Revelation 13:13

Revelation 13:13

Rev 13:13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.

v13 - And he performed great and miraculous signs –

In Deu 13:1 God’s people are warned not to follow after prophets who performs signs and wonders if they entice the people to follow other gods. This does not mean that all signs and wonders are wrong, the church as the two witnesses also performs signs and wonders, 11:6. Just as the church performs authentic miracles in the course of it witness so the false prophet produces the counterfeit like the Egyptian magicians copied the first three plagues on Egypt,

 Exo 7:10-12,           

10 So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, just as the LORD commanded. And Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent.

11    But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.

12    For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.

Exo 7:22, Then the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments; and Pharaoh's heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the LORD had said.

Exo 8:7 And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt.

but they could not copy the forth plague. Notice the miraculous signs, they are demonic, they are counterfeit, he uses these to deceive the world, in both Rev 16:13 and 19:20 he is called the false prophet. He authenticates his task by deceit, just as the Lord authenticates His word by signs and wonders. The man of lawlessness will also perform counterfeit miracles,

2 Thess 2:9, The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,

a solemn commentary on this is given in

2 Thess 2:10-12      

10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

11   And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,

12   that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Sorcery was common in John’s day (Acts 8:9).

Mat 7:22-23

22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'

23   And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'

clearly demonstrates that prophesying and performing many miracles is not proof that one is a Christian, for the Lord says to them, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' The false prophet is also a parody of the Holy Sprit and his gifts

1 Cor 12:7-11

7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:

8     for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,

9     to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,

10   to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

11   But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

thus we find a parody of the trinity: Father, Son, Holy Spirit and Dragon, Beast out of the sea, False prophet.

v13 - even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men - The beast is the false prophet and is the counterfeit of Elijah the true prophet who caused fire to come down from heaven twice

2 King 1:10 So Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, "If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men." And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

2 King 1:12   So Elijah answered and said to them, "If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men." And the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

and the beast out of the earth produces counterfeit miracles. It is also the counterfeit of the miracles worked by the two witnesses, Rev 11:5-6, they are depicted as having power to stop rain as did Elijah, and fire comes from their mouths. The beast is depicted here as a counterfeit of the church, whenever the church is witnessing in power then the beast will be producing the counterfeit. There are some that would argue that he represents the apostate church, historically represented by the Church of Rome. Note he is a public figure he is not hidden, as is Satan. Just as the two witnesses represent the public ministry of the church. Note: this is also the counterfeit of God’s fire that comes down from heaven and devours those who rebel against God in Satan’s final rebellion (20:9).