The Beast, The False Prophet And The Mark

[Pastor Dale Morgan]

The Beast, The False Prophet And The Mark

The beast, false prophet and the mark are three integral identities highlighted in Revelation 13. Let's analyze them, determine who they are, what they do, and what their intentions are.

Who Is The Beast?

The beast is Satan's masterpiece. The deception that Satan uses so brilliantly to manipulate people into believing that he is the creator has been all too successful. That is why the Bible refers to the devil as "...the god of this world" and the "...father of lies."

The devil's success is evident by those outside of faith in Jesus Christ. If you ask someone whether he is saved, he may answer, "You have your religion and I have mine." Many people seem rather content with their decision, so when you tell them that there is only One who saves, they answer, "That's what they all say!" Therefore, it stands to reason that through his deception, Satan must convince people that he is a creator as well.

Evolution

The theoretical "doctrine" of evolution is an extremely successful tool Satan uses to manipulate the masses. If evolution is true, then we are here by sheer accident. If we are here by accident, then we cannot be held responsible for our own actions; there are no absolutes and everything must have simply evolved from nothing.

While atheists and agnostics generally embrace the theory of evolution as fact, religion, to a certain degree, stands in opposition. Sadly, the theory of evolution has also found its way into religion, where it is accepted as scientific fact. However, there remain those who are determined to resist the theory by affirming that creation is the only logical explanation for the existence of life.

It stands to reason that Satan must imitate the Creator and deceive those who believe in creationism but are not born again of the Spirit of God. Part of Satan's strategy targets believers in Christ.

No Laboratory Proof

An overwhelming amount of information circulates on both sides of the evolution/creation argument. If creationism were scientifically proven in a laboratory, the evolution theory would finally be put to rest. You can't argue against science because it is supposed to be absolute truth; therefore, the average Christian is presented with a problem when faced with the theory of evolution in contrast to the biblical teaching of creationism. How are we to respond?

Creation Is To Be Understood By Faith

The Bible is our authority; therefore, we look to the Word of God for our answers. God created the heavens and the earth. This fact should be unconditionally believed by all Christians. It is not through science that we prove that the world, and all that is contained therein, was created by God.

It is only through His Word, which we have received by faith that we "understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear" (Hebrews 11:3).

What is faith? "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1). It becomes increasingly obvious that faith is not the substance of humanly contrived science, but of things hoped for, evidenced by things not yet seen.

I have resigned myself to the fact that it is futile to argue with evolutionists about the creation of this world because they choose to believe in a substitute developed by Satan, the father of lies. It is difficult, if not impossible, to convince someone that his preconceived ideas are wrong. This fact alone exposes our human limitations and glorifies the only One who is able to change the heart and mind. So let us rejoice in the wonderful truth that God created the heavens and the earth; He is the beginning and the end; and He is the author and finisher of our salvation. He is also the One who guarantees that He will build His Church!

We should not become overly concerned with political and social movements whose efforts lie in trying to hinder the work of the Church. The Church of Jesus Christ cannot be destroyed. Praise God when persecutions take place, because through them the Church will grow even stronger. The Church is an eternal creation. Don't be afraid when people try to instill fear in you, or when things are not going well in the world around you.

It is no secret that Bible-believing Christians do not speak, act, or preach a "politically correct" philosophy. We discriminate against the doctrines taught in other religions, and we boldly declare that there is only one Name under heaven given among men to be saved, and that is the name of Jesus. Today's general consensus is that "all are good; just name your own god and if that works for you, that's great." However, the message of the Bible does not leave any room for deviation; Jesus Christ alone saves sinners!

Satanic Trinity

Satan is the great imitator. As believers, we are united with Jesus, we are His Body and we are one. Satan tries to achieve the same unity through the cooperation of the beast, the false prophet, and the use of the mark. Each serves to solidify Satan's consolidated world.

We are not ignorant of Satan's devices; we understand his purpose. He is building a great global world of peace and prosperity: the great imitation. Consequently, with the exception of the elect, he will deceive all mankind.

It should not come as any surprise that Scripture reveals a satanic trinity documented in Revelation 16:13: "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."

The dragon imitates the Father, the beast imitates the Son, and the false prophet imitates the Spirit of God.

What is their intention? "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 16:14). It is important to emphasize that the entire world is involved. This line of thought corresponds with Psalm 2:1-2: "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed...." It doesn't matter where you live or what form of government rules your country, all are represented by "...the kings of the earth."

Why Is The Antichrist Called The Beast?

The word "beast" can be defined as an animal. Martin Luther uses the word "animal" in his translation of the Bible. After God created the world, separated light from darkness and water from land, and created vegetation and animals," God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness" (Genesis 1:26). The previous verse describes the creation of animals: "And God made the beasts of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good" (verse 25). A distinction is made between the animal world, which He created "after their kind" in their unique and peculiar likeness, and God's creation of man "...in our image after our likeness." Only man is created in God's image!

What is man's position according to God's plan? Man is to "...have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth" (verse 26).

The Antichrist is called the beast simply because he has lost the right to be included with those who are created in God's image. The Antichrist is a product of Satan, but is not actually Satan. If Satan is not the Antichrist, then who is he? In Revelation 12:9, he is described as, "...the great dragon...that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan...." He is the originator of sin who now empowers the beast to do his bidding: "And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy" (Revelation 13:1). Imagine the sight: a beast with seven heads and ten horns coming out of the sea!

John continues to describe the likeness of this beast: "And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion..." (Revelation 13:2). Three animals illustrate the appearance of this beast.

The verse continues: "...the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority." The mystery is revealed; the Antichrist is not Satan, yet he receives power, position, and authority from the dragon, who is Satan.

I believe these characteristics - seven heads, ten horns, the likeness of a leopard, bear and lion - are spiritual characteristics, and should not to be viewed as physical traits. However, these characteristics earn the Antichrist the title of "beast" or "animal." No longer does he resemble a human being created in the image of God.

Galatians 5:22 outlines the differences between animal and man: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law." An animal does not possess these characteristics, nor does an animal have the capabilities of using such gifts. The beast goes against everything that is of God and, by nature, everything that was intended for us to receive from God.

Satan's Origin

To better determine the origin of sin, we must further investigate Satan, the power behind the Antichrist. Isaiah 14 offers a historic view of sin's origin: "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High" (Isaiah 14:12-14). This passage explains the downfall of this mighty heavenly angel. At some moment in time, the idea of rebellion was born in the heart of the "son of the morning," which resulted in the origin of sin.

Notice that the words, "I will" are used five times in verses 13 and 14:

1. ...I will ascend into heaven...
2. ...I will exalt my throne above the stars of God...
3. ...I will sit upon the mount of the congregation...
4. ...I will ascend above the heights of the clouds...
5. ...I will be like the most High...

Obviously, Satan was dissatisfied with his position of grandeur as a beautiful being and coveted God's position as Most High. When we think about all of the false teachers and religions that preach that this is an obtainable goal, it seems as though time has stood still since the idea was first conceived.

Modern Equality

The philosophy of equality is nothing more than man's ridiculous attempt to become God. After all, no one in his right mind would claim to be God or consider himself equal to God ...or would he? Sadly, this idea is not as far-fetched as we may think. Egalitarian philosophy is taught all over the world. For instance, equality became the key word and foundation for the Communist Revolution. At that time, the peasants were rebelling against the aristocrats, or, in today's vernacular, the employees were fighting for an equal share of benefits with the employers.

Communism proclaimed that it would create a "workers' paradise" on earth by eliminating those considered in the way: aristocrats, business people, intellectuals, etc. The result was made visible to the entire world when the Soviet Union collapsed in bankruptcy. However, that was not the end of Satan's egalitarian philosophy; the process continues unabated.

One of the principles on which the United States was founded is that all men are created equal. This can be interpreted in many different ways, but does not change the fact that the principle is false. For example, I am not equal to my wife. We are distinctly different, not only in physical appearance but in emotional qualities as well. A father usually takes on the role of disciplinarian in raising children. When it comes time to punish the child, a mother will usually interfere and plead a case for leniency. Many other characteristics illustrate the differences between male and female. Notice that the Bible does not say that God created male and female "both in His image"; rather, "...in the image of God, created he him male and female created he them." We may add that man was created out of the dust of the ground and woman was created from man's body. The two were definitely not created equal.

In fact, God made the following command to the Israelites regarding their mode of dress: "The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God" (Deuteronomy 22:5).

Globalism And Equality

This godly segregation is not limited to a husband and wife, but extends to the Church and the nations. The spirit of globalism is successfully erasing the languages and borders of the nations. This form of global deception is irreversible.

For example, each one of us, particularly in the western world, depends on globalism. Whether we are purchasing a new car or shopping for clothing, we are actively supporting globalism.

If you need further proof, read the business section of your local newspaper and notice how many companies are merging today. Large companies are jockeying for a position with global proportions. For example, the merger of German car manufacturer Mercedes Benz with the American Chrysler Company vividly demonstrate the success of globalism. Is the corporation now considered German or American? There is no precise answer. It is clear to see that today's global economy is erasing national boundaries. Unity is being established in politics, economy, finance and religion.

Christians And Globalism

A number of evangelists, churches, and Christian ministries have publicly declared their attempt to "Christianize" the United States. One of the most visible organizations is the Christian Coalition. It is not my intention to criticize this, or any other movement, for the valid concerns they present to the government; however, I do feel it is necessary to point out that the vast majority of evangelical Christians are too deeply involved in the political and social processes of the United States. The common factor found in most of these organizations can be summarized with one word: Americanism. When Pat Buchanan announced his candidacy under the Republican Party to run for President of the United States, Liberty University published a poll revealing that over 80% of its students would vote for him. One of the reasons cited was his opposition to globalism. This revelation demonstrates that these young Christians were being educated by professors whose philosophies were based on anti-globalism.

One often-repeated phrase among political candidates has been "American job security." All American s — and every citizen of every country, for that matter — would obviously endorse their own country by giving it first priority when it comes to jobs. However, many people overlook the fact that the United States has harvested more jobs from other countries in recent history than ever before. Voices in Europe are now being heard against the exportation of jobs to the United States because of cheap labor. If jobs were the real issue, then globalism has performed its greatest service to the anti-globalist. I mention this instance not because of my political preference, but rather to show that globalism is not a matter of choice; it is the result of an evolutionary, sociological process.

A recent article published in Midnight Call magazine revealed that four out of five new jobs in the United States are created by foreign firms. Europeans in general, and Swiss, German, Belgium and Dutch in particular, have the highest labor cost in the world. The present exchange rate indicates that one manufacturing hour in Europe costs approximately 25% more than the United States. The average work week now stands at 36 1/2 hours compared to 47 3/4 hours in the United States. Retirement age for employees in several European countries has been lowered to 62, while it is being raised beyond 65 in the United States.

You Can't Argue Success

Globalism is here to stay, and will proceed at a more accelerated pace in the near future. There may be setbacks, along with a temporary return to nationalism in various countries; however, based on the prophetic Word, the world in general must continue to join together in order to fulfill Satan's desire to create a unified world where all people are equal and live together in peace and prosperity. That is the great deception! Unity spells success and against success there is no argument. It will lead to the point at which "...all the world wondered after the beast." The epitome of his deception is described in Revelation 13:8: "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him."

Subsequently, it is ridiculous to think that any action by a certain group or nation can reverse this process. Ultimately Christians will be disappointed to see that their time, energy, and finances have been wasted. As a result, they will realize that their attempts were destined to fail. Had they heeded the Word of God, they would have known that Jesus said, "...My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight..." (John 18:36). No matter how justified a social action or reaction to various injustices may seem, the Church has not been called to get involved. Our task is and will remain the same: "...Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15).

The "You Are God" Deception

Renowned author and apologist Dave Hunt has exposed a great number of popular teachers who openly preach, "You are God; act like God." That is a very dangerous teaching. Who was the God who became flesh? The Lord Jesus Christ. The false teaching that claims you can actually be God seems to overlook that, "He is despised and rejected... and we esteemed him not." The Scripture continues to describe God in the flesh: "... a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not" (Isaiah 53:3). The Bible leaves absolutely no room for glorying in the flesh; therefore, we must conclude that those teachers who proclaim the need for self-glorification, self-love and self-esteem are preaching another gospel. Do you want to follow Jesus or do you want to follow the one who says, "I am the great one, I will exalt my throne above the stars and I will be like God?"

God Became Man, But Man Cannot Become God

Following Jesus means to walk the narrow path. It also means you understand that your time on this earth is limited and you are just passing through. The Bible says, "...teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom" (Psalm 90:12). Many of us reading these lines will not be here at this time next year because each of us has an appointment with death. Our physical beings are temporary tabernacles with no future or promise. The older we get, the more we seem to notice. My philosophy on aging goes something like this: you're over the hill at 40, you know it at 50, you feel it at 60, you can't deny it at 70, and you brag about your age at 80.

If your faith is anchored in the One, who is the Word from the beginning, then you have a wonderful future to look forward to. Let's submit ourselves to the One who did the will of God: the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Antichrist's Power Of Deception

The Antichrist will rise to power by means of deception through the powers made available to him by the dragon. But how will he accomplish it? In the same way a politician is elected, he will promote himself and make prospective voters believe that his election will solve most of their problems. The Antichrist will be extremely successful and the result will be that, "...all the world wondered after the beast" (Revelation 13:3).

The Antichrist's rise to power in the person of the beast is described in Daniel 11:21-24: "And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. And with the arms of a flood shall they be overthrown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant. And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. He shall enter peaceably...." This description is quite significant. Doesn't it remind you of today's politicians? Don't they come in "peaceably," manipulate with "flatteries," and work "deceitfully?" The fundamentals of democratic philosophy require a candidate to say what pleases potential voters in order to obtain public confidence and votes. But the bottom line is deception.

Jesus' response to the disciples' regarding the endtimes should not come as a surprise: "Take heed that no man deceive you" (Matthew 24:4). The terrible thing about deception is that those who are being deceived don't even know it. They may think they are acting in accordance to God's Word and believe what is right, yet they are in complete darkness. That is the work of the master deceiver, the father of lies, Satan and his protege the beast. The Bible says, "...and all the world wondered after the beast." Ultimately, the entire world will follow the Satan-inspired beast.