He deceives people through spectacular miracles, including fire from heaven, that persuade them to worship the Antichrist.
The Bible shows the false prophet performing great wonders and making fire come down from heaven, and then using those miracles to deceive "them that dwell on the earth." His purpose is to turn people to worship the Antichrist and to have an image made of him. Les Feldick explains that this is a counterfeit religious leader who acts as a false Holy Spirit under Satan's power.
Revelation 13:13-14 — These verses directly describe the false prophet's miracle-working deception.
Revelation 19:20 — This verse identifies the miracle-working deceiver as 'the false prophet.'
In Revelation 13, John sees another beast coming up out of the earth, having "two horns like a lamb" but speaking "as a dragon" (Revelation 13:11). This second beast exercises all the power of the first beast and causes the earth and its inhabitants to worship the first beast (Revelation 13:12). He performs great wonders and makes fire come down from heaven, and then "deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles" (Revelation 13:13-14). He also tells those on earth to make an image to the first beast, the one that was wounded by a sword and lived (Revelation 13:14). Revelation 19:20 later identifies this person as "the false prophet that wrought miracles before him," the one who deceived those who received the mark of the beast and worshipped his image.
Les Feldick teaches that the false prophet is not a literal animal but a man — a religious leader who heads up a world religion during the Tribulation. He is a counterfeit of the Holy Spirit. Just as the genuine Holy Spirit draws people to Christ, this false religious leader causes people to worship the Antichrist, who is a counterfeit of the Son. Les describes this as part of an "unholy trinity": Satan counterfeits God the Father, the Antichrist counterfeits God the Son, and the false prophet counterfeits the Holy Spirit. Les emphasizes that the false prophet's deception is carried out through miracles and wonders. He makes fire come down from heaven and performs signs in the sight of the beast, using these miracles to convince people that he is telling the truth. Les warns that a miracle does not always prove God is at work, because Satan has tremendous miracle-working power. The false prophet also directs people to make an image of the Antichrist, just as Nebuchadnezzar built an image to centralize worship in himself.
Scripture says the false prophet exercises the authority of the first beast and makes the earth worship the Antichrist. Les Feldick identifies him as a religious leader and a counterfeit of the Holy Spirit, whose role is to direct worship away from God and toward the Antichrist. Revelation 19:20 explicitly calls him "the false prophet."
The false prophet performs "great wonders" and makes fire come down from heaven in the sight of men. He then uses these miracles to deceive "them that dwell on the earth" (Revelation 13:13-14). Les Feldick stresses that Satan can perform miracles, so a miracle is not necessarily proof that God is behind it. The false prophet's miracles are performed in the sight of the beast and with his permission.
Les Feldick teaches that the Tribulation features an "unholy trinity": Satan counterfeits God the Father, the Antichrist counterfeits God the Son, and the false prophet counterfeits the Holy Spirit. As the Holy Spirit draws people to Christ, the false prophet causes people to worship the Antichrist. This counterfeit religious leader does much of what the Holy Spirit does, but for a deceptive purpose.
The Second Beast Is a Governmental Power
Les explains that the word 'beast' in Revelation refers to governmental power, not a literal animal, and the second beast is another government figure.
The Religious Leader's Miracles and Deception
Les identifies the false prophet as a religious leader who performs great wonders, including fire from heaven, and deceives earth-dwellers by means of those miracles; Satan has power to perform miracles.
The False Prophet as Counterfeit Holy Spirit
Les teaches that this false religious leader makes the earth worship the Antichrist and directs them to make an image, just as Nebuchadnezzar centralized worship with his image.
The Counterfeit Holy Spirit Deceives by Miracles
Les parallels the Holy Spirit drawing people to Christ with the false prophet causing worship of the Antichrist; he does great wonders and deceives through them.
Miracles Performed with the Antichrist's Permission
Les emphasizes that the false prophet's miracles are performed in the sight of the Antichrist and with his permission, deceiving people by these wonders.
The False Prophet Causes Worship of the Antichrist
Les says the false prophet fulfills a counterfeit role of the Holy Spirit by causing people to worship the Antichrist, all under Satan's power.
The Unholy Trinity Defined
Les calls the false prophet part of an 'unholy trinity,' with Satan as Father, the false prophet as Holy Spirit, and the Antichrist as Christ; he leads people to worship the Antichrist.
Defining the False Prophet in Revelation 19:20
Les shows from Revelation 19:20 that the one who wrought miracles before the beast is called 'the false prophet.'
Revelation 13:11: And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
This introduces the second beast, who has a deceptive lamb-like appearance but speaks like a dragon.
Revelation 13:12: And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
This shows the false prophet's authority and his role in directing worship to the Antichrist.
Revelation 13:13: And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
This records the spectacular miracle of fire from heaven that helps persuade people.
Revelation 13:14: And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
This is the key verse showing that the false prophet deceives people through miracles and orders an image to be made.
Revelation 19:20: And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
This explicitly identifies the miracle-working deceiver as 'the false prophet.'
No. Les Feldick explains that the word 'beast' in Revelation always refers to a governmental power, not a literal animal. The false prophet is a man and a religious leader who operates under Satan's power.
Yes. Les Feldick teaches that Satan has tremendous miracle-working power, and he will use it through the false prophet during the Tribulation. Just because something is a miracle does not mean it comes from God.
Revelation 19:20 calls him "the false prophet that wrought miracles before him." Les teaches that he is the religious leader of the Tribulation who counterfeits the Holy Spirit and causes people to worship the Antichrist.
Watch the Teaching: Daniel's Dream, the Antichrist & the Mark of the Beast