Les Feldick teaches that the false prophet could be an apostate Jew, but he does not say he must be.
The false prophet is identified with the second beast of Revelation 13, which comes up out of the earth. Les connects this phrase to Israel, since Revelation is centered on Israel, and says the false prophet could very easily be an apostate Jew. However, he also says the false prophet could be, but not necessarily, Jewish.
Revelation 13:11 — Describes the second beast as coming up out of the earth, the key phrase Les uses to suggest the false prophet could be Jewish.
Revelation 19:20 — Explicitly names the false prophet and shows he is a miracle-working religious deceiver with the beast.
In Revelation 13:11, John sees another beast coming up out of the earth. This beast has two horns like a lamb, suggesting a religious or lamb-like appearance, but he speaks like a dragon. Later, in Revelation 19:20, this figure is called the false prophet, and he is described as having wrought miracles before the beast, deceiving those who received the mark of the beast and worshipped his image. The biblical text does not identify the false prophet's ethnicity or religious background; it emphasizes his role as a miracle-working religious deceiver.
Les identifies the false prophet with the second beast of Revelation 13. He points out that this beast comes up out of the earth, a phrase that some interpreters connect to Israel, because the book of Revelation is dealing primarily with Israel and 'the vortex of all the activity in Revelation is still the nation of Israel.' On that basis, Les says the false prophet could very easily be an apostate Jew. He stops short of making it absolute, saying, 'I don't say he has to be, I think he could be, but not necessarily.' Les also notes that it is not unusual for Jews to embrace something other than Judaism, giving the example of one famous Jew who was a Muslim. He describes the false prophet as a religious rather than a political figure, heading a worldwide religious system and directing worship to the Antichrist, much as the Holy Spirit directs believers to Christ.
In Revelation 13:11 John sees another beast coming up out of the earth. The beast has two horns like a lamb, suggesting a religious character, but he speaks like a dragon, indicating satanic power. Later, Revelation 19:20 calls this figure the false prophet and says he wrought miracles before the beast, deceiving those who received the mark of the beast and worshipped his image. The text does not state that the false prophet is Jewish; it emphasizes his role as a miracle-working religious deceiver.
Les notes that the Antichrist is described as coming up out of the sea, while the second beast comes up out of the earth. He then explains that Revelation is dealing primarily with Israel and that the center of the activity is the nation of Israel. Some readers take the tack that because the only place on earth God has ever concerned Himself with is Israel, the second beast who rises from the earth could be Jewish. Les agrees that the false prophet could be Jewish and says he could very easily be an apostate Jew, but he also says, 'I don't say he has to be, I think he could be, but not necessarily.'
Les describes the false prophet as a one-world religious leader rather than a political ruler. He will have a worldwide religious system and will even have power to give life to the image of the beast. In the unholy trinity, Les compares the false prophet to the Holy Spirit: as the Spirit leads believers to worship Christ, the false prophet will cause people to worship the Antichrist. Because the role is religious and global, an apostate Jew who has risen to leadership in a world religion would fit Les's description of the false prophet.
The Antichrist Revealed: What Revelation 13 Really Says
Not a government, not a political government, but a religious system. And it's put together, it's called a beast. And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth. Now, I've got to stop a minute. The Antichrist is described as having come up out of the sea, and since the book of Revelation is dealing almost exclusively, I said almost exclusively, with the nation of Israel, or maybe I should u…
False Prophet Could Be an Apostate Jew
Les says the one-world religious leader called the false prophet could very easily be an apostate Jew, and he notes that it is not unusual for Jews to embrace another religion.
False Prophet's Global Religious Power
Les says the false prophet will have a worldwide religious system and, as the religious leader, has power to give life to the image of the beast.
The Antichrist's 7-Year Treaty & Israel's Great Escape
Now in order for the Temple worship to stop, it has to be in operation. So we gather from this that Israel is going to rebuild her Temple, and she's going to have it. Now whether she'll have it the whole three and a half years, that's beside the point. It's going to be operating by the midpoint of this seven years.
Earth and Israel Connection
Les discusses the second beast coming up out of the earth and connects that phrase to Israel, but stops short of saying the false prophet has to be Jewish: he could be, but not necessarily.
Who Holds Back the Antichrist? The Restrainer Removed.
And this guy is going to be the greatest that ever was, so far as personal egotism is concerned. Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he as God. See, he's going to set himself up as the God of this world, and he's going to sit in the temple of God. Now there's only one place on this earth where God has ever had a temple and will have again.
False Prophet in the Unholy Trinity
Les identifies the false prophet as a man who rises through a world religion, and compares his role to the Holy Spirit because he leads people to worship the Antichrist.
The Bible Names the False Prophet
Les points to Revelation 19:20 as the place where the Bible clearly defines and names the false prophet as the miracle-working companion of the beast.
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 verse supplies the 'out of the earth' phrase that Les links to Israel when considering the false prophet's possible Jewish identity.
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 is the passage Les uses to show that the Bible itself names the false prophet and places him alongside the beast.
No. Les says the false prophet could be an apostate Jew, but not necessarily. He bases the possibility on the second beast coming up out of the earth and on Revelation's focus on Israel.
Revelation 19:20 names the beast's miracle-working companion as 'the false prophet.' Revelation 13:11 first describes him as another beast coming up out of the earth with two horns like a lamb and a dragon-like voice.
Les teaches that the false prophet is the one-world religious leader who heads a global religious system, works miracles, gives life to the image of the beast, and causes people to worship the Antichrist.
Watch the Teaching: The Antichrist Revealed: What Revelation 13 Really Says