The False Prophet, Part 1

Read Revelation 13:11-18

Overview:

We’re going to look at the False Prophet today and what he mimics of God.

We’re going to examine what the Image and Mark of the Beast could possibly be.

Then we’ll conclude with the point of this section, which is, that we need to apply wisdom and have understanding in all of this.

We’ll look at where wisdom comes from, how understanding helps us live our lives right in light of all this, and finally, how prayerful discernment helps us be alert and ready for Jesus’ Second Coming.

Review:

The Antichrist will walk into a pre-developed system.

One World Government - United Nations - vs. 1-10

Beast - leopard, bear, lion, 7 heads, 10 horns, 10 diadems - Culmination of world powers.

Summit of the Future produced a Pact for the Future.

A greater emphasis on global governance from the UN.

A commitment by all the nations there to follow the UN if there is a multiple world crisis.

26 Governors of various states in the US have already signed statements that they will not comply, and Congress is writing up a bill to oppose it.

One World Economy - The World Economic Forum

One World Religion - The Abrahamic Family House

Abrahamic Family Religion

Opened last year in the UAE - One World Religion Headquarters

A Mosque, A Synogogue, A Church

And soon a Hindu temple will open.

Many have held to the Revived Roman Empire and the Catholic Church being players in the one world government and one world religion. And that still may be the case, especially since Pope Francis just proclaimed that all faith worship the same God.

Pope Francis declared that “all religions are a path to God,” “...If you start to fight, ‘my religion is more important than yours, mine is true and yours isn’t,’ where will that lead us?” he asked,” according to Crux Now. “There’s only one God, and each of us has a language to arrive at God. Some are Sheik, Muslim, Hindu, Christian, and they are different paths [to God].”

Lisa Ling and her new series on CBS called “The State of Spirituality.” It doesn’t matter what religion you are, we are all spiritual beings, and we all need to be connected to our higher power. Religion is just the different ways that we all get to commune with that higher power.

I think it’s possible the False Prophet comes out of the Muslim nation. But that will be the second part of this sermon when I return.

The False Prophet Comparisons - vs. 11-18

Unholy Trinity

Dragon

Beast of the Sea - Antichrist

Beast of the earth - False Prophet

...like a lamb, but spoke as a dragon. (vs 11)

Matthew 7:15 NASB95

“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

2 horns

great signs (vs. 13)

deceptive teaching (vs 14)

in contrast to the 2 witnesses in Rev 11.

they prophesied (teachings) for 42 months.

fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies.

they performed signs

they stand before the Lord and do the bidding of God, and with the authority from divine communion. Whereas the false prophet derives his authority from standing before the first beast, the antichrist, and does the Antichrist’s bidding.

He makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast. (vs 12-13)

There’s another interesting connection here with calling down fire.

The False Prophet is the copy of the Holy Spirit in the Unholy Trinity.

On the day of Pentecost, basically fire came down from heaven and the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to do miraculous things.

Here we have fire coming down and miraculous things being done.

He deceives those who dwell on the earth.

He makes an image to the beast

He gives breath to the image of the beast (breathes life into the image)

the word for breath here is pneuma, which is also translated spirit.

could be translated, “He gives a spirit to the image.”

So the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

The Image And Mark Of The Beast

It’s entirely possible, and even probable that this giving of the spirit to this image is a demonic spirit inhabiting the image. But it still doesn’t explain what exactly is the image.

I’ve thought in the past that maybe this is a clone. They are still working on cloning humans.

Now with AI and robotics, I wonder if it’s connected to robotics.

Then I came across something else that could tie some things together.

There is something called Trans-humanism and the basic premise is that Elon Musk and other trans-humanists are trying to bring death to death.

Elon’s goal is to eventually be able to transfer the “soul” of a person into a robotic avatar.

Elon believes that our “soul” is just the chemical and electrical impulses of our brain. In those chemical and electrical impulses are all our memories and personality stored in the brain.

So, if he can transfer those electrical impulses into a computer hard drive, then you would move into a machine, or at least a partial machine.

Now we’re moving into cyborg type of thinking.

As part of accomplishing that goal, he has been working on a neural implant called, “Neuralink”.

video

Now, it’s possible to transfer “thoughts” to a computer.

The next step will be can you store thoughts on a computer.

Could Neuralink also be used for the mark of the beast?

I’ll come back to this in a later sermon, but here’s one interesting tidbit.

Gematria is the assigning of numbers to letters and was used in Judaism frequently.

In fact, when John says to calculate the number of the beast, he very well may have been meaning this.

As early as the church father Irenaeus mentions that many names of contemporary persons were being offered up as possibilities to who 666 might refer.

Irenaeus cautioned against the practice because he believed that the name was still concealed because it did not exist in John’s day.

The name would be secret until the time of the revealing of the Lawless One.

That being said, Irenaeus felt that using gematria was John’s intended meaning here.

When neuralink is put into a gematria calculator...

Neuralink - gematria = 666

Even though Neuralink equals 666, it is not the name of the beast. At least not that we know of...

The text says, vs 18 - it will be the number of his name.

Still, it’s hard to dismiss the possibility that neuralink may be used as part of the mark’s usefulness.

Just in case you were wondering, though, I typed in Elon Musk to see...

Application: (vs 18)

This calls for wisdom...

However, we must not forget the thrust of this - it is through prayerful discernment and wisdom that will reveal it, not just mathematical computations.

Wisdom begins with fearing of the Lord.

Proverbs 1:7; 9:10; 2:9 (NASB95)

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge...The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Then you will discern righteousness and justice And equity and every good course.

Knowledge are the facts or puzzle pieces

Understanding is being able to put the pieces all together

Wisdom is how do I apply this understanding to my life.

Discernment is seeing the difference between right and wrong; good or evil.

Spending time with fools distorts your ability to understand the facts.

Proverbs 14:7 NASB95

Leave the presence of a fool, Or you will not discern words of knowledge.

The word for understanding is connected to moral reflection.

Do we understand the moral implications that we are to live our lives based on the fact that this day is coming?

Do we want to know about 666 to satisfy our intellectual curiosity or do we want to understand why it matters spiritually?

We are to ascertain and recognize the deception so as to call it out insofar as a warning to others.

Through prayerful discernment we are to be alert and ready for the second coming.

Matthew 24:42–44 NASB95

“Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. “For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.

alert

a mindfulness of threatening dangers, so as to spur you on and keep you from slackening in the energy of faith and conduct.

vigilance combined with prayer.

be ready

be prepared

be faithful

Jesus is coming soon, are you ready?

Wisdom, Understanding, and Prayerful Discernment are related to the lamb that speaks as a dragon.

Wolf in sheep’s clothing...

Matthew 10:16 NASB95

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.

shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.

We have to apply have knowledge, understanding, wisdom, and discernment regarding the end times and more importantly, continuing to share the love of Jesus with a dying world.

Finally, if you’re still here when all this hits the fan, remember what we have said, we’ll be gone, but if you’re still alive, you have one last chance to give your life to Jesus and to put your faith in Him. Jesus loves you and died for you. Accept His free gift of salvation!

Closing Song: Ever Be