Can you explain Revelation 11 please? I am wondering if the two witnesses will be actual people or do the two represent something else?
I would encourage you to read Revelation 11:1-13. This passage deals with the last half of the 7-year Tribulation Period spoken of by Daniel the prophet. Verses 1-2 inform us that there will be a rebuilt Jewish Temple and that Jerusalem will be attacked by Gentile nations for 42 months, or 3 ½ years. God will raise up two men to be His witnesses in the streets of Jerusalem during this period. Verse 3 reads, “And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.”
What is their mission? Verse 4 tells us, “These are two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.” These will be extremely dark days for earth, but these two men will be shining the light of God’s truth, which is pictured by the “two olive trees and the two candlesticks.”
What power does God give to them? Verses 5-6 say, “And if any man 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. 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.” They have power to destroy their enemies with fire, to withhold rain, and to strike the earth with plagues. Because of these miracles, many believe they will be Moses and Elijah, who performed similar acts of power in their ministry. These two also appeared with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration as seen in Matthew 17:1-4 so it is possible they will appear together again to witness of Christ’s coming kingdom. But God may send others who duplicate the miracles of Moses and Elijah, like he did with John the Baptist who came, according to Luke 1:17, “in the spirit and power of Elijah” (NKJV).
After their mission is over, God will allow them to be killed. We read of this in verse 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.” Verses 8-10 reveal that their dead bodies shall lie in the street of Jerusalem for 3 ½ days and that the whole world shall not only see this, but they will “rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another: because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.” Because men love darkness rather than light, they will rejoice over the death of these faithful witnesses who preached the light of God’s Word to them. Their voices have been silenced and a holiday that sounds similar to Christmas will be celebrated.
But the world’s jubilation will be short-lived, for God will vindicate His two servants by raising them from them dead and translating them to heaven. Verses 11-13 read, “Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood upon their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, ‘Come up here.’ And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.” Just as the world witnessed their death, so they will watch God’s triumphant victory as He raises them from the dead. I believe camera crews will be present to beam this sight throughout the earth and the view that men will behold will cause instant fear and they will be made to give God the glory! Though we are not told, I assume believers will also see this display of God’s power and their faith will be strengthened as they realize that God and His truth will ultimately win out. Believers today should also be comforted and encouraged as we read of these upcoming events and know that Satan is a defeated foe and that our blessed God is indeed the Victor! (169.6) (DO)