he two sacraments, baptism and the
Lord's supper, were these two witnesses, and so on almost without end.
These instances will suffice for our present purpose; for surely any of
you reading God's own Word need not so blunder.

In the second place, Jesus calls them His two witnesses. Now, in what
sense were they His? for such they are now. Not that they will be His
when they appear, but they will appear to oppose Anti-Christ at Jerusalem
because they are sent. The prophets are all witnesses; for, as Peter
says, "To Him give all the prophets witness." The apostles were
witnesses, and all believers are witnesses for Jesus; yet these two are
so in a special and pre-eminent sense. Let any one read the account of
the transfiguration of Jesus and the circumstances attendant thereon, and
all will be plain. Moses and Elias (another spelling for Elijah) we find
were present, as well as Peter, James, and John. When Christ was
transfigured, "Behold there appeared unto them Moses and Elias" (Matt,
xvii. 3). These two persons talked with Jesus, "and spake of His decease
which He should accomplish at Jerusalem." Thus, then, they were special
witnesses for Christ, and so they will come again and witness for Him in
the time appointed.

The number of days we must take in a literal sense; here the 1,260 days
and 3.5 days are the days appointed for their work and death. It is well
to remember that many of the prophetic numbers contain a double prophecy.
Thus 1,260 here may be coincident with the treading down of Jerusalem by
Mahommedanism. But whether it is or not, does not vitiate the literal
quantity when applied to these two witnesses. In the third place, they
are called two olive trees and two candlesticks standing before the God
of the whole earth. The figurative meaning will be found by finding some
passage where two trees are mentioned in the interpretation given--such a
passage by Zechariah iv. Here the prophet saw two olive trees and asked
of the angel the meaning; and the angel said, "Knowest thou not what
these be?" And I said, "No, my Lord." Then said he, "_These are two
anointed ones_ that stand by the Lord of the whole earth." The simple
meaning is, that the two olive trees mean two persons, who are in heaven
at present, but are anointed--that is, set apart, selected for some
distinct work for God.

Moses and Elijah evidently were anointed and specially selected, for it
is probable they both escaped death.