Revelation chapter 13 calls him the 2nd “beast”. The 1st beast (earlier in the chapter) is the antichrist. While the 1st beast comes from the “sea” (most likely gentile nations), this 2nd one comes from the “land” (usually, the nation of Israel). See more on the antichrist’s origin in the previous post. This indicates that the false prophet just may be a Jew. Verse 11 says that he has two horns like a lamb, but speaks like a dragon. The actual word for lamb here is “lambkin”, or a soft cuddly innocent young sheep. This is pure deception, of course, as the words he speaks are those of the dragon, the devil himself. He is the epitome of deception that Jesus warned us about. (Matthew 24:4,24). He is the chief sidekick of the antichrist; “he exercises all the authority of the 1st beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the 1st beast” (Rev.13:12). He is also a consummate magician; “He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast….” (Rev.13:13-14) This sign of fire from heaven is reminiscent of the prophet Elijah (1Kings: 18:20-40). As the Jews are looking for the appearance of Elijah just before messiah’s coming, this particular deception may have lots of legs inside the orthodox Jewish community.
As one reads the rest of Revelation 13, it becomes obvious that the primary objective of the false prophet is to exalt the stature of his boss, the antichrist. He becomes the beast’s great facilitator, by overseeing the erection of an image of the beast in the temple area. This is, no doubt, the “abomination of desolation” referred to in Daniel 12:11 and Matthew 24:15. This image will have the technology to act and speak on behalf of the antichrist. The false prophet commands mankind to worship this image (hence the beast and Satan) or be killed. The false prophet is also the driving force behind mandating a mark on the right hand or forehead of everyone so they can participate in the economic system of the beast. As we all know this mark is associated with the name of the antichrist or the number of his name – 666.
Though the world will be deceived by this man, Christians who have a basic understanding of future prophecy will not be. His arrival on the scene will be shortly after the two witnesses complete their ministry. (Scroll back to read the series of posts on the two witnesses; they also can call down fire from heaven on their enemies). When he sets up the AOD, this is the unmistakable sign that Jesus said to watch for that will commence the final 3 1/2 years of great tribulation before His 2nd coming.
Stay Alert. Keep Studying.
Maranatha, Jim