The Beast and the False Prophet

THE BEAST AND THE FALSE PROPHET

Chapter 13

 

THE BEAST FROM THE SEA

(Revelation 13:1-2 KJV)

And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

The content of chapters 12 and 13 of the Revelation are connected and present and present important information related to the seals and a few commentators considered them to be one connected unit.  The first three words in some manuscripts read “He stood” referring to the dragon or Satan.  Some versions actually read, “And Satan stood” rather than “I stood” as referring to John, the writer.

At the end of chapter 12, Satan, “went to make war with the remnant of her seed.”  This war will entail his final act of rebellion and possible obliteration against God, Christ, and the people of God.  When Satan goes to “make war”, it stands to reason that he will invoke his seventh and final beast system or empire.

A composite beast rises from the sea (or the people and nations of the world).  It has 7 heads, ten horns, and a crown upon each of the horns.  This composite beast is a personification of the final beast (antichrist, man of sin, man of lawlessness, little horn) or kingdom of the beast as was the composite dragon in chapter 12.  This beast is Satan’s final kingdom/empire designed to destroy the manifestations of God, the people of God, and hopefully for him, the son of God at His return at Armageddon.

 

(Revelation 13:3-4 KJV)

And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

There are seven heads on this beast, which will be explained by an angel in chapter 17.  Six heads are historical rulers/empires, the seventh head is the “man of sin” who will be killed, then resurrected as the 8^th head who is one of the 7 (see chapter 17).  After his resurrection (ascends from the bottomless pit) he will be the incarnate beast or the actual antichrist as of the Satanic empire from which he came.

The world will wonder (marvel, admire) after the beast, which is an understatement in my opinion.  A dead person comes back to life. – Is there anyone like the beast? – A dead person brought to life, can’t be defeated.  Who can possibly make war with him? – Is this the work of the dragon (Satan)? – Let’s worship the dragon (Satan) who gave life back to the beast. – What the heck.  Let’s worship the beast as well.

(Revelation 13:5-6 KJV)

And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

The beast has the terrorizing mouth of a lion and speaks great things and is given things to say, presumably from the dragon or Satan.  The beast orates on great and powerful subjects and things and  his speech is replete with blasphemies (vilifications).  His death and return from the abyss occurs at the midpoint of the 70^th week of Daniel due to the 3 ½ year time limit given him.  He appears to be a master of blasphemy pertaining to God:  the name of God; the tabernacle of God in heaven; and the angels of heaven.

The reader should understand that Revelation chapters 12, 13 and 17 are essentially one unit that has been divided into parts.  All the events in these three chapters essentially occur at (or near to) the same time, which is the midpoint of the 70^th week.

These events include:  the death and rebirth of the beast (antichrist); declaring Jerusalem the capital of the world; the rise of mystery, Babylon; the abomination of desolation; the declaration of the beast as “god”; and  the escape of the Judean remnant.

(Revelation 13:7-10 KJV)

And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If any man have an ear, let him hear. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

The beast is now the dictator of the entire world.  He has consolidated his power through his personal conquering invasions and authority has been ceded to him by the remaining rulers of the world.  He has been given the power (or authority), presumably by God to militarily overcome the saints (Christians or churches?).  All of the world’s inhabitants, except the saints, will worship him.  As we will learn in verse 15, those refusing to worship the beast, or his image, will be killed.  Only those whose names are written in the book of life will refuse to deny God and worship the beast.

Verse 10 is somewhat confusing, but the NET or NIV states it more clear.

If anyone is meant for captivity, into captivity he will go.

If anyone is to be killed by the sword, then by the sword he must be killed.

 (Revelation 13:10 NET)

This comment from God requires patience and faith.  There is no need to be so fearful for your life causing one to say or do something that would deny Jesus Christ or your faith in the Lord God.  Those destined for imprisonment will be imprisoned and those destined for death will be killed.

 

THE SECOND BEAST OR FALSE PROPET

(Revelation 13:11-16 KJV)

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. 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. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 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. 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. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

The second symbolic beast is presented as coming out of the earth with two symbolic horns like a lamb.  Some commentators state the two horns are a symbol of power which gives him a semblance of religious authority or he may initially attempt to appear as a personification of Jesus.  He is most likely attempting to appear as a genuine lamb (religious person), but is merely a wolf in “sheep’s clothing” because he speaks in the manner of a dragon, or the thoughts and ideas of Satan.  He causes or forces everyone to worship the beast.

.The prophet seems to have the same power or authority as the beast, however, there is some confusion in the wording of the text.  The KJV reads “before him” concerning the power.  The NIV and the NET read “on his behalf”; Young’s and Green’s LT read “before it”; another reads, “in his sight”.  It would appear that the false prophet actually has no supposed supernatural ability apart from or away from the beast.

It is my opinion that the false prophet (or second beast) will claim to be the prophet Elijah, who was taken up in a whirlwind and is prophesied to return.  The idea of a return of Elijah is a major concept of Judaism.  Jewish cultural customs include:  a chair set for him at circumcision ceremonies; and a fifth cup set for him at the Passover meal.  According to a Jewish encyclopedia:  Elijah will verify the Messiah; he will resolve all disputes in Jewish law; and he will resolve all questions brought to him.  Another section of the encyclopedia states:  “When the archangel Michael blows the trumpet, Elijah will appear with the Messiah, whom he will present to the people.  They will ask of Elijah, as an attestation of his mission, that he raise the dead before their eyes….”

When asked about John the Baptist as the return of Elijah in the gospels, Jesus answered, “And if ye are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, that is to come.”

(Matthew 11:14 ASV-1901)  The Jews do not accept this explanation and are still awaiting his return.  John the Baptist may have been a forerunner of the coming Elijah because Malachi states that he (Elijah) will come before the day of the Lord.

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

It is possible the false prophet, posing as Elijah, will give the impression of raising the dead antichrist to life as the final beast.  Most commentators believe the beast will only simulate or fake his death.  They do not believe that Satan can raise the dead, and I completely agree.  However, scripture states that he ascends out of the bottomless pit (abyss).  An individual cannot be in the abyss unless they are dead, and no one can ascend from that place unless the power of God allows it.

The false prophet will cause fire to come down from heaven in the sight of men.  Although not often mentioned, verse 14 hints that he appears to do other miracles as well (in the sight of the beast), and if so, they are unknown at this time.

Elijah is the only known Old Testament prophet to call fire down from heaven, which occured on three occasions.  With this single action of heavenly fire, the false prophet can easily establish himself as the returned Elijah, in the minds of the Judeans.   His greatest accomplishment or deceit, which is desired by traditional historical Jewish culture, is the presentation and endorsement of the beast as the long awaited Jewish messiah.  Some modern Jewish intellectuals may now think that Jews will be their own self-made messiah, everyone’s mental attitude will miraculously change to favor the beast (or die).

The false prophet also encourages (or commands) earth dwellers (probably just those around Jerusalem) to create or build an image of the beast.  The prophet has the power to give life to the image so that it can speak.  Everyone is to worship the image or be sentences to death.  He then places a mark (the infamous mark of the beast, 666), on the right hand or forehead which gives that person the authority to buy or sell.  Apparently, the dictator beast has world control of commerce, particularly the buying and selling of food.