Summary
Satan raises up a false prophetA false prophet is one who illegitimately claims authority for proclaiming and interpreting God's will. In the Old Testament false prophecy meant using signs and wonders to draw people away from the worship of the true God. False prophets appear in Deuteronomy; Jesus, in Matthew's... that imitates God’s faithful witnesses, but leads to idolatry instead of true worship.
Analysis
If the beast from the sea is a mockery of God’s MessiahThe Messiah was the one who, it was believed, would come to free the people of Israel from bondage and exile. In Jewish thought the Messiah is the anticipated one who will come, as prophesied by Isaiah. In Christian thought Jesus of Nazareth is identified..., the Lamb (see Revelation 13:1-10 – A Vision of a Beast from the Sea), then the beast from the earth is a mockery of God’s faithful witnesses, the prophets. The beast with its two horns attempts to look like the Lamb (13:11), and it performs many of the same actions as the prophets. The performance of the beast from the earth can be seen as a parody of the contest between ElijahA miracle working Israelite prophet who opposed worship of Baal. and the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:20-40). Like Elijah, the beast calls down fire from heaven (13:13). Like Elijah raising the son of the widowA widow is a woman whose spouse has died, often plunging her into poverty and putting her in a vulnerable position in society. Jesus, in his concern for the poor, regards widows with compassion and concern. at Nain, the beast gives life to an image of the beast from the sea (13:15). Finally, just as Elijah put to death the prophets of Baal, the beast from the earth kills those who won’t worship the image of the beast from the sea (13:15). The irony in the parallels is that whereas Elijah called people to worship the true God, the beast from the earth performs its wonders in the service of idolatry. Just as in the criticism of the prophet JezebelQueen who promoted worship of Baal and who opposed Elijah. (see 1 Kings 16/Revelation 2:20 – The Prophetic Contest with Jezebel), John calls the church to see beyond the veneer of prophecyProphecy is the gift, inspired by God, of speaking and interpreting the divine will. Prophets such as Amos, Isaiah, and Ezekiel spoke words of judgment and comfort to the people of Israel on behalf of God. and to judge it by the only true criterion: does the prophet lead others to worship the true God and the Messiah, JesusJesus is the Messiah whose life, death, and resurrection are God's saving act for humanity. Christ?
