Revelation 11:4 describes the Two Witnesses as two olive trees and two lampstands:

These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that are standing before the Elohim of the earth.

This same language is used in Zecharyah Chapter 4:

Then I responded and said to him, “What are these two olive trees, one at the right of the lampstand and the other at its left?”

And I responded a second time and said to him, “What are these two olive branches which empty golden oil from themselves by means of the two gold pipes?”

And he answered me and said, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my master.”

And he said, “These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Master of all the earth.”

Scripture also describes Israel (the united Kingdom, as well as the House of Judah, and the House of Ephraim) in various places as an olive tree:

Jeremiah 11:16 –

“יהוה has named you, ‘Green Olive Tree, Fair, of Goodly Fruit.’

Hosea 14:

4 “I shall heal their backsliding, I shall love them spontaneously, for My displeasure has turned away from him.

5 “I shall be like the dew to Yisra’ĕl. He shall blossom like the lily, and cast out his roots like Lebanon.

6 “His branches shall spread, and his splendour shall be like an olive tree, and his fragrance like Lebanon.”

Chapter 11 of the Book of Romans describes Israel as wild branches, and natural, branches of an olive tree. In this same chapter Sha’ul also describes the mystery of the melo hagoyim, or the “completeness (or fullness) of the gentiles” alluded to in Genesis 48:19.

Romans 11: 16-27

And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, have been grafted in among them, and came to share the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. And if you boast, remember: you do not bear the root, but the root bears you!

You shall say then, “The branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” Good! By unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by belief. Do not be arrogant, but fear. For if Elohim did not spare the natural branches, He might not spare you either.

See then the kindness and sharpness of Elohim: on those who fell sharpness, but toward you kindness, if you continue in His kindness, otherwise you also shall be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, shall be grafted in, for Elohim is able to graft them in again.

For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more shall these who are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

For I do not wish you to be ignorant of this secret, brothers, lest you should be wise in your own estimation, that hardening in part has come over Yisra’ĕl, until the completeness of the gentiles has come in.

And so all Yisra’ĕl shall be saved, as it has been written, “The Deliverer shall come out of Tsiyon, and He shall turn away wickedness from Ya‛aqoḇ, and this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.”

Notice what Jacob says of Ephraim in Genesis 48:19:

But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also becomes a people, and he also is great. And yet, his younger brother is greater than he, and his seed is to become the completeness of the nations.”

“Gentile,” and “nation,” are the same word in Hebrew: goyim. Ephraim is to be the fullness of the nations that Sha’ul is talking about in Romans chapter 11; the wild olive branches. Judah is the natural olive tree.

We see that the Two Witnesses are called “two olive trees,” and that Ephraim (the House of Israel) and Judah (the House of Judah) are also called olive trees. We also know from Ezekiel chapter 37, that Ephraim and Judah are two sticks that will be joined together into one.

Revelation 1 describes the seven assemblies as seven lampstands; Revelation 1:20:

“The seven lampstands which you saw are seven assemblies”

Revelation 11:4 describes the Witnesses as lampstands, using similar language as in Zecharyah chapter 4:

“These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that are standing before the Elohim of the earth.”

In Revelation chapter 1, the “ekklesia” are described as lampstands; the “called ones,” or “saints,” – the “ekklesia” – are lampstands. The Two Witnesses are also called lampstands.

Revelation 7 introduces the 144,000 who are sealed, and therefore will not suffer the same judgment as the rest of the world during the great tribulation. These 144,000 are from the tribes of the children of Israel. Revelation 7 says:

And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand, sealed out of all the tribes of the children of Yisra’ĕl: of the tribe of Yehuḏah twelve thousand were sealed, of the tribe of Re’uben twelve thousand were sealed, of the tribe of Gaḏ twelve thousand were sealed, of the tribe of Ashĕr twelve thousand were sealed, of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed, of the tribe of Menashsheh twelve thousand were sealed, of the tribe of Shim‛on twelve thousand were sealed, of the tribe of Lĕwi twelve thousand were sealed, of the tribe of Yissaskar twelve thousand were sealed, of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed, of the tribe of Yosĕph twelve thousand were sealed, of the tribe of Binyamin twelve thousand were sealed.

The 144,000 will, however, be present during this time of trouble. We know this because in Revelation 9 the locusts are commanded:

4 And it was said to them that they shall not harm the grass of the earth, or any green matter, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of Elohim upon their foreheads.

Notice that Revelation 11 describes the characteristics of the Two Witnesses discussed earlier (being two olive trees and two lampstands). And their fate:

7-12 And when they have ended their witness, the beast coming up out of the pit of the deep shall fight against them, and overcome them, and kill them, and their dead bodies lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Seḏom and Mitsrayim, where also our Master was impaled, and some of the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations see their dead bodies for three and a half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be placed into tombs, and those dwelling on the earth rejoice over them and exult. And they shall send gifts to each other, because these two prophets tortured those dwelling on the earth. And after the three and a half days a spirit of life from Elohim entered into them, and they stood upon their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. And they heard a loud voice from the heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up into the heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.

The Two Witnesses are killed in Jerusalem, and their bodies are left dead in the streets while the world celebrates. After 3 ½ days they come to life and go up to heaven in a cloud. Notice the similarity to the account of the Master Yeshua in the first chapter of Acts:

“But you shall receive power when the Set-apart Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Yerushalayim, and in all Yehuḏah and Shomeron, and to the end of the earth.” And having said this, while they were looking on, He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.

And as they were gazing into the heaven as He went up, see, two men stood by them dressed in white, who also said, “Men of Galil, why do you stand looking up into the heaven? This same יהושע, who was taken up from you into the heaven, shall come in the same way as you saw Him go into the heaven.”

There are a few important points from these verses. First, Yeshua tells the disciples that they will be His witnesses in Jerusalem. Secondly, Yeshua was taken up in a cloud. Lastly, He will return in the same way that He went. The Two Witnesses go up to heaven a very similar way as Yeshua went: in a cloud!

After Revelation 11, chapters 12 and 13 are “insets,” – they describe “the Woman,” the dragon, the two beasts and the number of the beast. Revelation 14 then returns to the narrative left off at the end of chapter 11. In chapter 11, the Two Witnesses are called up into heaven, and go up in a cloud – just like Yeshua did. Now in Revelation 14, Yeshua has returned – and He has the 144,000 with Him:

And I looked and saw a Lamb standing on Mount Tsiyon, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s Name written upon their foreheads.

Why does Yeshua show up with the 144,000?

Why does Yeshua show up with the 144,000 after the Two Witnesses are taken up? If the Two Witnesses, who are two olive trees and two lampstands, are taken up into heaven the same way that Yeshua left, and the disciples were told that Yeshua would return in the same way that He left, wouldn’t it make sense that the Two Witnesses return with Yeshua in the same manner?

We read that the beast makes war with the saints in Revelation 13 (an inset), and overcomes the Two Witnesses when they have ended their witness. The Witnesses are called up, and then the Lamb stands on Mt. Zion with the 144,000. Yeshua will return in the same manner that He left. Does it make sense that those who return with Him would leave in the same manner – as martyrs who died, then lived, and are called up? Could it be that the “Two olive trees who stand before the master of the whole Earth,” have 144,000 branches? The 144,000 come from the tribes of Israel. Throughout scripture Israel is described as Yahweh’s witnesses.

Isaiah 43:

But now, thus said יהוה, your Creator, O Ya‛aqoḇ, and He who formed you, O Yisra’ĕl, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name, you are Mine.

“When you pass through the waters, I am with you; and through rivers, they do not overflow you. When you walk through fire, you are not scorched, and a flame does not burn you. For I am יהוה your Elohim, the Set-apart One of Yisra’ĕl, your Saviour; I gave Mitsrayim for your ransom, Kush and Seba in your place. Since you were precious in My eyes, you have been esteemed, and I have loved you. And I give men in your place, and peoples for your life.

“Do not fear, for I am with you. I shall bring your seed from the east, and gather you from the west. I shall say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ And to the south, ‘Do not keep them back!’ Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth – all those who are called by My Name, whom I have created, formed, even made for My esteem.”

He shall bring out a blind people who have eyes, and deaf ones who have ears.

All the nations shall be assembled, and the peoples be gathered. Who among them declares this, and show us former events? Let them give their witnesses, to be declared right; or let them hear and say, “It is truth.”

“You are My witnesses,” declares יהוה, “And My servant whom I have chosen, so that you know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no Ěl formed, nor after Me there is none.

“I, I am יהוה, and besides Me there is no saviour.

“I, I have declared and saved, and made known, and there was no foreign mighty one among you. And you are My witnesses,” declares יהוה, “that I am Ěl.

Isaiah 43 says that the “seed of Israel” shall be called from the ends of the earth, that they are His witnesses, and that all nations shall be gathered. The messengers in Revelation 7 stand at the four corners of the earth holding back the winds until all of the chosen are sealed, and they have the seal of Elohim – they are called by His name. The Two Witnesses are overcome by the beast in the city where the Master was impaled, and then the Lamb appears at the Mt. of Olives (in the same manner that He left) with the 144,000.

The Two Witnesses are olives trees; Israel are olive trees.

The Two Witnesses are lampstands; the “ekklesia” are lampstands.

The 144,000 are chosen; the seed of Israel (Isaiah 43) is chosen.

The seed of Israel are to be His witnesses.

In conclusion, the Two Witnesses are the same as the two Houses of Israel – also known as the remnant – 144,000 of which come from the tribes of Israel who will be gathered from the four corners of the earth to give witness of YHWH in Jerusalem. Many will be drawn to their testimony, just as the mixed-multitude were drawn to Israel in the Exodus from Egypt – the great multitude described in Revelation 7:

After this I looked and saw a great crowd which no one was able to count, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, and palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Deliverance belongs to our Elohim who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

And all the messengers stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped Elohim, saying, “Amĕn! The blessing, and the esteem, and the wisdom, and the thanksgiving, and the respect, and the power, and the might, to our Elohim forever and ever. Amĕn.”

And one of the elders responded, saying to me, “Who are these dressed in white robes, and where did they come from?” And I said to him, “Master, you know.” And he said to me, “These are those coming out of the great distress, having washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

The beast will make war against the 144,000 and those who are called by their testimony, but won’t be able to touch the 144,000 until the end of their testimony. The great multitude will not be protected by the seal, however, not all of them will parish in the great tribulation, because as Sha’ul says in 1 Corinthians 15:

See, I speak a secret to you: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

The 144,000 will lead the Great Exodus of the Children of Israel and the Mixed Multitude from the four corners of the earth to Jerusalem. A Great Multitude will accompany the Children of Israel, many of whom will parish, some of whom will not.

Jeremiah 16:14-15:

“Therefore see, the days are coming,” declares יהוה, “when it is no longer said, ‘יהוה lives who brought up the children of Yisra’ĕl from the land of Mitsrayim,’ but, ‘יהוה lives who brought up the children of Yisra’ĕl from the land of the north and from all the lands where He had driven them.’ For I shall bring them back into their land I gave to their fathers.”

Jeremiah 23:5-8:

“See, the days are coming,” declares יהוה, “when I shall raise for Dawiḏ a Branch of righteousness, and a Sovereign shall reign and act wisely, and shall do right-ruling and righteousness in the earth. In His days Yehuḏah shall be saved, and Yisra’ĕl dwell safely. And this is His Name whereby He shall be called: ‘יהוה our Righteousness.’ “Therefore, see, the days are coming,” declares יהוה, “when they shall say no more, ‘As יהוה lives who brought up the children of Yisra’ĕl out of the land of Mitsrayim,’ but, ‘As יהוה lives who brought up and led the seed of the house of Yisra’ĕl out of the land of the north and from all the lands where I had driven them.’ And they shall dwell on their own soil.”

After the testimony of the Two Witnesses ends, the beast will overcome the 144,000 and they will lie dead in the streets for 3.5 days, after which they will be called up. This will be a magnificent event in the eyes of the world, televised in HD, how the World Government overcame this troublesome nation who have caused all sorts of plagues! Then, the Lamb appears with the 144,000 on the Mount of Olives in the same manner in which they left.

The Two Witnesses are olive trees, lampstands, Israel, and the 144,000. They will lead a great multitude of people across the face of the earth in times of turmoil and great persecution. They will work miracles, their enemies will not be able to touch them until the end of their testimony in Jerusalem. Eventually, the beast will overcome them, but it is they who will have the final victory with King Yeshua in the end.