THE FALSE PROPHET IS THE SECOND BEAST
All over the world, people are bracing for the future. We have globalists wanting a one world global system, we have independents who want to keep the distinction and strength (and problems) of their own nations. There are Muslims looking for the appearance of a Mahdi. There are many Jews who have not accepted Jesus Christ as the true Messiah are still looking for a Messiah. Many Christians are looking for the return and/or rapture of the church by Jesus. Of the Christians looking for Jesus, many are also looking for an Antichrist that must appear first and complete his agenda to at least a certain point (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4) before Jesus calls His church up to Himself. For those that only believe in a Second Coming of Jesus, many also know that there are still unfulfilled prophecies that must be fulfilled, including on the part of the devil, who will do much evil on this earth.
For those of us who are looking for the appearance of the Antichrist, who is the “1st beast” of Revelation 13:1-10, that we read about in our Bibles, we also see that according to Scripture, there will also be “a 2nd beast” that will work in conjunction with the “1st beast.” What can we really know about this “2nd beast,” who is also called the false prophet, according to the Bible? What can we glean from the Scripture that has been given to us?
First let us consider the verses that involve him:
Here are the key points put in chart form.
For those of us who are looking for the appearance of the Antichrist, who is the “1st beast” of Revelation 13:1-10, that we read about in our Bibles, we also see that according to Scripture, there will also be “a 2nd beast” that will work in conjunction with the “1st beast.” What can we really know about this “2nd beast,” who is also called the false prophet, according to the Bible? What can we glean from the Scripture that has been given to us?
First let us consider the verses that involve him:
- Revelation 13:11-18 (AMP) Then I saw another beast rising up out of the land [itself]; he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke (roared) like a dragon. 12 He exerts all the power and right of control of the former beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell upon it to exalt and deify the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed, and to worship him. 13 He performs great signs (startling miracles), even making fire fall from the sky to the earth in men's sight. 14 And because of the signs (miracles) which he is allowed to perform in the presence of the [first] beast, he deceives those who inhabit the earth, commanding them to erect a statue (an image) in the likeness of the beast who was wounded by the [small] sword and still lived. 15 And he is permitted [also] to impart the breath of life into the beast's image, so that the statue of the beast could actually talk and cause to be put to death those who would not bow down and worship the image of the beast. 16 Also he compels all [alike], both small and great, both the rich and the poor, both free and slave, to be marked with an inscription [ stamped] on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 So that no one will have power to buy or sell unless he bears the stamp (mark, inscription), [that is] the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18 Here is [room for] discernment [a call for the wisdom of interpretation]. Let anyone who has intelligence (penetration and insight enough) calculate the number of the beast, for it is a human number [the number of a certain man]; his number is 666.
- (Note: prophetically, horns stand for power and authority)
- Revelation 16:12-14 (AMP) Then the sixth [angel] emptied his bowl on the mighty river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to make ready a road for [the coming of] the kings of the east (from the rising sun). 13 And I saw three loathsome spirits like frogs, [leaping] from the mouth of the dragon and from the mouth of the beast and from the mouth of the false prophet.
Revelation 19:19-20 (AMP) Then I saw the beast and the rulers and leaders of the earth with their troops mustered to go into battle and make war against Him [Jesus] Who is mounted on the horse and against His troops. 20 And the beast was seized and overpowered, and with him the false prophet who in his presence had worked wonders and performed miracles by which he led astray those who had accepted or permitted to be placed upon them the stamp (mark) of the beast and those who paid homage and gave divine honors to his statue. Both of them were hurled alive into the fiery lake that burns and blazes with brimstone.
- Revelation 20:10 (AMP) Then the devil who had led them astray [deceiving and seducing them] was hurled into the fiery lake of burning brimstone, where the beast and false prophet were; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever (through the ages of the ages).
Here are the key points put in chart form.
THE FALSE PROPHET - THE SECOND BEAST - ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE
The Scripture and descriptions on the chart are expounded upon next.
He is called the second beast and also false prophet (Revelation 13:11,16:13,19:20,20:10).
When we first hear of the second beast in Revelation 13:11-18, he is called another beast or the second beast depending on Bible version one is reading. We see that he is called the false prophet in Revelation 19:20 which says “... the false prophet who in his presence had worked wonders and performed miracles by which he led astray those who had accepted or permitted to be placed upon them the stamp (mark) of the beast and those who paid homage and gave divine honors to his statue.” This information confirms he is the second beast of Revelation 13. This all correlates with information seen in Revelation 16:12-16 and Revelation 20:10.
He will serve in the office of a prophet but will be a fake (Revelation 16:13,19:20,20:10).
Some would like to believe the false prophet will be a pope or high ranking religious leader of the lukewarm church world. Others say he could very well be a religious Jewish prophet. The word the apostle John actually used for “false prophet” was “pseudoprophētēs” which can mean “a spurious prophet, pretended fortune teller or religious impostor” according to Strong's Concordance. Spurious means not being what it purports to be; false or fake. It is the same word Jesus used when he said to beware of false prophets in Matthew 7:15,24:11,24 and Mark 13:22. It was also used by Luke in Luke 6:26. All were used to describe “pretenders of being prophets.” In Acts 13:6, there was a man named Bar-Jesus whose name they translated to be “Elymas” who is described as a sorcerer, “false prophet” and a Jew.
In the above verses we see that Paul called him out for his evil ways and gave a true prophesy to him that he would become blind for awhile. Hopefully the guy eventually repented and came to the Lord.
What Paul told him is amazing. He said “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?”
He will look like a two horned lamb but speak like a dragon (Revelation 13:11).
This sounds as if he looks nice enough, but what comes out of his mouth is fierce, fiery or ugly. How does a dragon sound? No doubt that he will be able to sound nice enough too, but he will also not only speak like a dragon, but for the dragon, as in the devil, the serpent of old and Revelation 12:3,9,14.
He will have and use the power and authority as the first beast, the Antichrist, while in his presence (Revelation 13:12a).
The verse actually says, “He exerts all the power and right of control of the former beast in his presence.” This means that he has and uses all the power and right of control of the first beast in his presence. To have a political leader who has a prophet that exerts the power and authority of the political leader (in his presence) is strange to many of us. Many of us have as rulers, presidents with vice presidents or prime ministers with presidents in conjunction with other elected officials. There are many ways for “governments” to be set up but one has to admit: this one is something else. As we continue this study, we will see more of what “the second beast does while in the presence of the first one” but this “rule of governing” is certainly not what many of us easily relate to. And to what do we know of the first beast's authority? “The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority” (Revelation 13:2). And this verse, “And I looked, “And the beast was given the power of speech, uttering boastful and blasphemous words, and he was given freedom to exert his authority and to exercise his will during forty-two months (three and a half years)”” (Revelation 13:5). Another telling verse of the first beast is this; “and saw there a white horse whose rider carried a bow. And a crown was given him, and he rode forth conquering and to conquer” (Revelation 6:2).
He will cause the earth and those who dwell upon it to exalt and deify the first beast whose deadly wound was healed (Revelation 13:12b).
Let's consider the deadly wound.
So when does the deadly wound happen that the false prophet exalts and deifies the first beast about it? It sounds as though he will be a successful leader with successful victories in warfare and someone will make an assassination attempt, or seem to. And his false prophet will take full advantage of it to exalt him and actually deify him. There are some that believe the false prophet will do the “miracle healing” himself. It does not sound that way to me, but I can understand how someone might think so.
He will perform great signs (startling miracles) (Revelation 13:13).
With the age that we are in, all kinds of trickery are possible. A verse in 2 Thessalonians may well apply here.
What will be real and what will be fake will be so hard to tell, that probably only God will know the real truth. For sure the first beast's helper, with the help of his master, Satan, will deceive many.
He will even make fire fall from the sky to the earth in men's sight (Revelation 13:13b).
This particular part of his agenda draws special attention. Does this mean literal fire, lightning, laser power or something else entirely? Only time will tell. In the Old Testament, the prophet Elijah called down fire from heaven. There seems to be an interesting possibility that this false prophet could be a “false Elijah.” There are verses about Elijah preceding the Messiah (Malachi 4:3-6) which Christians know were fulfilled through John the Baptist (Matthew 17:10-13). But to the Jews, it is yet to come. The possibility of a “false prophet” who is also a “false Elijah” will be discussed further in this message.
He will be a deceiver; he will deceive those who inhabit the earth (not believers) (Revelation 13:14).
The second beast will be a deceiver in many ways. By his position and works he will deceive the lost. Some look at Revelation 13:14 and say this proves a pre tribulation rapture because they say Christians are not present. That is a misconception. If we consider all the verses involved, we can see that the words “those who inhabit the earth” are John's way of saying those who follow the beast.
Here is what the verse actually says: “And because of the signs (miracles) which he is allowed to perform in the presence of the [first] beast, he deceives those who inhabit the earth, commanding them to erect a statue (an image) in the likeness of the beast who was wounded by the [small] sword and still lived” (Revelation 13:14).
In other words, it is non-believers (people that love darkness more than light) that are deceived; believers that know better are not deceived. This falls in line with 2 Thessalonians 2:9. In Matthew 24:4, Mark 13:5 and Luke 21:8 when the Lord is warning of these times, He says, “Take heed that you not be deceived.” He says not to be deceived to His people because He was telling us ahead of time that we would be here.
The saints need the patience and faith because we will be here. In verse 8 above, John is saying that the ones who go the way of the beast, will be those whose names have not been written in the Book of Life. I believe John is referencing non-believers but he is not saying Christians will not be here. On the contrary, Christians are referenced to be here and even under his dominion as we see in verse 7 above.
The second beast/false prophet will be able to deceive many easily because people will not only be in awe of their lying signs and wonders but also because it is part of God's plan as it is shown in the following verses.
The ones that fall for the delusion will be the ones “who did not believe the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness” and as it also says above, “would not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” God will “send the strong delusion” but it is the result of people choosing darkness rather than light.
He will command the deceived people of earth to erect a statue (an image) in the likeness of the beast (Revelation 13:14b).
And he will be permitted [also] to impart the breath of life into the beast's image, so that the statue of the beast will actually speak (Revelation 13:15a).
Either he, or the image he will command to be made and breath life into, will cause to be put to death those who will not bow down and worship the image of the beast (Revelation 13:15b).
This statue/image in the likeness of the beast is “the abomination of desolation” as foretold of in Daniel and the Gospels. Some have tried to say that this was fulfilled already by Antiochus IV Epiphanes around 168 BC and others, but this is something that is yet to come. For certain it was not fulfilled before Jesus came because He said it was yet to come. Others say, the Romans defiled the temple with a statue shortly before the fall in 70 AD, but in reality, this abomination will not happen until there is a “beast in power” whose image it is and he will set himself up like God in the temple of Jerusalem (not yet built as of this writing August, 2018) which will include this statue.
Many Jews will believe the first beast, the Antichrist, to be their Messiah. They will fall for the delusion because God will be turning them over to it also. They rejected His Son because they wanted a Messiah in the type of the Antichrist, not as the true Christ who came and they rejected Him. But when the Jews see their “dream Messiah” stop the sacrifices that will be being made in the temple and in-turn set himself up as God there, including the false prophet having his image put there and demanding worship, the Jews will realize they were duped. Jews know well the 10 Commandments of which #1 is to have no gods before Him or make any image and worship it (Exodus 20:1-6). And the masquerade will be over. All Jews will need to flee because the hatred (antisemitism) that was hidden will then be unleashed. This is why Jesus said the verse above, “then let those who are in Judea then flee to the mountains.” This will happen immediately after the Two Witnesses are killed in Revelation 11:7. Up until that point, it would not be possible to defile the temple, but when the Two Witnesses are killed, the sacrifices will be stopped, the abomination will be set up in the temple and the demand for the evil one's worship implemented.
This is the most dangerous time for the Jews and also true Christians, for next comes the “mark of the beast.”
Christians will have been persecuted already but not in the manner that happens once the beast sets himself up as God. The mark will be necessary to be able to buy or sell and it will be the name of the beast or the number of his name. Taking the mark will mean submitting to the evil one and is worse than even renouncing one's faith. The Bible says this:
It will not be just taking a mark. There is worship involved. Either the image (that is brought to life) or the false prophet (it is hard to determine which, by the wording of the verses) will demand worship of the beast and to take the mark (of him) or not be able to buy or sell.
I believe this is when the 5th seal (martyrdom) happens. And the 6th and 7th seals (the rapture) are not far behind. All who will not bow down to the Antichrist will be killed. Praise God, it is hopefully only for 3 ½ days as we believe the rapture happens when the Two Witnesses are raised from the dead.
This is the fifth seal:
Revelation 6:9-11 “When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.”
The 6th and 7th seals are the rapture of the church (Revelation 5:12-17,8:1). Some try to say that all Bible verses involving when “the sun goes dark and the moon turns blood red” are referring to the Second Coming of the Lord. In this case, it is most certainly the rapture because the Lord says it is when He gathers His people unto Himself (in the air). At the Battle of Armageddon, which is just prior to the Second Coming, the Lord is not “gathering His people” as He already will have done so and be bringing people with Him.
The 6th and 7th Seals are right in time with the rapture. These are some of the other verses involved. Revelation 5:12-17, Revelation 8:1, Matthew 24:15-31, Mark 13:14-27, Luke 21:20-27. It is a myth that the church disappears in a secret rapture. Nothing could be more further from the truth. The rapture is a global event so big, that the whole earth will see it. The Lord will shake the earth and its heavens. It will go dark and the sky will roll back like a scroll. And He will come forth in His glory on clouds of bright white and everything on earth, in the earth and above the earth will stop for Him. To read more about this glorious event and many confirming Bible verses, see the article “Every Eye Will See Him.”
There has been so much erroneous teaching about the rapture and falsehoods conveyed through movies, books and other media that one really must get the truth from the Bible for themselves. Whatever we read, see and hear needs to be filtered through the Word of God. While this is not a “salvation issue” it is important to know the truth for multiple reasons. If we have a false concept, we have nothing solid to build upon as only truth stands upon truth. The Lord will not reveal more on any subject to us when we are arguing against a truth. It is very likely that some people's faith will fail and they will fall for the deception of the wicked because when things will not go as they expected, they will doubt the Lord and His Word. I believe that most of all, the Lord wants us prepared. And by this I do not mean “stocked up with food and water.” He wants us to know that tribulation will come for His church of the last days. And He wants us to hold fast and stay faithful and not fall for any deception. He also wants us to be able to help others. So while our “opinions” about the last days may differ, God still has His Word and His truth and wants us to know it, whatever that is.
The second beast/false prophet will help the dragon and the Antichrist rally the leaders and rulers of earth to the Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:13-16).
There are seven special angels that will pour out seven bowls of God's wrath after the church has been removed from the earth at the rapture and the 144,000 are sealed. The 6th angel actually helps the enemy prepare for Armageddon. Here are the verses.
He will be seized and overcome at Armageddon (Revelation 19:20a).
He, along with the Antichrist, will be hurled alive into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20b,20:10).
Naturally, the dark side loses and the Lord wins. Not only are the first beast/Antichrist and second beast/false prophet defeated, captured and cast into the lake of fire but the dragon is captured also (Revelation 20:1-3). He is not put in the lake of fire yet but is sealed in the bottomless pit for 1000 years, which is concurrent with the Millennial Reign of Christ. Afterward, he is released for a short time of testing which will follow with his final demise, whereupon he is cast into the lake of fire with the first and second beast (Revelation 20:7-10).
With these points basically gone over, I would like to emphasize a few points a bit more.
In regard to the subject of the second beast being described as a false prophet. Strong's Concordance gives the possible definitions of a false prophet as: a spurious prophet, pretended fortune teller or religious impostor. Let's consider “the religious impostor” a bit more.
Practicing Jews are not only looking for a Messiah but they are expecting Elijah to precede him. Most believe that getting the temple rebuilt in Jerusalem will usher in their coming Messiah or he will come and help them rebuild their temple. And along with this they expect the return of Elijah to fit into the scenario.
Elijah was taken to heaven by the Lord in a chariot of fire via a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:11-12).
At the yearly Passover, many set a place for Elijah with an extra cup of wine at the Seder table for him. At certain festivities, baby namings and bris, they have an empty chair set in honor of Elijah. Each week, at the close of the Sabbath (Shabbat) Elijah is remembered. As a part of the Havdalah, some sing or recite, “Elijah the Prophet, Elijah the Tishbite, let him come quickly in our day with the Messiah, the Son of David.”
To practicing Jews, Elijah is important.
In the book of Malachi, Elijah is understood to be the harbinger of the Messiah. As they sing during Havdalah, Elijah is the one they hope will come soon and bring with him the Messiah, son of David. Malachi gives us the prophecy of Elijah.
Christians know that these verses were fulfilled by John the Baptist as Jesus told us. But the Jews who have rejected the true Messiah, are still looking for a Messiah and believe he will be preceded by Elijah. Here are the verses where Jesus spoke about it.
In the next verses, the angel Gabriel prophesied of John the Baptist to his father, Zacharias.
While we know the truth about the Elijah and John the Baptist, practicing Jews would never believe it. And in their hearts and minds are looking for their “Messiah of their choice” as well as Elijah along with him.
All these things present a very possible strange scenario. The real Elijah could very well be one of the Two Witnesses. Imagine if the real Elijah turns out to be one of the Two Witnesses and he stands against a false prophet who is also a false Elijah.
As Paul said of Bar-Jesus, also called Elymas, the deceiver will be “full of deceit and all fraud, a son of the devil and an enemy of all righteousness.” He will “try to pervert the straight ways of the Lord” down to his last ounce of strength.
The last of the last days will be like no other time in history.
The Lord will have His Two Witnesses who will share the Gospel and stand for righteousness. The old dragon, the devil, will have his two beasts that will seek to accomplish his wicked agenda. The two godly ones and the two ungodly ones will stand against each other in the sight of the whole earth and the people of the world will also line up with one side or the other.
If you are living in this time of history, it is not an accident. As the Lord chose Esther for her day and hour, so the Lord has also chosen you for this time. Draw close to the Lord and He will draw close to you. Do you want to see your loved ones and the ones in your daily mission-field saved and not go the way of darkness? The delusion that is coming will be strong. And the pressures against Christianity will be stronger than anything ever before. The best way to be a witness is to have the Lord as true Lord living and ruling in one's heart. When the lost see that you don't lie or swear and that you seek to have the agape love of the Lord ruling in your life, they take notice. Some will be drawn toward God from it and some will reject Him and you also. They may not say it, but they are reacting one way or the other. “God's love” working in us changes us and others for the better or they repel it.
Let us live our best in Christ whether it is the last days or not. But if we are correct and the time is possibly very short, how much more important is it to do so? It will help us be strong and perhaps others will come to Christ and be spared the second death and all the eternal torment that will come with it. The delusion that is coming will be very strong. It is far better to be saved now and grounded in God's Word.
Beware: the deceivers are coming.
He is called the second beast and also false prophet (Revelation 13:11,16:13,19:20,20:10).
When we first hear of the second beast in Revelation 13:11-18, he is called another beast or the second beast depending on Bible version one is reading. We see that he is called the false prophet in Revelation 19:20 which says “... the false prophet who in his presence had worked wonders and performed miracles by which he led astray those who had accepted or permitted to be placed upon them the stamp (mark) of the beast and those who paid homage and gave divine honors to his statue.” This information confirms he is the second beast of Revelation 13. This all correlates with information seen in Revelation 16:12-16 and Revelation 20:10.
He will serve in the office of a prophet but will be a fake (Revelation 16:13,19:20,20:10).
Some would like to believe the false prophet will be a pope or high ranking religious leader of the lukewarm church world. Others say he could very well be a religious Jewish prophet. The word the apostle John actually used for “false prophet” was “pseudoprophētēs” which can mean “a spurious prophet, pretended fortune teller or religious impostor” according to Strong's Concordance. Spurious means not being what it purports to be; false or fake. It is the same word Jesus used when he said to beware of false prophets in Matthew 7:15,24:11,24 and Mark 13:22. It was also used by Luke in Luke 6:26. All were used to describe “pretenders of being prophets.” In Acts 13:6, there was a man named Bar-Jesus whose name they translated to be “Elymas” who is described as a sorcerer, “false prophet” and a Jew.
- Acts 13:6-12 Now when they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, 7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10 and said, "O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? 11 And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time." And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
In the above verses we see that Paul called him out for his evil ways and gave a true prophesy to him that he would become blind for awhile. Hopefully the guy eventually repented and came to the Lord.
What Paul told him is amazing. He said “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?”
He will look like a two horned lamb but speak like a dragon (Revelation 13:11).
This sounds as if he looks nice enough, but what comes out of his mouth is fierce, fiery or ugly. How does a dragon sound? No doubt that he will be able to sound nice enough too, but he will also not only speak like a dragon, but for the dragon, as in the devil, the serpent of old and Revelation 12:3,9,14.
He will have and use the power and authority as the first beast, the Antichrist, while in his presence (Revelation 13:12a).
The verse actually says, “He exerts all the power and right of control of the former beast in his presence.” This means that he has and uses all the power and right of control of the first beast in his presence. To have a political leader who has a prophet that exerts the power and authority of the political leader (in his presence) is strange to many of us. Many of us have as rulers, presidents with vice presidents or prime ministers with presidents in conjunction with other elected officials. There are many ways for “governments” to be set up but one has to admit: this one is something else. As we continue this study, we will see more of what “the second beast does while in the presence of the first one” but this “rule of governing” is certainly not what many of us easily relate to. And to what do we know of the first beast's authority? “The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority” (Revelation 13:2). And this verse, “And I looked, “And the beast was given the power of speech, uttering boastful and blasphemous words, and he was given freedom to exert his authority and to exercise his will during forty-two months (three and a half years)”” (Revelation 13:5). Another telling verse of the first beast is this; “and saw there a white horse whose rider carried a bow. And a crown was given him, and he rode forth conquering and to conquer” (Revelation 6:2).
He will cause the earth and those who dwell upon it to exalt and deify the first beast whose deadly wound was healed (Revelation 13:12b).
Let's consider the deadly wound.
- Revelation 13:3-4 says, And one of his heads seemed to have a deadly wound. But his death stroke was healed; and the whole earth went after the beast in amazement and admiration. 4 They fell down and paid homage to the dragon, because he had bestowed on the beast all his dominion and authority; they also praised and worshiped the beast, exclaiming, Who is a match for the beast, and, Who can make war against him?
So when does the deadly wound happen that the false prophet exalts and deifies the first beast about it? It sounds as though he will be a successful leader with successful victories in warfare and someone will make an assassination attempt, or seem to. And his false prophet will take full advantage of it to exalt him and actually deify him. There are some that believe the false prophet will do the “miracle healing” himself. It does not sound that way to me, but I can understand how someone might think so.
He will perform great signs (startling miracles) (Revelation 13:13).
With the age that we are in, all kinds of trickery are possible. A verse in 2 Thessalonians may well apply here.
- The coming [of the lawless one, the antichrist] is through the activity and working of Satan and will be attended by great power and with all sorts of [pretended] miracles and signs and delusive marvels—[all of them] lying wonders. - 2 Thessalonians 2:9
What will be real and what will be fake will be so hard to tell, that probably only God will know the real truth. For sure the first beast's helper, with the help of his master, Satan, will deceive many.
He will even make fire fall from the sky to the earth in men's sight (Revelation 13:13b).
This particular part of his agenda draws special attention. Does this mean literal fire, lightning, laser power or something else entirely? Only time will tell. In the Old Testament, the prophet Elijah called down fire from heaven. There seems to be an interesting possibility that this false prophet could be a “false Elijah.” There are verses about Elijah preceding the Messiah (Malachi 4:3-6) which Christians know were fulfilled through John the Baptist (Matthew 17:10-13). But to the Jews, it is yet to come. The possibility of a “false prophet” who is also a “false Elijah” will be discussed further in this message.
He will be a deceiver; he will deceive those who inhabit the earth (not believers) (Revelation 13:14).
The second beast will be a deceiver in many ways. By his position and works he will deceive the lost. Some look at Revelation 13:14 and say this proves a pre tribulation rapture because they say Christians are not present. That is a misconception. If we consider all the verses involved, we can see that the words “those who inhabit the earth” are John's way of saying those who follow the beast.
Here is what the verse actually says: “And because of the signs (miracles) which he is allowed to perform in the presence of the [first] beast, he deceives those who inhabit the earth, commanding them to erect a statue (an image) in the likeness of the beast who was wounded by the [small] sword and still lived” (Revelation 13:14).
In other words, it is non-believers (people that love darkness more than light) that are deceived; believers that know better are not deceived. This falls in line with 2 Thessalonians 2:9. In Matthew 24:4, Mark 13:5 and Luke 21:8 when the Lord is warning of these times, He says, “Take heed that you not be deceived.” He says not to be deceived to His people because He was telling us ahead of time that we would be here.
- Revelation 13:5-10 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. [3 ½ years] 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10 He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
The saints need the patience and faith because we will be here. In verse 8 above, John is saying that the ones who go the way of the beast, will be those whose names have not been written in the Book of Life. I believe John is referencing non-believers but he is not saying Christians will not be here. On the contrary, Christians are referenced to be here and even under his dominion as we see in verse 7 above.
The second beast/false prophet will be able to deceive many easily because people will not only be in awe of their lying signs and wonders but also because it is part of God's plan as it is shown in the following verses.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
The ones that fall for the delusion will be the ones “who did not believe the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness” and as it also says above, “would not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” God will “send the strong delusion” but it is the result of people choosing darkness rather than light.
He will command the deceived people of earth to erect a statue (an image) in the likeness of the beast (Revelation 13:14b).
And he will be permitted [also] to impart the breath of life into the beast's image, so that the statue of the beast will actually speak (Revelation 13:15a).
Either he, or the image he will command to be made and breath life into, will cause to be put to death those who will not bow down and worship the image of the beast (Revelation 13:15b).
This statue/image in the likeness of the beast is “the abomination of desolation” as foretold of in Daniel and the Gospels. Some have tried to say that this was fulfilled already by Antiochus IV Epiphanes around 168 BC and others, but this is something that is yet to come. For certain it was not fulfilled before Jesus came because He said it was yet to come. Others say, the Romans defiled the temple with a statue shortly before the fall in 70 AD, but in reality, this abomination will not happen until there is a “beast in power” whose image it is and he will set himself up like God in the temple of Jerusalem (not yet built as of this writing August, 2018) which will include this statue.
- Daniel 8:11 He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down.
- Daniel 9:27 “Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate."
- Daniel 11:30a-31 “So he shall return and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant. 31 And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation.”
- 2 Thessalonians 2:4 ... who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
- Mark 13:14 "Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.” This is also found in Matthew 24:15.
Many Jews will believe the first beast, the Antichrist, to be their Messiah. They will fall for the delusion because God will be turning them over to it also. They rejected His Son because they wanted a Messiah in the type of the Antichrist, not as the true Christ who came and they rejected Him. But when the Jews see their “dream Messiah” stop the sacrifices that will be being made in the temple and in-turn set himself up as God there, including the false prophet having his image put there and demanding worship, the Jews will realize they were duped. Jews know well the 10 Commandments of which #1 is to have no gods before Him or make any image and worship it (Exodus 20:1-6). And the masquerade will be over. All Jews will need to flee because the hatred (antisemitism) that was hidden will then be unleashed. This is why Jesus said the verse above, “then let those who are in Judea then flee to the mountains.” This will happen immediately after the Two Witnesses are killed in Revelation 11:7. Up until that point, it would not be possible to defile the temple, but when the Two Witnesses are killed, the sacrifices will be stopped, the abomination will be set up in the temple and the demand for the evil one's worship implemented.
This is the most dangerous time for the Jews and also true Christians, for next comes the “mark of the beast.”
- Revelation 13:16-17 He will compel all [alike], both small and great, both the rich and the poor, both free and slave, to be marked with an inscription [stamped] on [or in] their right hands or on [or in] their foreheads, so that no one will have power to buy or sell unless he bears the stamp (mark, inscription), [that is] the name of the beast or the number of his name.
Christians will have been persecuted already but not in the manner that happens once the beast sets himself up as God. The mark will be necessary to be able to buy or sell and it will be the name of the beast or the number of his name. Taking the mark will mean submitting to the evil one and is worse than even renouncing one's faith. The Bible says this:
- Revelation 14:9-13 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name." 12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. 13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Write: 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.'" "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them."
It will not be just taking a mark. There is worship involved. Either the image (that is brought to life) or the false prophet (it is hard to determine which, by the wording of the verses) will demand worship of the beast and to take the mark (of him) or not be able to buy or sell.
I believe this is when the 5th seal (martyrdom) happens. And the 6th and 7th seals (the rapture) are not far behind. All who will not bow down to the Antichrist will be killed. Praise God, it is hopefully only for 3 ½ days as we believe the rapture happens when the Two Witnesses are raised from the dead.
This is the fifth seal:
Revelation 6:9-11 “When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.”
The 6th and 7th seals are the rapture of the church (Revelation 5:12-17,8:1). Some try to say that all Bible verses involving when “the sun goes dark and the moon turns blood red” are referring to the Second Coming of the Lord. In this case, it is most certainly the rapture because the Lord says it is when He gathers His people unto Himself (in the air). At the Battle of Armageddon, which is just prior to the Second Coming, the Lord is not “gathering His people” as He already will have done so and be bringing people with Him.
The 6th and 7th Seals are right in time with the rapture. These are some of the other verses involved. Revelation 5:12-17, Revelation 8:1, Matthew 24:15-31, Mark 13:14-27, Luke 21:20-27. It is a myth that the church disappears in a secret rapture. Nothing could be more further from the truth. The rapture is a global event so big, that the whole earth will see it. The Lord will shake the earth and its heavens. It will go dark and the sky will roll back like a scroll. And He will come forth in His glory on clouds of bright white and everything on earth, in the earth and above the earth will stop for Him. To read more about this glorious event and many confirming Bible verses, see the article “Every Eye Will See Him.”
There has been so much erroneous teaching about the rapture and falsehoods conveyed through movies, books and other media that one really must get the truth from the Bible for themselves. Whatever we read, see and hear needs to be filtered through the Word of God. While this is not a “salvation issue” it is important to know the truth for multiple reasons. If we have a false concept, we have nothing solid to build upon as only truth stands upon truth. The Lord will not reveal more on any subject to us when we are arguing against a truth. It is very likely that some people's faith will fail and they will fall for the deception of the wicked because when things will not go as they expected, they will doubt the Lord and His Word. I believe that most of all, the Lord wants us prepared. And by this I do not mean “stocked up with food and water.” He wants us to know that tribulation will come for His church of the last days. And He wants us to hold fast and stay faithful and not fall for any deception. He also wants us to be able to help others. So while our “opinions” about the last days may differ, God still has His Word and His truth and wants us to know it, whatever that is.
The second beast/false prophet will help the dragon and the Antichrist rally the leaders and rulers of earth to the Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:13-16).
There are seven special angels that will pour out seven bowls of God's wrath after the church has been removed from the earth at the rapture and the 144,000 are sealed. The 6th angel actually helps the enemy prepare for Armageddon. Here are the verses.
- Revelation 16:12-16 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 15 "Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame." 16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.
He will be seized and overcome at Armageddon (Revelation 19:20a).
He, along with the Antichrist, will be hurled alive into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20b,20:10).
Naturally, the dark side loses and the Lord wins. Not only are the first beast/Antichrist and second beast/false prophet defeated, captured and cast into the lake of fire but the dragon is captured also (Revelation 20:1-3). He is not put in the lake of fire yet but is sealed in the bottomless pit for 1000 years, which is concurrent with the Millennial Reign of Christ. Afterward, he is released for a short time of testing which will follow with his final demise, whereupon he is cast into the lake of fire with the first and second beast (Revelation 20:7-10).
With these points basically gone over, I would like to emphasize a few points a bit more.
In regard to the subject of the second beast being described as a false prophet. Strong's Concordance gives the possible definitions of a false prophet as: a spurious prophet, pretended fortune teller or religious impostor. Let's consider “the religious impostor” a bit more.
Practicing Jews are not only looking for a Messiah but they are expecting Elijah to precede him. Most believe that getting the temple rebuilt in Jerusalem will usher in their coming Messiah or he will come and help them rebuild their temple. And along with this they expect the return of Elijah to fit into the scenario.
Elijah was taken to heaven by the Lord in a chariot of fire via a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:11-12).
At the yearly Passover, many set a place for Elijah with an extra cup of wine at the Seder table for him. At certain festivities, baby namings and bris, they have an empty chair set in honor of Elijah. Each week, at the close of the Sabbath (Shabbat) Elijah is remembered. As a part of the Havdalah, some sing or recite, “Elijah the Prophet, Elijah the Tishbite, let him come quickly in our day with the Messiah, the Son of David.”
To practicing Jews, Elijah is important.
In the book of Malachi, Elijah is understood to be the harbinger of the Messiah. As they sing during Havdalah, Elijah is the one they hope will come soon and bring with him the Messiah, son of David. Malachi gives us the prophecy of Elijah.
- Malachi 4:3-6 Says the Lord of hosts. 4 "Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. 5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. 6 And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse."
Christians know that these verses were fulfilled by John the Baptist as Jesus told us. But the Jews who have rejected the true Messiah, are still looking for a Messiah and believe he will be preceded by Elijah. Here are the verses where Jesus spoke about it.
- Matthew 17:10-13 And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" 11 Jesus answered and said to them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things . 12 But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands." 13 Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.
In the next verses, the angel Gabriel prophesied of John the Baptist to his father, Zacharias.
- Luke 1:12-20 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." 18 And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years." 19 And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. 20 But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time."
While we know the truth about the Elijah and John the Baptist, practicing Jews would never believe it. And in their hearts and minds are looking for their “Messiah of their choice” as well as Elijah along with him.
All these things present a very possible strange scenario. The real Elijah could very well be one of the Two Witnesses. Imagine if the real Elijah turns out to be one of the Two Witnesses and he stands against a false prophet who is also a false Elijah.
As Paul said of Bar-Jesus, also called Elymas, the deceiver will be “full of deceit and all fraud, a son of the devil and an enemy of all righteousness.” He will “try to pervert the straight ways of the Lord” down to his last ounce of strength.
The last of the last days will be like no other time in history.
The Lord will have His Two Witnesses who will share the Gospel and stand for righteousness. The old dragon, the devil, will have his two beasts that will seek to accomplish his wicked agenda. The two godly ones and the two ungodly ones will stand against each other in the sight of the whole earth and the people of the world will also line up with one side or the other.
If you are living in this time of history, it is not an accident. As the Lord chose Esther for her day and hour, so the Lord has also chosen you for this time. Draw close to the Lord and He will draw close to you. Do you want to see your loved ones and the ones in your daily mission-field saved and not go the way of darkness? The delusion that is coming will be strong. And the pressures against Christianity will be stronger than anything ever before. The best way to be a witness is to have the Lord as true Lord living and ruling in one's heart. When the lost see that you don't lie or swear and that you seek to have the agape love of the Lord ruling in your life, they take notice. Some will be drawn toward God from it and some will reject Him and you also. They may not say it, but they are reacting one way or the other. “God's love” working in us changes us and others for the better or they repel it.
Let us live our best in Christ whether it is the last days or not. But if we are correct and the time is possibly very short, how much more important is it to do so? It will help us be strong and perhaps others will come to Christ and be spared the second death and all the eternal torment that will come with it. The delusion that is coming will be very strong. It is far better to be saved now and grounded in God's Word.
Beware: the deceivers are coming.
Copyright © 2018 E. Cockrell May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
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ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION - BIBLE VERSES
A compilation of scriptures for study and analysis.
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A compilation for thought & study.
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WHO IS ABLE TO MAKE WAR WITH THE ONE WHO HAD THE DEADLY WOUND AND STILL LIVED?
Considering the popularity of the Antichrist after his assassination attempt as shown Revelation 13.
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The Antichrist has to be accepted by the Jewish people as the real Messiah, that they are still waiting for.
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Understanding the concept of biblical rapture.
IS THE WORD "RAPTURE" IN THE BIBLE?
Understanding "harpázō" - the word "rapture" comes from & where it's seen in the Bible.
RAPTURE VIEWS
Understanding pre, mid & post tribulation, millennial views, preterism & more.
MYSTERY OF THE SEVENTY WEEKS OF YEARS
A prophecy in Daniel foretold the coming of Christ & also the concept of the "last week of years" is derived; sometimes called "the 7 year tribulation."
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