The two witnesses are not actual people,it's the Bible.
With the 144,000 being his witnesses of the scriptures they hold the testimony of the two witnesses(scripture knowledge)
Jesus will lead by pouring his Spirit into the remnant and give his testimony word for word.
That way it will be just as before when the old covenant was being fulfilled.
Ark of the testimony leading the way into the Jordan/Jesus leading the way by being in the temple of the 144,000 giving his testimony.
The next generation of Israelite's and the two witnesses Joshua/Caleb and the two spies are the remnant of Israel in the book of Joshua.
They even made it over the Jordan during the first harvest of the season,so they are considered to be the first fruits also.
Ecclesiastes 1:9-10
What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again,
there is nothing new under the sun.
Is there any thing which one can say,
"look this is something new"?
It was here already long ago;
it was here before our time.
And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
4They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.”[SUP]
a[/SUP]
5If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die.
6They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
7Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them.
8Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified.
9For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial.
10The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.
11But after the three and a half days the breath[SUP]
b[/SUP] of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them.
12Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.
Here is my point: everything in the context regarding the two witnesses, demonstrates that they are two literal people. Here are the details regarding the two witnesses:
* I will appoint my two witnesses
* They will prophesy for 1,260 days
* They are clothed in sackcloth
* They represented by two olive trees and two lampstands
* If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies.
* They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying
* they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague
* After 1,260 days, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them.
* Their bodies will lie in the public square of Jerusalem for 3 1/2 days and not be allow burial
* People from every tribe, language and nation will gloat over them and celebrate by sending gifts to one another
* After 3 1/2 days God says, "come up here" and they resurrect and ascend into heaven
All of the characteristics above demonstrate without a doubt -- via scripture -- that these two men are literal men and not symbolic. There is nothing whatsoever in the context that would lead the reader to believe otherwise. By your interpretation, you are forcing the issue by mere conjecture.