The False Prophet

Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; he had two horns like a lamb, but he sounded like a dragon. He exercises all the authority of the first beast on his behalf and compels the earth and those who live on it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. He also performs great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth before people. - Revelation 13:11-13 HCSB

In the last days, Babylon will follow a religion that emphasizes materialism and sexuality[1] focusing on the fertility god Tammuz[2]. However, there will be another power on the Earth at that time. A cunning military man will have forsaken all gods save one – a new one that no one will have heard of.[3]

This new god will be a god of fortresses and as such will apparently have the uncanny ability to understand and unlock enemy defenses for his one new convert.[4] Whether due to the vagaries of Murphy’s Law or deliberately, this god will allow his favored son to be struck down with a fatal blow but will then miraculously raise the Antichrist from his fatal wound to the wonder and awe of the Earth’s gathered crowds.

Another man will seize this opportunity to improve his own fortunes by preaching a new religion. This religion will begin by focusing on the power to heal but will soon go far beyond mere healing. The False Prophet will quickly proceed to the conjuring of signs and wonders and will very soon be able to actually call down fire from heaven in a twisted imitation of Elijah’s feat on Mount Carmel.[5] The significance of this identification with Elijah is that Malachi prophesied that the coming of the Messiah and the Day of the Lord would be preceded by the arrival of the spirit of Elijah.[6]

He will then be allowed to fabricate an image of the Antichrist and empowered to give that image life.[7] The image (whatever form it takes) will be able to speak and will be able kill those who refuse to worship it.

The Bible then says that “he” (whether the False Prophet or the Image, I am unsure), will instigate a new economic system that will entail everyone being tagged. I find the latest trends toward biometric identification to be interesting to say the least! Particularly when the number that is uniquely identified with the Antichrist, that is 666, routinely appears as those three pairs of long lines on either end and the middle of bar codes.

In the end, the False Prophet will get his due. He and his boss will both be taken prisoner by the Lord Jesus and will be thrown alive into the lake of fire.[8]

When those dark days come, dear children, do not be deceived. Any one who contradicts the clear teachings of the Scriptures or denies the deity of Jesus Christ is a false prophet[9] – and you know where he ends up!


[1] Revelation 17:2; 18:3, 11-19
[2] Ezekiel 8:14
[3] Daniel 11:36-38
[4] Daniel 11:39
[5] 1 Kings 18:37-38
[6] Malachi 4:5; cp John 1:21; Matthew 17:10-13
[7] Revelation 13:15
[8] Revelation 19:19-20
[9] 1 John 4:1-6