At the beginning of the Great Tribulation God's two witnesses will supernaturally appear on the streets of Jerusalem and speak boldly of God's coming judgment on the ungodly world. (Rev 11: 3-12) They will be despised by unbelievers as they inflict various ecological and meteorological plagues upon the world, including: severe droughts, turning waters to blood, and other non-specified disasters, in an effort to convince unbelievers to take seriously their warning message of God's soon-coming severe judgment upon humanity. As a defense, the two witnesses are able to destroy with fire from their mouths anyone who comes near them.
Most likely the coming Antichrist (AC), who causes the Abomination of Desolation to be set up in the temple 3 1/2 years prior to Jesus' return, becomes possessed by Satan a short time after Satan and his angels are defeated in heaven by Michael and his angels (Rev 12: 7-9). After Satan is thrown down to the earth, he gives the AC his demonic power (Rev 13: 2) who then begins a reign of terror and persecution against the nation of Israel and Christian believers. (Rev 12: 13, 17) It is during this period of severe persecution of God's people that the two witnesses have their ministry.
After warning the inhabitants of the earth for 3 1/2 years to repent of their ungodly behavior, the Satan-possessed AC finally has the two witnesses killed (Rev 11: 7-10) and the world rejoices. Their two dead bodies lie unburied in the streets of Jerusalem and the world celebrates their death. Television and internet videos will show the dead bodies to the world. (Rev 11: 9) Suddenly after 3 1/2 days, they are resurrected by God and called to heaven in a rapture event which is seen by the world. As they are raptured into heaven, an earthquake shakes Jerusalem causing 7,000 deaths and destroying 1/10 of the city. (Rev 11: 13)
I believe that soon after these two witnesses are taken up into heaven the rapture of the church will take place, and then the 7 bowl judgments of God's wrath will come upon the earth and the unrepentant. (For support for this statement, please visit my blog: "There Will Be No 'Pre-tribulation' Rapture of the Church -- Here's Why")
So, why Enoch and Elijah? God's word tells us that "it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment." (Heb 9: 27 - Emphasis added) Many Christians speculate that the two witnesses will be Moses and Elijah. They reason that since the plagues described in Rev 11 are similar to those brought about by Moses while he was in Egypt arguing with Pharaoh about the release of the nation of Israel from Egypt, Moses must be one of the two witnesses. Since Elijah never died and was taken up into heaven, they argue that he is the other witness.
Such arguments may appear logical, but scripture cannot be contradicted. Heb 9: 27 clearly tell us that a man cannot die more than once. Moses died and was buried. (Deut 34: 5-6) The Bible tells us that only two individuals did not die and were taken directly to heaven. They are Enoch and Elijah. (Heb 11: 5; 2 Kings 2: 11)
Clearly, Elijah will return to testify in the streets of Jerusalem with a call to repentance. His return will also literally fulfill the prophesy of his return to earth found in Malachi 4: 5-6, which John the Baptist fulfilled only in a spiritual sense. Enoch never died, so he will also return to earth to die in the streets of Jerusalem with Elijah.
The "time of trouble" spoken of throughout the Old Testament is indeed just around the corner. It is time to repent and to prepare your heart to seek the Lord. (Psalm 27: 5; Zeph 2: 3; Rev 3: 10)
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