The Time Frame When the Two Witnesses Will Prophesy

I was asked to expand on several topics relating to the two witnesses after I posted an article concerning Revelation 11:8-9. One of the topics I was asked to expand on was the general time frame when the two witnesses will be prophesying. Today’s article is an attempt to provide some idea of when the two witnesses will prophesy in context of the End Times and to provide some idea of what that time period will be like.

I believe the two witnesses will prophesy at some point during the seventieth week of Daniel (the seven year time period or 2520 day period [see appendix for an explanation of why it’s 2520 days in length] that most people refer to as the “tribulation”). Daniel 9:27 tells us that the seventieth week of Daniel will begin with the confirmation of a seven year (one “week”) “covenant with many” which will be broken in the “midst of the week”. Daniel 9:27 also tells us that an abomination of desolation will be established in a newly built (Third) temple when the covenant with many is broken.

• Dan 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

This abomination of desolation is what Christ referenced in Matthew 24:15. Christ warned that people living in Judaea at that time should flee into the mountains because a time of unprecedented “great tribulation” will arise.

Mat 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Mat 24:16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Mat 24:17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Mat 24:18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. Mat 24:19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! Mat 24:20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: Mat 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

Dan 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Luke’s account of Christ’s message adds an additional detail about the time frame that He recommended that people flee. During this time period Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles “until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” (more on this shortly)

• Luk 21:21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.
• Luk 21:22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
• Luk 21:23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
• Luk 21:24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

Here are a couple of reasonable assumptions we can derive from the verses above:

• There will be people fleeing for safety when the abomination of desolation is established at approximately halfway through (3.5 years) the seventieth week of Daniel.
• Jerusalem is going to be trodden down at the start of the second half of the seventieth week of Daniel by the Gentiles.

With all this in mind, Revelation 11 opens with the detail that the Gentiles will tread the city of Jerusalem for 42 months. One-half of seven years is 3.5 years or 42 months.

• Rev 11:1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
• Rev 11:2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

It’s highly likely that this 42 month or 3.5 year period spans the entire second half of the seventieth week of Daniel since Jerusalem begins to be trodden down by the Gentiles in the midst of the seventieth week (Luke 21:24).

• Revelation 12:6 and Revelation 12:14 indicates 3.5 years (“a time, and times, and half a time”) is the equivalent of 1260 days (see the appendix for a further explanation).

Rev 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. … Rev 12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

Revelation 11:3 introduces the two witnesses. They will prophesy for 1260 days, which we just saw is the equivalent of 3.5 years.

• Rev 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

I believe the two witnesses will prophesy during the second half of the seventieth week of Daniel because other references to 1260 days, 42 months, time, times, and half a time relate to a common time period: after the midway point of the seventieth week of Daniel when people are being persecuted (see the table below for examples).

• It’s reasonable to assume that the 1260 day period of the two witnesses’ ministry is no exception in that it also relates to a time period after the midway point of the seventieth week of Daniel.

Dan 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

Rev 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. … Rev 12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. Rev 12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

Rev 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? Rev 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. Rev 13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. Rev 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

In addition, the context of verses Revelation 11:1-2 suggests that the two witnesses will arise at a time when the city of Jerusalem is trodden by the Gentiles.

The time when the two witnesses prophesy will not be a fun time on Earth if the two witnesses’ ministry indeed spans from the midway point of the seventieth week of Daniel until the end of the seventieth week of Daniel. Here are some of things that will occur during this time period:

• This will be a time when people will be given an ultimatum: worship the Antichrist/accept the Mark of the Beast or face severe persecution and be denied the ability to buy or sell items (Revelation 13:17). Related to this will be the spread of the Antichrist’s one-world religion.
• This is a time when the Antichrist will have a kingdom that dominates the world (Daniel 7:23-25).
• This will be a time when there may not be rain for three and half years because the two witnesses will have the power to withhold the rain from Earth (Revelation 11:6). Without rain for three and half years there is likely going to be a lot of crop failure and extreme water shortages. The challenge to find drinkable water could be further exasperated if the two witnesses exercise their power to turn water into blood (Revelation 11:6).
• There is going to be a lot of false christs and false prophets seeking to deceive people (Matthew 24:24).

In sum, the two witnesses are most likely are going to begin their ministry when conditions on Earth get really bad. The two witnesses’ ministry is most likely going to span from the midway point of the seventieth week of Daniel until the end of the seventieth week of Daniel.

Appendix

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[i] The Length of the 70th Week of Daniel
Gabriel told Daniel that 70 weeks have been given to the people of Israel and the city of Jerusalem to end their disobedience, atone for their sins, and to be saved.

• Dan 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
• Dan 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
• Dan 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

Most Christians who study Bible prophecy agree that the first 69 weeks of this prophecy was fulfilled over a several-hundred year period with a call to rebuild Jerusalem in the 20th year of Artaxerxes Longimanus’s reign (Nehemiah Ch. 2:1-5) and the death and ascension of Christ. Therefore, Gabriel did not mean 70 literal weeks where each week is 7 days in length. The Hebrew translation of the word “week” in Daniel is shâbûa‛, which actually means “seven”. Therefore we can also refer to Daniel’s prophecy as “the 70 sevens”.

The length of a “prophetic week” can be determined by analyzing the structure of the 70th week of Daniel. Daniel’s 70th week is divided into two halves. In the first half Antichrist will confirm a covenant with many, but will break it halfway through the seven.

• Dan 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

The second half of the week is a period of severe persecution. This period of time will last for “time, times, and a half”. The Hebrew word for “time” is “mô‛êd”, which also can mean “a year”. Nearly every commentator who analyzes Daniel’s 70 week prophecy agrees that “time, times, and a half” means 3 ½ years. Therefore, a “prophetic week” is a seven (prophetic) year period.

• Dan 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

Comparing Revelation 12:14 with Revelation 12:6 we learn that 3 ½ “prophetic years” is the equivalent of 1260 days. If we divide 1260 days by 3 ½ years we will find that a prophetic year is 360 days long.

• Rev 12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

• Rev 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

Similarly, 3 ½ years is also defined as 42 months since seven years is the equivalent to 84 months. Therefore a “prophetic month” is 30 days long since 1260 days divided by 42 months equals 30 days/month.

• Rev 11:2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
• Rev 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

Given this information, we can confirm that the 70th Week of Daniel will be 2520 days long three different ways.

1. 30 Days (in a Prophetic Month) x 42 Prophetic Months (in Half a Prophetic Week) x 2 Halves = 2520 Days
2. 7 Prophetic Years (in a Prophetic Week) x 360 Days (in a Prophetic Year) = 2520 Days
3. 1260 Days in “Time, Times, and Half” x 2 Halves = 2520 Days.

For more about the 70 Weeks of Daniel you can access my research study where I provide a completely new explanation of the prophecy by clicking this link.