The False Prophet

The False Prophet

Revelation, Part 19, Revelation 13:11-12

Introduction

Last time we concluded with the understanding of the religion of the beast

-- Discussed how it will affect all nations in the world

-- “Worship Satan or die” is the message given to all alive in this day

-- Satan’s control is very easily assumed in a world of chaos

-- People need leadership, and they will follow anything (we are sheep)

- Let’s look today, at how this world dominator will control his subjects

-- Prayerfully we will gain insight as to what the role of the church is

- This evening is solely a teaching lesson …

-- Provide background on the importance of Satan’s leadership (how/why)

- Read Revelation 13:11-12

Ω Point 1 – The False Prophet (11-12)

- This “other” beast is the third member of this unholy trinity

-- Satan’s counterfeit of the Trinity (Satan; anti-Christ, and third beast)

- This beast is a man called the “False prophet” (see Rev 19:20).

-- He is a religious leader who counterfeits the Holy Spirit

-- He points to the Beast (First Beast) as the object of truth and worship

-- The false-prophet and the Antichrist work together from the start

- This world religion will operate under the false ideal of “relative truth”

-- Those who insist on Jesus being the focus of objective truth will be killed during the first half of the tribulation.

- Jesus spoke about this individual and the antichrist in Matthew 24:24, “For false Christ’s and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand.”

- How do we get leaders in this nation?

-- They are elected … thus, the “elect” reference

Ω - He has two horns like a lamb

-- Lambs are used mainly in the scriptures as a picture of sacrifice

-- Jesus is called the “Lamb of God” or also God’s Passover lamb

- The lamb-like nature of this beast demonstrates his religious aspect

-- The two horns have significant meaning and have many interpretations

- The two horns on this lamb can represent two distinct religious systems

-- There is strong evidence to suggest, this united religious system will be the adulterous church pictured in three of the seven churches (Laodicea, Sardis, Thyatira)

-- They are unified with the remnants of Islam by the False Prophet

There are four points regarding this position:

1. Catholicism already accepts Muslims and Jews as having salvation

-- Not required to believe Jesus died on Cross or that he is the Son of God.

Ref: Catechism of the Catholic Church:

Ω 839 The relationship of the Church with the Jewish People. When she delves into her own mystery, the Church, the People of God in the New Covenant, discovers her link with the Jewish People, "the first to hear the Word of God." The Jewish faith, unlike other non-Christian religions, is already a response to God's revelation in the Old Covenant. To the Jews "belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ", "for the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable."

Ω 841 The Church's relationship with the Muslims. "The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day."

Ω 2. Islam is a major force on the scene today in Jerusalem (Israel)

-- It must be reduced for the Jewish Temple to be rebuilt

-- This happens at the start of the 7-year tribulation period

-- The “Dome of the Rock” must be destroyed which is either

1) The cause or

2) The conclusion of a war between Islam and Israel.

-- A defeated Islam will be ripe for a new religious system.

Ω 3. With the “Rapture” of the Church, those left behind will look to unify

-- Again, we have a world filled with war and chaos

-- This results from: Islamic war against Israel, (Ezekiel 38-39)

-- The Rapture and the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple

- This church is exemplified by Jesus’ response to the 5 virgins who missed the coming of the bridegroom (Matthew 25:11-13), “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”

Ω 4. The adulterous church is destroyed in the 2nd half of the tribulation