Two new enigmatic characters appear in my new novel, The Doorkeeper.  Read about them in chapter 23, Esteemed Companions.  Below I have given the spiritual explanation behind their creation.  If you have not already read the novel, consider doing so before reading this article.

Moyses Joachimn and Eliyahu Gilad symbolize the two witnesses of God that will appear during the great tribulation. Many commentators believe they are, or represent, Moses and Elijah. There are those who believe they are Elijah and Enoch, since neither died and both were translated to heaven. There are numerous other suppositions. I chose to use Moses and Elijah in my novel.

Moses in the Vulgate translation of the Bible is translated as Moyses. This was the name given to him by his Egyptian mother; however, tradition records that his original Hebrew name was Joachimn, therefore, I used it as his surname. Moses married an Ethiopian woman, so I used Ethiopia as this character’s ancestral heritage.

Numbers 12:1
And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. KJV

Eliyahu is the prolonged form of the Hebrew word for Elijah. He was reportedly from the town of Gilead; in Hebrew it is Gilad; therefore, I used it as his surname.

Why two witnesses: In the Mosaic Law a criminal could not be given the death penalty on the testimony of only one witness; two or more were required. Therefore, God sends two witnesses to condemn the world’s inhabitants of their sin.

Deuteronomy 17:6
6At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death. KJV

Their purpose: The two witnesses that appear during the Tribulation Period will work great signs and wonders. They will provide light to a world steeped in darkness, working to counter evil, exposing sin as sin, and be hated because they do. They will speak the truth and prophesy to the world’s inhabitants for three and one half years before they are slain.

Why Moses: The Old Testament records that God buried Moses; no man knew where. He worked signs and wonders similar to those that the two witnesses of the Tribulation Period will work. He and Elijah were on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus.

Matthew 17:1-4
1And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

2And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

3And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

4Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. KJV

Why Elijah: The Old Testament records the translation of Elijah from the earth to heaven in a fiery chariot; therefore, he never died. The Bible declares that each man will die once, and then face judgment. Malachi, an O.T. prophet, also predicts that Elijah will return.

2 Kings 2:11
11And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. KJV

Hebrews 9:27
27And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: KJV

Malachi 4:5-6
5Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

6And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. KJV

Why Enoch: The Old Testament records the translation of Enoch from the earth by the hand of God; therefore, he never died.

Genesis 5:22
22And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: KJV

Why I chose Moses and Elijah:

The two witnesses that appear during the Tribulation Period will be great and mighty men of God. They will work signs and wonders: they will have power over the elements; turning water to blood, using fire to kill their persecutors, declaring a world wide drought, and issuing forth plagues to testify to the world that they are subjects of heaven with both power and authority.

In the Old Testament, Moses turned water into blood, and issued forth numerous plagues against the Egyptians. Elijah called down fire from heaven, and withheld rain from the earth.

Moses and Elijah were great and mighty men of God; they both appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus. Of course, the two witnesses may not be literal people, they may be figurative, but I chose to read and interpret this portion of Scripture literally.