REVELATION
SIMPLIFIED
CHAPTER 13.11
Gleanings
from the Book of Revelation:
A
Weekly Verse-by-Verse Bible Study Series
The
REVELATION
TO JOHN
(The Apocalypse)
Chapter
Thirteen
The
Great Tribulation
A Parenthesis
The
Seven Trumpets
Trumpet
Number 7: Woe Number 3
Tribulation Characters
Introduction
The first ten verses of Chapter 13
delineate a beast that emerges from the mass of humanity. During the subsequent
verses, John beholds or sees not Antichrist, but another beast (one of the same
kinds of form) arising out of the earth. As Antichrist dominates the world's
stage in the political and economic arena, the second beast spearheads a world
religious system.
The religious element is a powerful
component in human history. If Antichrist is to be exalted, it is essential to
have a religion to support his global agenda. Therefore, the second beast,
known as the false prophet, substantiates and attests to this new humanity cult
by coalescing a one-world government with a
one-world religion. Hence, essential to its powerful existence, there cannot be
a one-world government, even under tyranny, without a one-world religious
system.
Throughout history, dictatorial rulers
or monarchs understood to achieve absolute power, a religious system was
pertinent to the political system's success. Although Antichrist's rule is unparalleled, given are some precedents in
antiquity:
1. Pharaoh of Egypt had magicians Jannes
and Jambres, a variety of Egyptian priests (cf. Exodus 7:11-12; 2 Timothy 3:8)
2. During the Babylonian captivity,
certain Chaldeans persuaded Nebuchadnezzar to order the empire's population to
bow down to his golden image (cf. Daniel 3:1-12)
3. Roman Emperors declared themselves as
gods and mandated their images to be worshipped (Matthew 22:19-21; see also
Revelation study 2:8)
7.
The Wild Beast of the Earth
(Verse 11)
And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he
had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
Characteristics of the False Prophet
Three main characteristics indicative
of this beast include:
1. He arises out of the earth
a. Out
of the earth is a
phrase that translates from the Greek, from
the depths of the land, earth or earth’s
abyss, i.e., Hades or Hell
b. The first beast came from above the
earth, the second from below
2. He has two horns like a lamb
Wild lambs grow horns. As they begin to
sprout the two little bumps or buds, they will appear to be harmless. This personage
is epitomized in the Sermon on the Mount
as Jesus warns:
Matthew
7:15 - Beware of false prophets, which come
to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
3. He speaks like a dragon
Being Satan’s mouthpiece, the false
prophet will be an eloquent oratorical genius by exercising all the power of
the first beast (cf. Revelation 13:12, 5). And out of his mouth emits the voice
of Hell communicating deadly deception.
(Verse 12)
And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him,
and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast,
whose deadly wound was healed.
4. He exercises the power of the Antichrist
In servitude to Antichrist, the
authoritative power of the false prophet extends to governmental control of
religion. Even with the acquisition of this power, he remains loyal and fully
devoted to the first beast.
5. He causes the earth to worship the Antichrist
The false prophet (pseudoprophetes), as the
world’s religious leader and a counterfeit of the Holy Spirit, will
authenticate the legitimacy of the Antichrist by implementing evil and compelling those
who dwell on the earth to pay homage to the Antichrist throughout the last half of
Tribulation. This false Antichrist cult is completely an apostate religious system
as a result of the wedding of the church and government.
(Verse
13)
And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down
from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.
6. He performs wondrous works, mainly
raining fire on the earth
Deception is Satan’s greatest device. As the Antichrist can fabricate signs and mimic the miracles of Christ, so too will
the false prophet. Be aware: These signs and wonders are not an endorsement
from God.
Fire from Heaven
In a compelling attempt to deceive men
and counterfeit God, He (the false prophet) maketh (poieō; continuously
performs) fire
(to) come down from heaven. Not being a novel idea, this phenomenon has
been previously performed. Prior examples include:
1. When sulfuric fire rained down on Sodom
and Gomorrah
Genesis
19:24 - Then the LORD rained upon
Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the
LORD out of Heaven.
2. When the Israelites complained sinfully
against the Lord
Numbers
11:1 - And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.
3. When God permitted Satan to rain fire
on Job’s flock
Job
1:16 - While he was yet
speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed
them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
The wonder was done on the earth in the sight of men for several reasons which
include:
1. By deceiving the world in preparation
for idolatry
2. By imitating the power of God’s two witnesses (Rev. 11:5)
3. By luring the population to
wholeheartedly worship the beast
(Verse 14)
And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he
had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the
earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a
sword, and did live.
7. He deceives everyone on Earth through
miracles
Those that dwell on Earth at this
juncture are unbelievers.
2
Thessalonians 2:11 - And for this cause God shall
send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.
However, according to the Gospel of
Mark God’s elect cannot be deceived.
Mark
13:22 - For false Christs and false
prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were
possible, even the elect.
8. He convinces men to make an image of
the beast
Erecting an image of the political
world dictator, Antichrist, in the sixth Temple (cf. Revelation study 11:2) is
a direct contradiction and violation of the second commandment:
Exodus
20:4-5a - Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt
not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the
LORD thy God am a jealous God.
The word for image is eikōn, meaning likeness, resemblance, or
representation. Somewhat similar to the image of Nebuchadnezzar of Daniel 3,
but on a global scale, the emphasis in this passage conversely is the wound by the sword and did live.
(Verse
15)
And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that
the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not
worship the image of the beast should be killed.
9. He possesses the power to give life and
speech to the image
a. A fascinating enigma is an image having
the appearance of life, thus the indication
of an inanimate robotic object.
b. The
power to give life is
translated, as “the power to give spirit (pneuma) or breath.”
Talking Idols
Concerning graven images speaking, the Old
Testament is clear about God’s denunciation.
To Israel, He warns:
Psalm 115:3-9 - Our God is in the Heavens: He has done whatsoever He has
pleased. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they
hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle
not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither
speak they through their throat. They that
make them are like unto them; so is
every one that trusteth in them. O Israel, trust thou in the LORD: He is their help and their shield.
Habakkuk
2:18-19 - What profiteth
(value or good is) the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and
a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols? Woe unto
him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the
dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold,
it is laid over with gold and
silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.
Isaiah
35:15-16 - Of what value is an idol carved by a craftsman? Or an image that teaches lies? For the one who makes it trusts
in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot
speak. (NIV)
So now we have the false prophet contradicting
all that God has said concerning idols by causing them to come to life and
speak. In effect, speaking may very likely be induced by mechanical means. This
deception is under the control of Satan. Appearing as if the image comes to
life and conquers death is an intentional counterfeit resemblance of the Resurrection.
An analogous instance occurred in the New
Testament book of Acts when a slave girl’s speech was under demonic control:
Acts
16:16-18 - And it came to pass, as
we went to prayer, a certain damsel
possessed with a spirit of divination met us,
which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and
us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the Most High God, which shew
unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned
and said to the spirit, I command
thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out
the same hour.
Yet an additional example is found in
Mark’s Gospel account of the Gadarene demoniac (cf. Mark 5:7-19). Sometimes he
spoke and other times the demon spoke.
10. He pronounces death to those who
repudiate worship
A death sentence is pronounced upon all
refusing to worship the image of the Antichrist. A precursor to this retribution is
when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar's
image:
Daniel
3:20 - And he (Nebuchadnezzar) commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to
cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
So, in retrospect, only God has the
power to give life as Creator God. Satan is but a mere imitator and deceiver.
The Holy Spirit and False Prophet
Comparison Chart
A. The Holy Spirit is the third person of
the Holy Trinity (cf. Matthew 28:19)
B. The False Prophet is the third person
of the unholy trinity (cf. Revelation 16:13)
A. The Holy Spirit leads men into truth (cf.
John 16:13)
B. The False Prophet leads men into error
(cf. Revelation 13:11, 14)
A. The Holy Spirit glorifies Christ (cf. John
16:14)
B. The False Prophet glorifies Antichrist
(cf. Revelation 13:12)
A. The Holy Spirit makes fire come down
from Heaven for God’s glory (cf. Acts 2:3)
B. The False Prophet does likewise for
Satan’s glory (cf. Revelation 13:13)
A. The Holy Spirit gives life (cf. Romans
8:2)
B. The False Prophet takes life (cf. Revelation
13:15b)
A. The Holy Spirit marks all who belong to
God (cf. Ephesians 1:13)
B. The False Prophet marks all who worship
Satan (cf. Revelation 13:16-17)
A. The Holy Spirit comes down from Heaven
B. The False Prophet comes up from Hell
Conclusion
Satan still seeks to take the place of
God. Worship in the last half of Tribulation will be political, religious, and
apostate. All faith in God and Christ must be denied and there will be servants
of the devil, controlled by demonic spirits, to the point of no redemption.
The following study will focus on the
mark of the beast.
QUESTIONS:
1. What is the False Prophet’s main objective?
2. Name three of the False Prophet’s characteristics.
3. From where does the False Prophet emerge?
4. How does the False Prophet receive his power?
5. How does the False Prophet use his power?
6. What is unique about the image of the Antichrist?
7. How does the False Prophet counterfeit the Holy
Spirit?
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