As we have already observed, Israel is symbolized by the “olive tree” in Scripture and the church is symbolized by the “candlestick” in Scripture.

ISRAEL IS SYMBOLIZED BY THE OLIVE TREE.

• In Jeremiah 11:16, the Lord names both “the house of Israel” and “the house of Judah” a “green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit…”
• In Hosea 14:6, the Lord promises Israel that its “branches shall spread” and its “beauty shall be as the olive tree.”
• In Romans 11:11-24, Paul speaks of Israel as “the olive tree” into which believing Gentiles are “grafted in” as “wild branches” through their faith in Christ.

THE CHURCH IS SYMBOLIZED BY THE CANDLESTICK.

• In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus says, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

THE BOOK OF REVELATION CLEARLY TEACHES THAT THE CANDLESTICK IS SYMBOLIC OF THE CHURCH.

• “I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man…The mystery of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven lampstands are the seven churches.” (Revelation 1:12-13, 20 NIV)
• In Revelation 2:5, Jesus warns the church of Ephesus that if it does not “repent” and “return” to its “first love” He will remove its “candlestick out of its place.”

The two witnesses are symbolic of the only two witnesses that God has ever had, His Old Covenant people—Israel—and His New Covenant people—the church.

In the final analysis, however, they are more precisely symbolic of the church—the bride of Christ, which is God the Son’s eternal companion and God the Father’s eternal purpose (Ephesians 3:2-13). The church is the one body in which God has reconciled the two—Jews  and Gentiles—unto Himself!

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