happened on the temple mount after 70 Ad destruction by the Romans. Also, since the power that was destroyed by either 1948 or 1967 when Israel reclaimed the land was Islamic, we will have to be more specific in our search to focus on Muslim presence on the holy mount. Multitudes, instead of gentiles is also a perfect description of the Arabian hordes and Arab (mixed) people.
The Abomination that makes desolate set up!
Our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:15) and Daniel in chapter 12:11 called our attention to the starting point of the 42 months prophecy as to when this abomination is set up on the same place the temple stood. Indeed, the Babylonians, Greeks and Romans defiled the temple mount by setting up idolatrous shrine in place of the holy temple. But none is more applicable from the future of the time of John’s writing, more abominable and lasting longer (up to the time of the second coming) than the DOME OF THE ROCK shrine set up by the Islamic forces!
The Dome of the Rock 688AD – 692
The Dome of Rock is an Islamic shrine built right on top of the site where the holy temple of Solomon once stood! According to the 15th century Islamic scholar and Historian Al-Suyuti, the building commenced in 688 Ad2 and completed 691/2 as inscribed on the shrine. This building is not a mosque but just a shrine. The erection of this shrine on the exact site of the holy temple shattered Israel’s hope of rebuilding the temple any time soon, little wonder it is said that the 2 witnesses prophesied for 42 months in sackcloth – a symbol of mourning and grief. In our later study, we will see that God revealed to Daniel the exact year this shrine/abomination would be completed (691/2 ad) and this will reassure us that our interpretation is correct.
This Dome of the Rock and Temple Mount area has been a site where the haters of Israel chant antisemitic slogans and wish death on Israel. What is more abominable?
But since ‘The Rock’ is actually Christ 1 Cor. 10:4, he will come back soon to possess what belongs to him. “I have set My king upon My holy hill of Zion” says God Psalms 2:6. In ignorance, it is called the Dome of The Rock. When Jesus comes, he will take over the temple mount area and do with the Dome whatever he wishes to. In a sense, to its credit, the Dome has actually secured the holy sites and has prevented the digging and excavation of the holy mount for over a millennia.
Day for a year principle:
Prophetically, a day is taken for a year in the actual fulfilment of many prophecies. This principle is from God as we see in Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:5-6.
This means that if we substitute day for a year below:
42 months in lunar year = 1260 years
42 months in solar year = 1,278.375 years.
A quick reminder:
1 solar year = 365.25 days.
42 months / 12 months in a year = 3.5 years! (Or 3 and half years or time, times and half of a time)
42 months = 3.5 years x 365.25 days = 1,278.375 days!
So, you can see that using the solar calendar which was used in Rome and still in use today:
42 months = 3.5 years = 1,278.375 days
42 months and/or 1260 days interpreted:
688Ad is the year the foundation of the Dome of Rock was laid. The ministry of the 2 witnesses is said to last for 1,260 days (Revelation 11:3). This number (1260) also should correspond to the 42 months trampling of the Temple mount by the nations. So, we can say that the 2 witnesses would prophecy for 42 months or/and 1,260 days. These figures are not exactly the same depending on the calendar we use.
Lunar: 42 months = 3.5 years x 360 days = 1,260 days!
Solar: 42 months = 3.5 years x 365.24 = 1,278.375 days
Starting from 688Ad laying of the foundation of the Dome of the Rock or the beginning of the trampling of the holy land, let’s calculate.
42 months interpretation using Lunar calendar:
Therefore, 688AD + 1260 = 1948 Ad!
This year is remarkable because 1948 is the exact year the modern state of Israel was established and the gentile Islamic power (Ottoman) that trampled on the land formerly disappeared!
On the 14th May 1948, a most historic day in the fulfilment of Bible prophecy in modern times, David Ben Gurion in his declaration of the restoration of the state of Israel, ended with an appeal to the Jews to place their trust on the ROCK OF ISRAEL who has chosen Israel and Jerusalem where the abomination now stands, as His dwelling forever, He said:
“WE APPEAL to the Jewish people throughout the Diaspora to rally round the Jews of Eretz-Israel in the tasks of immigration and upbuilding and to stand by them in the great struggle for the realization of the age-old dream – the redemption of Israel. PLACING OUR TRUST IN THE “ROCK OF ISRAEL””3
42 months interpretation using solar calendar:
42 months = 3.5 years x 365.24 = 1,278.375 days
Therefore, 688AD + 1278.375 = 1966.375 AD
But if we adjust our calculation to account for the possible month of the trampling in 688AD, we get 1967 Ad! I will explain:
We know from Arab sources that the trampling of the Temple Mount started in 688Ad when the people of Mohammed laid the foundation of the shrine. But we don’t know the month. Although I’ve not seen winter before as I write, but I think it’s certainly not during winter which is around December to May in Jerusalem. Assuming it was September (Good weather) which is the 9th month or 9/12 (0.75), we will have:
688.75AD + 1278.25 = 1967.125!
We will get 1967 if we also use October, November and December before Winter.
This year is also very remarkable (!) because 1967 is the exact year the sovereignty of JERUSALEM came back to Israel control since 70AD! In fact, it literally marked the end of the trampling of the holy city by the nations, or the times of gentiles as our Lord prophesied and as we read in Revelation 11!
1967 is the year God has marked out from the ages to remind the world that the God of Israel lives and that the people of Israel live! The liberation of Jerusalem from the trampling of the gentiles was nothing but a miracle from God. General (then Colonel) Mordecai ‘Gotta’ Gur who was the first Jew to enter the temple mount for about 1900 years and who was credited as the man God used to liberate Jerusalem could be heard on loudspeaker saying:
“All company commanders, we’re sitting right now on the ridge and we’re seeing the Old City. Shortly we’re going to go in to the Old City of Jerusalem, that all generations have dreamed about. We will be the first to enter the Old City” and later on army wireless, he famously uttered:
“The Temple Mount is in our hands! I repeat, the Temple Mount is in our hands! All forces, stop firing! This is the David Operations Room. All forces, stop firing! I repeat, all forces, stop firing! Over”4
The end of 1260 days marked the end of the trampling of Jerusalem by the nations. Jerusalem was destined to be in Jewish hands in that year. It was up to them to remove the Abomination that seats on the Temple mount and tidy the place for the third temple and appearance of the messiah. Failure to do so would mean that in some way, the temple mount will not completely be in their hands as destined, which means there will be another delay from 1260 years till the end comes. Daniel was shown this delay as we shall see when we get to the study of 1335.
Once again here is the Revelation 11 prophecy:
“2 but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. 3 And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
To God be the glory who declares the end from the beginning to us. God is indeed omniscient and who will not fear this great God?
“3…Great and amazing are your deeds,
O Lord God the Almighty!
Just and true are your ways,
O King of the nations!
4 Who will not fear, O Lord,
and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
1948 and 1967: Beginning of the time of the end
Remember that our Lord Jesus Christ in the parable of the Fig tree (Matthew 24:32-34) is basically saying: Watch Israel. This means that we only should start expecting the return of the messiah from the moment we see the Fig tree beginning to blossom. This period in history is 1948 when the state of Israel was divinely restored in the map of the world and 1967 when Jerusalem was miraculously given back to the Jews.
So, we can now pin point the beginning of the last days at 1948 and 1967. These years indeed marked the beginning of the blossoming of the fig tree which is Israel. The generation who saw these years, may as well live to see the very end. But when is this time of the end? When will our Lord return the second time? We can accurately discover the fulfilment of past event and then give glory to God who reveals His plans beforehand.
To find out the exact time of the end, we can only limit ourselves to the revealed numbers in the Bible especially with respect to Israel. No mortal can tell the future. Our attempts are only limited. But what is remarkable is that God has revealed other numbers (1260, 1290, 1335) in the scripture. We will look at them now from the same Daniel 12. But before then, let’s see the Holocaust in prophecy.
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