Hello! I am Jon Paulien and I’m glad you came to this page to check out my work. I am a New Testament scholar and Professor of Religion at Loma Linda University. On this website you will find a collection of my articles, commentary on Revelation, and links to my blog, videos, and other resources. Make sure you check the articles link above regularly to see the latest postings. In my hand above is an exact replica of p52, the earliest extant New Testament manuscript fragment, containing portions of John, chapter 18. Centered above my head is a replica of ancient Greek pottery. At either end above are two sets of books from, and about, my favorite spiritual author, Ellen G. White. I hope you enjoy the site.

Daily Devotional For July 18, 2025

View in the Daily Devotional Index

And they (the two witnesses) heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud and their enemies saw them. Rev 11:12.

           One of the great issues of interpretation in Revelation is the identity of the two witnesses in chapter 11. Whoever they are, they have divine authority: they “prophesy” 1260 days in sackcloth (Rev 11:3). They are also called “the two prophets” (Rev 11:10). They deliver the prophetic message that John is required to “prophesy again” (Rev 10:11).
           In the Jewish legal system something had to be established by at least two witnesses in order to be accepted as true (Deut 19:15). It was a good system because the two witnesses had to separately describe the incident in ways that cohered. It would not be taken seriously if only one person said that so-and-so did it. It was vexing in the O. J. Simpson trial that nothing could be established beyond a reasonable doubt since there were no witnesses. So the image of two witnesses suggests that the message is both serious and true (Rev 11:3).
           Who are these witnesses? They are described as olive trees and as the lampstands of the sanctuary (Rev 11:4). The description reminds us of the time of Zerubbabel, when the temple was being restored after the exile to Babylon (Zech 4). So the two witness are symbols of the power of the Holy Spirit to enlighten the earth through God’s Word and His people. The witnesses are further described in terms of Moses and Elijah (Rev 11:5-6), who witnessed for God against great opposition. Although they suffer for the message, they are not powerless.
           Students of Revelation through the centuries have offered two main explanations of who the witnesses are. The first explanation is that they represent the Bible, the Old and New Testaments (reflecting the Law [Moses] and the prophets [Elijah] of the Jewish canon). The Old Testament scriptures bear witness to Jesus (see John 5:39-40; 19:35-37). So the concept of two witnesses to Jesus could be a reference to the scriptures.
           There is equal evidence for a second concept. The presence of temple imagery points to the church, often referred to as the temple of God in the New Testament (1 Cor 3:17; 1 Pet 2:1-10). The church on earth is the light of the world (Matt 5:14-16) because witnessing is the primary task of the church (Luke 24:48; Acts 1:8).
           In Revelation Jesus is both the faithful witness (Rev 1:5) and the Word of God (Rev 19:14). So the options are two sides of the same coin. Either way the point of the passage is the power of God’s end-time message to change the world in spite of great opposition.

           Lord, help me to keep my eye focused on the mission You have given Your church. Help me to use Your Word to make a difference in my world today.