Bible Matters 372: Two Witnesses – Preponderance of Evidence.

God made it clear that out of the mouth of two or three witnesses, you will know the truth.  When there is a decision on a principle, the greater number of witnesses, solidifies the truth.  You must decide if you want to follow God’s word, period, from the doctrine of two or three witnesses.  Like the pastor that gave the book, “A Bride of Christ”, a rating of 1, the testimony of two witnesses was too much for his deceived self to comprehend.  Please pray to God that the seed planted by the doctrine of two witnesses, grows in his heart, so he too can understand and teach the truth!

The Bible is a contract between you and God. The Old Testament is a series of prophets, kings and lovers of God that wrote books and prophecies.  Lesson after lesson is about God sending forth two witnesses so as to obtain the truth.  The New Testament is the compiled transcripts of eight witnesses that walked with, were brothers of or recruited by Jesus.  Three New Testament witnesses made it clear in at least seven verses that you use two or three witnesses to establish God’s word.  God knew that Paul’s teachings would get plucked and abused.  Paul said four times that you must establish the truth by two or three witnesses.  This is not a new principle.  It is mandatory.

Old Testament:

Deuteronomy 17:6 – At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.

Deuteronomy 19:15 – One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.

1 Kings 21:10 – And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.

1 Kings 21:13 – And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.

God used two angels throughout the bible to present his messages.  Two angels came to tell Lot to take his family and leave the city of sin.

Genesis 19:1,15 – And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.

God used two witnesses to develop the house of Israel.

Ruth 4:11 – And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:

Joshua was one of the two witnesses sent to Moses, that refused to put his trust in them.  Joshua knew the importance of two witnesses.  The house of Rahab was spared by Joshua, as a result of these two witnesses.

Joshua 2:1-4,9-10,14-15 – And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there.  And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country.  And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country.  And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were :  And she said unto the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.  For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.  And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the Lord hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.  Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.

New Testament:

God made it clear that out of the mouth of two or three witnesses, you will hear the truth.  What Jesus said is of his Father.  His word is the testimony of two people.

Matthew 18:16 – But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

John 8:17-18 – It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.  I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.

2 Corinthians 13:1 – This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

Hebrews 6:18 – That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

Hebrews 10:28 – He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

1 Timothy 5:19 – Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.

The last reference to the use of two witnesses in the bible, is in Revelation.

Revelation 11:3 – And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

John referred to the witness of Trinity and Jesus Christ as the faithful witness. 

1 John 5:6-10 – And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.  For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.  And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.  If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.  He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

Revelation 1:5 – And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

As reported by Peter, the apostles were eyewitnesses of the majesty of Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:16,19-20 – For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

God made it a practice to send two witnesses in the New Testament.

God sent two angels at the tomb, to witness to Mary Magdalene.

John 20:11-12 – But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

God sent his disciples out two by two.

Mark 6:7,12 – And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits; And they went out, and preached that men should repent.

Additional verses of two witnesses are throughout the New Testament.

2 Timothy 2:2 – And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

James 2:25 – Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

You must then use the testimony of two or three witnesses in order to understand the truth and not by special interpretation.  This is sound doctrine.

2 Timothy 3:16 – All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2 Timothy 4:3-5 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.  But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

Using the above example, let’s look at the testimony of just one more witness, Peter.

1 Peter 3:3-4 – Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

Peter, as the #1 draft pick that walked with Jesus, got it.  Just one more witness and you get the truth in God’s word.  Outward appearance means nothing.  All that matters is what is in your heart.  Go live your life for the glory of God and with a pure heart you shall see God!

Matthew 25:46 – And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

John 12:46 – I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

Matthew 5:8 – Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Throughout my ministry, God has sent me many witnesses, one right after the other, to convey his doctrine to me in truth.  I listened and believed.  God could not have been more clear in the bible that you must understand his doctrine as conveyed by the witnesses.

The Inca Indians as descendants from Noah were living their life for the glory of God, as instructed by God when the descendants migrated North East from Noah’s Ark.  They were conquered by Spanish conquistadors.  The Spanish conquistadors were driven by greed and failed to adhere to God’s words.  To love God, love neighbor and avoid the love of the false god of filthy lucre.  It took the conquistadors forty years to destroy good.

God’s word and doctrine developed for the Church Of Nineveh is from the two or three witnesses of God’s word the bible.  A doctrine of love for all things of God.

Why has God waited for this lesson in Bible Matters 372?  In Bible numbers, the meaning of 37 and 2?

37 – Inheritance. 

Thirty-seven is the number of inheritance, which is established by God “cutting a covenant” with us. It is often associated with Jesus Christ the ultimate Inheritor of the earth, but it is also applied to inheritance in general. Further, one’s land inheritance was said to be “divided” among the people. The land was “cut” or “divided” in that sense in order to give each his portion. Perhaps the most striking example that shows the meaning of this number is the fact that the name Caleb appears precisely 37 times in the Bible. Caleb is best known for inheriting Hebron. When Joshua gave the Israelites their inheritances.

Joshua 14:5-14 – Thus the sons of Israel did just as the Lord had commanded Moses, and they divided the land.  Then the sons of Judah drew near to Joshua in Gilgal, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know the word which the Lord spoke to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh barnea…”  So Moses swore on that day, saying, “Surely the land on which your foot has trodden shall be an inheritance to you and to your children forever, because you have followed the Lord my God fully…”  So Joshua blessed him and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance . Hebron became the inheritance.  Therefore, of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite until this day, because he followed the Lord God of Israel fully.

2- Division, Double Witness

Beth is a house or household in Hebrew. God established the household with Adam and Eve, two people in a marriage. This provided direction, a double witness in the family to know the will of God. It takes two points to make a line and establish direction. The number two signifies either division or a double witness. God established two covenants in the Bible, first as a double witness of truth, but also to establish direction. Going from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant shows a progression of revelation from the lesser to the greater.

Your inheritance can be secure if you understand the truth in God’s word from the mouth of two or three witnesses.  Do not be deceived.  To obtain your inheritance does take work.  You must become a new man, being born again and converted to a lover of God and the things of God.  Your heart is transformed through the understanding of God’s word from a lover of self to a lover of others.  You repent and turn from a sinner satisfying self to a lover of others.  You become a doer of his word.  Pure religion is when you have empathy and recognize the weakness in others and you become the light of their world. 

James 1:23, 25-27 – For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass.  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.  If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.  Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

You show your faith by your works.

James 2:18 – Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 

Your do and works are the result of the grace of God residing in you and the workings of the Holy Ghost.

1 Corinthians 15:10 – But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 

1 Timothy 1:5 – Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

1 Peter 4:7-8 – But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.  And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

Loving God and looking for his mercy, unto eternal life.

Jude 1:21 – Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

To God be the glory in all you do, Amen.