Britt Gillette

Isaiah 17: Destruction of Damascus :: by Britt Gillette

Published on: by RR2

In the last days, the Bible tells us, a horrible series of events will take place in the lands of Israel and Syria. One of these events is the disappearance of Damascus as one of the premiere cities in the world. The oldest continuously inhabited city on the planet, Damascus has witnessed at least five thousand years of human history, and some historians believe the city actually dates back to the seventh millennium bc. In fact, Paul was on the road to Damascus when Christ first appeared to Him, an event that transformed not only his life, but the course of human history.

In the very near future, Damascus will once again play a major role in human events. The prophet Isaiah provides us with God’s commentary on a future conflict between Damascus and Israel, and in so doing, He reveals certain prophecies that have been partially fulfilled in the past. However, the ultimate fulfillment of Isaiah 17 remains in the future. The current existence of Damascus, which will one day cease to be a city, as well as the historical absence of the coalition of nations prophesied to attack Israel and be destroyed by God, is proof that Isaiah 17 prophesies events yet future.

This is what God revealed to the prophet Isaiah:

“This message came to me concerning Damascus: ‘Look, Damascus will disappear! It will become a heap of ruins. The cities of Aroer will be deserted. Sheep will graze in the streets and lie down unafraid. There will be no one to chase them away. The fortified cities of Israel will also be destroyed, and the power of Damascus will end. The few left in Aram will share the fate of Israel’s departed glory,’ says the Lord Almighty” (Isaiah 17:1-3, NLT).

These opening verses paint a bleak picture. The city of Damascus will become a heap of ruins, utterly destroyed. Few, if any, buildings will be left standing. The once great city will be devoid of human life and will become home to all manner of wildlife in the absence of humans to chase them away.

According to these verses, the cities of Aroer, which are located on the northern bank of the Arnon River just east of the Dead Sea, will also be deserted. However, the passage doesn’t say they will be destroyed in the same manner as Damascus, just that they will be deserted. It may be that people simply flee these cities out of fear.

In addition, many of the fortified cities in northern Israel will also be destroyed. The few who remain in Aram, thirty-eight miles south southeast of Damascus, will share the fate of these northern Israeli cities.

“‘In that day the glory of Israel will be very dim, for poverty will stalk the land. Israel will be abandoned like the grain fields in the valley of Rephaim after the harvest. Only a few of its people will be left, like the stray olives left on the tree after the harvest. Only two or three remain in the highest branches, four or five out on the tips of the limbs. Yes, Israel will be stripped bare of people,’ says the Lord, the God of Israel” (Isaiah 17:4-6, NLT).

The breadth and scope of destruction is clearly illustrated as God describes the Israeli landscape as stripped bare of people. Only a small fraction of people either choose to stay in the land or else survive what is a massive holocaust, leaving only a few inhabitants who struggle in poverty.

“Then at last the people will think of their Creator and have respect for the Holy One of Israel. They will no longer ask their idols for help or worship what their own hands have made. They will never again bow down to their Asherah poles or burn incense on the altars they built” (Isaiah 17:7-8, NLT).

As a result of this event, the people of Israel will once again turn to God Almighty. Currently, the nation of Israel is predominantly secular in nature. Other biblical passages infer that this will change as the prophesied rebuilding of the Temple in the last days indicates a spiritual resurgence among the Jews of Israel. Nevertheless, this passage clearly indicates the people of Israel will turn away from all false idols and gods.

Knowing that this will happen, we must ask: Why does it happen? The answer is found in the verses that follow:

“Their largest cities will be as deserted as overgrown thickets. They will become like the cities the Amorites abandoned when the Israelites came here so long ago. Why? Because you have turned from the God who can save you–the Rock who can hide you. You may plant the finest imported grapevines, and they may grow so well that they blossom on the very morning you plant them, but you will never pick any grapes from them. Your only harvest will be a load of grief and incurable pain” (Isaiah 17:9-11, NLT).

The devastation that overshadows Israel will come about because Israel has “turned from the God who can save them.” All the hard work performed prior to this event will be lost. Those who have been distracted by the things of this world will be disappointed, for they have forgotten God, and by putting faith in the things of this world, they will ultimately be disappointed. Their only harvest will be “a load of grief and incurable pain.” This grief will be brought to a climax when, in the midst of their suffering, the nation of Israel faces an imminent invasion:

“Look! The armies rush forward like waves thundering toward the shore. But though they roar like breakers on a beach, God will silence them. They will flee like chaff scattered by the wind or like dust whirling before a storm. In the evening Israel waits in terror, but by dawn its enemies are dead. This is the just reward of those who plunder and destroy the people of God” (Isaiah 17:12-14, NLT).

While Syria and Israel lie in ruin, the enemies of Israel will view her suffering as an opportunity to invade, their ultimate goal to destroy her forever. However, God has a different plan in mind, and He will destroy these invaders Himself. A more in-depth illustration of this attack is foreseen in Psalms 83:

“O God, don’t sit idly by, silent and inactive! Don’t you hear the tumult of your enemies? Don’t you see what your arrogant enemies are doing? They devise crafty schemes against your people, laying plans against your precious ones. ‘Come,’ they say, ‘let us wipe out Israel as a nation. We will destroy the very memory of its existence.’ This was their unanimous decision. They signed a treaty as allies against you–these Edomites and Ishmaelites, Moabites and Hagrites, Gebalites, Ammonites, and Amalekites, and people from Philistia and Tyre. Assyria has joined them, too, and is allied with the descendants of Lot. Do to them as you did to the Midianites or as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River. They were destroyed at Endor, and their decaying corpses fertilized the soil. Let their mighty nobles die as Oreb and Zeeb did. Let all their princes die like Zebah and Zalmunna, for they said, ‘Let us seize for our own use these pasturelands of God!’ O my God, blow them away like whirling dust, like chaff before the wind! As a fire roars through a forest and as a flame sets mountains ablaze, chase them with your fierce storms; terrify them with your tempests. Utterly disgrace them until they submit to your name, O Lord. Let them be ashamed and terrified forever. Make them failures in everything they do, until they learn that you alone are called the Lord, that you alone are the Most High, supreme over all the earth” (Psalms 83, NLT).

So how do we know that Psalms 83 describes the same scene envisioned in Isaiah 17? Let’s compare the two. Here’s how the intentions of Israel’s enemies are described:

Plunder & Destruction
“This is the just reward of those who plunder and destroy the people of God” (Isaiah 17:14, NLT).

Destruction
“They devise crafty schemes against your people, laying plans against your precious ones. ‘Come,’ they say, ‘let us wipe out Israel as a nation. We will destroy the very memory of its existence.’ This was their unanimous decision” (Psalms 83:3-5, NLT).

Plunder
“For they said, ‘Let us seize for our own use these pasturelands of God!'” (Psalms 83:12, NLT).

Here’s how the fate of Israel’s enemies is described:

“They will flee like chaff scattered by the wind or like dust whirling before a storm” (Isaiah 17:13, NLT).

“O my God, blow them away like whirling dust, like chaff before the wind!” (Psalms 83:13, NLT).

From the description of their fate alone, it is reasonable to conclude that the armies of Isaiah 17:12 are the same nations that sign a treaty against the Lord in Psalms 83:5-8. Below is a list of those nations and their modern geographical equivalents:

Edomites = Jordan / Parts of the West Bank
Ishmaelites = The Arab people
Moabites = Jordan / Parts of the West Bank
Hagrites = Jordan / The Arab people
Gebalites = Lebanon
Ammonites = Jordan
Amalekites = Southern Israel / Gaza
Philistia = Gaza
Tyre = Lebanon
Assyria = Syria / Parts of Turkey and Iraq
The Descendants of Lot = Jordan

By studying the geographical history of these ancient people and places, we can uncover which nations they currently compose. According to Psalms 83, in the aftermath of the destruction of northern Israel and Damascus, Israel will be invaded by armies from Jordan, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza. All of these locations are heavily populated by the enemies of Israel today.

An Expanding War?
But are the nations cited in Psalms 83 the only nations involved in this attack? It’s quite possible that additional conspirators are named in the book of Ezekiel. Isaiah 17 and Psalms 83 might well foreshadow the war of Gog and Magog.

In Ezekiel 38-39, an enormous coalition of nations, “a vast and awesome horde”–will roll down on Israel “like a storm and cover the land like a cloud” (38:9, NLT). This prophesied future war in Ezekiel has many similarities to Isaiah 17:12-14. Both prophets foresee a time when enemy armies rush toward Israel while she awaits unprepared. Both prophets foresee God’s instantaneous destruction of Israel’s enemies. And in both scenarios, the marching armies intend to plunder and destroy the people of Israel:

Destruction
“You will say, ‘Israel is an unprotected land filled with unwalled villages! I will march against her and destroy these people who live in such confidence!'” (Ezekiel 38:11, NLT).

Plunder
“But Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish will ask, ‘Who are you to rob them of silver and gold? Who are you to drive away their cattle and seize their goods and make them poor?'” (Ezekiel 38:13, NLT).

Plunder & Destruction
“This is the just reward of those who plunder and destroy the people of God” (Isaiah 17:14, NLT).

Could the events predicted in Isaiah 17 and Psalms 83 be a catalyst for the war of Gog and Magog prophesied in Ezekiel 38-39? Although it is not a certainty, the possibility cannot be completely ruled out.

Today’s Headlines
Looking at today’s geopolitical landscape, it’s not difficult to envision the scenario outlined in Isaiah 17 and Psalms 83. Syria has been adamant in its demand that Israel surrender the Golan Heights, threatening war if Israel fails to comply. Meanwhile, the summer 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah has apparently convinced leaders in Damascus that Syria can be victorious in a conflict with Israel by simply overwhelming the tiny nation with rocket attacks. From a greater perspective, it has convinced the entire Islamic world that Israel isn’t the militarily invincible nation it once thought.

Syria’s rocket technology is far more advanced than that deployed by Hezbollah, and Syria is known to possess chemical weapons, including the highly lethal VX and Sarin gases. If Syria miscalculates and attacks Israel with these weapons, the Israeli response will be swift and devastating. Israel is armed with nuclear weapons, and if its survival is put in question, it will not hesitate to use them.

If this happens, a mortally wounded Israel will become an irresistible target for her enemies. The surrounding Muslim nations will see an opportunity to destroy her, while Russia will see an opportunity to seize the upper hand in the oil-rich Middle East.

Today, the most virulent enemies of Israel reside in the very places named in Psalms 83–Hamas in Gaza, the Palestinians in the West Bank and Jordan, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Syria leadership and its Axis of Evil partners in the city of Damascus.

As of this writing, the conditions are ripe for the fulfillment of Isaiah 17 and Psalms 83, paving the way for the Rapture of the church and the beginning of the Tribulation. In light of such developments, we should zealously preach the gospel of Christ to all who will listen, for the hour is late, and the return of Christ is near.

Britt Gillette is founder of BrittGillette.Com, a website examining the relationship between Bible prophecy and emerging trends in technology. For more information or to sign up for his email alerts, please visit http://www.brittgillette.com.

Is the False Prophet the Antichrist? :: by Britt Gillette

Published on: by RR2

In the nearly two thousand years since the book of Revelation was written, many have perceived the false prophet of Revelation 13 to be an ally of the Antichrist rather than the Antichrist himself. But is this the correct biblical view? Let’s study what the Bible says:

The Two Beasts of Revelation 13
Revelation 13 identifies two beasts that will emerge in the last days during the period known as the Tribulation. The first of these beasts appears at the beginning of chapter 13:

“And now in my vision I saw a beast rising up out of the sea. It had seven heads and ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns. And written on each head were names that blasphemed God. This beast looked like a leopard, but it had bear’s feet and a lion’s mouth! And the dragon gave him his own power and throne and great authority” Revelation (13:1-2,NLT).

This beast (described in verses 1-8) is traditionally viewed as representing the Antichrist, while the second beast (described in verses 11-18) is traditionally viewed as representing the “false prophet,” a man distinct from the Antichrist who assists in forcing the world to worship the Antichrist:

“Then I saw another beast come up out of the earth. He had two horns like those of a lamb, and he spoke with the voice of a dragon” (Revelation 13:11, NLT).

However, neither of these views is compatible with what the Bible really teaches. According to the Bible, the false prophet is the Antichrist, and he doesn’t need a sinister sidekick to carry out his evil plans.

Why the First Beast is the Revived Roman Empire
Much confusion arises from the fact that although the first beast is the Antichrist’s empire, many of its attributes can be used to describe the Antichrist himself. Biblically speaking, this is not a unique concept. This also occurs in the book of Daniel, when Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar the king is the head of gold, even though the head of gold is clearly stated as representing the kingdom of Babylon:

“Your Majesty, you are a king over many kings. The God of heaven has given you sovereignty, power, strength, and honor. He has made you the ruler over all the inhabited world and has put even the animals and birds under your control. You are the head of gold” (Daniel 2:37-38, NLT).

In much the same way, the beast of Revelation 13:1 should be viewed as the kingdom of the Antichrist. However, since the Antichrist is the ultimate ruler of this empire, it will take on many characteristics traditionally associated with his personality.

The Revived Roman Empire
The Bible reveals that in the last days, the world will be ruled by a global government. This will be the first truly global government since the fall of Adam and Eve, and it will be responsible for a terrible amount of destruction and murder before being destroyed by the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ, who “will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed” (Daniel 2:44, NLT).

In chapter 2 of the book of Daniel, the prophet Daniel (with the guidance of God Himself) properly interprets the dream of the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar. The king dreamed of a beautiful statue of a man with a head of gold, a chest and arms of silver, a belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron, and feet made from a combination of iron and clay. The statue was crushed by a rock cut from a mountain by supernatural means, and the rock became a great mountain that covered the whole earth.

Daniel explains that the statue is a series of kingdoms, beginning with Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylonia:

“You are the head of gold. But after your kingdom comes to an end, another great kingdom, inferior to yours, will rise to take your place. After that kingdom has fallen, yet a third great kingdom, represented by the bronze belly and thighs, will rise to rule the world. Following that kingdom, there will be a fourth great kingdom, as strong as iron. That kingdom will smash and crush all previous empires, just as iron smashes and crushes everything it strikes. The feet and toes you saw that were a combination of iron and clay show that this kingdom will be divided. Some parts of it will be as strong as iron, and others as weak as clay. This mixture of iron and clay also shows that these kingdoms will try to strengthen themselves by forming alliances with each other through intermarriage. But this will not succeed, just as iron and clay do not mix” (Daniel 2:38-43, NLT).

In the course of human events since Daniel first interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, all but one of these human kingdoms (the last) has appeared and disappeared just as predicted. In order, they are:

1) Babylonia
2) Medo-Persia
3) Greece
4) Rome
5) The Revived Roman Empire

Attributes of the Last World Empire
This last empire, symbolized by the feet and toes of iron and clay, will one day constitute the first dictatorship that is truly global in nature. This revived Roman Empire will rule the world in the following ways:

1) Politically
“And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation” (Revelation 13:7, NLT).

2) Religiously
“And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast” (Revelation 13:8, NLT).

“They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they worshiped the beast” (Revelation 13:4, NLT).

3) Economically
“He required everyone—great and small, rich and poor, slave and free—to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name” (Revelation 13:16-17, NLT).

Every facet of the human experience will be utterly dominated by this global government.

The Ten Kings
“And now in my vision I saw a beast rising up out of the sea. It had seven heads and ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns.” Revelation 13:1 (NLT)

In its second incarnation, the Roman Empire will be ruled by ten kings. Another king will arise from among them. They will grant their authority to him, but he will soon turn on three of these kings, acquiring permanent control over the empire. This passage also underscores how God views the world versus how humans view the world. These same kingdoms as dreamed of by Nebuchadnezzar represented a beautiful statue; as viewed by God, they represent horrible beasts.

We learn more about the characteristics of the coming world government in the book of Revelation, where an angel reveals to the apostle John the true meaning of his vision of a woman sitting on a scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns:

“And now understand this: The seven heads of the beast represent seven hills of the city where this woman rules. They also represent seven kings. Five kings have already fallen, the sixth now reigns, and the seventh is yet to come, but his reign will be brief. The scarlet beast that was alive and then died is the eighth king. He is like the other seven, and he, too, will go to his doom. His ten horns are ten kings who have not yet risen to power; they will be appointed to their kingdoms for one brief moment to reign with the beast. They will all agree to give their power and authority to him” (Revelation 17:9-13, NLT).

Throughout history, “seven hills” has often been erroneously interpreted as a reference to Rome, the city of seven hills. However, the original Greek is literally interpreted as “seven mountains.” From Daniel 2:35, we know that a mountain can represent a kingdom, and, given the context of the verses, it is proper to interpret these seven mountains as seven kingdoms. The seven heads of the beast represent seven world empires, five of which were referenced earlier by the prophet Daniel. They are, in order of their rule, the following:

1) Egypt
2) Assyria
3) Babylonia
4) Medo-Persia
5) Greece
6) Rome
7) The Revived Roman Empire

As the passage explains, the ten horns represent ten kings who, as we learned earlier from Daniel, will grant their power and authority to this final kingdom–the revived Roman Empire. Daniel concurs with the vision of the ten kings, the appearance of an eleventh king, and the defeat of three of the ten kings:

“Then in my vision that night, I saw a fourth beast, terrifying, dreadful, and very strong. It devoured and crushed its victims with huge iron teeth and trampled what was left beneath its feet. It was different from any of the other beasts, and it had ten horns. As I was looking at the horns, suddenly another small horn appeared among them. Three of the first horns were wrenched out, roots and all, to make room for it. This little horn had eyes like human eyes and a mouth that was boasting arrogantly” (Daniel 7:7-8, NLT).

Ten kings will give their power and national sovereignty to the revived Roman Empire. From among them, the Antichrist will appear, and he will become the preeminent ruler among them.

Furthermore, we learn earlier in the book of Revelation that the final world empire will be the seventh successive world empire and will be formed by ten kings:

“And now in my vision I saw a beast rising up out of the sea. It had seven heads and ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns. And written on each head were names that blasphemed God” (Revelation 13:1, NLT).

The Resurrection of One of the Heads of the Beast
We also learn from the book of Revelation that the seventh head of the beast will seem wounded beyond recovery, but the wound will be healed. The following verses reference this recovery:

“I saw that one of the heads of the beast seemed wounded beyond recovery—but the fatal wound was healed! All the world marveled at this miracle and followed the beast in awe” (Revelation 13:3, NLT).

“He exercised all the authority of the first beast. And he required all the earth and those who belong in this world to worship the first beast, whose death-wound had been healed” (Revelation 13:12, NLT).

“He ordered the people of the world to make a great statue of the first beast, who was fatally wounded and then came back to life” (Revelation 13:14, NLT).

Many commentators have applied this attribute to the human head of this global government, the Antichrist. They believe the Antichrist will be resurrected in a satanic attempt to counterfeit the resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, this is a misinterpretation of Scripture. The wounded head is the kingdom of the Antichrist, not the person himself.

Although the word “beast” is used to describe the person of the Antichrist, it’s also used in Daniel 7 and Revelation 13 to describe his kingdom as well as previous world empires. Heads are symbols of kingdoms, while horns are symbols of kings. Therefore, a wounded head represents a wounded kingdom, not a wounded king. The wounded beast described in these verses is the world empire of ancient Rome, which was never completely destroyed like its predecessors. In the last days, the Roman Empire will appear once again, and the world will marvel at its appearance. The following verse reiterates this concept:

“Five kings have already fallen, the sixth now reigns, and the seventh is yet to come, but his reign will be brief” (Revelation 17:10, NLT).

The angel reveals to John that five of the kingdoms have fallen:

1) Egypt
2) Assyria
3) Babylonia
4) Medo-Persia
5) Greece

The sixth kingdom “now reigns”:

6) Rome (John’s vision occurred in the first century, when Rome still ruled the known world.)

And the seventh “is yet to come”:

7) The Revived Roman Empire

In the last days, this resurrected Roman Empire will rule all of humanity. Its reign will be brief, but it will be like no other kingdom before it. It will play the role of beast in a satanic trinity of Satan, Antichrist, and Beast.

The Book of Daniel
Further insight into the identity of the beast in Revelation 13:1 is provided to Daniel following his vision of four beasts:

“I, Daniel, was troubled by all I had seen, and my visions terrified me. So I approached one of those standing beside the throne and asked him what it all meant. He explained it to me like this: ‘These four huge beasts represent four kingdoms that will arise from the earth'” (Daniel 7:15-17, NLT).
In this verse, a heavenly being explains to Daniel that the beasts in his vision represent kingdoms or world empires. These are the same empires foreseen in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, with the fourth empire representing Rome:

“Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, the one so different from the others and so terrifying. It devoured and crushed its victims with iron teeth and bronze claws, and it trampled what was left beneath its feet. I also asked about the ten horns on the fourth beast’s head and the little horn that came up afterward and destroyed three of the other horns. This was the horn that seemed greater than the others and had human eyes and mouth that was boasting arrogantly” (Daniel 7:19-20, NLT).

Notice the distinct similarities between this beast and the beast of Revelation 13:1. Both crush everything in their path, and both have ten horns. The similarities continue:

“Then he said to me, ‘This fourth beast is the fourth world power that will rule the earth. It will be different from all the others. It will devour the whole world, trampling everything in its path. Its ten horns are ten kings that will rule that empire” (Daniel 7:23-24, NLT).

In this verse, it’s clearly stated that the beast in Daniel’s vision is an empire that will rule the earth. It will be different in that it will devour the whole world, providing it with dominion over “every tribe and people and language and nation” (Revelation 13:7, NLT). It will also have ten horns that are ten kings, just as the beast of Revelation 13:1 has “ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns.”

From these kings, another king will rise, and He will cause a shocking amount of destruction. This king is the Antichrist, and he will rise out of the revived Roman Empire:

“Then another king will arise, different from the other ten, who will subdue three of them. He will defy the Most High and wear down the holy people of the Most High” (Daniel 7:24-25, NLT).

Why the Second Beast is the Antichrist
In addition to the similarities between the book of Daniel’s description of the revived Roman Empire and the beast of Revelation 13:1, a number of notable similarities exist between the second beast of Revelation 13 and other biblical descriptions of the Antichrist.

He Speaks with the Voice of a Dragon 
Knowing that the Antichrist is the human embodiment of Satan, the Bible gives us a clear identification of the second beast:

“Then I saw another beast come up out of the earth. He had two horns like those of a lamb, and he spoke with the voice of a dragon” (Revelation 13:11, NLT).

It’s not by mere coincidence that this beast speaks with the voice of a dragon. The same dragon appears in chapter 12, and there is no mistaking his identity:

“This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the Devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels” (Revelation 12:9, NLT).

Following a great war in heaven, Satan is thrown in defeat to the earth, where he knows that he has little time before Christ returns to establish His millennial kingdom. This event occurs at the midpoint of the Tribulation:

“Rejoice, O heavens! And you who live in the heavens, rejoice! But terror will come on the earth and the sea. For the Devil has come down to you in great anger, and he knows that he has little time” (Revelation 12:12, NLT).

The midpoint of the Tribulation, when Satan comes to reside on earth, is also when the Antichrist commits the “abomination of desolation” spoken of by Jesus and the prophet Daniel.

Astounding Miracles
The second beast of Revelation 13 is also described as performing astounding miracles, so as to deceive the people of this world:

“He did astounding miracles, such as making fire flash down to earth from heaven while everyone was watching. And with all the miracles he was allowed to perform on behalf of the first beast, he deceived all the people who belong to this world” (Revelation 13:13-14, NLT).

Paul clearly identifies this same beast as a man, the Antichrist, who he describes in his letter to the Thessalonians:

“This evil man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. He will use every kind of wicked deception to fool those who are on their way to destruction because they refuse to believe the truth that would save them” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10, NLT).

He Exercises All Authority
Throughout the Scriptures, the Antichrist is described as a man of unprecedented power who answers to no one. If the false prophet is merely an associate of the Antichrist, then how could he “exercise all the authority” of the Antichrist without being at least the equal of the Antichrist himself? He doesn’t, because the false prophet is the Antichrist.

The Antichrist exercises all the authority of the revived Roman empire, which is the seat of global authority:

“He exercised all the authority of the first beast. And he required all the earth and those who belong to this world to worship the first beast, whose death-wound had been healed” (Revelation 13:12, NLT).

The Antichrist will exercise all the authority of the first beast, which is the revived Roman Empire. He will require the world to worship and give allegiance to this empire, which will be resurrected from the dust bin of history (thus, healing its deadly wound).

Immense Power
The Antichrist will be consumed with power, and power alone will be his object of worship:

“He will have no regard for the god of his ancestors, or for the god beloved of women, or for any other god, for he will boast that he is greater than them all. Instead of these, he will worship the god of fortresses—a god his ancestors never knew—and lavish on him gold, silver, precious stones, and costly gifts” (Daniel 11:37-38, NLT).

The Antichrist’s god is a god of fortresses, and fortresses are the exclusive domain of kingdoms and empires. The Antichrist will wield immense power, a power unknown to previous generations, and this power will make his kingdom invincible to human enemies:

“They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they worshiped the beast. ‘Is there anyone as great as the beast?’ they exclaimed. ‘Who is able to fight against him?'” (Revelation 13:4, NLT).

The Antichrist will only acknowledge one power: a military power he possesses. His power will be so great that the people of the world will marvel in wonder and worship it, asking the rhetorical question of who among them is able to fight against his mighty kingdom.

The Lake of Fire
Yet another way to distinguish the Antichrist from his kingdom is by studying their final destinations. The lake of fire is a punishment reserved for the beast and his false prophet:

“Both the beast and his false prophet were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur” (Revelation 19:20, NLT).

However, the book of Daniel clearly reveals that the beast is a kingdom, not a man:

“I kept watching until the fourth beast was killed and its body was destroyed by fire” (Daniel 7:11, NLT).

This is the same beast described in Daniel 7 and identified by Jesus Christ as a fourth world empire, and the reign of this oppressive government will be put to an end by the King of Kings Himself. When Christ returns to earth, He will destroy this kingdom as well as the Antichrist, throwing both into the lake of fire where they will experience everlasting torment.

Conclusion
It’s easy to see how the beast of Revelation 13:1 can be confused with the person of the Antichrist. As the Antichrist’s kingdom and primary vehicle for world domination, the beast shares a number of common attributes with the man of perdition. However, this has also led to confusion over the identity of the beast described in Revelation 13:11. Traditionally, this false prophet has been viewed as a contemporary and an ally of the Antichrist, rather than the Antichrist himself. However, a careful examination of the Scriptures uncovers an undeniable similarity between the career of the false prophet and the career of the Antichrist.

For the Tribulation saints, a firm understanding of the distinction between these two beasts is of paramount importance. It will aid in the proper identification of the Antichrist, as well as provide an invaluable tool for evangelism as they point out the similarities between the events of Revelation 13 and the events of their time. As such, we should do everything in our power to ensure that their interpretation of the Word of God is based solely on truth and not on doctrines invented by man.

Britt Gillette is the author of Signs of the Second Coming: 11 Reasons Jesus Will Return in Our Lifetime and Coming to Jesus: One Man’s Search for Truth and Life Purpose. He’s also the founder of End Times Bible Prophecy.