Revelation 11:3 Revelation 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. In this verse we are to consider, first, who these two witnesses are. Secondly, what power Christ gives His witnesses. Thirdly, what their gift of prophecy is. Fourthly, what time we are to understand by a thousand two hundred and threescore days; and fifthly, what is meant by their being cloathed in sackcloth. First, these two witnesses are described metaphorically: \ These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks, etc. by which description it appears, that these two witnesses are not two individual persons, as Moses and Elias; neither by these are intended any two testimonies, as the Old and New Testament; nor two distinct offices, as magistrates and ministers. For none of these interpretations will agree with the metaphorical description of these two witnesses. \ These two witnesses are the faithful ministers of Christ, called two olive-branches. \ These are the two anointed ones, which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves; that is to say, they are the ministers and prophets of the Lord, who, under the gospel, have received an unction from the Holy One, Christ Jesus. \ As the priests and prophets did, under the law, who were anointed with material oil, \ and they are also the visible, true constituted gospel churches of Christ, called here two candlesticks, which are so interpreted and expounded by Christ Himself. \ And the seven candlesticks are the seven churches. The Church of God under the law being but one, and that a national church, was metaphorically described by one golden candlestick. \ But the churches of God under the gospel, being many congregational churches, as the churches in Judea, \ the churches of Galatia, \ and the churches in Asia, \ when they were first planted, are resembled by two golden candlesticks, and by seven golden candlesticks. Nor is my distinguishing between the Lord’ s ministers, his prophets, and his churches unwarrantable, for the Holy Spirit of God did distinguish them. \ Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers. \ They were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders. \ Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, that is, all the brethren. \ The apostles, and elders, and brethren, send greeting unto the brethren, etc. The ministers of Christ in the churches of saints, are Christ’ s prophetical witnesses; who ought to bear their testimony for Christ, and against Antichrist. \ Secondly, the power which Christ hath given unto his two witnesses, is not a magisterial power; for Christ hath given that kind of power to the kings of the earth, and governors under them, \ nor a monarchical Prelatical power, such as the Pope of Rome, his cardinals, and priests, have usurped, who lord it over God’ s heritage, His churches and clergy, contrary to the mind of our Lord Jesus Christ, \ mhd wv katakurieuontev twn klhrwn, Not as lording it over the clergy, but it is a ministerial, prophetical, stewardly power; that is, the power of the word, not of the sword. Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth; see, I have this day set thee over the nations, and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build and to plant. \ That is to say prophetically, by denouncing God’ s judgements against them, which the Lord will execute, if they repent not. \ And I will bring upon the Land all my Words, which I have pronounced against it, \ -which Jeremiah hath prophesied against all the nations, though the ministers of the gospel may declare the righteous judgements of God against ungodly men, according to his written word, yet they ought not to sit in judgement, and pass sentence of corporal punishment upon any man. \ But yet all the plagues and judgements here mentioned, and intended are principally (though not only) spiritual plagues and judgements, such as the Lord’ s prophets had power to do by the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, \ which proceedeth out of Christ’ s mouth, \ so that this power which the Lord Jesus Christ gave his two witnesses is a ministerial, prophetical, ecclesiastical power of faith, by the Word of God and prayer, \ which they ought to give themselves continually unto, not using the power of the sword at any time, in any case, He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear, -He that killeth with the sword shall be killed with the sword \ etc. Ecclesiastical power ordained by Christ and given to his ministers, is not magisterial, but ministerial; not the power of the sword but of the Word, For the Word of God is living and powerful, \ etc. Thirdly, by the gift of prophecy here, which Jesus Christ gave unto his two witnesses, called the two prophets, \ we are to understand such ministerial and prophetical gifts of the Holy Spirit, whereby they were fitted and qualified to prophesy before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings, \ there are diversities of spiritual gifts, and among the rest the gift of prophecy. \ Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the analogy of faith. This gift of prophecy Christ gives unto his faithful ministers in the churches of saints, that they may be his witnesses, \ in bearing their testimony for Christ-against Anti-Christ-in all the offices of his mediatorship; and it is therefore called the testimony of Jesus which is the spirit of prophecy, \ that is a mouth and wisdom given by Jesus Christ, which no adversaries shall be able to gain-say, or resist: And it shall turn to you for a testimony. \ Fourthly, the time of their prophesying is here said to be a thousand two hundred and threescore days which days are not to be understood literally for so many natural days; for that is but three years and an half; and is intended by the three days and an half, expressed in Revelation 11:9 to be the time that the dead bodies of the slain witnesses shall lie unburied, called a time, and times, and half a time (Revelation 12:14 and Daniel 7:21-25). But these thousand two hundred and threescore days must be understood of prophetical days; that is, a day for a year, and each day for a year, according to the scripture account, \ which is one thousand two hundred and threescore years (the editor of this manuscript does not here agree with H. Knowles). And so is the prophetical number of days and time of the woman, that is, the Church of God in the wilderness, viz. one thousand two hundred and threescore days. \ It is not my work at present to determine the beginning and ending of this time, and these days, but to give the right interpretation thereof, that the reader may understand the meaning by my exposition. God hath timed the persecutions, tribulations, and sufferings of His churches, ministers, and saints, in their generations. \ They must last no longer, nor end sooner, than God’ s set time. But yet I may say, that the best ecclesiastical historians, and the later expositors of this Book of the Revelation, affirm, that these thousand two hundred and threescore days began about the Year of our Lord 407, 409, 410 or before 428. (Sympson’ s History of the Church, Lib. 4. Socrat. History Eccl. cap. 3, Helvicus in Concil, Taurinat cap. 7, Magdeb, Cent. 5 cap. 10 etc). And if these thousand two hundred and threescore days did begin about 428, then they will end about 1688, which a short time will manifest more certainly. Though these are uncertain conjectures; yet if we shall see the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit, make war against the two prophetical witnesses, and overcome them, and kill them, as is prophesied \ then we shall certainly know the ending time of these thousand two hundred and threescore days. \ Fifthly, to be clothed in sackcloth signifieth the sorrowful, mournful condition of these two prophets, the witnesses of Christ, by reason of their sufferings, persecutions, and tribulations, which they endured in the days and time of their prophesying. The prophets of old use to wear garments of black, especially in times of calamity and affliction, which were made of hair, and called sackcloth of hair, as an emblem and symbol of great calamity and mourning. \ The faithful ministers of Christ, who are serving of their generation have born their testimony for Christ against Anti-Christ in all his mediatorial offices, as he is prophet, priest and king in his church, have suffered persecutions, imprisonment, banishment, and death many of them. As the apostles and disciples of Christ did suffer under the Roman pagan dragon; so the ministers and saints of God have suffered under the Roman-Papal-Beast, about one thousand two hundred fifty nine years. God’ s faithful witnesses must suffer persecutions for their testimony against Anti-Christ, \ yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution till the 1260 days be ended.