THE FALSE PROPHET

Satan is the "God of this World." (Age.) 2 Corinthians 4: 4. As the God of this world (Age), he aims-to "Ape" God. As God sent His Son (Jesus) into the world, so Satan shall send the Antichrist into the world. As God was in Christ, so Satan will incarnate himself in the Antichrist.

The "Mystery of Godliness" is God manifest in the "flesh." 1Tim. 3:16. The "Mystery of Iniquity" will be Satan manifest in the "flesh." 2 Thessalonians 2:7. Satan will see to it that the Antichrist has all that Christ has.

1. Christ has a Church - the Ecclesia; The Antichrist will have a church, the "Synagogue of Satan." Revelation 2:9 & 3:9.

2. Christ will have a Bride, the "Church," Ephesians 5:25-27; The Antichrist will have a bride, the "Mystic Harlot Church.". Revelation 17:1-16.

3. Christ has a Cup, "The Communion Cup," 1 Corinthians 10:16 & 11:25. The Antichrist has a cup, the "Cup of Devils." 1Corinthians10:21.

4. Christ's earthly ministry lasted for three and a half years, and Satan shall reign in Antichrist for the same length of time.

5. Christ died at the age of thirty-three years, and for as much as we know the Antichrist will be smitten at the same age; the age at which Alexander the Great, the "Great Horn" of the He-Goat died.

6. The Godhead is a Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and Satan proposes, as the "God of this Age," to manifest himself as a Trinity. In contra-distinction to the Divine Trinity we call this manifestation a SATANIC TRINITY.

The members of it are-

1. "The Dragon - Satan - The Anti-GOD."
2. "The First Beast - A Man - The "Anti-CHRIST."
3. "The Second Beast - The False Prophet - the "Anti-SPIRIT.'

THE FALSE PROPHET

After the Apostle John had seen and described the "Beast" that came up out of the SEA, he saw another "Beast" come up out of the ABYSS or BOTTOMLESS PIT. This "Second Beast" while John does not say it was a lamb, it had "Two Horns", "like a lamb," that is, it was LAMB-LIKE. Because of this resemblance many claim that the "Second Beast" is the Antichrist, for Antichrist is supposed to imitate Christ. While the LAMB (Christ) is mentioned in the Book of Revelation 22 times, the description given of Him in chapter 5:6,

6. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

-is that of a lamb having "SEVEN HORNS" and not "TWO." This differentiates Him from the "lamb-like Beast" that comes up out of the bottomless pit, who, though he is "lamb-like in appearance SPEAKS AS A DRAGON."

The "Second Beast" has a name. He is called the "FALSE PROPHET" three times. First in chapter 16:13, 19:20 and 20:10;

13. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

20. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

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.

In these verses we see three persons or identities being described, not extentions of one person but three distinct and separate characters. The fact that he is called the "False Prophet" is proof that he is not the "Antichrist." Jesus had a fore view of him when He said "There shall arise FALSE CHRIST'S and FALSE PROPHETS, and shall show GREAT SIGNS AND WONDERS: in so much that, if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect." Matthew 24:24. Here Jesus differentiates between "FALSE CHRISTS" and "FALSE PROPHETS," therefore the "ANTICHRIST" and the "FALSE PROPHET" cannot be the same.

That the "Second Beast" comes up out of the BOTTOMLESS PIT may signify that he will be a resurrected sprit. Jesus sent His Spirit into the world when He returned to His Father, that we might be comforted by Him and be taught and led. John 15:26

26. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

Satan will copy this and use an evil spirit to aid the Anti-Christ and delude the populations of the world (Rev 13:11 onwards). The fact that the "First Beast" (Antichrist) and the "Second Beast" (False Prophet) are cast ALIVE into the "Lake of Fire" (Revelation 19:20) is further proof that they are more than ordinary mortals, and that the "First beast" is more than the last ruling Emperor of the revived Roman Empire. He is the Antichrist, Satan's SUPERMAN.

In the Dragon, the Beast, and the, False Prophet, we have the "SATANIC TRINITY", Satan's imitation of the "Divine Trinity." In the unseen and invisible "Dragon" we have the FATHER (the ANTI-GOD). In the "Beast" we have the "SON OF PERDITION" (the ANTI-CHRIST), begotten of the Dragon, who appears on the earth, dies, and is resurrected, and to whom is given a throne by his Father the Dragon. In the "False Prophet" we have the "ANTI-SPIRIT," who proceeds from the "Dragon Father" and "Dragon Son," and whose speech is like the Dragon's. The "Dragon" then will be the "ANTI-GOD," the "Beast" the "ANTI-CHRIST," and the "False prophet" the "ANTI-SPIRIT," and the fact that all three are cast ALIVE into the "Lake of Fire" (Revelation 20:10) is proof that they together form a "Triumvirate" which we may well call "THE SATANIC TRINITY."

Again the "Antichrist" is to be a KING and rule over a KINGDOM. He will accept the "Kingdoms of this world" that Satan offered Christ, and that Christ refused. Matthew 4:8-10.

8. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
9. And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
10. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

He will also EXALT himself, and claim to be God. 2 Thessalonians 2:4.

4. 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.

But the "False Prophet" is not a King, He does not exalt himself, he exalts the "First Beast" (Antichrist). His relation to the "First Beast" is the same as the Holy Spirit's relation to Christ. He causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the "First Beast." (Rev 13:12) He also has power to give life, and in this he imitates the HOIY Spirit. And as the followers of Christ are sealed by the Holy Spirit until the "Day of Redemption" (Ephesians 4:30) so the followers of Antichrist shall be sealed by the False Prophet until the "Day of Perdition." Revelation 13:16-17.

The False Prophet will be a "Miracle Worker." While Jesus was a "miracle worker," He did all His mighty works in the "Power" of the Holy Spirit. Acts 10:38.

38. How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Among the miracles that the False Prophet will perform he will bring down FIRE FROM HEAVEN. As we have seen under the work of the "Two Witnesses," Revelation 11:1-14, there will probably be a "FIRE-TEST" between Elijah and the False Prophet, and the test as to who is God of Mount Carmel will be repeated. That Satan, who will then energise the False Prophet, can do this is clear from Job 1:16.

16. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

Here Satan, having secured permission from God to touch all that job had, brought down "fire from heaven" and burned up Job's sheep and servants. The False Prophet then commands the people to make an "IMAGE OF THE BEAST."

This is further proof that the "First Beast" is the Antichrist. It is a strange weakness of mankind that they must have some VISIBLE God to worship, and when the Children of Israel, who had been delivered from Egypt under Moses' leadership, thought he had forsaken them because he did not come down from the Mount, they called Aaron to make them gods which should go before them, and Aaron made for them the "GOLDEN CALF." Exodus 32:1-6. So the False Prophet will have the people make for the purpose of worship an "IMAGE OF THE BEAST." But the wonderful thing about the "IMAGE" is that the False Prophet will have power to give LIFE to it, and cause it to SPEAK, and to demand that all who don't worship it shall be put to death. In other words the "IMAGE" will be a living, speaking, AUTOMATON.

This "Image" reminds us of the "GOLDEN IMAGE" that Nebuchadnezzar commanded to be made and set up in the "Plain of Dura," in the Province of Babylon (Daniel 3:1-30), before which, at the sounding of musical instruments, the people were commanded to bow down and worship under penalty, for those who disobeyed, of being cast into a "BURNING FIERY FURNACE." Doubtless there will be many in the "Day of Antichrist" who will refuse to bow down and worship the "Image of the Beast," and who will not escape as did the "three Hebrew Children," (from these that refuse and are put to death will be taken the 144,000, the first fruits, the hard line religious Jews from all the peoples of Israel), though God may interpose in a miraculous way to deliver some.

And as if this was not enough in Revelation 13:16 it is said if the False prophet;

16. 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:
17. And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

This is what the world is fast coming to. All power and resources are being bought up by a select few of banking giants. Their links with the World Bank will secure their future and position. A federation of bankers will control the worlds economy and so everything.

Ultimately this Federation will extend to the whole world, at the head of which shall be THE ANTICHRIST, and the producer and consumer will be powerless in the tentacles of this world power, and no man shall be able to BUY or SELL who has not the "MARK OF THE BEAST" either upon his "right hand" or on his "forehead."

This "MARK will be put on the skin or in the skin in such a way that it will not be able to be removed. It will be the NUMBER OF THE BEAST in some form, not necessarily an obvious 666. (see the study on 666). The number "666" is the "NUMBER OF MAN," and stops short of the perfect number SEVEN. Man was created on the SIXTH day. Goliath the opposer of God's people, a type of Satan, was 6 cubits in height, he had 6 pieces of armour, and his spearhead weighed 600 shekels.1 Samuel 17:4-7. Nebuchadnezzar's Image, a type of the "Image of the Beast." was 60 cubits in. height, 6 cubits wide, and 6 instruments of music summoned the worshippers. Daniel 3:1-7.

In that day men will doubtless prefer to have the "MARK" on the back of their right hand so it can be readily seen when they are purchasing or selling goods, also as a mark of belonging, something which mankind likes. There will doubtless be public officials in all public places of business to see that no one buys or sells who has not the "MARK." This will apply to women as well as men. No one can shop, or even buy from the caller at the door, without the MARK under penalty of DEATH. Those will be awful times for those who will not WORSHIP THE BEAST.

If they can neither buy nor sell without the "MARK." they must beg, or starve or be killed. The instrument of death will be the guillotine (Revelation 20:4),

4. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

The daily papers will contain a list of the names of those who were beheaded the day before so as to frighten the people into obedience to the law. The executions themselves may well be public events. Family members will be encouraged to give up any family member who doesn't agree. A witch hunt will ensue, the like of which the world has not seen.

The doom of the "Satanic Trinity" will be, that at the close of that awful time of Tribulation the Lord Jesus Christ will return, and the Dragon or Satan the "Anti-God," will be cast into the "BOTTOMLESS PIT" for a thousand years (Revelation 20:l-3), and the Beast, (the Anti-Christ) and the False Prophet, (the Anti-Spirit) will be cast ALIVE into the "LAKE OF FIRE." Revelation 19:20.

The world will be an awful place to live and no where will be safe. People will hand you over to the authority for reward or fear. You will be forced into making a decision, for or against God early into the period of tribulation. There is only one escape and that is to be called up at the Rapture, before all these horrible things take place. Becoming a Christian now and giving up a few so called pleasures now, will seem easy in the light of what is about to come upon mankind.