THE ANTI-CHRIST AND HIS FALSE
PROPHET, REV. 13
Lesson 16
INTRO: There seems to be a growing interest not only in the family of God but also across the whole family of mankind that we are fast approaching some catastrophic events. Our study of the Revelation of Jesus Christ reveals that God has established a plan for the future. In II Tim 3: 1-5 we are reminded “that perilous times shall come.” The events of just one title wave is revealing this week just how open we are to uncontrollable events. As God’s clock of the future begins to tick off the seconds that lead to eternity, we have seen some important persons. In our last study together, we looked at Israel, Satan, Christ and Angels. In our current study our focus of attention is on the powerful Anti-Christ and the false prophet. The trinity of evil consists of Satan imitating God the father, Anti-Christ imitating God the Son, and the False-prophet imitating God the Holy Spirit. Keep in mind that at the end of the tribulation, the Anti-Christ and False Prophet are cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death. (Rev 19:20) At that time Satan is bound for a 1,000 years.(Rev. 20:1-2) Rev. 20:7-8 reveals Satan is loosed after the 1,000 years for a season and then is cast into the lake of fire.(Rev. 20:10) Now that we know the end of the trinity of evil, let us consider the events that lead to their destruction. There are two schools of thought that exist concerning the Anti-Christ and the False Prophet. Some feel these two are one person, and others feel that the beast is the political leader and that the False Prophet is the religious leader. Personally I believe they are two leaders.
I. The beast out of the sea or the Anti-Christ (Vs 1-3)
a. Beast out of the sea.
1. As John in his vision stands on the sands of the sea he witnesses the rise of a beast out of the sea.
2. We are reminded that the sea speaks of humanity and from its ranks comes this personality.
3. The description of the Anti-Christ (Vs. 1-2)
a) This sends us back to the Book of Daniel (Daniel 2:31-36)
b) Keep in mind all is leading to worship of the Anti-Christ who is indwelled by Satan. (Rev. 13:8)
b. The crowns speak of authority and are in reverse order to Daniel.
1. Daniel looked ahead and John looks back.
2. Anti-Christ authority and power come from the dragon or Satan. (Rev.12:9)
c. The deadly wound healed (Vs. 3)
1. There is much difference of opinion because some feel this is the revived Roman Empire.
2. I personally believe that at the midpoint of the tribulation, as the great tribulation begins, the Anti-Christ is wounded then brought back to life.
II. The world at this point wonders after or follows him during the dark days of the great tribulation. The nature of the Anti-Christ (Vs. 4-10)
a. The worship of the Anti-Christ and Satan (Vs 4)
1. Satanic worship reaches its goal, and direct worship is given to the Anti-Christ by the children of disobedience (Eph. 2:1-2)
2. World acclaim is given to the false Christ as Satan though seeks to reach his goal to be worshipped – “be like the most high God.”( Isa 14:14)
b. The power and nature of the Anti-Christ (Vs 5)
1. His power is given for 42 months or 3 ½ years.
a) He speaks great things and draws people after himself.
b) The world of mankind is seeking someone to bring peace in the mist of terror and world unrest.
c) However, the peace is false for the first three and one half years.
c. Those who receive the brunt of Satan’s attack (Vs 6-7)
1. Against the Jews and their Temple in Jerusalem
2. These are clearly of the days spoken by Jesus in Matt. 24:15-22
3. War with the Saints (Vs 7)
a) Satan is allowed to overcome for a period of time.
b) This power is world-wide
c) The terror that will be experienced by the saints of God is beyond our understanding.
d. Satanic worship and the Book of Life (Vs 8)
1. Satan in the person of the Anti-Christ will receive the worship he has always sought.
2. Remember what Satan offered Jesus if He would acknowledge him.
3. The Book of Life- the different ideas
e. A call to listen (Vs 9-10)
1. God’s children are to pay attention.
2. The ultimate doom of the ungodly. (Vs 10) (In short we have the law of divine retribution.)
III. The False Prophet or Beast out of the earth (Vs 11-18)
a. He is the religious leader and head of the apostate church.
1. His character as a lamb seems to indicate his religious nature.
2. He spoke as the dragon which revealed his satanic motivation.
3. Satan is the master of deception, and this is his very best masterpiece.
b. Verse 12 makes it clear that these two work closely together.
1. When the world wide apostate church is destroyed in Rev 17:16, this false prophet surveys that which was under his control and helps make the transition.
2. In doing this he causes the people to worship the Anti-Christ.
c. The work engaged in by the false prophet (Vs.13-18)
1. Great wonders which causes people to follow him.
a) Fire down from heaven
b) Maybe duplicate of Pentecost
2. His whole purpose is to deceive people. (Vs 14)
a) As in days of Nebuchadnezzar and the image
b) As the three Hebrew children wouldn’t bow, so God’s followers are warned not to bow to anyone. (II. Cor. 11:13-15)
3. Again in verse 15 the world is made to wonder after something supernatural.
a) All who will not bow are killed. (Stop and think – are Moslem in our country treated as Christian are treated in Iran and other Muslim countries?)
4. The mark of the beast (Vs 16-18)
a) Few things in Revelation have received wider attention than this mark or number.
b) Notice this applies to ALL
1) “A brand on right hand or forehead”
2) Today many think this will be a computer chip.
d. A strangle hold on the economic flow of the world
1. Total control is exercised, and disobedience is met with strongest measures.
2. Power is almost absolute.
e. Here is wisdom. (Vs 18)
1. The 666 of the future
2. 6 is the number of man falling short of 7, the number of perfection