The Two Olive Trees and the Fullness of the Corporate Christ

Jesus started his powerful ministry when the Father considered he was ready to do so. The ministry of Jesus began when he was thirty years old as he returned from the wilderness after fasting for 40 days. He returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surroundings. His ministry lasted 3.5 years, or 42 months which are 1260 days. During this time he proclaimed the kingdom of God and performed many signs and wonders. At the end of those 3.5 years he was crucified but the Father raised him up on the third day.

In the same manner in Revelation 11 we see two witnesses, who are the two olive trees and the two lampstands of the Lord that are appointed to witness and prophecy in power doing many signs and wonders. These witnesses are appointed to ministry for exactly 3.5 years or 42 months which are 1260 days. At the end of those 3.5 years they will be killed, but after 3.5 days they will be resurrected. Just as it happened with Christ.

Revelation 11:3-6 “And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.”If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.”

These witnesses seem to be the image of the corporate Christ in his fullness. Revelation 11 associates the two witnesses with two lampstands and two olive trees. And we know according to revelation 1:20 that the lampstands are the churches of the Lord. A lampstand therefore is a representation of an ekklesia, a congregation of individuals, not single individuals.

Also the Lord compares these two witnesses with two olive trees and we know that in Romans 1:24 the olive trees are an allegory of the jews and the gentiles.

“After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!” Romans 11;24

Therefore these two lampstands and two olive trees represent the full remnant of jews and gentiles that will be anointed to witness the good news to Israel during the Antichrist’s reign. These anointed ones are lampstands and olive trees because they are full of oil and light as they are sent out into a dark world to bring forth the revelation of the Son to the nation of Israel.

These two olive trees represent the fullness of the gentiles and the fullness of the Jews working in unity as the One New Man of Ephesians 2:13-16.

“For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.” Ephesians 2:13-16

As these anointed ones reach the fullness and stature of Christ at the end of the church age, they are appointed to minister with powerful signs and wonders for 3.5 years just as Christ did. And because they don’t cling to life when facing death, they will be killed by the Antichrist at the end of their ministry but they will also be resurrected after 3.5 days.

“Because Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-25)

“When the two witnesses have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will wage war with them, and will overpower and kill them. their bodies will lie in the street of the great city—figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where their Lord was also crucified. 9For three and a half days all peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will view their bodies and will not permit them to be laid in a tomb. 10And those who dwell on the earth will gloat over them, and will celebrate and send one another gifts, because these two prophets had tormented them.11 But after three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered the two witnesses, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell upon those who saw them. 12And the witnesses heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched them.” Revelation 11:7-11