The Sidekick- Revelation 13:11-18

Over the past few weeks in our study of Revelation 12-13 we’ve taken a close look at what the Bible reveals about what is to come by means of various story-telling elements. As every good story has good character development, so too does Revelation in its depiction of the woman (Israel), the dragon (Satan), and the boy (Jesus) (12:1-6). As many epics depict tension and conflict, so too did we see a prediction of a war in heaven that will successfully expel Satan from ever reentering that holy realm again (12:7-17). As any good adventure has a compelling villain, we were introduced last week to a villain of epic proportions in the emergence of the beast from the sea (Rev. 13:1-10). We continue to trace the conventions of storytelling as we progress in our study of the prophecy in Revelation 13:11-18 with a look at an evil sidekick. Dr. Frankenstein had Igor, Scar had his hyenas, Bonnie had Clyde, and the beast from the sea (Rev. 13:1-10) will have his own as well. However, what is truly scary is that while we mostly associate popular villains and sidekicks with works of fiction, the prophecy John gives us in this passage is sure to actually take place in a future period of tribulation. Therefore, let’s carefully examine four components of the sidekick’s emergence and activity as described in Revelation 13:11-18.

1. His Emergence-13:11

Immediately following the emergence of the beast from the sea is the advent of the beast out of the earth—“then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth” (13:11a). As land-based monsters were viewed in the ancient world as less intimidating than monsters from the sea, this beast will play a secondary role to villain described earlier (Thomas, Revelation 8-22, 172).

Though this beast plays the role of sidekick to the first beast, he appears to be just as ferocious as he is introduced as “another beast” (or like the first). Later, after observing the nature of his many activities, it will be clear that this beast’s role is predominately religious in nature, indicating that he is the coming false prophet.  

The insidious nature of this false prophet is indicated by his unique appearance mentioned in the second half of verse 11—“and he had horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon” (13:11b). This other beast parodies the description of Christ as the Lamb in Revelation 5:6 and sets up another example of the Dragon deceptively counterfeiting the things of God. That said, while Christ had seven horns, this lamb only has two—indicating his limited and/or lesser power. Also, against the first beast’s 10 horns, this lamb only has two, reinforcing again his status as. While this sidekick appears as a young lamb, his true nature is revealed by what proceeds out of his mouth—“and he spoke as a dragon” (13:11b). Like many false prophets before him, this coming false prophet will serve as an example of what Jesus warned about in Matthew 7:15—“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” While Jesus spoke of false prophets in the days immediately following his ministry and in the ages thereafter in terms of wolves in sheep’s clothing, Revelation predicts the worst false prophet of all as a dragon in lamb’s clothing. 1 John 2:18 and 4:1-3 speak of the “many antichrists” or false teachers that have arisen to spread heresy in the church. “This second beast will be the ultimate ‘false prophet’ who will sum up all the others” (Osborne, Revelation, 512). Like the Antichrist (beast from the sea) the false prophet is an agent of the dragon that was expelled from heaven (see Revelation 12). While the Antichrist will act and rule with the power of the dragon, the false prophet will speak with the voice of the dragon.

2. His Activities-13:12-14

Next John reveals the false prophet’s activities beginning with how he exercises authority—“he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence” (13:12a). In other words, the power given to the beast from the sea is shared with the beast of the land so that he can go about his wicked deeds. Interestingly, there appears to be a close connection between the two beasts as the authority with which the false prophet acts is said to be shared “in the presence of” the Antichrist. It may be that the false prophet is incapable of acting independently of the Antichrist who, in turn is being powered by the dragon. This unity, as with many other parallels sets up an unholy trinity of sorts that counterfeits the holy trinity of God (Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet vs. the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit).

Much like the third member of the one true Trinity, the false prophet encourages worship. However, while the Holy Spirit points all attention and reverence to Christ, the false prophet encourages worship of the Antichrist—“and he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed” (13:12b). Once again, the great deception of the Antichrist is in view—his supposed slaying and healing. While the Son of Man was lifted up on the cross so that those who look upon him in faith might be saved, the False prophet will exalt the Antichrist, after having recovered from a mortal wound, so that all who look upon him might be deceived.

We ought not wonder at many will be deceived so easily/quickly. In Lewis’ words, the human heart is an idol factory. We cannot help but worship something because we were created to worship. People everywhere, in all cultures and in all places, look for or create things/ideas/personalities to worship. However, the only proper destination of our worship is the one true God who created, redeemed, and will one day glorify. Because of sin, the direction of people’s worship is often misplaced. So too will it be here for many as people improperly direct their worship to the beast of the sea at the beck and call of the false prophet.

One tool at the disposal of this false prophet will be his supernatural abilities—“He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men” (13:13a). What does this comment make you think of? The two witnesses mentioned earlier in chapter 11 (particularly 11:5) and Elijah with the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18). Think of it, what the prophets of Baal were unable to do, this false prophet in the future will be allowed to do—call down fire out of heaven. Such wonders will deceive those who will believe that such signs demonstrate truthfulness and supreme power when, in reality, they betray only deception and damnation. Like the priests of Pharaoh against the miracles of Moses, this future false prophet will match, at least in part, the signs and wonders of the two witnesses in the tribulation period.

John reveals that this program of grand deception is fairly effective—"And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life” (13:14). What John describes here is eerily similar to what Jesus predicted would happen in Matthew 24:24.

Matthew 24:24-“For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.“

Culminating in the erection of an idol to be worshiped, idolatry on the earth during this period will reach its apex. In many ways, this program of idol worship and building a vehicle to that end is similar to what Nebuchadnezzar tried to do in his day. In Daniel 3, the Babylonian ruler erected a statue and demanded that it be worshiped under penalty of death. This spectacle will repeat itself on a global level in the future tribulation period with the false prophet leading the effort.

3. His Purpose-13:15-17

In fact, this is in keeping with the false prophet’s purpose--“And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed,…” (13:15). The beast of the land exists for one thing and one thing only, the exaltation of the beast of the sea. Whether he has to trick people into worshiping him or threaten people to worship him, he will stop at nothing until the propensity to worship in the hearts of men everywhere is misappropriated and misdirected toward the Antichrist.

Please recognize, once again, that the authority with which this beast goes about his business is “given to him.” In fact, the same was true of the first beast (“it was also given to him to make war”-13:7). Earlier, the rider on the white horse (probably another picture of the coming Antichrist) had authority that was given to him as well (6:2). This reveals that no matter how powerful these players appear to be, they are only allowed this power temporarily by an even greater power who is ultimately in control—the Lord God Almighty!

In addition to tricking people to worship the beast and threatening people to that end, the false prophet will play on human insecurity to force mankind into complacency—“And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead” (13:16). This kind of list, which includes every sub-group of humanity from the socially unimportant to the significant appears three times in the book (6:15; 13:16; 19:18) and every time speaks of unbelievers. The purpose in each case is to stress all humankind and reveal that neither God nor the satanic realm plays favorites or distinguishes between the haves and have nots (Osborne, Revelation, 517). This is peer pressure and advocacy for equality to the n^th degree. Everyone who is anyone (literally) will be racing to take on this mark after either being deceived by the signs and wonders or fearful of the consequences if they do not comply. Such a mark will figure prominently on their person—either on the typically dominant right hand or in the even more obvious position on the forehead. Everyone everywhere will know to whom these mark-bearers will belong—they will be the Antichrist’s.

Think obvious wickedness, threats, and weird tattoos or other such markings are a bit too on the nose to deceive people? There is an even more insidious program that the false prophet will endorse that will be sure to draw in the nonconformist types—systematic economic pressure—“And he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except  the one who has the mark, either that name of the beast or the number of his name” (13:17). After hitting the heart, threatening life, and playing on insecurities, the false prophet will hit the world in the wallet.  It will be impossible to buy or sell merchandise, goods, or services, without this mark. That is sure to draw in the spiritually weak and/or fake Christians.

Friends, the infrastructure for such is already in place as everything goes digital. Ebay, Amazon, and Google are already refusing to share or repost products or goods that they don’t agree with. Twitter and Facebook/Instagram are already censoring messages that doesn’t comport with their agenda. Make no mistake, the world is just a few clicks away from outlawing Christianity by rendering their message un-sharable and their goods and services impossible to find. It may not be done in the name of censorship or to comply with an idolatrous program. It may, in fact, be put into place under the guise of efficiency, “tolerance,” and convenience.

While economic servitude is the last mentioned, I imagine it might be the most effective as our culture continues to be driven by the almighty consumer. Money and the condition of the heart are closely related. After all, the Bible makes itself very clear—“you cannot serve God and money” and “where your treasure is there your heart will be also” and “the love of money is the root of all evil” (Matt. 6:24; 6:21; 1 Tim. 6:10 respectively).

In all, the false prophet will be about the business of promoting idolatry, even if it requires the threat of death, pressuring individuals to belong to a new world system, and placing people in economic servitude. Unfortunately, apart from the remnant and a small group of newly converted people, he will be very effective in his task.

4. His Warning-13:18

The final component to the introduction of the false prophet is the warning that accompanies his emergence—“Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six” (13:18). This verse has been the victim of perhaps the most speculation of any in the Bible as the number of the beast has literally been linked with 100s of people from ancient Roman emperors like Nero Caeser to Mickhail Gorbachev. It is mysterious to say the least and yet, what readers can know for sure is that 666 serves to represent a political reality in which despotic individuals use their power to persecute the church and oppress humanity (Wilson, ZIBBC Vol. 4, 331).  

So What?

Pretty scary stuff in store for those in the tribulation period! And yet, what is prophesied in this passage is not too far removed from our own experience today. We ought not be surprised that we can see glimpses of this prophecy at work in our world at present given the New Testament’s pervasive warnings against false teachers and false prophets.

1 John 4:1-“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

2 Pet. 2:1-“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.”

2 Corinthians 11:13-15–“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.”

Romans 16:18-“For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.”

Make no mistake, people are being deceived today by what looks religious but is, in fact, satanic. People today are being pressured into conformity either under threat of persecution or not fitting in. Forces are in place right now that make it harder for Christians to do business and share the message of the gospel. In the face of such, believers can’t afford to be deceived—any person, pastor, teacher, or TV personality that does not direct attention and glory to Jesus Christ ought to be ignored. In the face of such, believers cannot succumb to pressure—to live is Christ and to die is gain and your identity and satisfaction ought to come from your relationship with Jesus, not how many friends or followers you have.  In the face of such, believers cannot conform to the world to get ahead—as God’s word reminds us: “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.”

It is imperative that we not be deceived, succumb to pressure, or conform to this world so that we might be used to point the way to Christ for those who would rather follow and worship what is more attractive, popular, convenient, or personally expedient all the way to their own ultimate destruction.