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The False Prophet: ‘The Beast from the earth’

Revelation 13:11 – “Then I saw another beast, coming up out of the earth.  He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon.”

Revelation 13:12 – “He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.”

The False Prophet: ‘The Mark of the Beast’

Revelation 13:16-17 – “He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no-one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.”

Revelation 13:13 – “And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men.”

Jesus Christ said: ” ‘Then if anyone says to you, “Behold, here is the Christ” or “There He is,” do not believe him.  For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.’ ” – Matthew 24:23-24

The phrase ‘coming up out of the earth’ is entirely different than the Beast’s appearance of ‘coming up out of the sea’, the sea meaning peoples – the Beast will be a man.  One might think that perhaps the False Prophet, with his two horns, might look more like an animal.

Jesus’ “The Sheep and the Goats” Parable: Matthew 25:31-34 – “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.  All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.  Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’ “

Matthew 25:41 – “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels.’ “

Revelation 13:14 – “Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth.  He ordered them to set up an image in honour of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.”

Just as in Daniel 3:1 – King Nebuchadnezzar set up an image of himself of gold.  All were commanded to fall down and worship it or else they would be thrown into a blazing furnace. 

Three Jewish men, Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego, refused to do so and were thrown into the furnace.  Then King Nebuchadnezzar witnessed those three men plus a fourth man, ‘like a son of the gods’ walking around in the fire, unharmed.  He ordered the men to ‘come out, come here’ and saw that the fire had not harmed them.  Daniel 3:28 – “Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, ‘Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Mechach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God.”

“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” – Romans 12:1

Revelation 13:15 – “He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed.”

This image that the False Prophet will set up will be able to speak and will have authority.  It might be a statue or with today’s technology, it might even be a hologram/android/clone or something similar.

Revelation 13:18 – “This calls for wisdom.  If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number.  His number is 666.”

This is a solemn reminder of the third angel’s message – Revelation 14:9-12 – “Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.  And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark or his name.’  Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.”

scripture only: The Beast from the Earth

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supplemental article: Events Completed for the Tribulation Saints – limited information is available on what actually transpires during the Beast’s reign of terror