make war with them, and will overcome them, and kill them. And
their dead body _will lie_ on the wide street of the great city,
which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord
was crucified. And those of the people, and tribes, and tongues,
and nations, will see their dead body three days and a half, and
will not allow their dead body to be put into a tomb. And those,
who dwell on the earth, will rejoice over them, and exult, and
send gifts to each other; because these two prophets tormented
those, who dwell on the earth. And after the three days and a half
the Spirit of life from God entered them, and they stood on their
feet; and great fear fell on those, who saw them. And they heard a
great voice from heaven, saying to them, Ascend here! And they
ascended into heaven in a cloud; and their enemies saw them. And
in that hour there was a great earthquake, and the tenth part of
the city fell, and in the earthquake seven thousand names of men
were slain: and the remnant became terrified, and gave glory to
the God of heaven. The second woe is past away; behold, the third
woe cometh quickly."--Rev. 11:3-14.

The two witnesses are not symbolically exhibited, but are referred to by
an elliptical metaphor, and are explained to be the "two olive-trees, and
the two candlesticks." Therefore, they are not two living men, as some
suppose, shown to John in vision, symbolizing analogous agents; but their
nature is to be determined by a consideration of the olive-trees and
candlesticks which symbolize them.

Candlesticks symbolize churches. Thus the Saviour said to John: "The seven
candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches," 1:20. When "men
light a candle," they put "it on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto
all that are in the house," Matt. 5:15. The candlestick does not
originate, but sustains the light in a position to be seen and exert a
beneficial influence. It is thus that the church is said to be "the light
of the world," and is required to let her light "shine before men," _Ib._
vs. 14-16,--_i.e._ She is to disseminate the light committed to her; and in
so doing, she becomes a _witness_ for Jesus.

The church comprises all the holy persons who have lived on earth, and is
symbolized by two candlesticks, corresponding to the two dispensations of
its existence. Those who lived under the former dispensation, are called
"a