he specified period of 1260 years. The
existence of this complex system of civil and ecclesiastical tyranny and
heresy, in the holy purpose and sovereign providence of God, calls for
the public and uncompromising opposition of the two witnesses. We shall
discover the two parties in more visible conflict hereafter; and tracing
the struggle to its issue, we shall find, that like the more general and
lasting warfare between the seed of the woman and that of the serpent,
(Gen. iii. 15,) it is a "war of extermination."

These witnesses are distinguished as a part from the whole. All
witnesses are not _martyrs_, but these are such, (v. 7, ch. xx. 4.) And
here we are constrained to dissent from the opinion of some expositors,
for whose sentiments we entertain profound respect. These "two
witnesses" are supposed by these eminent interpreters to "differ as much
from the 144,000 sealed ones, (ch. vii. 4,) as Elijah differed from the
7000 in Israel in his time;" whereas, we think the 144,000 and the
_two_, are the same identical company. (See chapters vii. 4-8: xiv. 1;
xx. 4.) It is evident that they are the same party,--and the _whole_ of
the party, who are honored to "reign with Christ a thousand years," (ch.
xx. 4.)

They are _two_ in number, because one witness is not sufficient in law,
to establish any matter in controversy. (Num. xxxv. 30; 2 Cor. xiii. 1.)
They are a small number compared with their opponents, (ch. xiii. 3.)
Again, they are few, but sufficient to confront and confute their two
opponents, (ch. xiii. 1, 11.) And, finally, they are _two_, that they
may be assimilated to their predecessors.

4. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing
before the God of the earth.

5. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth,
and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in
this manner be killed.

6. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of
their prophecy; and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to
smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.

Vs. 4-6.--"These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks,"
answerable to Joshua and Zerubbabel, the representatives of a gospel
ministry and a scriptural magistracy in their day, as seen by the
prophet Zechariah, (ch. iv. 14.) The official administrators of the
divine ordinances of church and state, require the oil of divine grace
to qualify them for th