In the opening verses of the eleventh chapter of the book of Revelation, we come across two individuals who are referred to in scripture as the two witnesses (Revelation 11:3). However, the names of these two righteous and powerful persons are not identified, which in turn has resulted in much speculation over the centuries as to who or what the two witnesses may in fact be or represent. Some schools of thought believe the two witnesses to be Moses and Elijah, while others hold to the theory that the two witnesses are really Enoch and Elijah. Going further, some have even argued that the two witnesses symbolically represent the Old and New Testaments. Personally speaking, it is the firm belief of this author that the two witnesses are indeed Enoch and Elijah and NOT Moses and Elijah as many teach. This presentation will in turn attempt to outline the evidence found within the Bible which would support the notion that the two witnesses of Revelation chapter eleven are truly the two ancient prophets Enoch and Elijah. That being said, let us now take a deeper look into these claims by rightly dividing the Word of Truth.
Now one thing to note as to the theory of the prophet Moses being one of the two witnesses, is that God did not allow him to enter the Promised Land, due to Moses’ disobedience at the rock of Meribah (Numbers 20:7-12). Now from Mt. Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho, the Lord did indeed show Moses the Land of Promise of which the twelve tribes of Israel would inherit, but God did not allow Moses to enter. So if the two witnesses are sent to preach in Jerusalem during the Tribulation, then that would mean that God would have to one day change His mind and allow Moses to physically enter the Promise Land. However, nowhere in scripture is God’s change of heart expressed. And even though Moses was present during the transfiguration of Christ along with Elijah, I believe that the presence of Moses in this instance was a spiritual manifestation and not a physical appearance, as we shall see from what we find written in the last chapter of the book of Deuteronomy where it clearly states that Moses did indeed die (Deuteronomy 34:5).
So, for Moses to be one of the two witnesses then that would mean that God would not only have to break His promise of not permitting Moses to enter the promised land, but the Lord would also have to raise Moses from the dead. Also in Revelation, we see that the two witnesses are killed by the Antichrist and are then raised from the dead three days later. Again if Moses was one of the two witnesses then not only would Moses have to die twice, but he would also have to be raised from the dead twice, a trial that not even Christ went through! For as it is written, “…it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). So since the Bible tells us that Moses died, then the two witnesses must be Enoch and Elijah, the only two people recorded in the scriptures who have not as yet tasted of death.
From what has been stated in the preceding discourse I do believe that a strong case has been made which would eliminate Moses as being one of the two witnesses. We also know from scripture that Elijah was taken from the earth, and will return before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord (Malachi 4:5). The Bible also informs us that Enoch was translated that he should not see death (Hebrews 11:5). So from these verses a strong argument can be established that states that since all people must indeed die one day, and because Enoch and Elijah have yet to die, then the appearance of these two powerful individuals known as the two witnesses who will be killed and resurrected must be the two prophets Enoch and Elijah who have yet to experience a physical death.
And even though the names of the two witnesses are not revealed, the spiritual stature of prophets Enoch and Elijah do fit the description of the two witnesses of Revelation which are identified as, “…the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth” (Revelation 11:4). So through the process of elimination we can confidently assert that Moses, though one of the mightiest of all the prophets, is not one of the two witnesses that preach in the Holy Land during the Tribulation.