The
account of the two witnesses given here in one connected discourse,
necessitates a brief outline of the reign of Antichrist, his persecution of the
Church, and his overwhelming defeat, — events to be more fully related in
subsequent chapters.
1.
St. John is commanded to measure the temple and number the people found
therein. Here again, the temple is a figure of the Church and those who worship
there are the faithful who remain steadfast during the great persecution of
Antichrist.
2. The outer court, cast off and given over to the Gentiles, signifies that a great number of Christians will fall away from the Faith in those evil days. With the other followers of Antichrist they will trample Jerusalem beneath their feet during the forty-two months of persecution. The holy city is here taken literally for Jerusalem, but it is also a figure of the Church, the chief object of attack under Antichrist.
3.
At the beginning of this terrible persecution God will send two prophets, or
"witnesses," to guide the Church and preach penance for the space of
1260 days. According to all tradition, both Jewish and Christian, the prophet
Elias, will be one of these witnesses. "Behold I will send you Elias the
prophet, before the coming of the great day of the Lord." (Malachias iv,
5) The tradition is also confirmed by the words of Christ: "Elias indeed
shall come and restore all things." (St. Matthew xvii, 11) The other
witness will probably be Henoch, who like Elias, "was translated that he
should not see death." (IV Kings ii, 3; Epistle to the Hebrews xi, 5) Yet
some think that Moses will be the second witness because he appeared with Elias
at the Transfiguration of Christ. (St. Matthew xvii, 3) The two witnesses shall
appear among men as apostles of the Church and adversaries of Antichrist.
The
duration of the persecution is sometimes given in years; at other times in
months or days, but in every case the same definite length of time is
predicted. This seems to indicate that the three and one-half years are to be
taken literally.
4.
The two witnesses were symbolized by the two olive trees and the candlestick
mentioned in the prophecy of Zacharias. (Zecharias iv, 3) The olive is a symbol
of God's mercy as in the days of the deluge. (Genesis viii, 11) The oil from
the olive also symbolizes the unction of the Holy Ghost poured forth upon the
two prophets who are to be lights (candlesticks) to the faithful by their preaching.
5,
6. The two witnesses shall have miraculous power to overcome their enemies as
Elias of old destroyed the soldiers of Ochozias with fire from heaven. (VI
Kings I, 10-14) They shall also punish the unfaithful with drought and famine
as did Elias in the days of Achab. (III Kings xvii, 1) Changing water into
blood may mean that the rivers shall run red with blood from wars and
revolutions. More probably the words should be taken literally to foretell
plagues such as Moses brought upon the land of Egypt. (Exodus vii, 20) In
either case there is a reference to the plagues of Egypt which seems to confirm
the belief that Moses shall be one of the witnesses.
7.
Having fulfilled their mission the two prophets will be put to death by
Antichrist, — the beast from the abyss. Thus will they share the fate of their
divine Master and of innumerable heralds of the Gospel. Their martyrdom will
take place at the end of a war in which Antichrist and his followers will win
the decisive battle in the vicinity of Jerusalem.
8-10.
For three days and. a half the bodies of the martyred prophets shall lie
unburied in the streets of Jerusalem "where our Lord was crucified."
The enemies of the Church will rejoice and commemorate their short- lived
victory by exchange of gifts. Like the Jews of old who thought they had rid
themselves of Christ by His death on the Cross, these enemies of His Church
will
think
they have done with the prophets who harassed them by their preaching and
miracles. Naturally, the faithful will be seized with fear, as were the
disciples at the death of our Lord.
11,
12. At the end of three days and a half the followers of Antichrist shall be
dumbfounded to see the two prophets arise from the dead and ascend into heaven
before their very eyes.
Centuries
before, Elias and Henoch had been taken up from earth (Genesis v, 22; Eccli
xlvii, 9, 10; IV Kings ii, 11; Hebrews xi, 5) and reserved for this supreme
conflict. Now by a special privilege they anticipate the general resurrection
as a reward for their labors and sufferings.
This
triumph of the two prophets leads directly to the defeat of Antichrist as
foretold by Isaias : "With the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked
one." (Isaias xi, 4) In like manner St. Paul says: "Then that wicked
one shall be revealed whom the Lord Jesus shall kill with the spirit of His
mouth." (II Thessalonians ii, 8) These passages seem to imply a personal
intervention by our Lord but He may send an angel as His instrument of
destruction; or, perhaps, Elias will rain down fire from heaven upon Antichrist
as he did upon the soldiers of Ochozias and the priests of Baal. (III Kings
xvii, 38-40; IV Kings i, 10-14)
13.
As the two prophets are taken up to heaven Jerusalem is shaken with a mighty
earthquake in which seven thousand people perish and a tenth part of the city
is destroyed. At sight of these prodigies all who survive are converted and
begin to praise and glorify God. Here is seen the great mercy of God who
punishes not to destroy but to convert and save.(E. Sylvester Berry, The Apocalypse of St.
John [Columbus, Ohio: The Catholic Church Supply House, 1921], 112-16)
