* “And I will grant authority to My two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” Rev 11:3.
Some commentators suggest that the first three and a half years is the period of the preaching of the two witnesses while the second half of the week is the time of the bitter trial when the antichrist reigns supreme. Not all agree whether the two periods of three and a half years each are symbolic or indicate calendar years. However if we follow the two fold division of Daniels seventieth week of seven years, the preaching of the two witnesses occupies the first half, while the second half is the time of great trial. *These have the power to shut up the sky, in order that rain may not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they desire. Rev 11:6.
At this point opinion varies greatly as to the identity of these two witnesses so it is perhaps wise not to be dogmatic. One view is that they could be Enoch and Elijah since these are the two people who were taken to heaven without dying (See Genesis 5:24 and 2 Kings 2:11). On the other hand the words “power to shut up the sky” and power to turn the waters into blood clearly allude to the ministries of Moses and Elijah (1Kings 17:1 and Ex 7: 17-21) who also appeared with Jesus in His transfiguration (Matthew 17:3). But there would be no need for a literal re-appearing of these two prophets if it is understood that the two witnesses come in the spirit and function as their predecessors. As the ministry of John the Baptist was in the “spirit and power of Elijah” Luke 1:17. Incidentally Elijah shut up the heaven for three and a half years. (Luke 4:25 and James 5:17). * And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the Abyss will make war with them, and over some them and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. (Rev 11: 7,8.)
The beast is described as coming up from the Abyss only here and in 17:8. A literal reading of this verse tells us that the Two Witnesses are slain in Jerusalem, which can be compared to Sodom and Egypt, immoral places that were condemned by the Lord. But some commentators believe that John’s terminology implies a little more than this, as the word ‘mystically’ means ‘spiritually, in a spiritual manner’. The ‘Great City’ has a three fold designation.. It refers to Babylon throughout the rest of the book. Sodom connotes moral degradation and the terrible divine judgment. Egypt (a country, not a city) was a symbolic name for worldly kingdoms that enslaved Israel. Perhaps then the ‘great city’ represents all places opposed to God and the witness of His servants. The pagan world will celebrate the destruction of the witnesses and will exchange gifts which is a common custom in the Near East. However it is only a brief triumph for the beast as after three and a half days, the Two Witnesses will be raised from the dead and caught up to heaven when they heard the words from heaven, "Come up here”. This is the only instance in the Bible where human figures are associated with a cloud and it is generally believed that the events of Christ’s return and the ascension of the witnesses are simultaneous. | 
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