OK so what I dont get about preterism is When exactly did the 2 witnesses of Revelation come, When did they rise from the dead, how did the whole earth see them at the same time (back in the first century) and when did the Bekah valley fill with so much blood that it was up to the horses' bridles?
When did that all happen?
And when did the New Jerusalem decend?
Yes I take these all as LITERAL occurances.
They definitely are not literal. No reasonable person would ever believe that.
Rev. uses figurative language, metaphors, as well as hyperboles to describe the events that would happen "soon."
Josephus describes the land and rivers being filled with blood, so as to hide the bodies that were slain therein in his War of the Jews.
And there are a few interpretations for the Two witnesses. I do not worship such an obscure figurative passage. h But here are 2 in the preterist camp:
Who were the two witnesses in Rev.11:3? [Answers to common questions in Preterism by Richard Anthony]
Answer #1: The two witnesses are the Law and the Prophets. These are the ones that testified against the Jews for the 3 and ½ years in the siege. However, they killed the two witnesses in a fit of rage, similar to the way they killed the Word Incarnate, Christ. They ascend to heaven to be with the Christ and His Bride because they are part of the Heavenly Jerusalem. They are raised after 3 and ½ days to testify to God's power and judgment of spiritual Sodom, where our Lord was crucified. Many Old Testament allusions are in this passage for the Law and the Prophets. I don't think that they are actually people, but personified to show the way that the Jews treated those they abhorred in the siege. They didn't even bury them, a sign of ultimate degradation. They rejected the Law and the Prophets for making merry against the Lord and living in abominations. They got the curses from Deut. 28 in return. May the Lord recompense all according to their deeds, and this He did to that "wicked and adulterous generation". Notice after the 2 witnesses were taken up to heaven in Rev.11:12, a few verses later in verse 19 the Ark of the Testament is opened in heaven, which is the Law.
Answer #2: The 'Two Witnesses' could also be the Old and New Testaments. . . . The essential purpose of the Scriptures is to give witness to the mercy and verity of God. Our Lord commands, "Search the Scriptures, . . .they are they which testify [bear witness] of Me" (John 5:39). This was addressed to the Jews, and described the character and office of the Old Testament. The New Testament is similarly pronounced the giver of testimony. "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations" (Matthew 24:14). These declarations and considerations are sufficient to sustain the conclusion that the Old and New Testaments are Christ's two witnesses.
As for Rev.11:5, to hurt the word of God is to oppose, corrupt, or pervert its testimony, and turn people away from it. Against those who do this work, fire proceedeth out of their mouth to devour them, that is, judgment of fire is pronounced in that word against such. Notice what the people do after the death of the two witnesses: "And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and a half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth." -Rev.11:9-10.
