COULD THE TWO WITNESSES BE THE ANGELS, GABRIEL AND MICHAEL?

Exploring the possibility.

What if the Two Witnesses are not really human? There are Bible verses that describe them as almost superhuman. What if the Two Witness are the angels Michael and Gabriel? The thought certainly seems strange, but here are some considerations on the possibility.

We know that the Lord can empower anyone at anytime to do anything – but how many humans qualify to be called "anointed and stand before and beside God?"

• Revelation 11:4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth.

 

• Zechariah 4:11-14 Then I answered and said to him, "What are these two olive trees--at the right of the lampstand and at its left?" And I further answered and said to him, "What are these two olive branches that drip into the receptacles of the two gold pipes from which the golden oil drains?" Then he answered me and said, "Do you not know what these are?" And I said, "No, my lord." So he said, "These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth."

By the time Zechariah wrote this, Enoch, Moses and Elijah had already lived. Could it be that "two humans" are so special that they could qualify to be spoken of as “two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth?”

Consider not only where these two stand, but the “anointing of God” flows through them.

• Zechariah 4:11-12 Then I answered and said to him, "What are these two olive trees--at the right of the lampstand and at its left?" And I further answered and said to him, "What are these two olive branches that drip into the receptacles of the two gold pipes from which the golden oil drains?"

And it says these "two prophets tormented the whole earth."

• Revelation 11:9-10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

How many prophets in the Bible ever qualified for a “global ministry” and that could torment the whole earth for 3 ½ years?

How many prophets could qualify for the following?

• Revelation 11:5-6 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.

The Lord could give these powers to anyone He chooses. But how many humans did He ever empower this way so far that we know of?

Could it be that that two high ranking angels of heaven, will take a human form and only when their testimony is finished, their human form is allowed to be killed?

Consider this. The Ark of the Covenant, also call the Ark of the Testimony is a replica of one in heaven.

• Hebrews 8:4-5 For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, "See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain."

When the one on earth was built, the Lord ordered Moses to put one angel on each side of it.

• Exodus 25:18-22 "And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work you shall make them at the two ends of the mercy seat. Make one cherub at one end, and the other cherub at the other end; you shall make the cherubim at the two ends of it of one piece with the mercy seat. And the cherubim shall stretch out their wings above, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and they shall face one another; the faces of the cherubim shall be toward the mercy seat. You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the Testimony that I will give you. And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel."

From the latter part of this section of Scripture, it also came to be called the Ark of His Presence. The Lord could have just had them make an “ark” without angels and yet He has them put two there. Maybe in heaven, these represent two angels stand before Him, one on His left and one on His right...

Let's take another look at the two most famous angels known to Christians by name from the Bible.

From the following verse we see Satan and Michael disputed over the possession of Moses' body when he died.

• Jude 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"

Michael at some point, either helped (or will help) play an integral part of Satan being removed from heaven.

• Revelation 12:7-9 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Michael stood with Gabriel to reach Daniel.

• Daniel 10:12-14 Then he said to me, "Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come."

 

• Daniel 10:21 “But I will tell you what is noted in the Scripture of Truth. No one upholds me against these, except Michael your prince.”

And lastly Daniel recorded this when writing about the demise of the last king of the north, the Antichrist.

• Daniel 11:45 -12:1 “And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him. At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, every one who is found written in the book.”

Now lets see where Gabriel is seen.

Gabriel was sent to Zacharias, John the Baptist's father.

• Luke 1:18-20 And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years." And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time."

Gabriel was sent to Mary.

• Luke 1:26-28 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!"

Gabriel sounds like a very special angel.

• Daniel 8:15-17 Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. And I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, "Gabriel, make this man understand the vision." So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, "Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end."

Who was directing Gabriel? Personally, I believe it was the Angel of the Lord, the pre-incarnate Christ. All through history, when this “Angel” is seen, He has done things that only Christ could do or had the right to do. Who else has the right to swear by heaven and earth? Or could have been the captain of the Lord's army as Joshua encountered? Or the Angel who said “I am” that the Lord spoke through at the burning bush to Moses...

Back to Gabriel...

• Daniel 9:20-22 Now while I was speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God, yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, "O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand.”

And this following last section of verses, are of personal opinion for sure in that while it does not "name names," it certainly seems to be the Lord Jesus having come as the Angel of the Lord to Daniel and the same two angels that had been with Daniel previously, the one who fought his way there to speak to Daniel, Gabriel, with the help of the other angel, Michael.

• Daniel 12:5-9 Then I, Daniel, looked; and there stood two others, one on this riverbank and the other on that riverbank. And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?" Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished. Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, "My lord, what shall be the end of these things?" And he said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.”

Could it be that "Gabriel, Michael and the Lord" were with Daniel to “impart prophecy” that would “relate to the latter times,” including the reign of the king of the North, aka the 11th horn, aka the mouth of the 4th beast, aka the beast, aka the Antichrist... whose “time” will clash with the ministry time of the “Two Anointed Ones of God, who will stand for the testimony of Jesus Christ and speak for God as His Witnesses for 3 and ½ years?

If it is so, then "the human forms" the angels take will be "what is killed and raised back up" in 3 and ½ days.

Many would want to kill these Two Witnesses of God, as they will “torment so many” but how could they sleep or survive without being taken or killed before their "time," if there will not be something extremely supernatural helping them?

For now, this article is “just a thought or thoughts” on the Two Witnesses being the angels, Gabriel and Michael, but it sure seems amazingly possible!

OTHER ARTICLES ABOUT "THE TWO WITNESSES"

WHO ARE THE TWO WITNESSES?
Are they Enoch, Elijah or Moses in some combination or perhaps two others?
WHAT WILL THE TWO WITNESSES REALLY DO?
Understanding their ministry, purpose & destiny.
TWO WITNESSES BIBLE VERSES
A compilation for thought & study.

"BASIC RAPTURE" ARTICLES

WHAT IS THE RAPTURE? 
Understanding the concept of biblical rapture.
IS THE WORD "RAPTURE" IN THE BIBLE?
Understanding "harpázō" - the word "rapture" comes from & where it's seen in the Bible.
MYSTERY OF THE SEVENTY WEEKS OF YEARS
A prophecy in Daniel foretold the coming of Christ & also the concept of the "last week of years" is derived; sometimes called "the 7 year tribulation."
RAPTURE VIEWS
Understanding pre, mid & post tribulation, millennial views, preterism & more.
THE TRIBULATION & THE WRATH OF GOD
Understanding what really happens during the last 7 years of this age.
TRIBULATION & WRATH, BIBLICAL DEFINITIONS & USAGE
A study taking a deeper look at original context.
​THE BEST BIBLICAL MINDSET FOR LIVING IN THE LAST DAYS
As shown in 1 and 2 Thessalonians.

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Copyright 2016 E. Cockrell May be copied for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.