Then I was given a measuring stick, and I was told,’Go to the Temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers. But do not measure the outer courtyard for it has been turned over to the nations. They will trample the holy city for 42 months. An I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will be clothed in burlap and will prophesy during those 1,260 days.’
These two prophets are the two olive trees and two lamp stands that is before the Lord of all the earth. If anyone tries to harm them, fire flashes from their mouths and consumes their enemies. This is how anyone who tries to harm them must die. They have power to shut the sky so that no rain will fall as long as they prophesy. And they have the power to turn the rivers and oceans to into blood, and strike the earth with every kind of plague as they wish.
When they complete their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the bottomless pit will declare war against them, and he will conquer them an evil them. And their bodies will lie in the Main Street of Jerusalem, the city that is figuratively called ‘Sodom’ and ‘Egypt’ the city where their Lord was crucified. And for three and a half days, all peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will star at their bodies. None will be allowed to bury them. All the people who belong to this world will gloat over them and give presents to each other to celebrate the death of the two prophets who had tormented them.
But after three and a half days, God breathed life into them, and they stood up! Terror struck all who were staring at them. Then a loud voice from heaven called to the two prophets, ‘Come up here!’ And they rose to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched.
At the same time there was a terrible earthquake that destroyed a tenth of the city. Seven thousand people died in that earthquake, and everyone else was terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
The second terror is past, but look, the third terror is coming quickly. (Revelation 11: vv. 10-14 NLT)