The Two Anointed Ones = The Two Witnesses

[TribulationSigns]

Future & Literal

Revelation 11:7-12KJV
7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
11 And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

Sigh!!!. Typical false Premillennialism doctrine that deceived YOU! My goodness. Have you ever read Scripture carefully and think and compare it with the rest of Scripture to find exactly what God talks about. Here are questions for you to answer:

1. What testimony will the Two Witnesses finish with?
2. Who is the beast?
3. Why was the beast in the bottomless pit in the first place and for what purpose?
4. What kind of war will the beast wage war against the Two Witnesses (not two individuals!) and how will he overcome them and kill them?
5. What does the dead bodies means as a result of being killed by the beast. With what?
6. Why won't the enemies of the world bother to bury the dead bodies in the graves? What does it means?
7. Why are they celebrating over the death of Two Witnesses so that they can final exchange gifts to other over the dead bodies?
8. And why did the two witnessed tormented them. How?
9. What is the Spirit of Life that entered into two witness that caused them to stood upon the feet.
10. Why will it cause fear to those who saw this?
11. They "heard" the voice from heaven, how? Where will they go to? What heaven is it that they come into the clouds as the enemies see this.

It is in the symbolic book of Revelation and you think they will all be fulfilled "literally", really?

Let hear your biblical answers for it if you have wisdom of Christ!

 

[Earburner]

Okay, you quoted the Scriptures, but I'm not sure what conclusion you believe they establish concerning Revelation 11? I agree that Revelation is a divine revelation, that God's thoughts are higher than ours, and that spiritual truth is discerned through the Holy Spirit. I don't disagree with any of that.

But none of those passages actually tells us what the Two Witnesses in Revelation 11 mean.

Revelation 1:1 tells us that the revelation came from God through Jesus Christ, through His angel, to John. In fact, the word “signified” in Revelation 1:1 is important because it tells us that the revelation was communicated through signs or symbols. That actually supports my point that we need to carefully examine the biblical symbolism rather than automatically assume that everything described in the vision must correspond to two literal individuals.

Isaiah 55:8–9 certainly teaches us that God's thoughts are higher than ours, but it does not mean that we can use that verse as a blank check for any interpretation we want. God has revealed His thoughts to us through His Word, and our responsibility is to interpret what He has revealed according to Scripture.

And 1 Corinthians 2:13 does not mean, “Pray about it and whatever interpretation comes to you through the Holy Spirit is therefore correct.” Paul is talking about spiritual truths taught by the Spirit. Those spiritual truths still come through the revelation God has given—not through subjective speculation.

So yes, we should pray for wisdom and depend upon the Holy Spirit. Absolutely. But the Holy Spirit does not teach us independently of Scripture or give us permission to bypass the biblical context.

That's precisely why I started with Zechariah 4.

Before we identify the Two Witnesses in Revelation 11, we should ask what biblical imagery John is using. Revelation repeatedly draws upon Old Testament imagery, and Zechariah 4 is directly relevant because it contains the imagery of the two olive trees / two anointed ones.

My point is not, “Let's make Revelation 11 literal.” My point is actually the opposite: let's not force a literal interpretation onto symbolic apocalyptic imagery before examining what the symbols mean within Scripture.

So if you believe the Two Witnesses are two literal individuals, then let's establish that from the text. Show me from Revelation 11 itself, Zechariah 4, or the broader biblical context why the “two witnesses” must necessarily be two individual men.

Appealing to prayer, the Holy Spirit, or Isaiah 55:8–9 doesn't answer that question.

The question remains: What does Scripture itself tell us the Two Witnesses represent?

That's where I believe the discussion should begin.

@TribulationSigns wrote:
"So if you believe the Two Witnesses are two literal individuals, then let's establish that from the text. Show me from Revelation 11 itself, Zechariah 4, or the broader biblical context why the “two witnesses” must necessarily be two individual men."

Reply from @Earburner
From my post #6 (with edits).
I am aware of the literal differences and likenesses between the words "the two anointed ones" and the words "my two witnesses" and their relationship to each other.
However, I believe that a very important point about "OIL" is being overlooked, which is crucial to understand for both descriptions. The word "oil" in Zech. 4:12 is directly symbolic of the "anointing" of a person/people by the Holy Spirit of God. (In the parable of "the 10 virgins", Jesus reveals that the oil within us is symbolic of the Holy Spirit).

But first, In Zechariah's vision of the two olive trees/branches, there is a clue here for us is to connect with, and that is the words [two olive trees/branches] are in the plural.
However, in Zech. 3:8 we only see ONE of the trees/branches being "BROUGHT FORTH", whereas the other branch apparently comes forth from a different origin : "I will BRING FORTH my servant (singular) the BRANCH".

So then, before we can move on into any depth of understanding about who the "TWO anointed ones" are, we must first isolate and discover who IT IS exactly that "God will bring forth", that He calls: "my servant the BRANCH".
(It is well known in all Christendom that God's servant the Branch, is Jesus).

In my understanding, there is no question as to who that is, it is Jesus, hence my reference of Prov. 8:22-25, specifically:
22. The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
23. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
24. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:

As for the other tree/branch and the OIL within it, is it the chuches, or could it be in the singular also, as being that of an additional person? Stay with those thoughts, and we will soon discover who that additional person is, who was anointed FIRST by God's Holy Spirit, WHEN NO ONE ELSE WAS. (The symbolism used in Zech. 4:2 is the furniture for the temple services. In verse 12 we see the action of the two olive branches emptying the golden oil out of themselves through the golden pipes of the candlestick, aka. the Mennorah. We can reference that golden oil in Mat. 25:1-13.
So then, who is the other singular anointed one, who was born having the Holy Spirit, even in his mother's womb, when no one else before him ever did? The answer is John the Baptist, of whom the angel said that it was John who would come in the spirit of Elijah. Luke 1:11-17).

 

[Earburner]

I Disagreed With Your Claims, No Need To Run Around The Bush Again

If you do not now know who the Two Witnesses are, having an open mind about it is a wise suggestion.
Do you agree that ever since John the Baptist and Jesus, we have been in "these last days"? Heb. 1:2

 

[Truth7t7]

If you do not now know who the Two Witnesses are, having an open mind about it is a wise suggestion.
Do you agree that ever since John the Baptist and Jesus, we have been in "these last days"? Heb. 1:2

I Disagree With Your Claims

 

[Earburner]

I Disagree With Your Claims

If you know who the two witnesses are or shall be, do you have any comment to say about it?

 

[Truth7t7]

It is in the symbolic book of Revelation and you think they will all be fulfilled "literally", really?

Let hear your biblical answers for it if you have wisdom of Christ!

Sigh! How Long Will It Take For One To See Biblical Truth

Literal prophets in literal physical bodies that will bring literal plagues upon this literal world in tormentation of the wicked, they will be literally killed and lay dead in a literal street in Jerusalem, a literal world will watch their deaths in celebration exchanging literal gifts, because the two prophets tormented the world with plagues, a literal world will watch them being raised from the dead as the final hours of earth's existence unfolds

Jesus Is The Lord

Revelation 11:3-12KJV
3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
11 And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

 

[3 Resurrections]

You don't believe that Jesus was The FIRST Resurrection, and the many OC. Saints that came out of their graves after Him were part of it?

Absolutely true. Christ Jesus was called the "First-fruits" in 1 Cor. 15:20 &23. ALSO, the 144,000 Jewish saints of Rev. 14:4 were ALSO called "the First-fruits unto God and to the Lamb". Those 144,000 "First-fruits" were the Matthew 27:52-53 saints which came out of their graves around Jerusalem on the same day of Christ's resurrection. They shared the very same "First-fruits" title with Christ because they shared the very same "FIRST resurrection" event back in AD 33. And it is possible that John the Baptist may have been one of those Jewish martyred saints resurrected on that day.

By the way, please show in the bible where it says: "the 2nd resurrection".
It doesn't.

Well, yes, Scripture does refer to a second group bodily resurrection event, as well as a third one in 1 Cor. 15:20-28. This chapter 15 begins with Paul describing the manifestation of the bodily-resurrected Christ, witnessed by many. Then Paul proceeded to teach that all the saints will likewise experience the very same type of bodily resurrection, similar to Christ's. He then gave the specific, chronological "order" for the series of events in which those group bodily resurrections were to take place over time.

#1) "Christ the First-fruits" (this was Rev. 20:5's "First resurrection" back in AD 33)
#2) "Afterward (epeita), they that are Christ's at His coming" (which would be the second bodily resurrection event)
#3) "Then (eita) cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God...that God may be all and in all." (this would be the last, third bodily resurrection event in our future when all human evil will be purged from this planet, with only glorified, resurrected saints left to occupy this planet, and all of them without exception having God's indwelling spirit.)

In my post #6, I have biblically proved that John the Baptist was permanently anointed by God's Holy Spirit, even in his mothers womb upon birth, being the FIRST anointed ONE of the "two anointed ones" of Zech. 4:14.
These [John and Jesus] are the two anointed ones, that stand by [for] the Lord of the whole earth.

Neither Jesus nor John the Baptist were slain and left unburied in the streets of Jerusalem, as Rev. 11:8-9 tells us. Jesus was crucified outside the gates of Jerusalem and was definitely buried in a new sepulchre. John the Baptist was beheaded in prison in Machaerus, and his disciples took up his body and buried it (Matt. 14:12). Not a match for the two witnesses of Rev. 11:3 at all.

The two witnesses of Rev. 11:3 who were "standing before the God of the earth" (a high priest descriptor in Ezekiel 44:15 and Zechariah 4:14) were two former high priests who were slain in the street of Jerusalem. The high priest was anointed to serve in that role (as you have already mentioned that the olive tree oil was symbolic of an anointing). Those two former high priests were Ananus ben Annas and Joshua ben Gamaliel, who were both murdered and left unburied in the street of Jerusalem during the invading Idumean attack on Jerusalem around AD 67 / 68. Josephus described that earthquake and nighttime Idumean invasion event with the death of the two high priest witnesses in Wars 4.5.2. This sixth trumpet judgment was fulfilled long ago.

 

[Earburner]

Sigh! How Long Will It Take For One To See Biblical Truth

Literal prophets in literal physical bodies that will bring literal plagues upon this literal world in tormentation of the wicked, they will be literally killed and lay dead in a literal street in Jerusalem, a literal world will watch their deaths in celebration exchanging literal gifts, because the two prophets tormented the world with plagues, a literal world will watch them being raised from the dead as the final hours of earth's existence unfolds

Jesus Is The Lord

Revelation 11:3-12KJV
3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
11 And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

Seriously, by posting those scriptures here at this time, you have "opened a can of worms" for all versions of belief about the time of "a thousand years".

As for me, I am an Ammillenial believer, and therefore I believe and promote that when John the Baptist and Jesus "finished their testimony", the Beast (satan), through the instruments of his earthly rulership, did murder them both without mercy. Thus BEGAN the period "of great tribulation" in 70AD., of which is still going on today, with progressing intensity. Luke 31:20-24

So what's the gimmick with the two witnesses in time?
It's all hinged upon how one understands the period of "a thousand years", and what to do with the 70th week in Dan. 9:27.
Is the 70th week about the Lord Jesus Christ, or is it about a person called The Antichrist?

Edit: I for one believe that the 70th week in Dan. 9:27 is about Jesus' 7 year ministry.
The first 3.5 years in his mortal flesh, and then the latter 3.5 years ministering to the early church by his Spirit.
Paul confirmed that when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. Acts 9:3-8.

 

[Earburner]

Absolutely true. Christ Jesus was called the "First-fruits" in 1 Cor. 15:20 &23. ALSO, the 144,000 Jewish saints of Rev. 14:4 were ALSO called "the First-fruits unto God and to the Lamb". Those 144,000 "First-fruits" were the Matthew 27:52-53 saints which came out of their graves around Jerusalem on the same day of Christ's resurrection. They shared the very same "First-fruits" title with Christ because they shared the very same "FIRST resurrection" event back in AD 33. And it is possible that John the Baptist may have been one of those Jewish martyred saints resurrected on that day.


Well, yes, Scripture does refer to a second group bodily resurrection event, as well as a third one in 1 Cor. 15:20-28. This chapter 15 begins with Paul describing the manifestation of the bodily-resurrected Christ, witnessed by many. Then Paul proceeded to teach that all the saints will likewise experience the very same type of bodily resurrection, similar to Christ's. He then gave the specific, chronological "order" for the series of events in which those group bodily resurrections were to take place over time.

#1) "Christ the First-fruits" (this was Rev. 20:5's "First resurrection" back in AD 33)
#2) "Afterward (epeita), they that are Christ's at His coming" (which would be the second bodily resurrection event)
#3) "Then (eita) cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God...that God may be all and in all." (this would be the last, third bodily resurrection event in our future when all human evil will be purged from this planet, with only glorified, resurrected saints left to occupy this planet, and all of them without exception having God's indwelling spirit.)


Neither Jesus nor John the Baptist were slain and left unburied in the streets of Jerusalem, as Rev. 11:8-9 tells us. Jesus was crucified outside the gates of Jerusalem and was definitely buried in a new sepulchre. John the Baptist was beheaded in prison in Machaerus, and his disciples took up his body and buried it (Matt. 14:12). Not a match for the two witnesses of Rev. 11:3 at all.

The two witnesses of Rev. 11:3 who were "standing before the God of the earth" (a high priest descriptor in Ezekiel 44:15 and Zechariah 4:14) were two former high priests who were slain in the street of Jerusalem. The high priest was anointed to serve in that role (as you have already mentioned that the olive tree oil was symbolic of an anointing). Those two former high priests were Ananus ben Annas and Joshua ben Gamaliel, who were both murdered and left unburied in the street of Jerusalem during the invading Idumean attack on Jerusalem around AD 67 / 68. Josephus described that earthquake and nighttime Idumean invasion event with the death of the two high priest witnesses in Wars 4.5.2. This sixth trumpet judgment was fulfilled long ago.

@3 Resurrections thank you for your reply.
In regard to the deaths of those two high priests in 67/68 AD, which was 2 years prior to the temple in Jerusalem being destroyed by Titus 70AD., I have read the historical account by Flavius Josephus in "Wars" 4.5.2.

Given the account of 10-12 details that should identify the Two Witnesses of Rev. 11:1-13, I am only seeing one identifier, being that their dead bodies were left in the street. To me that is not enough evidence.
However, I did perceive that those 2 high priests are missing one large credential to be "God's Two anointed ones" of Zech. 4:14.
As Jewish Temple priests in 67/68AD, I am thinking that they had Zero interest in having faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, as THEIR High Priest.
And yet they were called up to heaven in Rev. 11:12, without having faith in Jesus???
Furthermore, I don't see how God would bring forth two Jewish high priests, who had no faith in the sacrificial blood of Christ, to be "His anointed ones", while the whole world was THEN just recently under God's New Covenant.

I agree with you 100% about Mat. 27:50-54 as being the many OC Saints who were resurrected after Jesus' resurrection, JtB included. They are all the saints who were remembered by God who were written in the "Book of Remembrance" in Mal. 3:16-18, aka as being the symbolic 144,000 of OC.Israel. Rev. 7:1-8.

But now that the Messiah had come 33AD, the 144, 000 since then were written in the Lamb's book of life, and were "given white robes [the Holy Spirit] to each one". These are they who were "under the altar" of the OC. (Rev. 6:9-11) who had died in faith believing of the "Promise to come". They are now asleep waiting for the fulness of their resurrection into Immortality, when Jesus returns in flaming fire, in the Glory of his Immortality to redeem all his Saints. 2 Thes. 1:7-10.

 

[TribulationSigns]

Sigh! How Long Will It Take For One To See Biblical Truth

Literal prophets in literal physical bodies that will bring literal plagues upon this literal world in tormentation of the wicked, they will be literally killed and lay dead in a literal street in Jerusalem, a literal world will watch their deaths in celebration exchanging literal gifts, because the two prophets tormented the world with plagues, a literal world will watch them being raised from the dead as the final hours of earth's existence unfolds

Jesus Is The Lord

Revelation 11:3-12KJV
3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
11 And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

Sigh! And after all that, you still did not answer the questions.

You simply repeated your literal interpretation of Revelation 11 and then pasted Revelation 11:3–12 as though quoting the passage somehow proves your interpretation of it.

That is not answering the questions biblically. That is assuming your conclusion and calling it “biblical truth.”

I asked you to explain what the text actually means:

1. What testimony do the Two Witnesses finish?
2. Who is the beast that comes out of the bottomless pit?
3. Why was the beast in the bottomless pit, and what does his release signify?
4. What kind of war does the beast wage against the Two Witnesses, and how does he overcome them?
5. What do their “dead bodies” signify?
6. Why are their bodies left unburied, and what does that signify spiritually?
7. Why does the world rejoice and exchange gifts over their death?
8. How did these Two Witnesses “torment” those who dwell on the earth?
9. What is the “spirit of life from God” that enters them?
10. Why does their standing upon their feet cause great fear?
11. What does it mean that they hear the voice from heaven, “Come up hither,” and ascend to heaven in a cloud? What does that heaven signify?

You answered none of these questions.

Instead, your entire argument amounts to:

“Literal prophets. Literal bodies. Literal plagues. Literal street. Literal world. Literal gifts. Literal resurrection.”

Well, repeating the word “literal” eleven times doesn't magically make the interpretation biblical.

And here's the problem you keep avoiding:

Revelation itself tells us that the two witnesses are represented as “two olive trees” and “two candlesticks” (Revelation 11:4). That imagery does not come out of nowhere. It takes us directly back to Zechariah 4, where the olive trees are explained in relation to God's Spirit and the work of God.

Furthermore, the city where their dead bodies lie is “spiritually called Sodom and Egypt”—and is also identified as the place “where also our Lord was crucified” (Revelation 11:8).

So even Revelation itself explicitly uses spiritual identification and symbolic imagery.

You cannot simply take every noun in a highly symbolic apocalyptic vision, put the word “literal” in front of it, and declare victory.

The real question is:

What does Scripture itself tell us these symbols mean?

That is what I asked you to demonstrate.

You haven't demonstrated it.

You haven't explained the beast.

You haven't explained the bottomless pit.

You haven't explained the war.

You haven't explained the dead bodies.

You haven't explained the torment.

You haven't explained the spirit of life.

You haven't explained the heavenly ascension.

You haven't compared Revelation with Zechariah, Daniel, the Gospels, and the rest of Scripture.

You merely asserted Premillennialism and pasted the passage that we are debating.

That's not exegesis.

That's circular reasoning with a Bible verse attached.

So, since you have not actually answered the questions from Scripture, I rest my case.

“If any man have an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” — Revelation 2:7

Perhaps the problem isn't that Revelation is unclear.

Perhaps the problem is that you've already decided what it must mean before allowing Scripture to interpret Scripture.

 

[Truth7t7]

The real question is:

What does Scripture itself tell us these symbols mean?

Fact is they aren't symbols or symbolic as you falsely believe and teach, they're future literal, physical, and it will take place literally upon this earth

Literal prophets in literal physical bodies that will bring literal plagues upon this literal world in tormentation of the wicked, they will be literally killed and lay dead in a literal street in Jerusalem, a literal world will watch their deaths in celebration exchanging literal gifts, because the two prophets tormented the world with plagues, a literal world will watch them being raised from the dead as the final hours of earth's existence unfolds

Jesus Is The Lord

Revelation 11:3-12KJV
3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
11 And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

 

[KUWN]

As a Born again Amillennial believer in Christ, I have always understood that God's prophetic words are mostly based upon His own Eternal Spiritual thoughts/language, and not so much that of our own human thoughts and how we understand the words of our own written languages.
Isa. 55:8-9
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

What if, instead of reading and interpreting those scriptures in Rev. 11:1-14 literally, according to our ways of thinking, we are to interpret them spiritually by the Mind of Christ within us, so that we might know that the biblical "Great City" is not about buildings like that of man, but rather it is God's description of the people of God in which He desires to dwell?

In 1 Cor. ch. 2:9-16, Paul explains quite clearly that the spiritual value of our understanding is to be revealed to us by "comparing spiritual things with spiritual", thus allowing the Mind of Christ's Holy Spirit within us to interpret God's spiritual truths to us, and not that which is preached to us by the ways of "the wisdom of men".

In Rev. 11:8 we are specifically shown that "the great city" is to be understood in the spiritual truth of what it is being "COMPARED WITH". In that example, we are to understand that the Great City is compared to that of Egypt (symbolized as slavery/captivity) and that of Sodom (symbolized as sin). Putting the two together, we can conclude that in the comparison by example, God has been working to deliver His people from their CAPTIVITY of SIN.

Since the first manifestation of Jesus, that is the "spiritual" message to all of us, through faith in Jesus' sacrificial death.
For the past 2,026 years, in each "Year of our Lord", God has been "patient" and "longsuffering" in His "Promise" and attempt to  DELIVER each of us from the "CAPTIVITY" of "SIN", "not willing that any should perish".
However, if by faith in Jesus, we do not receive the Free Gift of God's Deliverence by His Gift of Salvation, our names will not be found written in the book of Life and therefore there is NO escape from the second death.

Has anyone here dared to believe that those who God prophesied of in Zech. 4:14, as being "His two anointed ones", are in fact that of John the Baptist and Jesus?

Could it be that Rev. 11:1-14 is nothing more than an allegorical story of spiritual truth, telling us all that the literal manifestation of John the Baptist and Jesus, were indeed God's promised ones, being they who are described as the "two anointed ones", and therefore the prophecy of "the two witnesses", has already been fulfilled?

That is what happens when you do not interpret the Original Text literally. Your symbolizing and allegory method will never allow you to be certain of the text, like the Gospels say, Jesus spoke as one having authority, not like the Scribes and Pharisees. For example, I take the Millennial Reign of Christ literally, and I will stand before him to give account of that interpretation. You are, in my opinion, rejecting the fundamental clarity of Scripture. I will stand before Christ and say, "You said there would be a Millennial Reign the Second Coming, what was I suppose to believe?"

 

[TribulationSigns]

Fact is they aren't symbols or symbolic as you falsely believe and teach, they're future literal, physical, and it will take place literally upon this earth

Literal prophets in literal physical bodies that will bring literal plagues upon this literal world in tormentation of the wicked, they will be literally killed and lay dead in a literal street in Jerusalem, a literal world will watch their deaths in celebration exchanging literal gifts, because the two prophets tormented the world with plagues, a literal world will watch them being raised from the dead as the final hours of earth's existence unfolds

Jesus Is The Lord

Revelation 11:3-12KJV
3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
11 And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

You did not answer well.

Okay, take an example in verse 5 which you seemed to avoid: What fire is it that comes out of their mouths? Literal? The answer is somewhere in your Bible that you need to find God's interpretation. Or will you be stuck with your private literal interpretation?

 

[Earburner]

That is what happens when you do not interpret the Original Text literally. Your symbolizing and allegory method will never allow you to be certain of the text, like the Gospels say, Jesus spoke as one having authority, not like the Scribes and Pharisees. For example, I take the Millennial Reign of Christ literally, and I will stand before him to give account of that interpretation. You are, in my opinion, rejecting the fundamental clarity of Scripture. I will stand before Christ and say, "You said there would be a Millennial Reign the Second Coming, what was I suppose to believe?"

I can't wait to see what you will do with the story about the Rich man and Lazarus. Luke 16:20-31.

 

[Earburner]

Fact is they aren't symbols or symbolic as you falsely believe and teach, they're future literal, physical, and it will take place literally upon this earth

Literal prophets in literal physical bodies that will bring literal plagues upon this literal world in tormentation of the wicked, they will be literally killed and lay dead in a literal street in Jerusalem, a literal world will watch their deaths in celebration exchanging literal gifts, because the two prophets tormented the world with plagues, a literal world will watch them being raised from the dead as the final hours of earth's existence unfolds

Jesus Is The Lord

Revelation 11:3-12KJV
3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
11 And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

From my opening post #1:
As a Born again Amillennial believer in Christ, I have always understood that God's prophetic words are mostly based upon His own Eternal Spiritual thoughts/language, and not so much that of our own human thoughts and how we understand the words of our own written languages.
Isa. 55:8-9
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

 

[3 Resurrections]

Edit: I for one believe that the 70th week in Dan. 9:27 is about Jesus' 7 year ministry.
The first 3.5 years in his mortal flesh, and then the latter 3.5 years ministering to the early church by his Spirit.
Paul confirmed that when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. Acts 9:3-8.

Again, absolutely true. God granted one full "week" of seven years for His own people to get on board with the New Covenant from the beginning of His public miraculous ministry starting in AD 30. I believe that "week" wrapped up in AD 37 with the vision God gave to Paul in Jerusalem's temple to leave Jerusalem and go "far hence to the Gentiles".

Given the account of 10-12 details that should identify the Two Witnesses of Rev. 11:1-13, I am only seeing one identifier, being that their dead bodies were left in the street. To me that is not enough evidence.

This sixth trumpet judgment (starting in Rev. 9:13 and finishing up in Rev. 11:14) has more than just one identifier connecting it with the Idumean attack on Jerusalem in AD 67 / 68.

•The four messengers which were bound at the Euphrates (Rev. 9:15) were the four Idumean commanders in Wars 4.4.2 (John, Jacob, Simon, and Phineas) which led their army of Idumean horsemen to Jerusalem and were denied entrance at the main eastern water gate of "Mystery Babylon" / Jerusalem by the two former high priests Ananas and Joshua.
•The four messengers in Rev. 9:16 led a group of horsemen numbering "two myriads of myriads" (a total of 20,000), just as the four Idumean commanders led to Jerusalem a group of horsemen numbering 20,000 in Wars 4.4.2.235.
• This army of horsemen numbering two myriads of myriads slew a third of men in the city of Jerusalem (Rev. 9:15), just as the Idumean army of 20,000 slew one of the three factions which were battling each other for control of Jerusalem. That one faction the Idumeans eliminated had been led by the moderate high priests Ananas and Joshua who were trying to maintain order in the city and control the frenzy of the competing Zealot factions.
•The two witnesses were slain in "the same hour" as the earthquake (Rev. 11:13), just as Ananas and Joshua the former high priests were slain by the Idumeans in league with the Zealot leader John of Gischala on the same day that great earthquake and nighttime storm struck Jerusalem in Wars 4.4.5.286.
• A tenth of the city fell during that earthquake with 7,000 men slain (Rev. 11:13), just as Josephus recorded that when the morning came, 8,500 men were dead in Jerusalem by a combination of either the earthquake, men committing suicide, or the Idumean horsemen attacking them (Wars 4.5.1.313).
• The two witnesses were slain and left unburied, with people rejoicing and making merry over their death because the two witnesses had tormented them (Rev. 11:9-10). This was fulfilled by the Idumeans and John of Gischala's Zealot warriors standing on top of the dead bodies of Ananas and Joshua, making jests and mocking them for their former testimony which rebuked the Zealots for their evil actions against their fellow Jews and disrespect of the laws. They also refused Ananas and Joshua a burial, and left their naked bodies to rot in the street (Wars 4.5.2.315-315-318 &324).
•The two witnesses had power to shut heaven that it wouldn't rain during the days of their prophecy (Rev. 11:6) just as Josephus's speech over the wall to the Zealots reminded them that there had been a drought in Jerusalem during the time in which they had held control in the city, but that the rains had begun again, in time to supply plenty of water for Titus and his armies in the spring of AD 70 (Wars 5.9.409-411).
•The two witnesses once had power over waters to turn them to blood (Rev. 11:6) just as any high priest officiating at the temple altar with the animal sacrifices would rinse away the blood at the base of the altar by the flow of ritually-pure Gihon Spring waters channeled to the temple.
•The Scarlet Beast would make war against the two witnesses and then overcome and kill them when their testimony was done (Rev. 11:7), just as the Judean Scarlet Beast of an independent nation of Israel launched by the Zealot uprising in AD 66 decided that they did not want to tolerate the moderate high priests who were urging the nation not to make war on Rome. Their testimony urging moderation in dealing with Rome is recorded in Josephus with lengthy speeches to the Zealot leaders and the people by both Ananas and Joshua - the last speech given by the former high priest Joshua to the Idumean army just outside the Jerusalem gate. Joshua was lying dead in the street the morning after that last speech urging the Idumeans not to attack the city.

However, I did perceive that those 2 high priests are missing one large credential to be "God's Two anointed ones" of Zech. 4:14.
As Jewish Temple priests in 67/68AD, I am thinking that they had Zero interest in having faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, as THEIR High Priest.
And yet they were called up to heaven in Rev. 11:12, without having faith in Jesus???
Furthermore, I don't see how God would bring forth two Jewish high priests, who had no faith in the sacrificial blood of Christ, to be "His anointed ones", while the whole world was THEN just recently under God's New Covenant.

It was not necessary that the two witnesses / aka the two prophets' testimony HAD to involve faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Great High Priest. Their testimony was a message to the people of keeping the peace in Jerusalem, and their testimony in Jerusalem managed for about a year or more to keep a restraining check upon the radical Zealot factions. Once the two high priest witnesses were slain and their restraining hand which had tormented the radical Zealots was eliminated, those Zealots immediately began to mercilessly prey upon their own people in Jerusalem. Even evil men have given prophecy in Scripture - namely Balaam and Caiphas. God's message can be given using any agency for delivery.

As for being called up to heaven in Rev. 11:12, this cannot possibly describe the two witnesses being taken into God's presence at that point, because no one would be allowed to do this until the seventh plague had been poured out (Rev. 15:8). And this was only the sixth trumpet judgment being described. My guess is that the two witnesses' transport into heaven was just like Elijah being transported into the atmospheric heaven to another location on earth. Elijah never ascended into God's presence either, because ten years or so after that whirlwind transport through the skies, he was on earth writing a letter to King Jehoram, listing his past sins and predicting the manner of the king's death in 2 Chron 21:12.

God used the very public murder and death of the two former high priests Ananas and Joshua for a specific purpose. God was giving a very public demonstration to the Jews of having eliminated His formerly-approved Zadok high priesthood. This had been made obsolete and was superseded by Christ's superior high priesthood, made after the deathless order of Melchizedek. The death of these two "olive trees" that had supplied oil for their light as the "two candlesticks" was a symbolic representation that it was soon going to be "lights out" for the temple in Jerusalem. First, the physical elimination of the high priesthood - then the physical elimination of the temple in AD 70, down to the last stone.

 

[3 Resurrections]

But now that the Messiah had come 33AD, the 144, 000 since then were written in the Lamb's book of life, and were "given white robes [the Holy Spirit] to each one". These are they who were "under the altar" of the OC. (Rev. 6:9-11) who had died in faith believing of the "Promise to come". They are now asleep waiting for the fulness of their resurrection into Immortality, when Jesus returns in flaming fire, in the Glory of his Immortality to redeem all his Saints. 2 Thes. 1:7-10.

One problem with this. Those 144,000 Matthew 27:52-53 resurrected saints never died again. They aren't "sleeping" at present. Scripture tells us that it is impossible for a bodily-resurrected saint to die twice. "It is appointed unto men ONCE to die, and after that the judgment" (Heb. 9:27). The bodily-resurrected 144,000 First-fruits Matt. 27 saints remained alive on this planet to serve in the early church as "gifts to men" in Ephesians 4. They ministered to the early church as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers until Christ took them to heaven with Him at His AD 70 bodily return.

The "white robes" given to each one of them in Rev. 6 was a symbol of their bodily-resurrected status of perfected righteousness. They were told they only had to wait a "little season" until the rest of their brethren which were about to be slain (just as the 144,000 had once been slain) would be fulfilled - which was in the years of persecution for the early church from AD 33-70. Their "little season" only lasted that long, and no longer before they left this planet with the rest of the newly-resurrected believers.

 

[Truth7t7]

Okay, take an example in verse 5 which you seemed to avoid: What fire is it that comes out of their mouths? Literal? The answer is somewhere in your Bible that you need to find God's interpretation. Or will you be stuck with your private literal interpretation?

The same literal fire that was called down out of heaven by Elijah's mouth

(Literal Words Of Fire Called From Heaven By Elijah's Mouth, Literal Fire That Consumed Literal Samarians Upon This Literal Earth)

Will You Continue In Your Mis-Representations Of God's Words?

Jesus Is The Lord

Revelation 11:5KJV
5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

2 Kings 1:1-18KJV
1 Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.
2 And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease.
3 But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?
4 Now therefore thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed.
5 And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are ye now turned back?
6 And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.
7 And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words?
8 And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.
9 Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.
10 And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
11 Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly.
12 And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
13 And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight.
14 Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight.
15 And the angel of the Lord said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.
16 And he said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to enquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.
17 So he died according to the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram reigned in his stead in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no son.
18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

 

[Truth7t7]

The death of these two "olive trees" that had supplied oil for their light as the "two candlesticks" was a symbolic representation that it was soon going to be "lights out" for the temple in Jerusalem. First, the physical elimination of the high priesthood - then the physical elimination of the temple in AD 70, down to the last stone.

Your Preterist Claims Above Are "False", 70AD and the Jerusalem Temple destruction played no part in fulfillment of Zechariah 4:11-14, these events are "Future" unfulfilled,

Once Again (The Two Witnesses) will be "Future" literal prophets with physical bodies, the golden oil being poured out of themselves Zech 4:12 will be the seven vials in the last plagues being poured out representing the prayers of the saints and the wrath of God, these plagues will torment the wicked world during their "Future" 1260 days of testimony, this literal world will celebrate their deaths in exchanging gifts

The "Future" plagues will be a complete remake of (Moses-Aaron) against Pharaoh Of Egypt, and the (Two Witnesses) will bring literal plagues upon this literal world representing God

Jesus Is The Lord

(Future Events Unfulfilled)

Zechariah 4:11-14KJV
11 Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?
12 And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves?
13 And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
14 Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.

Revelation 5:8KJV
8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

Revelation 15:5-8KJV
5 And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:
6 And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.
7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

 

[Earburner]

Fact is they aren't symbols or symbolic as you falsely believe and teach, they're future literal, physical, and it will take place literally upon this earth

If I must use the word "literally", I will here. God's literal thoughts and literal ways of accomplishing things are not how WE literally think and how WE literally accomplish things. Isa. 55:8-9.

Literal prophets in literal physical bodies that will bring literal plagues upon this literal world in tormentation of the wicked, they will be literally killed and lay dead in a literal street in Jerusalem, a literal world will watch their deaths in celebration exchanging literal gifts, because the two prophets tormented the world with plagues, a literal world will watch them being raised from the dead as the final hours of earth's existence unfolds
Jesus Is The Lord

God, who is a Spirit only (as once was Jesus), had no other option to speak to us corporately, except through the "voice boxes" of His chosen prophets.
Surely you don't believe that the OC. Prophets had conscious thoughts of their own about what they were saying?

Even though God spoke through them about the "Promise to come", none of the Patriarchs or the Prophets had any personal knowledge about the THREE manifestations of Christ, and when each event would take place, yet God at random faithfully spoke of all three manifestations of Jesus comings throughout the OT. scriptures.
1. Past- by his mortal flesh.
2. Present- by his Holy Spirit.
3. Future- by his Immortal Glory, in flaming fire.
For example, all THREE of Jesus' manifestations (flesh, Spirit, Immortality) to usward, can be seen randomly in the book of Zechariah.
If you are an astute reader of the NT-KJV Bible only, you will not miss the choice, key words that the Holy Spirit uses through Jesus and the Apostles words, to help us SEE Jesus in the OT. scriptures.
In John 5:39 Jesus said:
Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
So then, in Zechariah, as my suggested example, read through Zechariah-KJV, and allow "the Mind of Christ" within you to reveal Himself to you in each of his three manifestations. They might only be shown to you in a phrase, through an allegorical teaching, or just in a single word, with nothing being in chronological order. (Isa. 55:8-9).

Revelation 11:3-12KJV
3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
11 And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

About the Two Witnesses in Rev. 11:3-12, here are some clues of what we are looking at symbolically:
3. Power equals authority;
they shall prophesy 1260 days, or 3.5 years. John the Baptist prophesied for 6 mos. and Jesus prophesied for 3 years.
4. A direct reference to Zech. ch. 4
5. Equal retribution against all that hurt (or kill them). Literal fire does not come out of any mortal person, but fiery words of condemnation towards another does. James 3:5.

6. Again, to have power is to have authority to use that power, or maybe not!
a. In the days of John the Baptist and Jesus, both were physically born having the symbolic "rain" from heaven, which is the Holy Spirit. That "rain" did not fall again on anyone else permanently, until after Pentecost.
b. In the days PRIOR to their prophecy/testimony, the Holy Spirit was NOT YET permanently GIVEN to anyone. No, not even Elijah, Abraham, Moses etc.
John 7:39.
7. At the time of John and Jesus, the ruling authority of satan in this world to kill them, was king Herod and the Roman Emp.
8a. The Great city is Jerusalem (which now is) being spiritually symbolized as Egypt (slavery/captivity); Sodom (sin).
We all are held in captivity by sin.
b. "Where also our Lord was crucified" is just an identifier that Jerusalem was indeed ripe for judgment by God. In 70AD. the KoG would be taken away from them and given to another. (Notice that: not only would the city be taken away, but the KoG ALSO).

9. Both John and Jesus were slated/destined to be cut short and murdered for God's purposes of OUR salvation. One might say that they were born with "the smell of death" upon them.
For 3.5 years during their joint ministry, they literally were "dead men walking".
John for 6 mos. and Jesus for 3 years, which equals to 1260 days.
Many of the people in Israel, as well as the many foreigners that visited from other countries and nations, did see the destined dead bodies of John and Jesus during those 3.5 years of their Joint ministry.
Because both John and Jesus were born having the permanent indwelling of God's Holy Spirit, neither one could ever be kept to STAY in a grave for any amount of time. As Jesus said: "All who live and believe in me shall never die".
Therefore, symbolically no one could ever "suffer"/try to cause their dead bodies to stay in a grave....spiritually, they never died.

10. Being brought to repentance by God is not a joyous time, and most often it takes place under extreme duress of pain, suffering and torment.
But once that point is reached, the candidate finds immediate release and wonderful joy of God's permanent presence through their confession of faith in Christ. Heb. 12:11

All Christians today, world wide, celebrate Christmas, being that of rejoicing over the wonderful works of John and Jesus. Therefore, though they may have suffered torment in their repentance, out of a joyous heart, all Born again Christians truly enjoy that "season of gift giving", of which commemorates the Gift of Eternal life that God gives to us.
11. "And after 3.5 days the spirit of life from God entered into them": is symbolic for 3.5 YEARS, which is the total length of their Joint ministry, and when John and Jesus were bodily resurrected, as shown in Mat. 27:50-54.
12. On the day of Jesus' Ascension, HE WAS NOT ALONE!! As he was not alone in the day of Him being The First Resurrection, and for all those who LITERALLY took part. Mat. 27:50-54.