Humble warrior, I believe their ministry shall overlap with the first and second half of tribulation. If rapture does happen this summer, I believe the two witnesses shall begin their ministry on the Passover week in 2020. Their ministry shall end on Tishri 15 2023. And 3.5 days later, they shall ascend to heaven in the morning of Tishri 18. Just as John the Baptist who was the last O.T. prophet saw the messiah and lived into the N.T times. TR 2nd Coming: I guess my only problem with that is then the 1260 days that they minister would be a different 1260 days than either the 1st half or 2nd half of the trib. It seems to me it's pretty clear that the 1260 days that the woman (Israel) is protected in the Wilderness is the 2nd half of the trib. So you're saying that the 1260 day ministry of the two witnesses actually overlaps the 1260 days when Israel is pursued by the dragon into the wilderness? Then that would beg the question why would the 2 witnesses continue on after Israel is fleeing to the wilderness. Not trying to be argumentative just trying to understand. I always thought the abomination of desolation and the killing of the 2 witnesses happened almost simultaneously ushering in the 2nd half of the trib. The 1260 days mentioned a few times in Revelation seems to point to the 1st half or the 2nd half so it doesn't make much since to me that God would introduce a 3rd 1260 day period that overlapped the other 2. Just an observation. Humble Warrior, to answer your question, we need to corporate the 390 days of besiege on Jerusalem in Ezekiel 4. While in the middle of tribulation, AC breaks the covenant and invades Jerusalem, the two witnesses shall defend the city for 390 days. But after 390 days of siege on Jerusalem, the wall shall breach and they both are killed. These 390 days go beyond the first half of tribulation. And this is why their ministry overlaps the first and second half of tribulation. And because of these 390 days of siege,the woman can then be given two wings of eagle, and fly into the wilderness where she is nourished for a time, times, and half time. Some countries shall lend hand to the Jews and fly them out of this war zone.
