The two witnesses in Revelation

 This is a topic that God put on my heart today that I should write about.  

During most of my life I’ve had the privilege to be raised by Christian parents who love God and have taught me a lot of things about God’s Word.

Not only have I had the privilege to be raised in a Christian home but I have also had the privilege to get deeper into God’s Word and hear peoples opinions about certain things in the Bible.

Most of my Christian family and friends have been taught that Enoch and Elijah are the two witnesses mentioned in the book of Revelation, and as a person who respects them I believe they have a right to their opinion “Even if I believe something different“

As my Dad told me years ago there are certain things in the Bible that we call nonessential to our salvation that we have thanks to the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

One thing that we always need to agree on is the message of salvation because that has eternal implications. And the Gospel of Salvation through Jesus Christ is explained by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. It is explained by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in  John 3:16. And the Apostle Peter witnessed firsthand that people who are not Israelites can be saved through believing in Jesus Christ as their Savior as shown in the story of Cornelius in Acts 10!!!

I mention all this because I want to express the importance of knowing the Gospel message but I also want to let everybody know that there are different opinions about other things in the Word of God and it is OK for people who are saved and have believed in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior to have different opinions about different things throughout God’s Word.

This blog post is about one of those issues that I have a different opinion about then most of my friends and Christian family, but I believe by the end of this post you will agree with me and see why Enoch is not one of the two witnesses in Revelation, but rather a picture of the catching away or the rapture of the church.

These are the main arguments that I’ve heard from my Christian friends and family who believe that Enoch is one of the two witnesses in Revelation.

1) Enoch never died and in God’s Word it says it is appointed to man once to die and after that the judgment.  You can find this in Hebrews 9:27-28. 

Here’s Hebrews 9:27-28 so you can check it out.

27. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

28. So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

But does that mean it is a requirement no questions asked that every person born into this world MUST DIE a natural death?

Check out what it says in 1 Corinthians 15:51-53

51. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

52. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

53. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

In these Bible verses you see Paul say that we will not all die or “sleep” but we will all be changed.

So when I read deeper into this I see how the apostle Paul says that our mortal flesh....or sinful flesh....must put on Glorified or Immortal Bodies that will never die!!!

Now I want to show you another passage in Hebrews where it talks about Enoch and I think you’ll find this very interesting and you will see the similarities between these passages and that passage.

In Hebrews 11:5 this is what it says....”By Faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God”.

As you can see in this Bible verse Enoch was translated so he would not see death.

If that is the case......it doesn’t make sense that he would be one of the two witnesses that will see death at the midpoint of the 7 year tribulation.

Another interesting thing about this Bible verse is that the word translated is used.  The Greek word that is used for translated is “Metatithemi” which means to “Change and transfer over”

We all are familiar with the word translate and if we’re translating something from English to Spanish that means were taking something in one form and changing it to another form.

So when God translated Enoch, God changed his corruptible body into an incorruptible body just like we see spoken about in 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 when we are changed when The Lord returns for the church before the 7 year tribulation or the time of Jacobs Trouble takes place that is spoken about in great detail in the Book of Revelation.

2) The other reason that people think Enoch is one of the two witnesses is because of a passage in Joel verses 14 and 15.

We see that Enoch prophesies about coming judgment but let’s look at what the verse actually says....14. And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

15To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

When we look closer at these two verses we see something that a lot of people have overlooked.

When Enoch prophesied about the Lord coming with ten thousands of his saints he didn’t give a specific number but we do know that during  that period of time there will be 144,000 Jews spreading the Gospel throughout the world and there will be two witnesses Moses and Elijah who will be in Jerusalem. 

Enoch wasn’t Jewish..... Enoch wasn’t even alive during the time of Abraham When God called the Israelite nation through him.

I have heard a lot of pastors make this statement and I kind of like it.

They say that the purpose of the seven-year tribulation is for the salvation of the Jewish nation!!!

So if that is the case.....it makes sense that since the 144,000 Jews “12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel” will be accompanied with 2 Jewish Witnesses.....Moses and Elijah.

I also think it’s important that it was Moses, Elijah, and Jesus Christ on the Mountain of Transfiguration described in Matthew 17:1-8, Mark 9:2-8, Luke 9:28-36, and 2 Peter 1:16-18.  That’s good evidence that Moses and Elijah are the 2 witnesses in Revelation as well.

The other reason I see that it’s Moses and not Enoch is because the judgments that will occur on earth after we’re removed are judgments that Moses performed in Egypt right before the Israelites exodus from Egypt.

So why is Enoch a picture of the rapture of the Church?

1) Once the rapture of the Church takes place, God goes back to dealing with Israel and we will be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in Heaven and we will not be found here on Earth.

Here’s part of Hebrews 11:5......”Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him”......”We won’t be found on Earth after the rapture of the Church Either!!!”

WHY IS THAT????

Here’s the rest of Hebrews 11:5 answering that question......”before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”

Those of us who believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins.....was buried for our sins......and rose again from the dead also please God because of our Faith in what Jesus Christ did for us so we can be redeemed from the penalty of sin!!!!

And the other reason I believe that Enoch is a picture of the rapture of the Church is because Enoch NEVER lived under the law of Moses or the 10 Commandments......and after Jesus Christ redeemed us from the penalty of sin.....Jesus Christ also removed the Law like it says in Colossians 2:14.

Here’s the verse......”Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;”

During the tribulation period God’s Word strongly suggests that the Israelites will resume temple worship along with the different feasts and once the Antichrist kills the 2 witnesses that is the alarm that tells Israel to flee and those who make it to Petra in Jordan will be supernaturally protected by The Lord for the final 3 1/2 years 

So here’s the final reason why Enoch will not be one of the 2 witnesses.  

When you read Revelation 14:12 it refers to people who keep the commandments of God. Even though it doesn’t give much detail about what these commandments are.....we know that we are saved by Grace through Faith......not keeping the commandments.

Since Enoch never lived on Earth when the Commandments were given to Moses.....Enoch has no knowledge of keeping the commandments, and just like we are saved by Grace through Faith in the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ without the deeds of the Law.......so was Enoch.

I hope you enjoyed this post and I look forward to seeing your thoughts about it 😀

And don’t forget......Eternity Awaits For You.....Do you know where you will spend it???

Thanks In Romans 10:9-10 it says.....9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

God bless you all,

Ron Smith