They will prophesy 1,260 days or during the same period of time that the Antichrist reigns supreme, the Holy City is trodden down of the Gentiles, and the woman flees into the wilderness for protection, Rev. 11:2-3; 12:6, 14; 13:5. That they will prophesy during the last three and one- half years, instead of the first three and one-half years, seems clear from the following:


All passages of forty-two months, 1,260 days, and three and one-half years, in both Daniel and Revelation, always refer to the last half of Daniel’s Seventieth Week.


The fact that the two witnesses are not mentioned until the middle of the Week or after the seals and the first six trumpets, proves that they do not prophesy during the fulfillment of these things in the first three and one-half years. If they were to prophesy during the first three and one-half years, the prophecy concerning them would surely be placed before the events of this period so that we should naturally understand that they were to prophesy during that time instead of during the last three and one-half years. Why should their ministry be revealed in connection with the middle of the Week if it is to end at that time?


We naturally understand that the 1,260 days or forty-two months of Rev. 11:3 are the same as the forty-two months of Rev. 11:2, for both periods are in the same prophecy. There is no break between these verses as to two periods of time. Since the city is not trodden underfoot by the Gentiles until the last half of the Week, the two witnesses must prophesy during that time instead of the first half of the Week.


The angel of Rev. 10 will come down from heaven after the sixth trumpet in the middle of the Week and just before the seventh. It is this angel who states, “I will give power to my two witnesses.” This implies futurity from the time when the angel comes down. To place the fulfillment of Rev. 11:3-13 back during all the seals and trumpets is to take it out of the place given and intended of God.


The main argument of those who teach that the two witnesses prophesy during the first three and one-half years is that the beast, when he comes out of the abyss in the middle of the Week will immediately destroy them. There is no statement that the beast comes out of the abyss in the middle of the Week and where can it be found that he destroys the witnesses immediately after he arises? Verse 7 does not teach that. It simply states that the beast which comes out of the abyss will destroy them at the end of their testimony, but as far as proving the above, it does not.


On the contrary, it is clear that the beast will come out of the abyss sometime before the Seventieth Week and cause the rise of the Antichrist out of the ten kingdoms, who, in turn will make the seven years covenant with Israel. This is further proven from the fact that the two witnesses will withstand Antichrist from the middle of the Week onward for the purpose of protecting the Israelites who do not flee into the wilderness. There will be no reason for protecting them during the first three and one-half years, for Antichrist will do that himself. Therefore, there will not be such a great need for the ministry of the two witnesses in the first three and one-half years. However, during the last three and one-half years the Antichrist will oppose Israel, hence the need for the protection of the two witnesses at that time. What will be the purpose of their prophecy and working of miracles unless Israel is to be persecuted during their ministry by Antichrist?


The fact that they cannot be killed by the beast until they have finished their testimony proves that the beast, when he comes out of the abyss, does not immediately destroy them, and further shows the antagonism between the beast and the two witnesses during the 1,260 days. God has no intention of withstanding the beast until he breaks his covenant with Israel and begins to destroy them. Therefore, the ministry of the witnesses would be without purpose during the first three and one-half years. Their ministry will be fitting only for the terrible days of the great tribulation caused by Antichrist in the last three and one-half years. God is retaining these two men in heaven for this particular purpose.
If there were a statement to the effect that the two witnesses had prophesied three and one- half years previous to the time the passage was given to John then the position of it here would be clear, but there is no such statement. Unless it is clear in the parenthetical passage that it is not to be fulfilled in the place it is given, then we can rest assured that it is given in its proper order.


Mal. 4:5-6 proves that the time of their ministry is before the great and notable day of the Lord, which will begin at the coming of Christ. This, then, places their ministry during the last three and one-half years.