Sunday, June 19, 2022

Vern Grosvenor Swanson on the Candidates for the Two Witnesses of Revelation 11

  

These are not “sons” of Jerusalem, for they come from elsewhere, and here the author suggests The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Read carefully Isaiah 51:18-20 and 2 Nephi 8:18.) While we do not presume to know precisely their identification by name, it is profitable to rehearse what we know and don’t know.

 

The criteria are these—they cannot be spirit beings nor resurrected beings; but must either be transfigured, translated, or mortal beings. This, so they can physically die in the “streets.” The author thinks they are translated so they can work miracles and withstand the concerted assault of the Antichrist. The following list summarizes the numerous thoughts on whom or what these Witnesses/Prophets might be:

 

·       Enoch and Elijah (Elias)

 

Of the patristic fathers, Irenaeus, Tertullian and Hippolytus believed they would be Enoch and Elijah. The main reason rests on that Enoch (Genesis 5;23-24) and Elijah (2 Kings 1:1-11) were taken into heaven without dying (they were translated).

 

The case for Enoch, who was the prophet of judgment before the Flood who announced the coming of the Lord (Jude 14-15). Also, Enoch’s City and himself were taken into Heaven like the Two Witnesses who will be taken into Heaven. As a translated being, Enoch, could be one of the two prophets. He could die and then be taken into heaven as a resurrected being. However, the City of Enoch in his responsibility to watch over and not Jerusalem. We know of no other technical reason why Enoch could not be one of the Witnesses.

 

The arguments that Elijah will be one of the Witnesses is bolstered by the idea that the scriptures say Elijah will come before “the great and terrible day of the Lord” (Malachi 4:5). Secondly, that Matthew 17:10-11 says he will come first. Thirdly, God used Elijah to prevent rain from falling for three and a half years, just as the Two Witnesses will do (1 Kings 17:1, James 5:17). And finally, like the Two Witnesses, Elijah was a prophet. Just one problem. Elijah was a prophet. Just one problem, Elijah is now mentioned as now being a resurrected being in Doctrine and Covenants 133:55, so he is ineligible.

 

·       Moses

 

There are four reasons to believe that Moses could be one of the Two Witnesses; he turns rivers to blood and brings plagues to the earth (Exodus 7:14-25) precisely like the Witnesses will (Revelation 11:6). Secondly, Moses was on the Mount of Transfiguration, and like Enoch, a dispensational prophet (Matthew 17:1-11). Lastly, Moses was a translated being. Doctrine and Covenants 84:25, Alma 45:19, Moses 1:11, LDS Guide to the Scriptures “Transfiguration,” and Bruce R. McConkie, MD, p. 515, “IT is clear that he was translated and taken into heaven without tasting death . . .”

 

This would be a clarifying emendation to Deuteronomy 34:5-6 that says he died in the land of Moab. The problem with the “Witness” scenario for Moses was that he too was resurrected just after Christ in the First Resurrection (D&C 133:54-55). Therefore, his resurrected body cannot “die” again, which makes him ineligible to be one of the Witnesses and is therefore eliminated.

 

·       Enoch and Moses combination
(see above)

·       Enoch and Melchizedek

 

Melchizedek was a right high priest and King of Salem; we are not exactly sure of his identity, although we assume it was not Shem as popularly thought because of Doctrine and Covenants 84;14, which seems to squelch the idea. Some think it might be Jesus Christ Himself, but Alma 13:17-18 precludes this idea. There is no record he was even translated. Also, we know of no particular reason why Melchizedek would be one of the witnesses.

 

·       Enoch and John the Revelator

 

John the Revelator is still a translated being and thus eligible to be one of the Two Witnesses (The John the Revealtor is one of the Witnesses is alleged by Val Brinkerhoff. The author sees no problem for him to be so. His assigned position in the gospel is working with and leading the Lost Ten Tribes, not necessarily this assignment, but as a translated being he could sure do both. Plus, by the time of this mission his assignment to the Tribes will have become much more settled). It would surely vouchsafe his monumental role in the last days. So far this is the only major combination that could work. It would bring Israel (represented by Enoch) and the Christian Church represented by John and give substance to Romans 11;16-24. They would represent the Old Testament and New Testament combination; if that is anyway important. See the next to the last choice.

 

·       Elijah and Elisha

 

Elisha might be a good choice, except as far as we can tell he died naturally and was buried, thus not translated like Elijah who is now a resurrected being (D&C 133:55). However, several scriptures are enigmatic regarding him (2 Kings 2:12-15, and 2 Kings 13:20-21). He was an assistant to Elijah and maybe in the last days they would “team up” together again.

 

·       Elijah and John the Baptist (an Elias also)

 

These two charismatic figures would make a great combination. John the Baptist was beheaded and therefore died and would not be able to “die again” and thus is out of consideration. Both Elijah and John are listed as resurrected in Doctrine and Covenants 133:55, which eliminates them from being the Witnesses.

 

The list continues with combinations “thrown out there” by the author and others:

 

·       The two spies, Joshua (Ephraim) and Caleb (a Kenezite appointed to the House of Judah)

·       Joshua (Ephraim) and Zerubbabel (Judah) (see Zechariah 4:2-14) (This would be symbolized by the Bull/Unicorn and the Lion)

·       Ruth and Esther, or Judith and Esther (Thinking outside the box, the idea of having women serve in this capacity would be antithetical to Hebraic sensitivities. Mind you, these are all women who put their lives at stake to save Israel. How about the sisters Mary and Martha of Bethany?)

·       Nephi son of Helaman (Helaman 10:6-11, 3 Nephi 1:2-3; 2:9) and Alma the Younger (Alma 45:18-19) (The author would have thought that they didn’t have anything to do with the Eastern Hemisphere, and would represent the interests of the Promised Land)

·       “A couple of Jewish Prophets” (Parley P. Pratt, A Voice of Warning, p. 33) (The Institute Manual for New Testament, “The Kingdoms of this World are becoming the Kingdoms of Our Lord” p. 55 [year unknown] states, “ . . . A couple of Jewish prophets, by their mighty miracles keep them from utterly overcoming the Jews.” Wouldn’t be Enoch who wasn’t Jewish)

·       The Law and The Prophets (coming in the spirit and power of Moses and Elijah) (Matthew 22:40; Luke 16:31)

·       “These two sons” (2 Nephi 8:19-20, Isaiah 51:18-20)

·       Al-Masih and Al-Dajjal (In Islamic lore, the two who came to Palestine to deceive the people, then the Mahdi comes and kills them in Jerusalem)

·       Joseph Smith Jr. and Hyrum Smith, the two co-prophets of the Latter-day Saint Church. (The Joseph Smith Foundation in Salem, Utah; headed by Him Stoddard and his daughter Hannah. They believe this to be the case and have produced a very professional video to promote this idea. They interpret Doctrine and Covenants 77:15 “They are two prophets that are to be raised up to the Jewish nation in the last days, at the time of the restoration . . . “ That is in the 1820-1840, thus most likely to be Joseph and Hyrum. Of course, this would require Joseph and Hyrum to be killed all over again, which goes against the scripture, “But as it is appointed unto men once to die . . .” [Hebrews 9:27]).

 

The next three, are, in the author’s opinion, the best choices:

 

·       Enoch who was translated.

·       John the Revelator of old and one contemporary apostles/prophets (probable a second councilor of the First Presidency as John was). (John the Revelator was the son of the Virgin Mary’s sister Mary Salome a Jewess, and of Zebedee from Galilee. We don’t know his tribal line, but it could very well have been Ephraim. While not of the Shiloh Dynasty precisely, it would form a complementary united bloodline. This especially, since no intervening generations will exist, because John has been translated for about two thousand years)

·       Two contemporary Latter-day Saint apostles/prophets from the First Presidency and/or Quorum of the Twelve. (Vern Grosvenor Swanson, Hour of God’s Judgment: Joseph Smith’s Paradigm of the Last Days [Springville, Utah: CFI, 2022], 217-19)