Τhe Chronology Of The Two Witnesses In Revelation 11 -- By: John A. McLean

Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 168:672 (Oct 2011)
Article: Τhe Chronology Of The Two Witnesses In Revelation 11
Author: John A. McLean


Τhe Chronology Of The Two Witnesses In Revelation 11

John A. McLean

John A. McLean is President, Manthano Christian College, Westland, Michigan.

Αmong dispensational expositors the chronological and sequential timing of the two witnesses in Revelation 11 has been one of the most puzzling and debated issues in the book. Although much has been written about the identity of the two witnesses, relatively little has been written about when they will appear. Some writers believe the two witnesses will minister in the first half of the Tribulation,1 and others believe the witnesses will be in the second half.2 The purpose of this article is to evaluate whether the two witnesses will minister during the first half of Daniel’s seventieth week (the Tribulation)3 or the second half. Several arguments for the first half are presented here, and in each

case a rejoinder is given in support of the view that the two witnesses will appear in the second half.

The Use Of Time Indicators

Whitcomb comments, “There seems to be an intentional distinction between the time of the Gentile occupation of the Temple’s outer court and the city, and the time of the two witnesses, by means of the different time-units used: 42 months for the Gentile domination and 1,260 days for the two witnesses. If the same time period is intended for both groups, why is not the 42-month time-block sufficient to cover both?”4

However, the Bible does not distinguish by means of names the time period of three and a half years in the Tribulation. If Whitcomb’s interpretive principle were applied to Revelation 11-12, it would lead to an obvious misunderstanding of the text. The woman, Israel, will be protected by God from the dragon for 1,260 days (12:6). This is exactly the same phrase as in 11:3 regarding the time of the two witnesses. The woman will be “nourished for a time and times and half a time from the presence of the serpent” (12:14), and the serpent/dragon is given authority to act for forty-two months (13:5). Are these phrases referring to three different time periods? No, because there is no intentional distinction between the phrases; they are used interchangeably. Actually four phrases are used in Scripture for this same time period: (a) “time, times, and half a time” (Dan. 7:...

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