Who is the end times False Prophet?

John describes the false prophet as “rising out of the earth” (Rev. 13:11). While the first beast that arose from the sea echoed the four beasts of Daniel 7, the second beast that ascended from the earth echoes the four kingdoms of Daniel 7:17. Since Daniel 7:17 interpreted the four beasts as four kingdoms, John’s two beasts are intimately connected. It is a “beast” (Greek, thērion) like the Devil (Dragon) and the Antichrist (the Beast). This evil trinity parodies the true God: “As Christ received authority from the Father (Matt. 11:27), so Antichrist receives authority from the Dragon (Rev. 13:4), and as the Holy Spirit glorifies Christ (John 16:14), so the false prophet glorifies the Antichrist (Rev. 13:12).”

The second beast, like the first Beast, parodies Jesus, the Lamb with seven horns (Rev. 5:6): it has “two horns like a lamb” (13:11). While the seven horns of the messianic Lamb symbolized the fullness of his strength as conquering Messiah, the two horns of the counterfeit lamb mimic the two witnesses who are the two lampstands and the two olive trees (Rev. 11:3–4) and the two horns of the evil ruler mentioned in Daniel 7:7 and 8:3 (where the Medo-Persian Empire is described in its opposition to God). The second beast “spoke like a dragon” (Rev. 13:11): like the first beast, it is the agent of the Devil, speaking with his full authority.

Whether there will be a final false prophet during the last period of history is unclear. If the “final” Antichrist is regarded as a specific figure at the end of history who opposes God, Jesus, and Christians, then it is plausible to assume that he will be accompanied by a person who ensures that the peoples of the world are loyal to him through supernatural means, economic pressure, and outright persecution of dissenters. Since it is most unlikely that Christians could ever agree about the identity of the Antichrist if understood as a figure during the last period of history, it is equally unlikely that they could agree on the identity of the false prophet.

More important than speculations about whether there will be a final false prophet is a renewed emphasis on the truth of the gospel. There will always be teachers, Christian and otherwise, who declare that truth is relative, that absolute truth does not exist, and that adaptation to the values of the contemporary political and economic system is not only wise but also necessary. John’s description of the beast from the sea and its activities calls Christians of all historical periods to renew their commitment to the one true God, to faithfully and courageously express their confession of faith in Jesus and be willing to risk discrimination, persecution, and martyrdom.

Schnabel, E. J. (2011). 40 Questions about the End Times. (B. L. Merkle, Ed.) (pp. 197–198). Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic & Professional.nal.