11:3-6 Who are the two witnesses?
11:3-6 Who are the two witnesses?
The general consensus among bible commentators is that the two witnesses here are Moses and Elijah. But we can only be certain from scripture of Elijah (cp Mal 4:5-6). "Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord" refers to the latter half of the tribulation leading up to Christ's second coming and the battle of Armageddon.
A thousand two hundred and three score days is three and a half years. The two witnesses' testimony during these last three and a half years will turn multitudes of people back to God. While scriptures do not directly teach who the other witness is, they point to Enoch. Of all the Old Testament saints, only he and Elijah are yet to die. Scriptures teach that everyone under the curse - except the saints still living at the rapture - has to die once (cp He 9:27).
Enoch and Elijah are still living; they were translated alive to heaven (cp Gen 5:21-24; 2 Ki 2:1, 9-12). In light of He 9:27 Moses could not be the other witness, because he has already died once (cp Deut 34:5-8). Enoch and Elijah are the only Old Testament saints who are yet to die. They will die as God's two witnesses when they finish their testimony at the end of the three and a half years. Thus scripture will be fulfilled (cp Rev 11:7-12).
For a detailed study on the beast from the bottomless pit that kills the two witnesses see comments on Rev 17:7-17.