The 144,000 And The 2 Witnesses

Q

I was wondering about the timing of the different ministries of the Trib. evangelists (concurrent or subsequent): specifically, since the 144K appear first in Rev.7, would that mean they preach the first HALF of the Trib. then disappear (in another Rapture), to give way to the “second wave” ministry, so to speak, of the Two Witnesses who don’t appear until Rev. 11 (is that basically the second HALF, or during Great Tribulation)?

A

The 144,000 Jewish believers are first mentioned in Rev. 7:1-8 between the 6th and 7th seals which places them around the middle of the first half of Daniel’s 70th Week. There’s no mention of either their disappearance or of a 2nd rapture, so we have no way of knowing if or when their ministry will come to an end.

The two witnesses arrive on the scene in Rev. 11:3 between the 6th and 7th Trumpet judgments, shortly before the mid point of Daniel’s 70th Week. They will minister for 1260 days before being killed and subsequently taken into heaven. Therefore, their ministry will commence just prior to the beginning of the Great Tribulation and conclude just prior to its ending.