What does Revelation 11:4 mean?

Prior verses indicated that these two witnesses would prophesy for 1,260 days. The witnesses are referred to here as the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. The reference is appropriate. The Old Testament prophet Zechariah received a vision of a gold lampstand and two olive trees, one on each side of the lampstand. The lampstand had a bowl and lamps into which the olive trees poured oil.

Olive oil was used in Bible times as fuel for lamps. The angel who gave the vision told Zechariah: "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts" (Zechariah 4:6), and he identified the lampstands as "the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth" (Zechariah 4:14). Jesus told a parable about ten virgins. Five of them were wise; they took flasks of oil with their lamps. The other five were foolish; they took no oil for their lamps (Matthew 25:1–4). One can see the oil in Matthew 25 as the Holy Spirit, and the 2 olive trees in Zechariah as the witnesses of Revelation. Based on that, God's two witnesses during the second half of the tribulation will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to shine God's light into a dark world.