Revelation 13:11-15
The Beast from the
earth – the False Prophet
“Would you open your Bibles with me to...”
Mat 24:21 "For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Mat 24:22 "And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.
Mat 24:23 "Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it.
Mat 24:24 "For false christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
Mat 24:25 "See, I have told you beforehand.
Pray
Introduction
√ The Main Participants
This morning we complete our study of the 7 main characters around which the events of the Tribulation Period swirl.
The Woman =
The Male Child = Jesus Christ
The Dragon = Satan
Michael = The arch angel & the holy angels
Her offspring = Godly remnant
Beast/Sea = Antichrist
This morning we look at the Beast from the earth.
Ap. We want to pay close attention to the origin, character and purpose of this 2nd Beast who is called the False Prophet.
For though the Church will not be present during his short time on earth, there will be many like him who precede that final 7 year period on earth who will seduce many from the Truth.
Lest we be led astray let us take heed to the words of Jesus who said...
"See, I have told you beforehand.”
...apply our hearts and minds to the understanding of the Scripture, that we might not be caught unaware in these Last Days.
Another Beast (vs.11)
Rev 13:11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.
√ Another Beast
John begins by telling us that he saw....
“another beast”
...that is, this second beast will be of like nature and character as the 1st beast.
Beast = therion
Literally a wild beast - that is his character and nature are untamed and not to be trusted.
He is like a rabid animal whose only purpose is to destroy those around him and whose destiny is destruction.
√ Description of this Beast
Next we’re told this beast has two horns like a lamb, but speaks like a dragon.
I like Kenneth Wuest’s translation better...
“And he was having two horns like a lamb, but he was hissing like a dragon.”
What John is seeing then is a beast that looks for all the world like a lamb, but when it opens its mouth it has the voice of a dragon!
Wow!
You get the picture? A dragon in sheep's clothing!
A man who speaks the language of the Devil while posing as a benevolent religious leader.
That’s why he is later in the Revelation called the False Prophet.
Rev 19:20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Most believe he will be the leader of the false church in the days of the Tribulation.
So this 2nd beast which John sees will be a religious leader who by means of deception and counterfeit signs and wonders will lead the whole world in worship of the Antichrist.
√ The meaning of his two horns.
Horns in scripture are symbols of authority.
Two horns indicate that he will have great authority - given to him by the Antichrist.
The lack of a crown on his horns indicates that he will not have political authority.
His authority will be religious - his power will be over the souls of men.
The origin of the False Prophet
√ The origin of the False Prophet
John tells us that he saw this second beast…
“coming up out of the earth” Vs. 11
What does that mean? What is John trying to communicate to us concerning the origin of this 2nd beast?
Last week we read that the first Beast rose up out of the sea, which we found from Rev. 17:15, represent the mass of humanity.
That is, the Antichrist will be a man - not God. He is Satan’s counterfeit Messiah, or false Christ. Therefore, he is not like Jesus - God in human flesh, but simply a man possessed by the Devil himself.
Here we are given no additional clues as to what John means by...
“coming up out of the earth” - vs. 13
So we have to go back to our rules for interpreting the Scripture.
Take it at face value - interpret it to have a literal meaning unless the context of the verse or other verses demands otherwise.
So, if John means that this second Beast will literally come from the earth what is the significance that we’re to understand?
It’s this...
His origin is earthly.
That is to say...
His origin is not of heaven (not sent by God)
His authority is not from heaven (from Beasty 1)
His message is not from God (from Satan)
He is a false prophet of the Earth.
That’s important to understand because this 2nd beast - the False Prophet - will claim to speak for God and those who dwell on the earth will believe him.
Ap. For us this morning that may seem like a mute point - hey we’re not gonna be here anyway so why do we need to know that the False Prophet doesn’t speak for God?
Because there are already many false prophets in our day!
1Jo 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
1Jo 4:2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,
1Jo 4:3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
If there were already false prophets in John’s day - how much more should we heed his warning in our own day that is so much closer to the time of the Antichrist?
So then, we must be careful not to receive a “word from the Lord” from some self-proclaimed prophet.
...without first testing it to see it matches the Word of God and if it acknowledges Jesus as God in human flesh.
Ex. Betty Eadie - "Embraced by the Light"
Compare the message of her book against the test that John gives us and we find that…
Her message is not the Gospel
She isn't sent from God
She has no authority to promise heaven
…rather, her message if from the earth like that of the future false prophet.
The Purpose of the False Prophet (vs. 12-15)
Rev 13:12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
Rev 13:13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.
Rev 13:14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.
Rev 13:15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.
√ Purpose of the False prophet
Understand that the False Prophet is subordinate to the Antichrist. It is his job to support the Antichrist by focusing the attention and adoration of mankind upon the Antichrist.
He’s kind of a PR guy, or a marketing man for the Beast.
He accomplishes his purpose through the use of deception - doing “great signs” - even calling fire from heaven as the Two Witnesses had done!
But his greatest sign that causes the world to wonder and to worship the Beast is that he gives...
“...breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.” Vs. 15
Ex. Like Nebuchadnezzar’s image of Gold in Daniel 3.
The purpose of the image will be to provide Mankind with an object of worship so that they can declare their allegiance to the Antichrist when they fall down before his image.
Like Daniel 3 those who refuse to worship the image will be killed.
√ Notice
that we’re told the false prophet is given power to give “breath” to the image of the beast so that the image might speak.
If you have a KJV it says “life” instead of breath. That’s an incorrect translation.
The word is “pneuma” = “breath, spirit” (pneumatic)
Not “zoe” = “life”
So in the NKJV and others it is properly translated “breath” or “spirit”.
That’s an important distinction for what the False Prophet does is to give the image of the Beast the appearance of life…
…it speaks, but he does not have the power to give life to the image for that only God can give life.
The important thing is that the unsaved who live on the earth at that time will believe that the False Prophet has given life to the image and will then worship the image of the Beast.
√ Counterfeit Holy Spirit
Another really interesting thing is that the False Prophet does for the Antichrist what the Holy Spirit does for Jesus Christ.
One of the ministries of the Holy Spirit is to point people toward Jesus and to bring Him glory as they come to worship Jesus as Lord.
The Holy Spirit takes a subordinate role to the 1st and 2nd Members of the Trinity by focusing Man’s attention on the Lord Jesus.
Check out these scriptures...
Joh 15:26 "But
when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of
truth who proceeds from the Father, He
will testify of
And...
Joh 16:13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
Joh 16:14 "He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
The Holy Spirit speaks in the authority of Jesus Christ and uses His power to bring Jesus glory and the worship of Mankind.
So, what we have in the person of the False Prophet is Satan’s counterfeit of the Holy Spirit.
The last part of Satan’s unholy Trinity!
Satan = The Father
Antichrist = Jesus Christ
False Prophet = Holy Spirit
A counterfeit!
So the purpose of the False Prophet will be to capture the souls of Mankind by deceiving signs and wonders and bring them to the foot of Satan and the Antichrist to worship the counterfeit king!
Close
√ Be wise
The Bible tells us that before the False Prophet rises that there will be many false prophets who will work to deceive us.