Audio Links

Numbers in Scriptures – The Number Two

Remember, this is a book of signs and symbols:

1Co 2:6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
1Co 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
1Co 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
1Co 2:9 But as it is written, [natural] Eye hath not seen, nor [natural] ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of [natural] man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
1Co 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

What is said in this first verse is true throughout this and every book in the Bible. The commission of Ezekiel is the same commission of the two witnesses. How can I make this bold statement?

1Co 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

1Pe 1:11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
1Pe 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

“Where does it say that the ‘tree of knowledge of good and evil is the law?” one may ask. If the Bible said what it meant, then how could Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, possibly make this statement:

1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

What are “the things which are freely given to us of God?”

1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual [things] with spiritual.

They are things which are “not in the words which man’s [context only- every word means what it says- natural] wisdom teacheth, BUT which the Holy Ghost teaches comparing spiritual with spiritual” [The word “things” is not in the original – that is why it has brackets].

1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

So the word “tree”, be it “tree of life” [or] tree of “knowledge of good and evil” does not mean tree. The word ’serpent’ does not mean serpent. The word ‘naked’ does not mean naked. The word ‘clothes’ does not mean clothes. The word ‘lamb’ does not mean lamb. The word ’sword’ does not mean sword. The word ‘woman’ does not mean woman. Stars, beasts, dragon, four and twenty elders, 144,000, lion, first love, rich and increased with goods, thou are dead, sea, mountains, earth, lake of fire, gold, water, locusts, horses, scorpions, smoke, pit, darkness, sun, light and on and on and on including all of the numbers; five are fallen, seven stars, twelve stars, ten days, eighth is of the seven, and yes, even “two witnesses” are one and all signs and symbols which are each and every one assigned a meaning other than their primary physical meaning. See the section entitled The Spiritual Meanings of Key Words. Every one of these signs are interpreted in scripture.

We are not at liberty to simply guess at what a word means and then simply state repeatedly for a fact, as Paul Crouch has done, that the “flying roll” of Zechariah 5 is symbolic of the satellites which broadcast TBN programs around the world.

Zec 5:1 Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll.
Zec 5:2 And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying roll; the length thereof [is] twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits.

Then again considering the content of verse three and the rest of that chapter, Mr. Crouch is no doubt correct:

Zec 5:3 Then said he unto me, This [flying roll] is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off [as] on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it.
Zec 5:4 I will bring it forth, saith the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.

Paul Crouch, of course, gives this ‘flying roll’ a very positive connotation and never even reads verse three. Either he is so blinded by God that he has never seen verse three, or else he is just that dishonest – God knows. Nevertheless those who “receive him into their [spiritual] house, and bid him God-speed are partakers of his evil [doctrines] deeds.”

2Jn 1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ [the entire “historical orthodox Christian church”], hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
2Jn 1:10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
2Jn 1:11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

Tit 3:10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;

Few of God’s people ever notice or understand these verses of His Word. Even fewer are willing to implement these verses of God’s Word for fear of being labeled unloving and mean spirited. As a result, we have been very much leavened with the “leavening of the Pharisees” multi-fractured church, which men like Dr. D. James Kennedy, John Hagee, Paul Crouch and many others refer to so proudly as “historical orthodox Christianity.” This same church, leavened and corrupted with those who “abide not in the doctrine of Christ”, is referred to in scripture as, “Babylon The Great, The Mother of Harlots and of The Abomination of The Earth.”

Getting back to the number two and the “two witnesses”; that number, as well as all other numbers mentioned in God’s Word, is defined and interpreted “not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual [things] with spiritual.” So what is the spiritual meaning of the number two? Are there really just two men who will witness for God at some time in the future? Such a question belies the fact that the person asking it has never noticed that this is a book of symbols and signs which we are to “do” and “keep” for the time IS at hand” and everything in this book “must shortly [Greek: τάχος, tacos – quickly] come to pass.”

Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Rev 22:6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his [symbolic two witnesses] servants the things which must shortly be done.
Rev 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

Now where did I get the nerve to bracket in the words “two witnesses” in this verse? Well, it doesn’t take nerve. All it takes is “eyes to see” the “spiritual things [which are] compared with spiritual things” (1Co 2:13). The number “two” in scripture is a symbol for witnessing:

Deu 17:6 At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.

Deu 19:15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.

Mat 18:16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

The hypocritical Pharisees certainly understood the meaning of this number:

Mat 26:60 But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, [yet] found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,

2Co 13:1 This [is] the third [time] I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

1Ti 5:19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.

Heb 10:28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

Rev 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred [and] threescore days, clothed in sackcloth

How did Christ apply this principle of the number two?

Mar 6:7 And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;

Luk 10:1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

What else did Jesus tell these twelve?

Joh 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

He also said this:

Luk 24:48 And ye are [”two by two”] witnesses of these things.

Act 5:32 And we are his [”two by two”] witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

Do you see that? Christ sent forth the twelve “two by two.” These are spiritual words conveying spiritual Truths. Who are “the twelve?”

Luk 6:13 And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose [Greek: ἐκλέγομαι, eklegomai – select, choose] twelve, whom also he named apostles;

Here is another verse which bears witness to this principle:

Mat 22:14 For many are called [Greek: κλητός, kletos – invited, called], but few are chosen [Greek: ἐκλεκτός, eklektos – select].

This Greek word ‘eklektos’ is, according to Webster’s dictionary, a contraction of two Greek words:

“ELECT’ v. t. [L. electus, from eligo; e or ex and lego; Greek to choose.]”

The Greek root ‘lego’ is the root for both ‘kletos’ and ‘eklektos.’ And the Greek word ‘ex’ or ‘ek’ means ‘out of’. ‘God’s ‘elect’ are His “two by two” witnesses so that “in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word can be established.” These “few chosen” are chosen “out of” the “many called.”

Mat 2:15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of [Greek: ἐξ, ek – from, out] Egypt have I called my son.

Conclusion:

These are not fabrications from the fertile mind of someone trying to sell a book about end-time events and who does not know the voice of the true shepherd. These are rather the words of the Shepherd Himself: “As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.”

‘Two’ is the number of witness in scripture. All meat must have cloven hooves to be fit for food under Old Testament clean food laws. That is simply a physical symbol for this ‘two witnesses’ principle. A “cloven hoof ” is two upon the earth, which are required for any meat (deep things of the spirit, things beyond mere milk) to be considered as fit for spiritual food.

Mat 13:52 Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new [Testament] and old [Testament].

This is why Peter also told us:

2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private [Greek: its own] interpretation.

In other words, no one verse of scripture is sufficient of itself. Doctrine cannot be established with out the witness of at least one other verse of scripture.

2Co 13:1 (b) In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

Yes, the ‘little book’ of Rev 10 is the ‘little book’ of Ezekiel 2. And the “two witnesses” are those of God’s elect who, like Ezekiel, are sent as witnesses to God’s own people (”That great city wherein our Lord was crucified”), not to convert them but to “torment them that dwell upon the earth (the church – Jer 22:29) with fire from their mouths (God’s Word – Jer 5:14)

Jer 22:2 And say, Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, that sittest upon the throne of David, thou, and thy servants, and thy people that enter in by these gates:

Jer 22:29 O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD [fire].

Jer 5:14 Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

What are these “words of the Lord” which “devour” and “torment them that dwell upon the earth?” They are the very words of the “little book” mentioned in the previous chapter. Did you notice what was written in that little book?

Eze 2:10 And he spread it [the “little book of Rev 10] before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.

Is it becoming any clearer why the little book is “bitter in the belly?” Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and the “two witnesses”, God’s elect in any age, will always be hated for the words which must be spoken to God’s people in every age. God’s people have and always will be “that great city wherein our Lord was crucified.” And God’s own people must always be witnessed against and “hated of all men for my name’s sake,” However, “my name’s sake”, contrary to what is commonly taught, is not the mere mouthing of the ten-second sinner’s prayer. It is rather being faithful to the “doctrine of Christ” and being faithful to the “lamentations, mournings and woe” which are all that is in that “little book.”

I hope this helps you to see much better who are the “two witnesses.” It is not two men who will mysteriously appear at the end of this age and spit fire at their enemies. They are rather those who in “the time is at hand” manner in which the “revelation of Jesus Christ was meant to be understood, have been witnessing for Christ against His harlot wife all down through the centuries.

[Part one of this series begins here.]