Two Witnesses

[Rev 11:3-13 LSB]  “And I will give authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” [4]  These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. [5]  And if anyone wishes to harm them, fire comes out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wishes to harm them, he must be killed in this way. [6]  These have the authority to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying; they also have authority over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they wish. [7]  And when they have finished their witness, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them and overcome them and kill them. [8]  And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. [9]  And 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. [10]  And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. [11]  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. [12]  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. [13]  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'm shocked at how many great expositors place the two witnesses at the first half of the 70th week.  Assumedly, because they time it with "the beast that comes up out of the abyss".  The verse below does not state "as soon as, or when, the beast comes up from the abyss he kills the witnesses".  No... John has introduced us to the beast that does eventually come up from the abyss.

[Rev 11:7 LSB]  And when they have finished their witness, the beast that comes up out of the abyss [see below] will make war with them and overcome them and kill them.

The two witnesses, and their role for 1,260 days, exist during the same events that John is speaking of in this context... all events of the Great Tribulation period - or, second half of the 70th week.  The Temple is being measured, and everything outside has been given over to the Gentiles to trample for 42 months.  This begins, and occurs at the midpoint.

The continued quotation (vv. 1c–3) shows that vv. 1–2 (temple measurement) and vv. 3–13 (two witnesses) present connected episodes in John’s vision. They are linked also by reference to Jerusalem (vv. 2, 8, 13), by the time frame cited (vv. 2, 3, 9), and by strong allusions throughout to passages from Zechariah (e.g., Zech 4: 2–6; 12:3; 14:2). The story of the “two witnesses” recounts their earthly activity (vv. 3–6), their celebrated murder by the beast (vv. 7–10), and their stunning resurrection followed by God’s judgment on Jerusalem (vv. 11–13).

[Zec 4:2-6 LSB]  And he said to me, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps on it with seven spouts belonging to each of the lamps which are on the top of it, [3]  also two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on its left side.” [4]  Then I answered and said to the angel who was speaking with me saying, “What are these, my lord?” [5]  So the angel who was speaking with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.” [6]  Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, “This is the word of Yahweh to Zerubbabel, saying, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says Yahweh of hosts.

[Zec 4:11-14 LSB]  Then I answered and said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right of the lampstand and on its left?” [12]  And I answered the second time and said to him, “What are the two olive branches which are beside the two golden pipes, which empty the golden oil from themselves?” [13]  So he spoke to me, saying, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.” [14]  Then he said, “These are the two anointed ones who are standing by the Lord of the whole earth.”

In this context, Zechariah is referring to Joshua and Zerubbabel, through whom God was at work in rebuilding the temple at that time. John adapts these and takes them as patterns of two representatives of God in the future judgment and restoration of Jerusalem in the final days.

John’s description of these end-time spokesmen for God highlights the divine authority that will energize their ministry, which will include highly charged conflict as well as displays of divine power similar to what Elijah and Moses were authorized to use.

[Rev 11:7 LSB]  And when they have finished their witness, the beast that comes up out of the abyss [see below] will make war with them and overcome them and kill them.

50. John uses an articular expression to bring this figure into the narrative for the first time (contrary to the normal Greek pattern that would use an anarthrous phrase). But this is part of his individual narrative style, to give a brief preview of a major figure or item prior to its full discussion in the story. He seems to use the “well known” article because of the item’s importance to end-time events, even though it may be new to the story here. This adds tension to the narrative by heightening the readers’ awareness of central figures. See Beckwith, Apocalypse, 247– 48, and Resseguie, Narrative Commentary, 51– 52, for other examples.

Fanning, Buist M. . Revelation (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) (Kindle Locations 11220-11225). Zondervan Academic. Kindle Edition. 

This human figure [Antichrist] is said to "come up from the bottomless pit" because his rise to prominence and exercise of power is under Satan’s control, not because he is himself a demonic spirit.

[Rev 11:8-10 LSB]  And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified [Jerusalem]. [9]  And 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 [a sign of extreme disrespect]. [10]  And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

Once their commission is complete, per Yahweh's intent, they will be allowed to be overcome and killed.  Not until His plan is complete at the end of the 1,260 days though.  I would imagine, this will be all over the news... perhaps televised even.  The text tells us that all nations "will look at their dead bodies".

Notice the celebration brought on by their deaths.  This whole scene certainly indicates the extent of which Jerusalem will be the center of attention in these last across the globe.  However, their celebration and gloating will be short-lived as we see in these next verses:

[Rev 11:11-12 LSB]  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. [12]  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.

After shameful exposure and mocking for three-and-a-half days, the witnesses are completely vindicated as God’s servants by being raised from the dead for all to see.  The language of resurrection used here is drawn almost word for word from the LXX of Ezekiel 37: 5 (“ a spirit of life”; πνεῦμα ζωῆς) 68 and 37: 10 (the spirit “entered” them, εἰσῆλθεν; “they stood” on their feet, ἔστησαν), replicating God’s promise of new life from dead bones.

The two witnesses have been vindicated.  Hearing the loud voice, seeing them stand on their feet after three and a half days, and watching them ascend into the clouds can only mean one thing.  Yahweh is present... the wicked have every right to fall into "great fear".

[Rev 11:13-14 LSB]  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. [14]  The second woe is past; behold, the third woe is coming quickly.

When the witnesses ascend in ultimate victory, their opponents in Jerusalem are left to face God’s culminating wrath in the form of a “great earthquake".

The third woe is coming soon... we're reaching the end of the Great Tribulation period.