The false prophet of the book of Revelation is a controversial figure, especially in the context of annihilationism. If the false prophet is a human being, then it would prove that annihilationism is false and conditionalists, the Seventh Day Adventists, and the Jehovah’s Witnesses would all be proven wrong in their denial of eternal conscious torment in hell. This is because the false prophet is thrown alive into the lake of fire (Rev. 19:20) where he will be tormented day and night forever and ever (Rev. 20:10). So, for the purpose of our study here dealing with annihilationism, who is the false prophet?

The three verses that are relative here in the book of Revelation are as follows.

• Revelation 16:13, “And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs;”
• Revelation 19:20, “And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.”
• Revelation 20:10, “And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

Since annihilationists deny eternal conscious torment in hell, they must conclude ahead of time that the false prophet of Revelation cannot be a human being; otherwise, it would prove their entire theology in this regard to be wrong. they say that the false prophet must be a wicked governmental system.

• John likely still sees as a dragon in v10 for continuity, along with the beast and false prophet construed not as beings, but as false powers and systems, which cannot be literally tormented), together with a connection made with Revelation 17:11’s statement of the demise as the beast as “destruction,” and an in-context assessment of what that entails.   Finally, from a nuance interpretation of the varied and dynamic symbols, interpretations, and functions of the lake of fire, and an attempt to be consistent with them.”¹Peter Grice, facebook.com/groups/rethinkinghell/permalink/1320619664721911/comment_id=1321071571343387
  &notif_t=group_comment&notif_id=1499857403080912, underline added
• This is clearly symbolic language. In the larger story-line of Revelation, the beast and false prophet represent persecuting civil government and its cohort, corrupt false religion. Neither institution can suffer conscious, sensible pain.”²Fudge, Edward William. The Fire That Consumes: A Biblical and Historical Study of the Doctrine of Final Punishment, Third Edition (p. 247). Cascade Books, an imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers. Kindle Edition, underline added
• “The beast and the false prophet are first to go there. Some interpreters see these as representative of actual persons yet to come. Others regard them as symbolic of persecuting civil government and false religion.“³Rethinking Hell: Readings in Evangelical Conditionalism (Kindle Locations 1087-1125). Cascade Books, an Imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers. Kindle Edition, Edward Fudge, underline added

What makes matters worse for the annihilationists is that the wicked unbelievers are also thrown into the lake of fire.

Revelation 21:8, “But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

So, the annihilationists (conditionalists) are required to interpret the false prophet of Revelation to be a false governmental system.

The Greek word for “false prophet” is ψευδοπροφήτης, pseudoprophates.  It is Strong’s number 5578 and it occurs 11 times in the New Testament, and nowhere in the Old Testament. (See the article, Word study on ‘false prophet’).  What do we find about the false prophet?  Does the Scripture support the idea that the false prophet is a governmental system or a human being?

The false prophet and the beast

The false prophet performs signs in the presence of the beast (Rev. 19:20). Both the beast and the false prophet are thrown alive into the lake of fire (Rev. 19:20). The beast deceives people (Rev. 19:20). The devil who is a living being is also thrown into the lake of fire with the beast, and the false prophet are, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever (Rev. 20:10).

If the false prophet is only a governmental system, then why is he thrown into the lake of fire alive (Rev. 19:20) along with the beast and the devil (Rev. 20:10)? The beast has great authority (Rev. 13:2), who has a fatal wound that was healed (Rev. 13:3, 12), is worshipped (Rev. 13:4, 8; 14:9, 11), who speaks blasphemies for forty-two months (Rev. 13:5-6), who makes war with the saints (Rev. 13:7), and whose number is 666 (Rev. 13:18). But, these attributes don’t seem to represent a governmental system. Instead, they represent an individual. Furthermore, there is an interesting verse in the Old Testament about the beast.

Daniel 7:11, “Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire.”

Conclusion

Now, I will admit that there different interpretations of the identity of both the beast and the false prophet in Revelation. Ultimately, it’s up to you, the reader to decide what you believe about their identities. Nevertheless, it appears that the false prophet is a person, not a governmental system, because he is thrown alive into the lake of fire (Rev. 19:20), who will have a fatal head wound that will be healed (Rev. 13:3, 12), and is also worshipped (Rev. 13:4, 8; 14:9, 11). These facts do not comport well with the concept of them being governments. Rather, they best fit the description of living beings. Therefore, I conclude that the false prophet is a human being, a false prophet who will be thrown alive into the lake of fire and undergo eternal conscious torment without end. Therefore, this demonstrates that annihilationism is not true.

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