To understand the premise of the Exodus – Apocalypse Parallel and to read other articles on this topic see the link that follows.
http://revelationrosettastone.blog/2019/01/18/the-exodus-apocalypse-parallelthe-premise/
Those familiar with the Exodus narrative and the eleventh chapter of Revelation will readily see the similarities between Moses and Aaron and the two witnesses. The two witnesses call forth plagues and turn water into blood just like Moses and Aaron.
“They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may 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 kind of plague, as often as they desire.” (Revelation 11:6 ESV)
From <https://biblehub.com/esv/revelation/11.htm>
But there are more subtle associations that give rise to supposition about the office and the mission of the two witnesses. They are symbolized as the two olive trees and lampstands that stand in the presence of the Almighty God.
“These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.” (Revelation 11:4 ESV)
From <https://biblehub.com/esv/revelation/11.htm>
The symbolism of the olive trees and lampstands gives the two witnesses a close affinity with another two witnesses of the Old Testament, Zerubbabel and Joshua in the book of Zachariah. Zerubbabel and Joshua stand as a connecting link between Moses and Aaron and the two witnesses of Revelation. They were prince and priest like Moses and Aaron(1) and they are referred to as the “anointed ones”, literally the sons of oil, that fill the bowl that supplies the flame of the lampstand(2).
The association of the two witnesses of Revelation with both Moses and Aaron and Zerubbabel and Joshua suggests that the offices and mission of the two witnesses will be similar; prince and priest.
In the spirit of Zerubbabel and Joshua they will lead their people to order their steps before the Lord and worship the only Living God and seek His Messiah.
“And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God,” (Haggai 1:14 ESV)
From <https://biblehub.com/esv/haggai/1.htm>
The two witnesses of Revelation will also have the assistance of a prophet to stir up the hearts of the people; the prophet Elijah.
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” (Malachi 4:5 ESV)
From <https://biblehub.com/esv/malachi/4.htm>
Moses and Aaron established the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, as the symbol that the children of Israel where chosen apart from all other peoples to be a nation of priests(3). The tabernacle was the physical location that God chose to declare His presence to His chosen people. Zerubbabel and Joshua rebuilt the Temple of Solomon, the house where God placed His name and again distinguished Israel from all other nations(4). It is reasonable to think that the two witnesses of Revelation, following the types of Moses and Aaron and Zerubbabel and Joshua, will also rebuild the temple while facing opposition from the surrounding people and a lack of enthusiasm from Israel. As in the time of Zerubbabel and Joshua a prophet will appear to stir up the spirit of the Jews and they will devote themselves to restoring the Temple.
This is not to say that the two witnesses will restore the Levitical priesthood and sacrificial worship. Any hope of restoring the Levitical priesthood was destroyed by the Roman Emperor Hadrian in 135 AD when Rome razed Jerusalem to the ground, destroyed all the genealogical records of the tribes of Israel, prevented Jews from entering Jerusalem, built a temple to Jupiter on the temple mount, renamed Jerusalem Aelia Capitolina, and changed the name of Israel to Palestine. The worship of the Living God at the next temple in Jerusalem will be based on the Melchizedekian priesthood.
It should be remembered that the suggestion of a parallel with Moses and Aaron is not to suggest a reenactment of the Exodus or that the two witnesses will lead a remnant to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. The expectation is that the two witnesses with the evangelism of Elijah will stir the Jews to rebuild the symbol that distinguishes the saints from all other people as priests of the Most High God. Opposition to the reestablishment of that building will be met with judgments similar to those rendered by Moses and Aaron. When their testimony is fully given, the demonic power that comes up from the depths of hell is allowed to end the earthly ministry of the two witnesses. Even that shallow victory is quickly snatched away from the enemies of God with their resurrection.
“And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified. For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb, and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth. But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here!” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them.” (Revelation 11:7-12 ESV)
From <https://biblehub.com/esv/revelation/11.htm>
(1) Zerubbabel and Joshua prince and priest: Haggai 1:1
Moses and Aaron prince and priest: Exodus 2:14;Exodus 7:1;Exodus 31:10
(2) Zerubbabel and Joshua two witnesses: Zechariah 4:8-14
(3) A nation of priests: Exodus 19:5-6
(4) The Temple as God’s chosen place: Ezekiel 43:6-7
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May God bless you in your study of His word.
Kemyss W Worley Sr