Two Witnesses

 Two Witnesses

“If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death at the evidence of witnesses, but no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness” (Numbers 35:30).  "But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed” (Matthew 18:16 emphasis added).  

When Yeshua was on trial, for saying things that were misconstrued as  blasphemy by the religious leaders, the above Torah law played an important part in determining whether He was guilty or not.  Even in today’s world of civil law the concept of two or more witnesses is important in judicial decisions.  YHVH also has two witnesses, as we read in Deuteronomy 4:26: “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today…” and again in 30:19: "I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse”.   Could YHVH be showing us that life and blessing come from the heaven, and death and curse from the earth?  

By in large, the messianic community and many other believing circles embrace and highlight the understanding of the “one new man in Messiah”, that is, that there is neither Jew or Gentile (the “slave, free, male or female” addition is not brought too much into this particular discussion).  If this is the one definitive description of the body of Messiah, it makes the body strictly a ‘heavenly’ entity and thus a spiritual witness to the reality of Elohim. But as such, it leaves out an earthly one. However, Scripture makes it very clear that YHVH has already chosen an earthly/natural people to be His witnesses.   

“But now, thus says YHVH, your Creator, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel, ‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!’” (Isaiah 43:1)...   What did YHVH have in mind when He called and chose Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, with whom He made an everlasting covenant?  Could it be for being a witness as to who He is? By the time Isaiah uttered these words the life/seed of Jacob had already multiplied into numerous descendants, but yet in YHVH’s eyes they were just one earthly entity - Jacob/Israel.

"You are My witnesses,’ declares YHVH, ‘and My servant whom I have chosen, in order that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no Elohim formed, and there will be none after Me. I, even I, am YHVH; and there is no savior besides Me.  It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed, and there was no strange god among you; so you are My witnesses,’ declares YHVH, ‘and I am Elohim'” (Isaiah 43:10-12 emphases added). This is also confirmed by Isaiah 44:1-8.  YHVH did not stop with Jacob (as His single witness), but He went further and divided up His firstborn Israelite nation into two (Isaiah 8:14; Ezekiel 37:22). What was His purpose in doing that?  He had to have two legitimate (earthly) witnesses.  But in order for that earthly witness to no longer be associated with death and curse, notice the emphasis in the above-quoted Isaiah 43:1 on the redemption of Jacob/Israel.

Once YHVH unites these two brothers their witness becomes even more powerful (casting their ‘shadow’ even further, see Revelation 11:3-7), just as the prophets of old foretold about them (Israel and Judah) in Jeremiah 31:31-37 and Ezekiel 37: 19-28 and in numerous other scriptures.

Consequently, the true One New Man, “the Israel of Elohim”, will stand ‘tall and strong’, redeemed, reformed, renewed, and resurrected into the image and likeness of Elohim, being joined to Yeshua he will fulfill His prayer: “I in them and You (Father) in Me”.