THE FALSE PROPHET |
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In our past few studies the devil has been a primary character in what we have seen. We have seen his personality and character described and demonstrated. His names are a reminder of who and what he is. He is the devil for he is a accuser. He is Satan for he is an adversary. He is strong, subtle, slanderous and sinister.
Revelation reveals him as an imitator. He once tried to be God and failed. Thus, in the tribulation, if he can’t be God, he will try and act like God. Just as there is a holy trinity – God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, there is the dragon, the beast and the false prophet. Satan will organize his own hellish trinity.
We have already met Satan as a dragon who is anti-God. In our last study we saw his antichrist, a man who will become the political leader establishing a one-world government. In this study we are going to learn about the false prophet who is the anti-Spirit.
In our last study we saw a beast coming out of the sea who is the antichrist. In this study we are going to look at a beast coming out of the earth. This beast is identified as the False Prophet in other places in Revelation. For example, we read in Revelation 20:10, “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” There is the devil, the beast which is the antichrist, and the false prophet (cp. 16:13; 19:20).
The antichrist will create a one-world government. The false prophet will create a one-world religion. We often hear the word “ecumenical” and reference to the “ecumenical movement.” The word “ecumenical” comes from the Greek word oikoumene referring to the inhabited world and meaning world-embracing. The Ecumenical Movement seeks to promote unity among all Christians. It was first organized at the International Missionary Conference held in Edinburgh in 1910.
An Episcopal bishop, Charles Brent, attended the Edinburgh Conference, and worked actively in organizing the first Word Conference on Faith and Order held at Lausanne, Switzerland, in 1927. In 1938, at Utrecht, Holland, plans were made for a World Council of Churches which was inaugurated at Amsterdam in 1948. In 1962, Pope John XXIII convened the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) which encouraged Roman Catholics to participate in the Ecumenical Movement.
The web page of the World Council of Churches defines who they are: “The World Council of Churches (WCC) is the broadest and most inclusive among the many organized expressions of the modern ecumenical movement, a movement whose goal is Christian unity...The WCC brings together more than 340 churches, denominations and church fellowships in over 100 countries and territories throughout the world, representing some 400 million Christians and including most of the world's Orthodox churches, scores of denominations from such historic traditions of the Protestant Reformation as Anglican, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist and Reformed, as well as many united and independent churches. While the bulk of the WCC's founding churches were European and North American, today most are in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, the Middle East and the Pacific.” One of their stated goals is that they “are called to the goal of visible unity in one faith and one eucharistic fellowship.” (http://www.wcc-coe.org)
There will come a day when a man will rise from the sea – the masses of humanity and create a one-world government. As well, there will come a day when all the denominations and religions of the world will unite under one umbrella, a World Council of Churches, and be led by one man – the beast (false prophet) that rises out of the earth. The earth is often a symbol of the nation of Israel, thus many believe that he will be a Jew. The earth as referred to here may simply symbolize an organized or established system from which the false prophet will come. Just as we cannot be sure of the identity of the antichrist, we cannot be sure of the identity or nationality of the false prophet, although we can be certain that this world is headed to a union of all the religions of the world.
Much of the strife in the world today is religious strife. Someone has said that Christianity sings Almost Persuaded and tries to get some to come. The Moslem’s sing Almost Beheaded and everyone comes. We saw in earlier studies that the anti-Christ will bring peace to the earth. No doubt, part of that peace will be a joining of all religions, Jewish, Christianity, and Islam under one umbrella solving the religious strife of the world.
Let’s notice 3 things about the false prophet as given to us in verses 11-15. First, notice with me:
1. THE MASTER OF THE FALSE PROPHET
As I have already stated, the false prophet will be the third person of a hellish trinity. His master is the devil. He is sent by the devil, rises to his place of leadership by the devil, and creates a one-world religion by the devil.
Notice first that he has the:
A) Personality of His Master
We read in verse 1, “And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth.” There are two words for “another” in the Bible. One speaks of another of a different kind. The word used here speaks of another of the same kind. The beast that rises from the earth is of the same source, character, and personality of the beast that rises from the sea. They are both agents and servants of the great red dragon. The false prophet will be in confederacy with the antichrist and both will be emissaries of the devil.
The false prophet is described as having “two horns.” Horns, as we have seen are a symbol of power. I will say more about his power in a moment. Two is the number of testimony. Unlike the antichrist, there are no crowns on his horns indicating that his authority is not political. He is a religious leader as symbolized by the fact that he will be “like a lamb.” Being like a lamb speaks of his meekness and gentleness. He will no doubt talk often about how we ought to love everybody and how everybody ought to get along. He will be appear to be a meek and lowly person but that is only a disguise to his real personality.
We read that “he spake as a dragon.” He will put on the appearance as being as meek as a lamb, but in reality, he is a malicious as a dragon. His religion is only a mask for who he really is, an agent of Satan. He will appear to be a religious man to the world, but in actuality, that is only a masquerade for who he really is – a vessel and instrument of Satan.
Not only do you see that he has the personality of his master, but he also has the:
B) Power of his Master
Verse 2 says that, “he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him.” The word “exerciseth” speaks of how he abides or does what he does by the power or authority that has been given him. He will abide or work by the same power given to the first beast which is the antichrist. We saw in verse 2 that “the dragon gave him (first beast) his power, and his seat, and great authority.” The false prophet’s source of power is the same as the antichrist.
It may surprise you but the devil is not afraid of religion. The fact is he loves religion. He is a strong advocate of religion. It is Christ and a Christ centered Christianity that he hates and fears. No, when it comes to religion he loves it. He doesn’t care how religious you are just as long as you don’t know Christ. Religion has been one of his most effective tools to deceive and damn people. It is not surprising that he will use religion during the tribulation period.
Secondly, not only notice the master of the false prophet, but also:
2. THE MISSION OF THE FALSE PROPHET
As we continue looking at the false prophet we see how he and the antichrist work hand in hand. The false prophet will have an important part in the role and function of the antichrist.
We see that he:
A) Promotes the Work of the Antichrist
The words “before him” in verse 2 mean “in the presence of” and indicate that the anti-Christ and the false prophet will work hand in hand. They are a satanic team. You could say that the false prophet will be the antichrists P. R. man. His mission will be to exalt and lift up the antichrist to the world and strongly support his place as the leader of a one-world government.
No doubt, one of the ways the anti-Christ will rise to power is by the help of the false prophet and his uniting of all the religions of the world. You take the strife and conflict in the Middle East today. Contrary to what many believe, it is not a political war. It is a religious war. It is a war over who owns the land and that ownership is deeply rooted in their religious beliefs.
When all the religions of the world are united under one umbrella as a World-Council of Churches and Religions, it will aid in bringing peace to the Middle East. The false prophet will no doubt be a major key in such an accomplishment which will give the antichrist even more clout and influence.
Whatever the antichrist does, the false prophet will put his stamp of approval on it. Quite often the world looks to Rome to see what the Pope or the Catholic Church has to say about it. In the tribulation they will look to false prophet and he will strongly endorse and promote every act of the antichrists agenda.
Not only do we see that he will promote the work of the antichrist, but he will even takes things a step forward and:
B) Proclaims the Worship of the Antichrist
We read in verse 12 that the false prophet “causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.” As we saw in our last study, the antichrist will imitate a resurrection from the dead. We saw in verse 3 that the world will wonder and be amazed by what appears a coming back to life after being fatally wounded.
The false prophet will take this so-called resurrection from the dead and use it to proclaim to the world that the antichrist is worthy of their worship.
Daniel 11:36 tells us that the antichrist “shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods.” The devil has always wanted to be as God and worshipped as God, and during the tribulation he will secure the worship of the world through his antichrist.
The Bible says in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 the antichrist will be one, “Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” About midway through the tribulation period, the antichrist will take possession of the rebuilt Jewish Temple, sit in it and proclaim himself to be God and demand that he be worshipped as God.
No doubt the false prophet will call a news conference that will be broadcast throughout the whole world and endorse the claim of the antichrist and call for the whole earth to recognize him as such.
As I said earlier, the false prophet is the anti-Holy Spirit. The mission of the Holy Spirit is to promote and magnify the Lord Jesus. Jesus said of the Holy Spirit in John 16:13 that, “He shall not speak of Himself.” The work of Holy Spirit is to speak of Christ. In the same fashion, the anti-Spirit, the false prophet, will not speak of himself, but seek to glorify and magnify the antichrist.
Thirdly, notice with me not only the master and mission of the false prophet, but also:
3. THE MIRACLES OF THE FALSE PROPHET
We read in verse 13, “And he doeth wonders.” The word “wonders” speaks of miracles. The false prophet will amaze and astound the world with his miracles. He will be a master of miracles. He will perform miracles of such caliber, he will make Benny Hinn and Oral Roberts look like novices.
I know I may upset some folks with this statement, but I personally believe that much of the charismatic movement in our day and time is preparing the way for the world be duped and deceived by this false prophet. This name it and claim crowd and sign and wonder bunch is setting the world up for one like the false prophet to rise to a place of leadership in a one-world religion.
Contrary to what many think, the Bible has so little to do with much of what goes on with this miracle crowd. All someone has to do is jerk, close their eyes, lift their hand and say, “I’ve got a revelation,” and people swallow it hook, line, and sinker as if it were actually a word from God. Show a few tapes of so-called miracles that occurred in their meetings and the whole crowd will accept them as being from God – both man and miracle. Excuse me; I must not forget the prophetesses and Mrs. preacher. I certainly don’t want to offend anyone.
Watch some of the religious stations and it is always about miracles. It is about having a miracle, seeing a miracle or doing a miracle. It has become the standard and one day when someone like the false prophet comes on the scene with his miracles, he will have the religious world eating out of his hand.
Add to the charismatic movement, there are all the other reported religious phenomenon that is reported from around the world. You hear reports such as radiant crosses of light seen by tens of thousands from California to the Philippines that brings spontaneous healings. Rainbow colored light emanates from an image of Buddha which suddenly appeared on a bathroom window of a home in Nagano City, Japan.
In Senegal and the UK, Muslim families discover the symbol for Allah formed on or in garden of vegetables. Reuters reported a 12-year-old Lebanese girl produces tiny crystals from her eyes.
In Nairobi, Kenya, a man appears “out of the blue.” He appeared miraculously before 6,000 people at a prayer meeting. Many in attendance are healed. He then leaves in an equally mysterious manner, promising to return with a "bucketful of blessings". He was photographed addressing (in their own language) thousands of people who instantly recognized Him as the Christ.
Add to all these things, wave after wave of miraculous phenomena including manifestations of Jesus and Mary in the clouds, weeping statues of the Madonna, milk-drinking Hindu icons, wells of healing water in Mexico, Germany and elsewhere.
Benjamen Creme on the Art Bell radio program talked about TV cameras filming a statue drinking milk. Even the camera operators would hold out the milk in a cap or a spoon to the statue which is made of wood and the milk literally disappeared.
This world is miracle crazy, and I believe it is all part of the devil’s work to get the world ready for the antichrist and the false prophet.
Notice with me a couple of things about the miracles that the false prophet will perform. First, we see there will be:
A) Diverse Miracles
He will do “wonders.” Notice the word is plural. He will perform many miracles and a wide variety of miracles. In Revelation 13 we read of a couple of miracles that will bring him much attention and admiration.
For one, there is a sky miracle. In verse 13 we read of how “he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.” Like Elijah of the Old Testament, he will call down fire from heaven.
For another, there is a statue miracle. In verse 14 we read that the false prophet will lead the world to “make an image to the beast, which had the wound by sword, and did live.” Once again, his imitation of a resurrection from the dead is mentioned indicating this feat will be an important factor in the antichrist being worshipped by the world. The false prophet will make an image of the antichrist and no doubt sit it up in the Jewish Temple.
Then he will perform a miracle by this image. We read in verse 15, “And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak.” The word “image” simply refers to a statue. The false prophet will cause the statue to come alive and talk.
Secondly, we see that the miracles of the false prophet are not only diverse, but they are also:
B) Deceptive Miracles
We read in 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.” The whole purpose of the miracles the false prophet will perform is to seduce and deceive the people.
For the most part, the world will fall prey to the lies and deceptions of the false prophet. Their deception is indicated in that the image of the antichrist is worshipped. For those who are not deceived and refuse to worship the image, the penalty is very stiff. We read in verse 15, “that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.”
The world in which we live is quickly being prepared for both the beast out of the sea and the beast out of the earth. The further I go in Revelation the more grateful I am that the old account was settled long ago. How about you?
© 2005 by the Living Word |