What is the False Prophet of Revelation?
This subject is one that I believe is increasingly relevant for believers to consider. For those who aren’t familiar with the subject, the false prophet of Revelation is a symbolic figure featured as working with the dragon and the beast to deceive nations to fight against Christ. It’s mentioned in Revelation 16:13, 19:20, and 20:10. While this will not be an exhaustive consideration of the false prophet, recent study and current events shed important light on it. What I share here will assume some familiarity with subject on the part of the reader.
The traditional view of the false prophet (and one I’ve previously leaned towards) is essentially that the false prophet refers to Vatican City, or the Pope. As Bro. Thomas writes in Eureka, “This is the Mouth which speaks ‘great things and blasphemies.’ It is the Mouth also of the Image (ch. 13:15) – the Two-Horned Ecclesiastical element of the European Polity, headed up in the Papal Dynasty, and enthroned in ROME” (Eureka, Vol. 3B, pg. 160 – Red Cover Version).
This view would seem to work well in that the title “false prophet” certainly fits one who claims to be “God on earth” or “the Holy See”. The Papacy is foretold as one of the results of the “falling away” which came shortly after the time of the Apostles, and the Pope is called “the man of sin” in 2 Thessalonians 2:3. The next verse in that context describes what this man of sin does, and it fits both with the Pope and with the title “false prophet”:
2 Thessalonians 2:4 – Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
While I do believe that this passage in 2 Thessalonians is referring to the Papacy, I’ve come to believe that the false prophet of Revelation does not.
The Harlot of Revelation 17
Another symbol of Revelation which is also said to relate to Vatican City is the harlot which rides upon the scarlet beast with ten horns (Revelation 17:1-4). The term “harlot” is applied to this system because it was the “falling away” which the Apostle warned of. It sprang from the truth as its originators were part of the one body of Christ and were therefore the virgin bride of Christ, but by falling away and believing false doctrine, the “woman” was no longer a virgin, but a harlot. We see idolatry and Israel’s unfaithfulness likened to harlotry in numerous places in Scripture (see Jeremiah 3:6-9, Hosea 1-2). She was thenceforth “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH” (Revelation 17:5).
Bro. Thomas correlated this figure to the papacy as well, and I completely agree with this conclusion (see Eureka, Vol. 3B, pgs. 219-22 – Red Cover Version). I believe that the Roman Catholic Church being the “mother of harlots” is an integral teaching of Revelation. It’s founded on a variety of different evidences, and it helps believers understand that they must be wary of both this mother of harlots and her daughters, which are the other offshoots of “Christianity” which sprang from the “Mother Church”.
The harlot riding upon the beast indicates that she controls it. If we read on in the chapter, we see that the ten horns of the beast represent “kings” which will make war with Christ (Revelation 17:12-14). The message is that the ten kings of the prophecy will fight Christ by the command of the harlot. But – and here is where we want to focus attention – we are then told how the harlot meets her end, and it isn’t by the lamb:
Revelation 17:16 – And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
At some point during their battle with Christ, the ten kings seem to realize that they are being deceived and then turn their warfare toward the harlot and destroy her. If the harlot relates to the Papacy headed up in Vatican City, this would teach that the Pope leads nations of Europe to fight against Christ, but then those nations turn around and destroy Vatican City. This would spell the end of that City, and this is further supported by the fact that the harlot plays no more relevance in the rest of Revelation. What we do read about is the false prophet, and some background on it is necessary.
The False Prophet of Revelation 16 & 19
We first read of the false prophet in Revelation 16. It suddenly appears on the scene after the Euphratean power has been dried up so “that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared” (Revelation 16:12). After that power is dried up, we see the dragon, beast, and false prophet breathing frog-like spirits which will cause the nations to fight against Christ (Revelation 16:13-16). It is important to note that both the harlot and the false prophet work upon the nations to pit them against Christ at his coming. Though this does not mean that they are the same exact figure, they both exist prior to and at the time of Christ’s second coming.
The Euphrates drying up refers to the end of the Ottoman Empire and the formation of the Islamic nations which sprang up in its old territory and play such a tumultuous role in Middle East affairs today. Since the Ottoman Empire was dissolved as a result of WWI, the dragon, beast, and false prophet are therefore shown as working from the 1920s and onward. To say that all three of these entities were deceiving before the Ottoman Empire dried up does not fit with what Revelation 16 depicts. The vials are chronological (hence why they are numbered), and the events within each vials seems to be as well.
Here’s the issue I see: If the harlot is the same as the false prophet and both refer to the Papacy in Vatican City, then we have some questions and issues to address:
1. Why is the Papacy only called the “false prophet” after the Ottoman Empire is destroyed? Why apply a different title to the same system which was already revealed to us by a different name? This would also mean that the harlot both rides the beast and works miracles before it. Possible, but if the harlot controls the beast, what need is there to work miracles before it?
2. The false prophet and the harlot meet different ends. The harlot is destroyed by the ten horns of the beast she rides upon (the kings of Europe), but the false prophet appears to be destroyed by Christ (Revelation 19:11-20).
3. The false prophet and the beast oppose Christ in Revelation 19, and the beast is influenced by the false prophet, not the harlot. Rather than the harlot riding upon the beast to control it, we see the false prophet “wrought miracles before him” to influence it (Revelation 19:20). This indicates that the harlot has already been destroyed and that a new power holds sway over the beast. To say that the harlot is cast into the lake of fire while riding upon the beast strays from the text and creates other issues.
There are other noteworthy details, but the evidence strongly suggests to me that the harlot and the false prophet are different entities. If so, what is the false prophet? I believe that the last 100 years of history has shed much light on this.
Is the False Prophet Islam?
What makes the most sense to me is that the false prophet represents Islam. This would explain the three issues we just shared and help explain what we have been witnessing in the world for the last 100 years since the end of WWI.
Looking at the world today, it’s undeniable that Islam is having an increasing influence on Europe, largely because of their pro-Palestinian stance and open-arms immigration policy to Muslims. So many Muslims have moved to Europe and Britain that they are now having a clear impact on politics, swaying elections and influencing a nation’s stance on Israel. The following headlines paint the picture of Europe today (and note that Britain is equally influenced by this):
This helps explain why antisemitism is growing so rapidly in nations that were once “Christian, pro-Israel” nations. More and more of Europe is either Muslim or is pro-Muslim. As another way of fulfilling prophecy, this is helping drive Jews out of that land and back to Israel (World Israel News). Nevertheless, this trend of “Islamization” has caused concern for some in America where the same thing is beginning to happen (Prophecy News Watch).
How Does This Fit into Revelation?
A few ways this fits into the prophecies are enumerated below:
1. Aptness of title. The name “false prophet” seems to better fit Islam than Roman Catholicism. Yes, the Pope is a false prophet, but he is not usually considered a prophet. Islam started with Muhammad, a man who called himself a prophet. The prophet Muhammad is the figure of Islam, and he is of course a false prophet because he was not Divinely inspired. Referring to Islam in Revelation as “the false prophet” fits perfectly. If Islam were referred to in symbol, what other symbol would fit better?
2. Timing of introduction and influence. The entrance of the false prophet into the narrative of Revelation also speaks to it being Islam. The first time we even read of it is in Revelation 16:13 after the sixth vial is poured out. As stated earlier, this vial commenced the drying up of the Ottoman-Euphratean power which allowed numerous Islamic nations to spring up in its place. It is after this the false prophet is introduced for the first time as influencing the nations (read Revelation 16:12-16). The Ottoman empire was dissolved after WWI, and it was at this time that the world was subject to influence from Muslim nations.
Prior to WWI, the Middle East was almost a playground for Western nations who did whatever they pleased there. The wants and woes of Muslims were not taken into account with the world at large. But once the way was made for them to become independent nations (“the kings of the east”), we enter into the age of the end of imperialism. The age of “empire” was over, and the new norm was for nations to be independent and have their own say. The new Islamic nations were no exception, and the 1920s-1940s saw dozens of Islamic nations forming. This marked the beginning of their influence on the world, Europe in particular.
3. Nature of influence upon the beast. Whereas the harlot rides the beast, the false prophet “works miracles” before it. This detail is indicative of how influence is projected upon the beast. What does it mean to “work miracles”? It’s important to note that Revelation 16 shows the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet breathing frog spirits, “working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty” (Revelation 16:14). It’s well understood in this verse that “working miracles” means to influence through subtle means and teaching. It’s not a miracle as when Jesus turned water to wine. Revelation is a book of symbols, and to work miracles in Revelation-speak means to project influence with dramatic, seemingly miraculous effects and results. I think of it like “casting a spell”.
In Revelation 16, the false prophet is shown as working miracles upon the nations of the world at large. In Revelation 19:20 we see that the false prophet had also worked miracles upon the European beast system. What are these “miracles”? The Islamic propaganda springing from all of the Arab-Israeli wars is a prime form of this “miracle working”. Anyone closely familiar with the history of these conflicts and how Islam has worked upon the world is likely to see how well this fits. Israel had significant support from the world’s nations around its founding, but in the years following, Israel has been painted as the “bad guy”, and Muslims are now perceived to be the oppressed underdog. The October 7, 2023 invasion of Hamas into Israel is a prime example of this. Hamas attacked Israel, and Europe and the rest of the world now see Israel as the instigator. The list goes on, but the actions and propaganda of Muslim peoples and nations has won the heart of Europe through deception. The false prophet has wrought miracles before the beast.
4. Explaining the forces which are turning people away from Israel and positioning them to war against Christ at his coming. The impact of Islam on today’s world was not present when our Bro. Thomas wrote, but it is nevertheless steering the events of our day. If the false prophet is not Islam, then this would seem to mean that prophecy does not reveal the effect that Islam is having on the rest of the world as Christ’s return draws near. That could be the case, but given the role it is playing in current events and the Scriptural and historical evidences we have submitted, I believe this is a more satisfactory and fitting understanding of the false prophet.
One fact is important to mention. If this thinking is valid, we are currently seeing a beast system which has both the harlot and the false prophet working upon it. We don’t find this exact imagery clearly shown to us in Revelation, but the circumstance is clearly present. Again - Revelation 16 begins after WWI in the 1920s and brings us forward to the time of Christ’s return (see Revelation 16:14-16). The false prophet is therefore “working miracles” from the 1920s to our day. The harlot is only destroyed by the ten horns after she has caused them to fight against Jesus, and that of course necessitates his return. These two passages therefore include overlap when the harlot rides the beast and the false prophet begins working miracles upon it. So prophecy does show us a time when both the harlot and the false prophet act upon the beast – and that is something we are witnessing with our very eyes today.
Laying the Matter to Heart
In matters of this sort, it is entirely possible to discuss details of prophecy without ever thinking of the impact it should have on us. Looking at prophecy without considering the lesson for us robs it of one of the primary reasons it was given in the first place. There are some big takeaways for believers in the way of warning.
We see how the harlot (Roman Catholic) and the false prophet (Islam) are working upon the nations specifically to give them a disposition to combat Christ when he returns. These forces are not presently aware that this is what they are doing, but our Father has revealed that this is the result of their actions. Does this not impact how we should view their influences? If it is their teachings which will turn people against Christ, should we servants of Christ not be wary of them? It would be a mistake to believe that we are impervious to them because we are Christadelphians. None of us are exempt from the influences of the world, and this is cause to look inwardly at ourselves and ask, “Is it possible that I am being influenced by these frog spirits in some way?” We see therefore that prophecy gives us both confidence and exhortation, and we need both.
It is possible to dive deeper into these subjects, but I wanted to at least share these thoughts as the spread of Islam is an increasingly greater effect on the world. Each student needs to study the subject to come to their own conclusion. Either way – the grand end of events is the same. Our Lord will conquer this earth and fill it with the knowledge of the Lord, and no deception of mankind will ever take place again!
Jeremiah 16:19 – O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.
In the Hope of Israel,
Tanner Hawkins
