FALSE PROPHET, THE. The second beast of Rev 13:11-18 (cf. 16:13; 19:20; 20:10). Twice he is associated with the first Beast (Antichrist) and once with the Dragon (Satan). As the Dragon and the first Beast are persons, so must he be a person. Jesus had a prophetic foreview of him when He said, "For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect" (Matt 24:24). Here our Lord distinguishes between false christs and false prophets. It seems clear, therefore, that the Antichrist and the false prophet cannot be the same. The false prophet will be a miracle worker. By evil, supernatural power he will bring down fire from heaven and will command the people of the Tribulation period to make an "image to the Beast" in order to worship it, having power to give life to the image to cause it to speak and to demand that all who will not worship it be put to death (Rev 13:14-15). "And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand, or on their forehead, and he provides that no one should be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name" (13:16-17). He will thus be a consummation of deception and wickedness, this being signified by his mystical number, 666. As an aide to the Antichrist, he is one of the principal characters revolting against God at the end time, immediately prior to Christ's second advent.
M.F.U.
(from The New Unger's Bible Dictionary. Originally published by Moody Press of Chicago, Illinois. Copyright (c) 1988.)