The antichrist will speak powerful, blasphemous words, just as the prophet Daniel predicted (Daniel 7:8, 20, 25). Through his speech, the antichrist will blaspheme God, His name, His tabernacle (which is in heaven), and His people who dwell in heaven with Him (Revelation 13:6). These blasphemies will go on for forty-two months (three and a half years).

Before long, however, the world’s acquiescence at the antichrist’s words will no longer satisfy his ego. Consequently, he will launch a war against God’s people, the saints, the true believers (13:7–8). For a while the antichrist is going to appear victorious, defeating even God’s people (v. 7). I believe many sincere believers in Jesus will be persecuted for their faith at that time. Many will die as a result of the antichrist’s war. But if there is an outcry from the world at his abuse, it will be quickly muffled, since he will have authority over the entire world.

We know for sure that John wanted us to pay close attention to this part of his vision. He made the statement, “If anyone has an ear, let him hear” (13:9), similar to the admonitions of Jesus in the earlier letters to the churches. John then offered an unusual observation: “If you are to be a prisoner, then you will be a prisoner.  If you are to be killed with the sword, then you will be killed with the sword. This means that God’s holy people must have patience and faith” (13:10, ncv).

John was not a negative-thinking fatalist; he was being a realist. He was telling us that it is useless to fight against the Beast with human weapons. Whatever God has ordained or destined for us as individuals, that is what is going to happen to us. Our choices will reap their inevitable results, similar to reaping what we sow. But John was also encouraging believers, letting us know that these Christians in the last days are not spiritual wimps. They have endurance, perseverance, steadfastness, and loyalty, which is not a passive acceptance of their plight but an attitude of taking the worst the devil and the world can dish out and turning that into glory for God. That is the kind of patience and faith John saw in these believers. No wonder the antichrist wants to exterminate them.

Next, John saw “another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon” (Revelation 13:11). This beast is known as the False Prophet because he functions as the antichrist’s public relations man. He works to organize the structure through which the anti­christ will gain control and maintain it. This beast does not come out of the sea, as the antichrist did, but “out of the earth,” leading some scholars to speculate that he may come out of Israel itself. We don’t know for sure, and the Bible doesn’t tell us.

John said that this second beast has two horns, like a lamb. The fact that he has horns but no crown implies that his power is not so much by force but by deception. Most likely his power will come from a quasi-religious political base.

This beast speaks like a dragon (13:11), and we know who that is: the ser­pent, the devil, the deceiver. His role will be to seduce people into accepting, following, obeying, and ultimately worshiping the antichrist. As the Holy Spirit always bears witness of Jesus, this False Prophet will use his silver tongue to point people to the antichrist.

This second beast works for the antichrist; he is not as powerful as the first beast, but don’t take him lightly, because he is no flunky. His goal is to cause people to worship the antichrist, and he will use whatever is necessary to do it. Eight times in Revelation the phrase he causes or he makes is used in reference to the False Prophet. He is no paper tiger.