The Two Witnesses explained, this is history, not my sayings or my thoughts. But yes I do believe that it is very accurate. I learned about the Inquisition in middle-school and its affect on the world at large.
When Christians say that these two witnesses are Moses and Elijah, they are not completely wrong. You see, Moses and Elijah represent the Word of God. Moses represents the Law and Elijah represents the Prophets. Jesus confirmed that He did not come to destroy the law and the prophets, but to fulfill them. The word fulfill meaning to exalt, to bring a clearer understanding. As we know, Moses and Elijah are in Heaven. We know this because they appeared with Jesus on the mount of transfiguration. Now there is a verse in Revelation 11 which for me proves beyond a shadow of doubt that the two witnesses in Revelation CANNOT be Moses and Elijah themselves ..... Revelation 11:7-8 .....'And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.' ..... Now have a real good think about this. Firstly, Moses and Elijah were taken to Heaven and given glorified, immortal bodies. So how can they be killed by people on earth? Why would God send them back to earth to be killed, when Jesus died for us all. When you really think about it, it makes no sense to think the two witnesses are Moses and Elijah. So was the Word of God killed? It was in France during the French Revolution as the Papal reign was coming to an end.
"The French convention dressed an ***, loaded it with the symbols of Christianity, and tied the Old and New Testaments to it's tail. It was then led in mock procession, the crowd piled books of devotion into heaps and burned them to ashes, amid blasphemous shouts. A prostitute was enthroned as 'goddess of reason'." L.E.Froom, Prophetic Faith of our Fathers, Vol 2, Page 738
"France stands apart in the worlds history as the single state which by the decree of her legislative assembly, pronounced there was no God." Blackwoods Magazine Nov. 1870
"On November 26 1793, the convention, of which 17 Bishops and some Clergy were members, decreed the abolition of all religion." The Age of Revolution, W.T.Hutton, Page 156
What about the two witnesses being dead for three and a half days? (Rev. 11:9). Well, we know that in bible prophecy a day is a literal year, so this would equate to three and a half literal years. Take a look at the following quote:
"In 1793, the decree passed the French Assembly suppressing the Bible. Just three years after, a resolution was introduced into the Assembly going to supersede the decree, and giving toleration to the scriptures. That resolution lay on the table for six months, when it was taken up and passed without a dissenting vote .... On 17th June 1797." George Stoffs, Midnight Cry, Vol 4, Nos.5-6, 47
17 November 1793 - France votes the Bible and religion out. (Death)
17 June 1797 - France votes the Bible and religion back in. (Resurrected)
To the exact time of 3.5 years this prophecy was fulfilled by the nation of France. Remember that it says the beast from the bottomless pit does this to the two witnesses. A beast in bible prophecy represents a nation, (see Daniel 7). France is the only nation that fulfills this prophecy of killing the two witnesses, the law and the prophets (the Bible). Please understand also that it was Papal Rome that started the French revolution. When the Christian reformation first hit France, it was accepted with open arms. This then angered the Roman Catholic Church and they initiated the revolution to stamp out the reformation.
Notice in Revelation 11 verse 10 that it says the two witnesses tormented the people on earth ..... Revelation 11:10 .....'because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.' ..... How does the Word of God torment the earth? Take a look at this prophetic scene in Zechariah 5:1,3,4 .....'Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll. Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it. I will bring it forth, saith the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.' ..... This flying roll (or scroll) is the Word of God, which is the Bible going throughout the earth (flying). Do you see what is happening here? It's amazing what God reveals through bible prophecy. This roll (the Word of God) is convicting people of their sin, it shows them their wrong doing, and reveals that they will be destroyed if they don't change their ways and accept and follow Jesus. This is what is meant in Revelation 11, when it says that the two witnesses torment the earth. The Bible curses those who continue in sin and worldly living.
"Moses and Elijah cannot be killed by the world, therefore they cannot be the witnesses"
God's Word is portrayed with a dual image. The two tablets of stone on which the Ten Commandments were written, the double edged sword of the Word, and Jesus was the combination of two natures, the human and divine. The volume of the Bible all points to Jesus ..... Hebrews 10:7 .....'Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.' ..... And Jesus confirmed in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus that if you don't hear the Word of God, then there is nothing else to help you ..... Luke 16:31 .....'And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.' ..... Again He uses Moses and the prophets (Elijah) to symbolize God's Word and the importance of heeding it. Just as on the mount of transfiguration, Moses and Elijah endorsed the first coming of Jesus Christ, the Word of God in the Old and New Testaments stand beside us to endorse Him and are used as witnesses to the whole world of His soon return.
Revelation 11:5-6 .....'And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.' ..... This is an interesting one. Are Moses and Elijah going to breath fire like dragons? Is it Moses and Elijah that have power to shut heaven, or is it the Word of God? Here God is again likening His Word in the Bible with the ministry of Moses and Elijah. Through Elijah, God stopped the rain and also consumed the soldiers with fire from Heaven when they challenged Elijah (2 Kings 1). Through Moses, God turned the water of the Nile into blood, and brought the plagues upon Egypt. The verses above are a warning to those who would try to destroy the Bible, like the Roman Catholic Church have tried to. Do not mess with God and His Word.
What did Jesus do after He was resurrected? ..... Luke 24:27 .....'And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.' ..... Here again we see the law and the prophets (Moses and Elijah). What significance does this have? Well, we see who God's true people really are during the very end times ..... Revelation 12:17 .....'And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.' ..... The woman is the true church of God, and she has two outstanding characteristics, which are keeping God's Commandments (the law) and having the testimony of Jesus. What is the testimony of Jesus? ..... Revelation 19:10 .....'for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.' ..... So these end time saints have the law and the prophets.