It seems that most Christian leaders interpret this passage in a way that makes themselves one of the "two witnesses." This methodology is called Displacement Theology.
The prophecy stating that "Then I will give to My two witnesses explaining Tor·âh′ ," in v. 3, clearly follows the conclusion of the gentile occupation of the Holy City. Whether this began in 1967 or will commence when Har ha-Bay′ it comes under the control of Jews rather than the Islamic Waqf, is a matter of conjecture. At the very least, the groundwork for this is already well in progress.
The Jewish Sages have always assumed the two most obvious symbolisms for the two olive trees in the vision of Zәkhar·yâh′ (cf. 4, cf. note "land" in Unv. 11.4): Ko·hein′ and Mël′ ëkh (viz., Mâ·shi′ akh Bën-Dâ·wid′ ).
However, the use of μαρτυς (martus; witness) by the author of The Unveiling corresponds, via LXX, to the Hebrew עד (cf. NHM note 23.31.0 and Yәsha·yâh′ u 43.10, 12 & 44.8). A witness is someone who personally eye-witnessed something (belief and hearsay have never qualified a witness) and testifies about it; not necessarily someone who officiates liturgy or rules as king. The legal meaning is corroborated in the cognate עדות (also spelled עדת); e.g., the evidence (the שני לחת העדת [Shәm·ot′ 34] and the almond branch of A·har·on′ that blossomed) contained in the A·ron′ hâ-Eid·ut′ .
The correspondence of Hebrew noun, "witness," to the Hellenist (Christian) verb, "witnessing"—really meaning evangelizing, suggests the Jewish evangelism—testifying-witnesses (i.e., personally experienced in the bәrit of Tor·âh′ )—that predominated the B.C.E. 1st-century–1st-century C.E. Jewish community (before Jewish evangelism was suppressed by the Church, upon pain of death, beginning in 70 C.E.).
If we assume that the original author of The Unveiling—before the Hellenist redactor-rewriter—was Yo·khân·ân′ "the Irascible" Bar-Zav·di·eil′ , as purported, then Dead Sea Scroll 4Q MMT describes the (Jewish) world he lived in, consisting of three major sects:
According to either vision (Zәkhar·yâh′ or Unveiling), however, the same Two Witnesses, representing the Ko·hein′ ha-Ja·dol′ and Dâ·wid′ ha-Mël′ ëkh, will be restored to resume fulfilling these functions in the modern era.
The Hellenist Roman-collaborating Ko·han·ei′ hâ-Rësh′ a ("Sadducees") certainly did not qualify as a legitimate "priest witness," the legitimate Ko·han·im′ ceased to exist and the Hellenist Roman-collaborating Arab (Herod) falsely claiming to rule as "King of the Jews" certainly didn't qualify as a "king witness." None of these, therefore, can satisfy the vision of Zәkhar·yâh′ .
A priori, these Two Olive Trees or Two Witnesses can only emerge from the sole remaining remnant of Israel, the Pәrush·im′ —which included Rib′ i Yәho·shu′ a. Today, the Pәrush·im′ are known as Orthodox Jews.
Yet, the Romans' destruction of the yu·khas·in′ not only ensured that there could never again exist Biblically-legitimate Ko·han·im′ (cf. Nәkhëm·yâh′ 7.63), the loss of the yu·khas·in′ likewise ensured that no one could ever again make a Biblically-valid genealogical claim to be a descendent of Beit Dâ·wid′ . Thus, never since the second century C.E. can anyone be the Mâ·shi′ akh Bën-Dâ·wid′ !!!
Ha·lâkh·âh′ has ruled unequivocally, and irrevocably, that genealogy, once broken, is "forever broken."
Therefore, there can be no resurrection of either Kәhun·âh′ or Dâ·wid′ ha-Mël′ ëkh to fulfill the vision of "Two Witnesses" elucidating Tor·âh′ (see note, Unv. 10.11) by Zәkhar·yâh′ or The Unveiling.
(The Ko·han·im′ today are no more than "traditional Ko·han·im′ ," ceremonial reminiscents lacking yu·khas·in′ and, therefore, Biblical legitimacy.)
. A priori, these Two Olive Trees or Two Witnesses can only be the combination of Mâ·shi′ akh Bën-Yo·seiph′ and impending Mâ·shi′ akh Bën-Dâ·wid′ !!!
This prophecy refers to the reopening of the mouths—restoring a spokesman—of these Two Witnesses at the end of the "42 months" period (for full explanation and calendar dating of this period, see my book, The 1993 Covenant), after having been silenced during that time when the Holy City was trampled by the goy·im′ , to once again elucidate-Tor·âh′ to the world. (Christians should note, BTW, that the "rapture" was invented in the U.S. by John Nelson Darby in 1862!!! See 2002.08.19 issue of Time Magazine, p. 46-47. Christians who have put their faith in man—Mr. Darby—for "the Rapture" have already been "Left Behind"!)
Unv. 11.9 links this passage to a week (3½ days = half a week)—the same half-week of years = 1260 units of Dâ·ni·eil′ 9.27 = 1993 (see my book, The 1993 Covenant)—in which the "prince" of Dan. 9.26 "shall cause the cessation of the sacrifice and offering," from 70 C.E. to beyond our time, "and upon a wing of abomination," (the hem of prince's garment), "there shall be a desolator" (literal translation from the original Aramaic of Dan. 9.27). The scholarly consensus has well concluded, and I have also demonstrated (The 1993 Covenant) that the "prince" wearing this garment symbolizes the "Holy" Roman Empire, including its successors emulating its democratic republic form of government. This "prince," therefore, can only refer either theologically to Christianity (as a Displacement Theology = apostasy) or politically to the U.S. Until recently, the "desolator" didn't seem to fit either category, and his identify remained a mystery. No longer. It is now quite clear that the apostate "Prince" is to be understood religiously, as the Displacement Theology counterfeit: Christianity; and that the "Desolator" is an offshoot of Christianity. Like Christianity, this offshoot also claims to displace Judaism and change its laws and times. The "Prince" of Dan. 9.26 is the primary Displacement Theology of Hellenist Christianity, and the offshoot "Desolator" is the secondary Displacement Theology, Islam!
 |
|
 |