HEADINGS ON THIS PAGE
PDF VERSION OF THE PAGE
UNDERSTANDING THE FALSE PROPHET
SERVANT AND ALLY OF THE BEAST
PROLOGUE: THE 'MARK OF THE BEAST' IS HERE!
STARTING: WITH DANIEL'S 70th WEEK
In the past, at the beginning of each page
I explained how that, after examining Daniel chapter 9 and Jesus' Olivet Discourse, we can realize that the
ADDING: CLARIFICATION ABOUT THE MARK
But now, after more recent Bible study and my continued monitoring of world events, I have concluded that another aspect of 'the last days' has come; the 'Mark of the Beast'. It is a 'Mark' that the False Prophet will impose upon the entire world:
The False Prophet causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a Mark FROM their right hand or FROM their foreheads. And that no one may buy or sell except one who has the Mark , or an official name from the Beast, or an official number associated with his official name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number from the Beast, for it is the (identification) number of a man: that number is 666. Revelation 13:16-18
Until recently I had suspected that the 'Mark of the Beast' might be a bar code or QR code tattooed upon a person's skin. Or that it might be an RFID chip inserted underneath a person's skin. But with more recent study I have discovered that, in the original Greek of Revelation 13:16, the words 'forehead' and 'hand' were not written in the
And the Greek word translated 'mark' can also be translated as an 'image' or 'impression' of something. And so I now believe that the Beast's 'Mark' is actually a scan taken from people's faces and hands. These comprise the biometric data being collected today by many nations. And it will all come together in a worldwide system of human registration.
This registration of people will be comprised of three things; all three of which are described in Revelation 13:17:
And that no one may buy or sell except one who has 1) the scan (mark, image or impression), and 2) an official name from the Beast, and 3) an official number associated with his official name. Revelation 13:17
I have not yet identified the Beast's official numbering system, based upon a 6-6-6 format. But God is just and fair. And so when the Beast's 'number' does come, I trust that it will be obvious.
My concern, however, regards the fact that most of us are already accustomed to using facial recognition and fingerprint technology. And so the Mark (
In Revelation God has warned that those who embrace this 'Mark' will suffer
Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice “If anyone worships the Beast and his image and embraces his SCAN , taken from his own forehead or from his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God; which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall 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 ascends forever and ever . And they have no rest day or night, who worship the Beast and his image, and whoever receives the SCAN associated with his own name.” Here is the patience of the saints. Here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Revelation 14:9-12
CONCLUSION: WE NEED TO FOCUS
And so combining a knowledge of
DO NOT SUBMIT TO THE MARK ( SCAN ) OF THE BEAST!
So what is it that God is calling Christians to do in this hour? To prepare for death. God now calls upon Christians to follow the three young Hebrew men, who went into the fiery furnace rather than deny their God (Daniel 3). And to follow Daniel, who risked the lion's den rather than to cease worshiping the one true God (Daniel 6). God calls upon Christians to hear His word and to understand the choice that now confronts all of mankind:
Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested. And you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death , and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death (the Lake of Fire and Brimstone). Revelation 2:10-11
And they overcame him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Revelation 12:11
As I explain in my four web pages about
This was the 'great falling away from the faith' that Paul said would accompany the rise of a 'man of sin' (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). And so a simple choice still confronts us. Do we want to share in Constantine's 'victory', or will we share in Christ's sufferings?
The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. And if children, then heirs. Heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him , that we may also be glorified together. Romans 8:16-17
________________________
THE BEAST AND ITS THREE ALLIES
This page on the False Prophet is the second in a series of four web pages, in which I explain four 'prophetic characters' in the book of Revelation: the Beast and its three 'allies'. The Beast's three allies are the False Prophet, the City of Rome (the Roman Catholic Church) and the United States. Given these allegiances, I encourage my visitor to read my page on the Beast first, so that each 'ally' can then be understood within context.
The Beast's cooperation with the City of Rome is by far the oldest alliance of the three. This connection goes back to 70 AD, the rise of Vespasian's Flavian Dynasty, and Rome's transition from an 'iron' military capitol to a 'clay' religious capitol (see Daniel chapter 2). And the church+state tactics of Rome are depicted as an evil woman riding upon the back of the Beast in Revelation 17.
Therefore the thing that distinguishes the Beast of Revelation from all of the other major world military powers of the past 1950+ years is its uniquely close cooperation with the city of Rome. However, in this web site I do not present these 'alliances' in their historical order, but in their Biblical order:
THE BEAST FROM THE EARTH
In the first half of Revelation 13, Revelation's seven-headed ten-horned Beast is described as coming up 'out of the sea'. Many students of the Bible have understood this to mean that the Beast rises up out of the great 'Sea of Humanity'. And then in the second half of Revelation 13 a second Beast is described; a Beast that comes up 'out of the earth' or 'out of the land':
And I beheld another Beast coming up out of the earth. Revelation 13:11
Why do these two Beasts originate from 'the land' and 'the sea'? My own best guess is that, just as God Himself is described as the Creator and Ruler over earth's lands and seas, so it will be God who will permit the Beast and the False Prophet to dominate the entire earth for a time.
And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven and swore by Him who lives for ever and ever, Who created heaven (the sky) and the things that are there, and the earth and the things that are there, and the sea and the things which are there, that there should be delay no longer. Revelation 10:5-6
The important thing to recognize is that everywhere else following Revelation 13, the 'Beast from the Earth' is called 'the False Prophet':
And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon (Satan), and out of the mouth of the Beast, and out of the mouth of the False Prophet. Revelation 16:13
And the Beast was taken, and with him the False Prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the Mark of the Beast, and them that worshiped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. Revelation 19:20
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the Beast and the False Prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Revelation 20:10
TWO TRAITS OF THE FALSE PROPHET
The False Prophet is characterized by two things:
And he had two horns like a lamb , and he spoke like a dragon . And he exercises all the power of the first Beast before him, and causes the earth and them which dwell in it to worship the first Beast, whose deadly wound was healed. Revelation 13:11-12
The first trait of the False Prophet is his hypocrisy. The original word 'hypocrite' comes from the Greek theatre. It means someone who wears a mask and pretends to be something that he is not; an actor.
Good actors have been praised and appreciated throughout history; in ancient Greece, in Shakespeare's England and in America's Broadway and Hollywood. But the False Prophet is not a harmless actor. He is a deadly deceiver. Jesus warned about vicious false prophets, and the sheeplike disguises that they wear:
Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Matthew 7:15-16
BEHIND A MASK
LOOKS LIKE A LAMB
SPEAKS FOR THE DRAGON
SATANIC SHEEPSKINS TODAY
A perfect example of a Satanic 'sheepskin' is found in the Bible. Shortly before Jesus was to enter Jerusalem and go to His death, He sat down to dinner with some friends. At that meal one of those friends, a woman, poured some very expensive perfumed oil upon Jesus' head. She was anointing Jesus in preparation for His coming death and burial.
Disapproving of her actions, Judas Iscariot rebuked her for wasting money that might have been given to poor people. But the apostle John tells us that the real reason for Judas' anger was because he kept the 'money box' for the disciples, and used to steal money from it (John 12:5-6).
This incident reveals one of the ways that we can distinguish genuine 'sheep' from dragons and wolves. The well known proverb applies:
FOLLOW THE MONEY
There are many public 'moneyboxes' throughout the world today. There are governmental 'moneyboxes' at the federal, state, and local levels. There are 'charities' whose moneyboxes are often mishandled. There are business 'moneyboxes' connected to stock exchanges, bond markets, real estate and 'asset management funds'.
But it's not only about money. It's about what money can buy. For Satan money has been a tool of influence, just as when he tempted Jesus by offering the world to Him (Matthew 4:9, Luke 4:6-7). But Jesus has now defeated Satan at the cross, having chosen poverty over His heavenly wealth; so that sinners 'might be made rich' (2 Corinthians 8:9).
Thus Satan, having been 'overcome', was cast out of heaven and down to earth after Jesus' resurrection. And so now Satan's rage defines what the Bible calls 'The Great Tribulation':
How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will also sit on the mount of the congregation, on the farthest sides of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will be like the Most High'.
Yet you shall be brought down to Hell, to the lowest depths of the Pit. Those who see you will gaze at you and consider you, saying "Is this the man who made the earth tremble ? Who shook kingdoms ? Who made the world as a wilderness and destroyed its cities ? Who did not open the house of his prisoners ?" Isaiah 14:12-17
Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” Revelation 12:12
The essential tactic of Satan's False Prophet is to turn the truth upside down. With Satan's own doom now a certainty, his bitter purpose is to deceive people, and to take as many as he can down with himself into the Lake of Fire. Just as the defeated Pharaoh of Exodus showed no mercy to his soldiers (Exodus 14:23), sending them down into the Red Sea to drown, so also Satan is merciless toward the human race today.
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil. Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness. Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Isaiah 5:20
We are told in Revelation that Jesus' peaceful Millennial rule upon the earth will begin after Satan's lies have been suppressed:
Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. And he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him; so that he should deceive the nations no more until the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while. Revelation 20:1-3
And along with the chaining of Satan, the Beast and the False Prophet will also be removed:
And I saw the Beast, the kings of the earth and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him (Christ) who sat on the horse and against His army. Then the Beast was captured, and with him the False Prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the Mark of the Beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the Lake of Fire burning with brimstone (sulfur). Revelation 19:19-20
This will be the end of this lamblike creature called the False Prophet, whom many will have believed and followed into Hell. Below I present illustrations of the False Prophet in our world today.
'CUZ THE WORKING CLASS
'CUZ THE CHINESE WORKING CLASS
'CUZ COMMUNISM BAD, CAPITALISM GOOD
'CUZ PUBLIC HEALTH
'CUZ RACISM
'CUZ JESUS
'CUZ DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION
'CUZ AMERICA IS PEACEFUL & DEMOCRATIC,
AND PUTIN IS AN EVIL, AGGRESSIVE TYRANT
'CUZ ISRAEL AND THE JEWS ARE GENOCIDAL OPPRESSORS,
AND THE PALESTINIANS ARE PEACEFUL VICTIMS
'CUZ CHILDREN MIGHT KILL THEMSELVES
IF WE DON'T HELP THEM DISCOVER THEIR GENDER
'CUZ ONE NATION UNDER GOD
'CUZ REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM
AND TOXIC MASCULINITY
WHEN DID THE FALSE PROPHET FIRST APPEAR?
While Revelation 13 tells us that the Beast has been authorized to continue on earth since 70 AD, there is no indication that the False Prophet has existed throughout that same period of time. One thing that scripture shows us, however, is that he will be present at the second coming of Christ:
And I saw the Beast, the kings of the earth and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him (Christ) who sat on the horse, and against His army. Then the Beast was captured, along with the False Prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the Mark of the Beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the Lake of Fire burning with brimstone. Revelation 19:19-20
Jesus warned about the powerful signs of false prophets in the last days:
For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders ; insomuch that, if it were possible, they might deceive the very elect. Matthew 24:24
I believe that the signs and wonders to which Jesus was referring are technological achievements of our modern times; that have been largely invented and perfected over the past 100 years. They would certainly have appeared as supernatural miracles to the apostle John when he saw them, and still appear miraculous to us today; even though we understand that they are simply electrical machines.
There have always been false prophets throughout the history of the world, but the False Prophet of Revelation is not a single person. It is a class of people in these last days who will leverage technology in the service of Satan. Indeed, because this technology will reflect 'progress' and the possibility 'human greatness' and 'a better world', many people will embrace it and be proud of it. And so a distinction needs to be made here. God does not despise human inventions and technology. He does not condemn airplanes, televisions or computers. But He does warn us about how these technologies will be used in these last days.
GREAT SIGN #1: FIRE FROM HEAVEN
And he does great wonders, so that he makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. Revelation 13:13
The ability to call down fire from heaven began with mankind's invention of powered flight. 'Fire from heaven' was first fully realized through airplanes bombing various targets during World War 2. Today the nations of the world bring down 'fire from heaven' in many ways; with planes, rockets, cruise missiles, drones and soon with space-based weapons.
And the use of drone technology is no longer limited to international warfare. Now nations, states and even municipalities use drones for surveillance, and will soon use them as weapons. This is an unstoppable and irresistible technology being applied throughout the world.
CALLING DOWN FIRE
GREAT SIGN #2: AN IMAGE THAT SPEAKS
And he deceives them that dwell on the earth by means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the Beast. Saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the Beast, which had the wound by a sword and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the Beast; that the image of the Beast should both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the Beast should be killed . Revelation 13:14-15
The world has had images that are 'alive' and that 'speak' since sound was added to silent movies in 1927. Since the 1950's these 'images' have entered our homes through televisions. And now the 'image' of the False Prophet speaks to us everywhere we go. We carry this 'image' around with us in our pockets. And with the saturation of the world by these talking 'images' has come the power of governments and media organizations to influence public opinion, to 'define truth', and to censor and destroy anyone who does not join in 'the public consensus'.
AN IMAGE THAT IS 'ALIVE' AND 'SPEAKS'
GREAT SIGN #3: THE REGISTRATION OF ALL MANKIND
The False Prophet's third technological power derives from a combination of computers, blockchain technology and artificial intelligence. It is a system that will require all human beings in the world to be registered or 'tokenized' within a worldwide 'Internet of Things' (IoT). And much of this system is already in place, with its completion advancing rapidly (as of Spring 2025).
In the United States this system is being deployed as a 'Mobile Driver's License'; a 'license' that will comprise one part of a larger 'digital wallet'. This 'wallet' will be required for a broad variety of everyday business transactions.
Throughout the world many people have been aware that the Bible refers to a 'Mark of the Beast'. It is this 'Mark' that many people are anticipating as a sign of 'the last days'. The English word 'Mark' is used in the New King James translation of Revelation 13 below:
And he (the False Prophet) causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a Mark in their right hand or in their foreheads. And that no man might buy or sell except he that has the Mark , or the name of the Beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that has understanding count the number of the Beast, for it is the number of a man: and his number is 666. Revelation 13:16-18
As I have explained in my '
That's not to say that this technology will not also be used by the Beast in some circumstances. But the essence of the system will be biometric data taken from hands and faces.
NOT THE MARK OF THE BEAST
Below I provide my own translation of each of the three verses from Revelation 13:16-18 (above). I do this admitting that I have no knowledge of the Greek language. I am using Bible software that enables me to examine each original Greek word (its meaning, and the declension of nouns and conjugation of verbs). In each of these verses I capitalize the original English word being replaced, and then provide the replacement in red letters.
And the False Prophet causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to RECEIVE (be given or assigned ) a MARK (image ) IN (from ) their right hand or IN (from ) their foreheads. Revelation 13:16
In the original Greek the word for 'mark' is 'charagma', and it can mean 'mark', 'brand', 'image' or 'impression'. And just to be clear, this is not the same Greek word that is translated 'image' in verses 14 & 15. That 'image' (which is alive and speaks) is the word 'eikon' (icon) in the original Greek; which means the reproduction of an entire person (such as in a picture or a statue).
Here in verse 16 the Greek word 'charagma' is written in the accusative case (as the object of the verb); indicating that this 'image' is being given, assigned or connected to people.
Someone reading the English translation might conclude that 'the Mark' will be applied to people's foreheads or hands. But if this were true, the words 'forehead' and 'hand' would be in the dative case; making them indirect objects of the action. The dative case would indeed indicate that a 'charagma' was being applied to foreheads and hands. But in this passage the words for 'hand' and 'forehead' are in the
I believe that what God is describing here are scanned images taken
GOD'S WORD IS NOT A WARNING ABOUT RECEIVING A MARK FROM THE BEAST,
BUT ABOUT GIVING THE MARKS (SCANS ) OF OUR HANDS AND FACES TO THE BEAST.
In the next verse, we are shown that this 'image' is just one of three things that will be assigned to every person by the Beast system:
And that no person might buy or sell except he that has 1) the MARK (scan ), and 2) a name OF (from ) the Beast, and 3) a number OF (connected with ) the person's name. Revelation 13:17
This verse is not telling us that the name and number of the Beast itself will be given to people. Rather an official name and number FROM the Beast will be assigned to people. What we are seeing in verses 16 and 17 is the description of a system that all of the nations of the world are presently seeking to perfect and standardize. And what they all increasingly have in common is the identification of people through a combination of biometric data, official names and official numbers.
Also the world is rapidly moving toward the use of high resolution scanners that can even record vein patterns underneath the skin of hands and faces, and can scan the iris of the eye as well. This 'registration' will be required for anyone buying and selling outside of their home. And there will be scanners within homes as well, allowing access to online activities. These scanners will use various technologies (such as infrared cameras) to detect body heat and provide 'Proof of Life'; preventing fraudulent access to the system.
In verse 18 we are given a divine hint about this number from the Beast that will be assigned to every single person in the world:
Here is wisdom. Let him that has understanding count the number of (from ) the Beast, for it is the (identification ) number of a man: and his number is 666. Revelation 13:18
Over 1950 years ago God described the format for the Beast's numeric registration system. What does '666' signify? There are many ideas being discussed. Something that I myself recently noticed was that, when I allow Apple's Safari browser to provide me with a 'Strong Password' for a new online connection, it is given in a series of 3 six-digit alphanumeric groupings. For example a typical 'Strong Password' from Apple might look like this:
Ab1Cd2 - eF3GH4 - 5i6Jk7
APPLE'S 'STRONG PASSWORD'
The symbols in the above password system occur in a 'hexadecimal' format, base 64. They are comprised of all 26 letters of the alphabet in both the lower and upper cases (a total of 52), and with an additional 10 numerals (0-9) (altogether 62 symbols). And with the addition of two more symbols from the keyboard, there are a total of 64 different options for each location in this 'strong password'. This calculates to roughly 68.7 billion possible combinations from the first six digits alone. Therefore the entire 6-6-6 chain represents the possibility of 3.24 x 10 to the 32nd power; an almost infinite number of possibilities.
In addition computer software sometimes places the prefix 'HEX' at the beginning of a line of code. This indicates that the data following it is in a hexadecimal format. And so if a computer was reading the three separate identifiers for a person (biometrics, name, number), and each identifier was prefixed by the word (HEX), then the system would be characterized by a HEX-HEX-HEX (666) format.
My own recent reexamination of the 'Mark of the Beast' was prompted by the realization that Safari's 'Strong Password' was in a 6-6-6 format. But with the coming of quantum computers, and their ability to 'break' even the strongest cybersecurity, it may be that the numbering system of the Beast will be unprecedented in history. Nevertheless God is faithful, and I expect that the 6-6-6 format will be readily apparent in the Beast's registration system.
PEACE AND SAFETY
The apostle Paul described the circumstances of the world just prior to the second coming of Christ. The great slogan of humanity will be 'Peace and Safety':
But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say “Peace and Safety! ”, then sudden destruction comes upon them as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-3
In 2001 the security leaders of the United States (the FBI and the CIA) failed the people of their country on 9/11, allowing 19 hijackers to kill roughly 3000 people. Then 20 years later in 2021 (after stealing the 2020 election), these same 'security leaders' threw the southern border of the United States wide open to millions of 'hijackers'; undocumented immigrants from around the world.
Why did America's Deep State do this? They were setting the United States on fire, so that they could sell its citizens 'fire insurance'; a new international registration system that will insure secure and trustworthy trade between nations, as well as the monitoring and control of criminal activity everywhere.
Just as Satan deceived mankind in the Garden of Eden, convincing us that we would be able to produce a righteous world through a knowledge of right and wrong (rather than by believing and obeying God), so now that same deception prevails. People believe that if they pursue Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, then peace and safety will follow.
'CUZ THE BROTHERHOOD OF MAN
People will be so convinced of this moral 'common sense', that they will oppress and kill the 'ignorant, hateful, regressive, deplorable' Christians who disagree with them. While trusting in their moral knowledge, they will test the convictions of Christians by confronting them with a choice between 'the Mark', or starvation and death. And so God's words will be fulfilled:
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. Proverbs 14:12, 16:25
Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you. And you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. Matthew 24:9-13
They will put you out of the synagogues. Yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. John 16:2-3
As of this writing (spring 2025), America is already financially and militarily overextended in the Eastern Hemisphere. Combine that with an increasing threat of warfare with criminal cartels in Mexico, and the likelihood of terrorist activity within the American homeland itself, and you have a witch's brew which will certainly drive American citizens to cry out for whatever is necessary in order to provide 'Peace and Safety'.
The Deep State itself hijacked the nation in 2020, and now America's 'plane' is hurtling toward the ground. And the controls of the 'plane' have been placed into the hands of Donald Trump at the last minute. And so because Trump has no choice, and because he trusts technology (see 'Operation Warp Speed'), he and his cabinet have only one option available to them. They will digitally reinvent America through Artificial Intelligence; or '
GREATNESS vs. GOODNESS
Ten times in the book of Revelation God Himself calls Roman Catholic Babylon 'great'. And if God says that something 'great', then it truly is great (Revelation 14:8, 16:19, 17:5,18, 18:2,10,16,18,19,21). And while 'Babylon the Great' is the actual city of Rome in Revelation 17, everywhere else in Revelation 'Babylon the Great' refers to the greater Roman Catholic world.
Today the lead nation of the greater 'Roman Catholic World' is the United States. And the rest of the Catholic western hemisphere is rapidly lining up behind it (see
The greatness of Babylon in Revelation correlates with President Trump's political mantra:
MAGA
Make America Great Again
This slogan resonates with many Americans, and will probably reach a fever pitch as America celebrates the 250th anniversary of its Declaration of Independence in July of 2026. But the essence of America's greatness is not 'freedom and liberty for all', but is described in Revelation:
For your merchants (businessmen) were the great men of the earth. For by your sorcery (pharmaceutical industry) all the nations were deceived. And in her (Babylon) was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth. Revelation 18:23-24
God makes a distinction between greatness and goodness in His word. The 'great' will be judged according to the moral choices that they have made in life, without any regard for their 'achievements':
And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God. And books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. Revelation 20:12
And Jesus warned about the great signs and wonders that would appear in the last days, and be very deceptive. And then Jesus added extra
For false christs (the Roman Catholic Church) and false prophets (Technocrats) will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. SEE, I HAVE TOLD YOU BEFOREHAND! Matthew 24:24-25
After describing the future phrase 'Peace and Safety', the apostle Paul then went on to exhort his fellow believers to be on guard:
But you, brethren, are not in darkness; so that this day (of the Lord) should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 1 Thessalonians 5:4-6
I am afraid that Paul's confidence in the Thessalonians would not apply to American evangelical churches today. It has been my experience that most Christians in the United States are sound asleep. A warning that the United States is the Little Horn of Daniel 7, and 'Babylon the Great' in Revelation 18 not only falls upon deaf ears, but is resented. These Christians are living comfortable lives, often believing two falsehoods:
And there are many flag-waving 'patriots' who would turn a faithful brother over to the FBI, or even shoot him. They are foolish virgins, unwilling to consider the possibility that they might not be ready when Jesus comes; not having the 'extra oil' of persevering obedience (Matthew 25:1-13). They continue to listen to Satan's lie from Genesis 3:4: 'You shall not die if you disobey God'. And they are heedless of the warnings that Jesus gave to the church in Sardis, and of the single word that Jesus uses repeatedly throughout His prophetic messages:
WATCH!
I know your works, that you have a reputation that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die. For I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard. Hold fast and repent.
Therefore if you will not watch , I will come upon you as a thief. And you will not know what hour I will come upon you. You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments. And they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life . But I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. Revelation 3:1-5
JUDGMENT OF THE BEAST AND THE FALSE PROPHET
In Revelation 16 we are told that three demonic spirits will come out of the mouths of the Dragon (Satan), the Beast and the False Prophet; leading kings and nations to wage war against Christ at Armageddon:
And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the Dragon, and out of the mouth of the Beast, and out of the mouth of the False Prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Revelation 16:13-14
And in Revelation 19, both the Beast and the False Prophet are captured and cast
And I saw the Beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the Beast was taken, and with him the False Prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the Mark of the Beast, and them that worshiped his image. These both were cast ALIVE into a Lake of Fire burning with brimstone. Revelation 19:19-20
These two passages would seem to indicate that the Beast and the False Prophet are individual persons. But I would disagree with that. I believe that the Beast and the False Prophet will be comprised of many people still living on earth when Christ returns; people who will have previously embraced and promoted the Beast's registration system.
By way of proof,
To understand the casting of the Beast and the False Prophet
When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory. And before Him shall be gathered all nations. And He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides His sheep from the goats. And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand "Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world".
Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand "Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. Matthew 25:31-34, 41
In this description of 'The Judgment Seat of Christ', which will occur at the beginning of the Millennium, all of humanity living upon the earth will be brought before the Son of God. This should not to be confused with Jesus' judgment of the dead at the Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11-15), which will occur after the Millennium.
What is important to notice here is that many people who will have embraced and promoted the Beast's registration system will be there. And at this judgment wicked people will be sent STRAIGHT INTO the Lake of Fire. This is the capturing and casting of the Beast and the False Prophet
And so just as there will be Christians who will not die before the Lord Jesus comes, but who will be 'raptured' directly into eternal life, so also there will be enemies of God who will not die either; but who will be cast directly into the Lake of Fire.
As we consider this judgment, it is important to note the basis upon which the Lord Jesus will bless the righteous and condemn the wicked:
For I was hungry, and you gave Me meat. I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink. I was a stranger, and you took Me in. Naked, and you clothed Me. I was sick, and you visited Me. I was in prison, and you came unto Me.
Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying "Lord, when did we see You hungry, and fed You? Or thirsty, and gave You drink? When did we see You a stranger, and took You in? Or naked, and clothed You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and came unto You?"
And the King shall answer and say unto them "Truly I say unto you, inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, you have done it unto Me .
Matthew 25:35-40
This basis of Christ's judgment upon the nations corresponds perfectly with the circumstances that will have preceded His coming. It will have been a time when the 'Mark of the Beast' was imposed, and when those who rejected it and warned against it were hated, persecuted and killed.
In that context suffering Christians will have been kind toward their fellow Christians, while enduring persecution with patience. And this is a vital principle for Christians to recognize now. We need to be supportive of brethren, both near us and around the world, if we would find acceptance from Christ:
Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2:1-4
And the consequences of Christian patience are described in another picture of the Judgment seat of Christ at the beginning of the Millennium:
And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God. Who had not worshiped the Beast or his image, and had not received his scan to their foreheads or to their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. Revelation 20:4
For Jesus to have spoken about the Beast on the Mount of Olives would have been confusing to His disciples. They would not have known what to do with the information. It pertained to a change in the world that would not come until 70 AD.
But for God to close the Bible in Revelation by explaining the Beast that would destroy Jerusalem in 70 AD, and then continue until the second coming, makes perfect sense.
This is why we have two different descriptions of Jesus' judgment of the Beast and the False Prophet. Both are true and accurate descriptions of the same event. One was understandable to the apostles, while the other provides important additional information for our post-apostolic times.
The apostle Paul wrote that the message of the Gospel 'Is foolishness to those who are perishing' (1 Corinthians 1:18). Nobody joined Noah and his family on the Ark, nor did Lot's sons-in-law think he was serious when he urged them to flee from Sodom (Genesis 19:14).
There is such a sharp divide between the minds of those who trust in human knowledge and 'logic', versus those who have seen the folly of their own 'wisdom' and have returned to the 'only-wise' Creator, that they are worlds apart. And this is exactly as God has said it will be:
And he said "Go your way, Daniel. For the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. Many shall be purified , and made white , and tested . But the wicked shall do wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand. But the wise shall understand. Daniel 12:9-10
Christians must accept this; that many whom we might wish to take to heaven with us will not choose to go. God's words may seem foolish and be offensive to them: