Who/What Are The Two Witnesses?

[True]

The Two Witnesses

Then there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, "Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it.

"Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months.

"And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth."

These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.

And if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way.

These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.

When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them.

And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.

Those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb.

And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them.

And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them.

And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

I was thinking about this last night and I would like to see peoples opinions on who/what the witnesses are.

Are they two prophets? The Jewish and Christian Church? Something else?

 

[Cornelius]

Zec 4:1 And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep.
Zec 4:2 And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have seen, and, behold, a candlestick all of gold, with its bowl upon the top of it, and its seven lamps thereon; there are seven pipes to each of the lamps, which are upon the top thereof;
Zec 4:3 and two olive-trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.

Rev 1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And having turned I saw seven golden candlesticks;
Rev 1:13 and in the midst of the candlesticks one like unto a son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about at the breasts with a golden girdle.

Rev 1:20 .......... the seven candlesticks are seven churches.

So candlestick =church

Rom 11:24 For if thou wast cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and wast grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree; how much more shall these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

Olive tree =the whole church Jewish and Gentile

Rev 11:4 These are the two olive trees and the two candlesticks, standing before the Lord of the earth.

The whole church Jewish and Gentile , will be witnesses in the last days , and they will be all over the world, not just in one little Middle Eastern country.

 

[^Lazarus]

Zec 4:1 And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep.
Zec 4:2 And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have seen, and, behold, a candlestick all of gold, with its bowl upon the top of it, and its seven lamps thereon; there are seven pipes to each of the lamps, which are upon the top thereof;
Zec 4:3 and two olive-trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.

Rev 1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And having turned I saw seven golden candlesticks;
Rev 1:13 and in the midst of the candlesticks one like unto a son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about at the breasts with a golden girdle.

Rev 1:20 .......... the seven candlesticks are seven churches.

So candlestick =church

Rom 11:24 For if thou wast cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and wast grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree; how much more shall these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

Olive tree =the whole church Jewish and Gentile

Rev 11:4 These are the two olive trees and the two candlesticks, standing before the Lord of the earth.

The whole church Jewish and Gentile , will be witnesses in the last days , and they will be all over the world, not just in one little Middle Eastern country.

yup. you got it, the two witnesses are churches, i've been trying to tell people this for years but no one will listen, also the fire that proceeds out of their mouths is the Word Of God,

Jer 5:14 Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

now i suspect though, that before the day is done, we will see someone with some garbage obtained from some false doctrine book explain it all away into oblivion LOL

 

[GodspromisesRyes]

Mar 6:7 ¶ And he called [unto him] the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;

Luk 10:1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

Jesus sent forth His apostles and disciples TWO BY TWO into the cities and nations to preach the gospel to every creature.In the last days the Lord will again send out His disciples into the world TWO BY TWO to preach the gospel to the ends of the earth for the last time.

Mat 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

They go into the earth in groups of two to preach the gospel to the ends of the earth for a two fold purpose. There is a reason why this must happen- and it must be two by two- before the end comes.

Jesus told His disciples when they were sent out-

Luk 9:4 And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart.
Luk 9:5 And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.
Luk 10:8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:
Luk 10:9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
Luk 10:10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,
Luk 10:11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
Luk 10:12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.

When they take the gospel to the world again before the end two by two it will either cause the salvation and peace of Christ to rest upon them so that they are saved before the end come or so that they have all heard and are found guilty before God of rejecting and are now judged by the dust(their flesh) being shaken from the shoes of the two by two(shoes are the gospel).

In the Old testament and new there is a law of two witnesses. When a man is guilty and there were two witnesses they find him guilty first having seen his crime and they get to lay hold on him first for punishment then the whole nation. when people reject the truth to His disciples going out two by two they will be witnesses by two people to be guilty and their judgement will be final and just.

 

[guysmith]

The significance of the two witnesses is the account itself. This account provides to important pieces of information:

1. Christians (at least the two witnesses) will be protected in Jerusalem during the GT.
2. That there is a 3 1/2 day duration (the amount of time the two witnesses lay dead in the streets of Jerusalem) which will occur between the 1260 days of the GT and "the day of the Lord" (the time the two witnesses are resurrected which will take place at the first resurrection).

The rest is just speculation.

In Yehoshua,
Guy Smith

 

[guibox]

I believe the two witnesses are the Old and New Testaments.

During the middle ages (the 1260 day/year rule) of the papacy, the church was indeed in the wilderness. The Bible was squelched and wiped out for the people to see, save for certain groups like the Waldenses that kept it alive. During the reformation, the scriptures were revived for the people as the papacy began to lose it's power and the bible became translated into the common tongue of the people. It was being brought to life after the reign of the beast power of Papal Rome.

 

[justvisiting]

I'm taking a little license here with some guess work, but, I would say the olive trees ( the two men) are the prophets of God. (Enoch and Elijah). They were of the olive branch and needed no grafting.
Rom 11:24 For if thou wast cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and wast grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree; how much more shall these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
I think they are probably OT saints. The olive tree's oil was used for anointing. These two are anointed of God...as prophets are. As for who they are...
The only two men in the history of the Bible that never died...were Enoch and Elijah, which means God still had a mission left for them? BTW Moses did die...at 120 years old.
Gen 5:23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:
Gen 5:24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

2Ki 2:1 And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
2Ki 2:9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. 2Ki 2:10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.
2Ki 2:11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 2Ki 2:12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
2Ki 2:13 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;
2Ki 2:14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.
One of the most amazing prophets of the OT.
Hope this makes sense. Some speculation allowed.

 

[Hawkins]

Are they two prophets? The Jewish and Christian Church? Something else?[/color]

My answer is like this, the prophecy is somehow two-folded. It bears a standard, and it describes a scenario.

The two lampstands are Moses and Elijah, they symbolically represent the 2 series of prophets sent and to be sent. John the Baptist belongs to the Elijah series, especially to the Son of Man. Paul is thus Moses, especially to the Son of Man.

It sets a standard here for the end time prophets to follow, alternatively speaking, end time prophets are destined to follow this standard,

- They belong to either of the 2 series.
- They will die but will be raised back.
- They will confront the devil in a more direct sense (even a face to face encounter).
- They will torment the world with Truth, that some people will be driven crazy and will be more than happy to see them killed.
- They will prophesy/reveal in a period of time.

Amongst them, there will be 2 extraordinary Witnesses, and they will come just as described.

 

[researcher]

Are they two prophets? The Jewish and Christian Church? Something else?

I believe the two candlesticks were churches. The two olive trees may have been two individuals or, the churches also.

At any rate, these should be historic events as...

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.
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.

The same as:
Mat 24:1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
Mat 24:2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

Rev. 11:1 & 2 are about Jerusalem being destroyed in 70AD. It would follow that the "two witnesses" lived during that time.

 

[veteran]

Rev 11:3-10
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.

Because the Scripture states the two witnesses are killed and their bodies left to lay in a plaza ("street") in Jerusalem, it's more probable that involves just two men, prophets that God will send. It doesn't mean the "two candlesticks" (two specific churches) won't have a part in their ministry.

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.

Their ministry is like that of Elijah in the days of Jezebel and Ahab. That's what that working points to per Old Testament history.

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.

That declares the identity of this "great city" where these events will take place, Jerusalem.

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.
(KJV)

How will the peoples and kindreds and tongues and nations 'see' their dead bodies lay in the street of Jerusalem? What technology only in this century has made that a possibility? Satellite technology.

 

[whirlwind]

Rev 11:3-10
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.

Because the Scripture states the two witnesses are killed and their bodies left to lay in a plaza ("street") in Jerusalem, it's more probable that involves just two men, prophets that God will send. It doesn't mean the "two candlesticks" (two specific churches) won't have a part in their ministry.

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.

Their ministry is like that of Elijah in the days of Jezebel and Ahab. That's what that working points to per Old Testament history.

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.

That declares the identity of this "great city" where these events will take place, Jerusalem.

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.
(KJV)

How will the peoples and kindreds and tongues and nations 'see' their dead bodies lay in the street of Jerusalem? What technology only in this century has made that a possibility? Satellite technology.

The "two" witnesses are two groups of folks....lots of us. Some of those "two" witnesses will be killed. The "great city" their bodies will lie in isn't Jerusalem. It is the great city Babylon and that is worldwide.

 

[researcher]

Rev 11:3-10
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.

Their ministry is like that of Elijah in the days of Jezebel and Ahab. That's what that working points to per Old Testament history.

Luk 12:49 I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?

Mal 3:2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:

Zec 13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

1Co 3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

 

[jtb]

The whole church Jewish and Gentile , will be witnesses in the last days , and they will be all over the world, not just in one little Middle Eastern country.

That's my view as well.

I think Joel 2:28 is refering to the topic at hand:

And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.

 

[veteran]

Rev 11:3-10

The "two" witnesses are two groups of folks....lots of us. Some of those "two" witnesses will be killed. The "great city" their bodies will lie in isn't Jerusalem. It is the great city Babylon and that is worldwide.

I see two specific witnesses being sent to Jerusalem, which is why Jerusalem is being pointed to in Rev.11:8, but I also see what you see about the world kingdom as symbolic Babylon, which is where the witnesses of the two candlesticks (two Churches that will not be deceived, representing the true Body of Christ in all nations) comes in. Our Lord wants us to realize the marker of those two specific witnesses that will be killed in Jerusalem though, because that's where He will return as written, on the very next 'woe', the 3rd one (which is the 7th angel sounding).

 

[researcher]

The whole church Jewish and Gentile , will be witnesses in the last days , and they will be all over the world, not just in one little Middle Eastern country.

That's my view as well.

I think Joel 2:28 is refering to the topic at hand:

And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.

Act 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was now come, they were all together in one place.
Act 2:2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
Act 2:3 And there appeared unto them tongues parting asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them.
Act 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Act 2:5 Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.
Act 2:6 And when this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speaking in his own language.
Act 2:7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying, Behold, are not all these that speak Galilaeans?
Act 2:8 And how hear we, every man in our own language wherein we were born?
Act 2:9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, in Judaea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia,
Act 2:10 in Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and sojourners from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
Act 2:11 Cretans and Arabians, we hear them speaking in our tongues the mighty works of God.
Act 2:12 And they were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
Act 2:13 But others mocking said, They are filled with new wine.
Act 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spake forth unto them, saying, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and give ear unto my words.
Act 2:15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose; seeing it is but the third hour of the day;
Act 2:16 but this is that which hath been spoken through the prophet Joel:
Act 2:17 And it shall be in the last days, saith God, I will pour forth of My Spirit upon all flesh: And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams:

Also notice the audience:

Joe 2:1 Blow a ram's horn in Zion, and shout an alarm in My holy mountain. Let all those living in the land tremble. For the day of Jehovah approaches; it is near,
Joe 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

Israel. According to Peter it happened to the Israelites in his day.

 

[researcher]

The "two" witnesses are two groups of folks....lots of us. Some of those "two" witnesses will be killed. The "great city" their bodies will lie in isn't Jerusalem. It is the great city Babylon and that is worldwide.

Rev 18:2 And he cried in a strong, great voice, saying, Babylon the great has fallen! It has fallen, and it has become a dwelling-place of demons, and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean bird, even having been hated,
Rev 18:24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all the ones having been slain on the earth.

Mat 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets,

Mat 23:34 Therefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: some of them shall ye kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city:
Mat 23:35 that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous unto the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom ye slew between the sanctuary and the altar.
Mat 23:36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

;)

 

[whirlwind]

The "two" witnesses are two groups of folks....lots of us. Some of those "two" witnesses will be killed. The "great city" their bodies will lie in isn't Jerusalem. It is the great city Babylon and that is worldwide.

Rev 18:2 And he cried in a strong, great voice, saying, Babylon the great has fallen! It has fallen, and it has become a dwelling-place of demons, and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean bird, even having been hated,
Rev 18:24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all the ones having been slain on the earth.

Mat 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets,

Mat 23:34 Therefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: some of them shall ye kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city:
Mat 23:35 that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous unto the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom ye slew between the sanctuary and the altar.
Mat 23:36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

;)

The great city Babylon falls at the end of days and in her is....the blood of prophets and saints. Some of the rulers, tax paying citizens and guides of that great city Babylon reside in Jerusalem. We are the Jerusalem they reside in...pretending to be Christian. They are the anti christs deceiving God's children.

The quote you give, Matthew 23:34-36, is NOT addressed to Jerusalem but is to....

• 
  23:2 Saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
  23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites !...
  23:14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!...
  23:15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!....
  23:16 Woe unto you, ye blind guides....
  23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!....
  23:25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!....
  23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!....
  
  23:29-31 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous. And say, 'If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.' Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.

They are the blind leading the blind, the hypocrites leading the righteous into their spiritual graves. They kill the prophets by taking the words of the prophets, as their father did, and twisting it. Who are they, the scribes and Pharisees Jesus is addressing?

• 23:33-35 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify: and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city. That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the Temple and the altar.
  
  23:36-37 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them, which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

The use of "Jerusalem, Jerusalem" is a Metonymy (of Adjunct) for...the inhabitants. It is not to the city but to those that live there and who lives there? The serpents and vipers who are the scribes and Pharisees He has addressed throughout this chapter. Jesus stated that He sent them the prophets and then states that "thou killest the prophets which are sent unto thee," therefore we know who He is addressing. The blood of the saints is upon them...not the city of Jerusalem.

When Jesus said, "All these things shall come upon this generation," what were "all these things?" For that is the "this generation" in which it will happen.

• 23:35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth.....

That happens at the judgment. That is the "this generation," the last generation of this age when He comes to judge.

 

[Cornelius]

Rev 11:8 And their dead bodies lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.

Jesus was crucified outside Jerusalem, not in the city. Heb 13:11 For the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned without the camp.
Heb 13:12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered without the gate.


Spiritually this means He was crucified in "Babylon" not inside Jerusalem, because Jerusalem stands for the "People of God", Jerusalem spiritually is the type for salvation and holiness, so Jesus could not be crucified there, He had to be crucified outside the gate in "Balylon" (world), because that is where the sin is.

So the "two witnesses" who are in fact many Christians , who will again go out two by two, will be killed in the street of the world. Meaning, they will be killed in every city and town on this earth. Christian are going to die everywhere.

Now we come to the end of the last three and a half years of the Tribulation (three and half days) :

Rev 11:11 And after the three days and a half the breath of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them that beheld them.
Rev 11:12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they went up into heaven in the cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

This is the first resurrection of the dead in Christ. They go up in THE cloud. (Cloud of witnesses that surround us at this moment)

Rev 14:16 And he that sat on the cloud cast his sickle upon the earth; and the earth was reaped.

Heb 12:1 Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

 

[Cornelius]

The whole church Jewish and Gentile , will be witnesses in the last days , and they will be all over the world, not just in one little Middle Eastern country.

That's my view as well.

I think Joel 2:28 is refering to the topic at hand:

And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.

Act 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was now come, they were all together in one place.
Act 2:2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
Act 2:3 And there appeared unto them tongues parting asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them.
Act 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Act 2:5 Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.
Act 2:6 And when this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speaking in his own language.
Act 2:7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying, Behold, are not all these that speak Galilaeans?
Act 2:8 And how hear we, every man in our own language wherein we were born?
Act 2:9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, in Judaea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia,
Act 2:10 in Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and sojourners from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
Act 2:11 Cretans and Arabians, we hear them speaking in our tongues the mighty works of God.
Act 2:12 And they were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
Act 2:13 But others mocking said, They are filled with new wine.
Act 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spake forth unto them, saying, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and give ear unto my words.
Act 2:15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose; seeing it is but the third hour of the day;
Act 2:16 but this is that which hath been spoken through the prophet Joel:
Act 2:17 And it shall be in the last days, saith God, I will pour forth of My Spirit upon all flesh: And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams:

Also notice the audience:

Joe 2:1 Blow a ram's horn in Zion, and shout an alarm in My holy mountain. Let all those living in the land tremble. For the day of Jehovah approaches; it is near,
Joe 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

Israel. According to Peter it happened to the Israelites in his day.

Yes it did. They too were at the end of their age as we are now at the end of our age too. They too had their "last days" in the end of their age and now we are in the last days of our age.


1Co 10:11 Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come.

So now exactly the same thing is going to happen, but just in a larger scale.

 

[researcher]

The "two" witnesses are two groups of folks....lots of us. Some of those "two" witnesses will be killed. The "great city" their bodies will lie in isn't Jerusalem. It is the great city Babylon and that is worldwide.

Rev 18:2 And he cried in a strong, great voice, saying, Babylon the great has fallen! It has fallen, and it has become a dwelling-place of demons, and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean bird, even having been hated,
Rev 18:24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all the ones having been slain on the earth.

Mat 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets,

Mat 23:34 Therefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: some of them shall ye kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city:
Mat 23:35 that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous unto the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom ye slew between the sanctuary and the altar.
Mat 23:36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

;)

The great city Babylon falls at the end of days and in her is....the blood of prophets and saints. Some of the rulers, tax paying citizens and guides of that great city Babylon reside in Jerusalem. We are the Jerusalem they reside in...pretending to be Christian. They are the anti christs deceiving God's children.

The quote you give, Matthew 23:34-36, is NOT addressed to Jerusalem but is to....

• 
  23:2 Saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
  23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites !...
  23:14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!...
  23:15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!....
  23:16 Woe unto you, ye blind guides....
  23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!....
  23:25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!....
  23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!....
  
  23:29-31 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous. And say, 'If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.' Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.

They are the blind leading the blind, the hypocrites leading the righteous into their spiritual graves. They kill the prophets by taking the words of the prophets, as their father did, and twisting it. Who are they, the scribes and Pharisees Jesus is addressing?

• 23:33-35 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify: and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city. That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the Temple and the altar.
  
  23:36-37 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them, which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

The use of "Jerusalem, Jerusalem" is a Metonymy (of Adjunct) for...the inhabitants. It is not to the city but to those that live there and who lives there? The serpents and vipers who are the scribes and Pharisees He has addressed throughout this chapter. Jesus stated that He sent them the prophets and then states that "thou killest the prophets which are sent unto thee," therefore we know who He is addressing. The blood of the saints is upon them...not the city of Jerusalem.

When Jesus said, "All these things shall come upon this generation," what were "all these things?" For that is the "this generation" in which it will happen.

• 23:35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth.....

That happens at the judgment. That is the "this generation," the last generation of this age when He comes to judge.

Joh 8:31 Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him, If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples;
Joh 8:32 and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Joh 8:33 They answered unto him, We are Abraham's seed, and have never yet been in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that committeth sin is the bondservant of sin.
Joh 8:35 And the bondservant abideth not in the house for ever: the son abideth for ever.
Joh 8:36 If therefore the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Joh 8:37 I know that ye are Abraham's seed: yet ye seek to kill me, because my word hath not free course in you.
Joh 8:38 I speak the things which I have seen with my Father: and ye also do the things which ye heard from your father.
Joh 8:39 They answered and said unto him, Our father is Abraham. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
Joh 8:40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I heard from God: this did not Abraham.
Joh 8:41 Ye do the works of your father. They said unto him, We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
Joh 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I came forth and am come from God; for neither have I come of myself, but he sent me.
Joh 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? Even because ye cannot hear my word.
Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and standeth not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof.
Joh 8:45 But because I say the truth, ye believe me not.

1Th 2:14 For ye, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judaea in Christ Jesus: for ye also suffered the same things of your own countrymen, even as they did of the Jews;
1Th 2:15 who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove out us, and pleased not God, and are contrary to all men;
1Th 2:16 forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved; to fill up their sins always: but the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.

Act 13:45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted the things which were spoken by Paul, and blasphemed.
Act 13:46 And Paul and Barnabas spake out boldly, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first be spoken to you. Seeing ye thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

Act 14:2 But the Jews that were disobedient stirred up the souls of the Gentiles, and made them evil affected against the brethren.

Act 17:13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was proclaimed of Paul at Beroea also, they came thither likewise, stirring up and troubling the multitudes.

Not only the Pharisees.