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)