Could the Apostle John, Be one of the two Witness mentioned in Revelation?

In Revelation there is a mention of two witness who will come before the final Judgment Day. A few candidates who probably pop up are Enoch form the pre flood era, Moses and Elijah. But no one thinks that John might be the candidate for that. Elijah never tasted death as he was taken to heaven in whirlwind. Jesus once quoted to Peter ‘If I want him alive until I return what is that to you?, (sighting John and he  was Jesus beloved disciple). This article discuss Percepts pertaining to the fact that John could be the other withness.

Apostle John may still be alive walking the earth

John 21:18-22) 18 I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!" 20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray you?") 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?" 22 Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me."

There are 2 conclusions that can be drawn from this passage of the book of John in chapter 21. The first conclusion could be that Jesus' second coming has already taken place as John may have died and Jesus said he would not taste of death until Jesus' second coming 

 

The second conclusion is that Jesus' second coming has not yet taken place and that would mean that Apostle John still walks this earth, possibly guiding the church from the shadows, since Jesus again said that he should not taste of death until Jesus' second coming. 

  

So in regards to scripture it is entirely possible that John lives to this day, watching over us. Jesus holds the keys of death and hell, no one dies or goes to hell unless it is his will, hence "If i want him to remain until i return, what is that to you? You must follow me". Jesus was telling Peter that he had to be crucified, but he did not say that of John. This passage supports that if the second coming has not already taken place, that it is entirely possible John could be walking this earth 2000 years later, and we know that in the days of Adam men lived for centuries. Could John still be alive?

THE TWO WITNESSES -- Revelation Chapter 11

Who are the two witnesses of Revelation 11:3 ....... ? "

"And I [God] will give power unto My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy 1,260 days."

We all know that the prophet Elijah is one of the two witnesses, for he is named specifically in Malachi 4: 5, 6...

God speaking:

"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet BEFORE the coming of the Great and dreadful DAY OF THE LORD.

"And he [Elijah] shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." See also 1 John 2: 12--14.

Jesus also referred to Elijah's return in Matthew 17:11: "Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things."

  

We see then that Elijah ["Eliyahu" in Hebrew ] comes to the Israeli people BEFORE the Day of the LORD .

We interpret the meaning of "The day of the Lord" to mean the beginning of the Great Tribulation Period, the last 3 and 1/2 years of this age. 

THE OTHER WITNESS

 

Now, the other witness is also very easy to identify, for Scripture tells us plainly who he is.
Yes, in Rev. 10:11 it clearly states (KJV Authorized Version):

"And He [God...God's Voice heard from heaven Rev.10:8 ] said unto me:
'Thou' [ meaning JOHN, writer of the Apocalypse/ Revelation ]
'must prophesy AGAIN before many peoples, and nations, and tongues and kings."

That's sounds pretty clear to us that God is referring to John the Revelator for a FUTURE mission.

So then, John the Apostle ("Boanerges, son of thunder"  Mark 3:17) is the other witness. 

We must remember that the Apostle John was on the isle of Patmos at the time of his writing of the Book of Revelation, and that he was about 90 years of age. 

  

There is no evidence or documentation anywhere that John ever had a traveling ministry again. So when God commanded John to prophesy AGAIN before many peoples, nations, tongues and kings, we realize that that command has yet to be fulfilled.

 

John will thus be the main witness to the Gentile nations (Hamitic and Japhetic)....to "many nations and kings" (the 'goyem'). 

 

Elijah will be the witness for the Israeli and World Wide Remnant Jews. That is how we see it. And of course there will be the 144,00 who will also witness in the end of days. Rev. 7:4 ............ Rev. 14:1- 5 and Dan. 11: 32b – 35

 

These two witnesses both come together at a time of war and peril, 

( Arab war, Magog War ?) for they are dressed in"sackcloth and ashes", denoting a time of great mourning.

These two prophets of God:

• Will be greatly anointed for their work -- Rev.11:4 and Zechariah 4:14]
• Will have deadly fiery power over their enemies -- Rev. 11:5
• Will be able to withhold rain from those nations opposing God--  Rev. 11:6.
  Those who rebel during the Great Tribulation will thus cause economic disaster and famine for their own nations.
• Will have power over lakes, rivers etc. wherein pollution already exists, which will wipe out all life within them, turning the waters into blood. Thus there will be no drinking water for some nations--especially those nations that fear not the Lord.
• Will have power to smite the earth with plagues as often as they deem necessary. (for those rebelling against God) Rev. 11:6. "Plagues" means any evil disaster, especially fatal diseases.

(I would just like to note here, that even though the articles presented about the 144,000 being the witnesses was interesting and thought provoking, I do not see it as a possibility.  I still believe that the two witnesses will be two of the Lord’s chosen prophets that will literally be in the street of Jerusalem.)

I believe that God has these two witnesses preaching with one representing Israel and the other represents the Bride of Christ. One represents the Old Testament, and the other the New, and they both stand as one witness to the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus. These two witnesses define God’s purpose for all time.

Most will agree that Elijah is definitely one of the witnesses and will represent Israel and the Old Testament. These two witnesses are, namely, "the word of God" and "the testimony of Jesus Christ," or what we today would call the OT prophetic message and the NT apostolic witness.

The candlestick in Zechariah 4:2 represents the nation of Israel while the candlestick in Revelation 1:12-13, 20 represent the church of Jesus Christ. Both John and Zechariah receive the same answer regarding their question as to “what are the two olive trees”. The answer was that “these are the two anointed ones that strand by the Lord of the whole earth.”

The Olive Tree in the NT represents the en-grafted wild branches of the Gentiles into the natural Olive Tree.

Rom.11:17. “If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root,”

Both the Olive tree and Candlesticks represent the Two Witnesses. The two "peoples of God" will be joined in one Olive Tree.

As for the witness that will represent the Church of Christ I believe it will be the Apostle John and here is why.

The introductory remarks to the Revelation make evident that in writing this book John bears witness "to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ" (1:2). In fact, his very exile on Patmos is also because of these two entities-"the word of God and the testimony of Jesus" (1:9).

The following are several more reasons why John was chosen by Jesus to be one of His Two Witnesses, in Jerusalem, during the first half of the Tribulation. He was a witness to every aspect of Christ’s life and ministry, on top of being a witnesses and recorder of end time events.

12 MORE REASONS WHY JOHN IS ONE OF THE TWO WITNESSES

1.    WAS A FOLLOWER OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

John is the perfect person from the New Testament to be one of the Two Witnesses in Jerusalem. He believed in Christ, via John the Baptist’s teachings, before he met Christ.  

2.    PRESENT AT THE OLIVET DISCOURSE

Matt. 24:3 “And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?”

3.    WAS A WITNESS AT CHRIST’S TRANSFIGURATION

Mark 9:2 “And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into a high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.”

4.    WAS WITH CHRIST IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE 

Matt. 26:37 “And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.”

5.    MOST BELOVED OF CHRIST’S APOSTLES

John 13:23 “There was at the table reclining in Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.”

6.    WAS THE ONLY ONE OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES TO WITNESS THE CRUCIFIXION

John 19:26 “When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he said unto his mother, Woman, behold your son!”

7.    HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST, OF THE TWELVE, TO SEE THE EMPTY TOMB

John 20:1-2 “Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. ² So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

8.    WAS A WITNESS AT CHRIST ASCENSION

Matthew 17:1-2 ”And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.”

9. WAS CAUGHT UP TO HEAVEN

Rev. 4:1 “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.”

10. WAS TOLD HE WOULD WITNESS AGAIN DURING THE TRIBULATION 

Rev.10:11 “And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.”

11. THE ONLY APOSTLE THAT WAS NOT MARTYRED.

12. LIVED THE LONGEST OF ALL THE APOSTLES AND HIS DEATH IS NEVER RECORDED

*The Orthodox Church has always believed that John never died. John returned to Ephesus and stayed in the house of Domnus. He converted many and performed miracles. One morning, before dawn, he took some of his followers to a place to pray. Then he ordered them to dig a grave as deep as his height in the form of a cross. He had them cover him with earth to the neck. They kissed him for the last time and placed a napkin over his face, wept bitterly and then covered him entirely. Others soon after, on hearing about this, dug up his grave and found nothing.

 

The legend is found in "The Great Collection of The Lives of the Saints," translated from the Slavonic edition published by the Christian Print Shop of the Transfiguration Alms House in Moscow in 1914. It was translated into English by the Chrysostom Press, P.O. Box 536, House Springs, Mo. 63051 in 1994. P.441.

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Upon learning that the two witnesses represent both the Old and New Testaments;the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus, led me to see what was so obvious to begin with.  John is totally the most likely candidate to represent the Church,having been a witness to Christ's life and ministry in all aspects of it, the author of the Book of Revelation, and was even told, by the Lord, that he would testify again.  For me, another important puzzle piece has been fit into place. I would be interested to hear feedback on this concept, if anyone is so inclined.

Sources

http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread784068/pg1

http://hopetotheend.com/wit.html

http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/apr2012/pattic421-2.htm