Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.
Revelation 13:11–12, NIV

This beast is the False Prophet, the right–hand man of the Antichrist. As Satan continues his malicious masquerade, he will complete an unholy trinity. Just as God is a trinity, so will Satan be. His program will counterfeit God's program. Satan's answer to the Son of God will be the Antichrist.

The Holy Spirit's counterfeit is the second beast, or the False Prophet. The Holy Spirit has one main objective, and that is to glorify Jesus Christ. The False Prophet has one objective, and that is to cause people to worship the first beast.

It may seem strange to consider a religious leader as a key player during the Tribulation, but this has been a pattern throughout history.

We were created to worship God. The longing in our hearts to worship, to devote ourselves to something, is universal; even atheism and materialism are religions. Those who choose not to worship God will worship something else.

In the last days, the False Prophet will use all types of religious props to deceive people. Already we see the satanic influence of counterfeit Christianity enticing people into its web. A friend told me about a conversation with a woman who said she speaks with the apostle John on a regular basis. This woman said she was listening to the radio one night around midnight, and the apostle John was talking. She was instructed to call a certain phone number, which she did. After that, John spoke to her through a channeled "very intelligent professional gentleman in his middle forties," whose message was one of pure love.

I wonder what that woman would think about John's message in the book of Revelation?

Religion without Jesus is the tool of Satan to draw people into his realm. During the Tribulation, religiosity will be intense and the False Prophet will use every counterfeit tool in his arsenal.

Satanic Sign Language

The False Prophet will have the power to perform great miracles, "even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people" (Revelation 13:13).

Imagine the astonishment of everyone on earth as great streaks of fire blaze across the sky. Perhaps it will be a part of a gigantic celebration for the Antichrist. This spectacular show may be intended to center attention on Jerusalem, where the image of the beast will be exhibited. The flaming display will mimic God's miraculous work: He called down fire upon Sodom and Gomorrah, and He empowered Elijah to call down fire from heaven on Mount Carmel. Revelation 11 warns that if anyone tries to harm the two witnesses, fire will come from their mouths and destroy their enemies.

God has often revealed Himself by fire, and the deceptive False Prophet will do the same.

The Talking Statue

The False Prophet will plan a special building project to erect a statue of the Antichrist in the rebuilt Jerusalem temple. There will be no need for an all–member canvass or pledges from the faithful. When the Antichrist recovers from his fatal wound and becomes the proclaimed world leader, his followers will worship him.

No sculptor in any age of man has formed a statue like this one. The image of the Antichrist will speak and issue a decree that anyone who refuses to fall down and worship it will be killed.

We don't know how this evil magic will be performed, but it is another evidence of the pervasive power of demons in those days.

Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. Revelation 13:14–15, NIV

The setting up of the image of the beast is evidently what Jesus had in mind when He said in His Olivet Discourse: "So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains" (Matthew 24:15–16, NIV).

The View from Heaven

If we could pull the door of heaven open a crack and see what is happening on earth, we would see the followers of the Antichrist prostrating themselves before the altar of his statue, while we are worshiping Christ in all His glory at heaven's altar.

We might see the lines forming for the seal to be placed on each person's right hand or forehead as everyone files past the False Prophet and his appointed ministers to have 666 stamped on his skin.

God also has sealed ones—remember the seal on the foreheads of the 144,000 Jewish evangelists? Again, Satan will counterfeit God's work.

Branded by the Beast

During World War II it was necessary to have stamps or a card to buy certain food. Gasoline was scarce, and many other goods were in short supply. In America the hardships were minor, for the winning of the war was a national effort, but rationing was a way of life. During the Tribulation, there will be no surge of patriotism. It will be moment–by–moment survival. The law of the beast will be "Worship me or starve."

Why 666?

Why is the mark of the beast 666? Superstitions about this number and its meaning could fill volumes. Here are some interesting facts about it: Goliath was six cubits in height, his spear's head weighed six shekels and he had six pieces of armor. Nebuchadnezzar's image was sixty cubits in height, and six cubits wide.

Man was created on the sixth day. He has to work six of seven days. A Hebrew slave could not be a slave more than six years. The fields of the Jews could not be sown for more than six years running.

The most logical explanation for the mark is that the number six in the Bible is the number of man. The beast represents the ultimate in human ingenuity and cleverness.

Something is Missing

The children of the great composer, Bach, found that the easiest way to awaken their father was to play a few lines of music and leave off the last note. Bach would get up immediately, go to the piano, and strike the final chord.

Donald Grey Barnhouse told how he awoke one morning during the Christmas season, went to the piano and played "Silent Night," purposely stopping before striking the last note. He walked into the hallway and listened to the sounds from the children's rooms upstairs. His eight–year–old son had stopped reading and was trying to find the final note on his harmonica. Another one of the children was singing the last note with great volume. His wife called, "Donald, did you do that on purpose?"

Human nature demands the completion of the last note. The number 666 reminds us that something is missing. That missing something is Someone. He is a seven, and that is the complete number.

God has His seven–headed Lamb of God, the second person of the Trinity. He has His seven spirits of God, the third person of the Trinity. And He has His saints singing the sevenfold doxology.

Satan has his six … but God is seven. The old counterfeiter will never be able to fool all of the people all of the time, only some. …