The word “witnesses” is found 51 times in the NIV Bible.  A witness is one who gives evidence or testimony of things or of people. To be a chosen witness means that we  profess Jesus as the Messiah and that we proclaim Him as our Lord. “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord” Isaiah 43:10 NIV — The Prophet Jeremiah proclaimed: “Therefore hear, you nations; you who are witnesses, observe what will happen to them.” Jeremiah 6:18 NIV – The Complete Jewish Bible says in Leviticus 5:1 “If a person who is a witness, sworn to testify, sins by refusing to tell what he has seen or heard about the matter, he must bear the consequence.”  Revelation 11 ends “Then the Temple of God in heaven was opened, and the Ark of the Covenant was seen in His Temple.”  An angel of the Lord was telling John, a disciple of Jesus who was imprisoned on the island of Patmos; “Measure the temple court, not the outside court” As the outside court of the temple in the holy city of Jerusalem had been given over to the nations and it will be trampled upon for forty two months, or 3.5 years. The voice from heaven also told John;  “Also I will give power to my two witnesses; and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, 3.5 years, dressed in sackcloth.  Are these two witnesses the two Olive trees and the two menorahs (lampstands) standing before the Lord of the earth?  If anyone tries to do them harm (two witnesses) fire comes out of their mouth and consumes their enemies. Yes, if anyone tries to harm them that is how he must die. They (two witnesses) have the authority to shut up the sky, so that no rain falls during the period of their prophesying (3.5 years) also they have the authority to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want. When they (two witnesses) finish their witnessing, the beast coming up out of the Abyss will fight against them, overcome them and kill them; and their dead bodies will lie in the main street of the great city (Jerusalem) whose name reflects the spiritual condition like Sodom (immorality) and Egypt (slaves in bondage).  Some from the nations, tribes, languages and peoples see their bodies for 3.5 days and do not permit the corpses to be placed in a tomb. The people living in the Land rejoice over them. (The Jesus followers are severely hated as the witnesses had been producing plagues and consuming them with fire for the words they spoke) the non-believers celebrated as they send each other gifts, because these two prophets tormented them so. But after the 3.5 days (or 3.5 years of being dead in the street) a breath of life from God entered them (two witnesses) they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on the non-believers who saw them. Then the two witnesses heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them (two witnesses) “Come up here!” And they (two witnesses) went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies watched them (two witnesses). In that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city (Jerusalem) collapsed. (Prophecy of Zachariah 14:4 “His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which lies to the east of Jerusalem; and the Mount of Olives will be split in half from east to west, to make a huge valley.”)  the rest (the surviving non-believing Jews or enemies of God) were awestruck and gave glory to the God of heaven. Revelation 1:20 “Here is the secret meaning of the seven stars you saw in My right hand, an of the seven lampstands: the 7 stars are the angels of the 7 churches, and the 7 lampstands are the 7 churches. The twenty four elders sitting on their thrones in God’s presence fell on their faces an worshipped God, saying, “We thank you, Adonai, God of heaven’s armies, the One who is and was, that You have taken Your power and have begun to rule. The nations raged, but now Your rage has come, the time for the dead to be judged, the time for rewarding Your servants the prophets and Your holy people, those who stand in awe of Your Name, both small and great. It is also the time for destroying those (non-believers) who destroy the earth.” Between chapters 11-19 of Revelation the various judgments associated with the overthrow of the world system are poured out as the judgments inaugurate the Messiah’s rule on earth. (The prophet Daniel 9:26 precisely predicts the death of Jesus, the Messiah page 1257 of the Complete Jewish Bible)  Rev 4:4 “Surrounding the throne were 24 other thrones, and seated on them were 24 elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.” Rev 11:16 “ And the 24 elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God” Compelling argument with scriptures in the video inserted here. The most important thing for all of who believe in Jesus as the Messiah is that we are PREPARED to give TESTIMONY at all times. Whether we get taken up before the great day, or if we remain behind to be a fire breathing witness, it is important that we rely on God’s living Word and allow the Holy Spirit to teach us the Truth.