The Two Witnesses of Revelation 11

Revelation 11:3

³ 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 the meaning of Revelation 11:3?

And I will empower

Revelation 11:3 opens with the Lord’s promise: “And I will empower….” The speaker is Christ, who alone supplies the supernatural strength His servants need. He does the same for believers throughout Scripture:

• Luke 24:49—He clothes His disciples “with power from on high.”
• Acts 1:8—“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.”
• Zechariah 4:6—“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the LORD of Hosts.

What empowerment looks like here:

– Miraculous authority to call down plagues (Revelation 11:6).

– Divine protection until their task is finished (11:5).

– Unwavering boldness to confront a hostile world (Acts 4:31).

my two witnesses

The phrase is personal—“my.” These individuals belong to the Lord and testify for Him. Scripture consistently requires two witnesses to establish any matter (Deuteronomy 19:15; John 8:17). The pairing also recalls the “two olive trees” and “two lampstands” in Zechariah 4:3, 11-14—prophetic symbols of Spirit-filled servants.

Possibilities for their identity (kept literal, future, and personal):

• Moses & Elijah—miracles match turning water to blood (Exodus 7) and shutting the sky (1 Kings 17).
• Elijah & Enoch—both were taken up without dying (2 Kings 2:11; Genesis 5:24).

Regardless of who they are, they serve specific roles:

– Bear legal testimony against the Antichrist’s regime.

– Call Israel and the nations to repentance (Malachi 4:5-6).

– Affirm Christ as the rightful King (Matthew 17:3-5).

and they will prophesy

Their primary task is to speak forth God’s message. Prophecy in Scripture both foretells and forthtells:

• Jeremiah 1:9-10—God puts words in His prophet’s mouth to uproot and to plant.
• 1 Corinthians 14:3—Prophecy edifies, encourages, and comforts.

Here it also warns, as seen in the judgments they unleash (Revelation 11:6).

Content likely includes:

– The gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 24:14).

– A call to repent before the final wrath falls (Revelation 14:6-7).

– Specific announcements of coming plagues, paralleling Moses before Pharaoh.

for 1,260 days

1,260 literal days equal 42 months, or “time, times, and half a time” (Daniel 7:25; 12:7). Revelation uses the same span for several end-time events:

• The woman (Israel) is preserved 1,260 days in the wilderness (Revelation 12:6).
• The beast rules 42 months (Revelation 13:5).

Key takeaways:

– God sets a precise calendar; evil cannot shorten or lengthen it (Daniel 9:27).

– This three-and-a-half-year ministry likely occupies the first half of the Tribulation, ending with their death at its midpoint (Revelation 11:7) as the beast rises to full power.

clothed in sackcloth

Sackcloth is the rough garment of mourning and repentance:

• Genesis 37:34—Jacob mourns Joseph.
• Jonah 3:5-8—Nineveh repents in sackcloth.
• Matthew 11:21—Sackcloth marks genuine contrition.

Why it matters here:

– Their attire visually preaches repentance.

– It contrasts with the world’s luxury under the Antichrist (Revelation 18:7).

– It links them to prophets like Elijah (“a hairy garment,” 2 Kings 1:8) and John the Baptist (Mark 1:6), underscoring authenticity and separation from worldly trappings.

summary

Revelation 11:3 presents two literal prophets, personally empowered by Christ to deliver a three-and-a-half-year message of repentance during the Tribulation. Their authority comes from God, their number satisfies His legal standard, their prophecy warns and invites, their time frame aligns with Daniel’s end-time calendar, and their sackcloth underscores urgent mourning over sin. God’s meticulous plan, steadfast power, and gracious call to repent shine through every phrase.