Message Outline

1. He deceives the world SPIRITUALLY. (v.11-12)
2. He deceives the world SUPERNATURALLY. (v.13-14a)
3. He deceives the world TECHNOLOGICALLY. (v.14b-15)
4. He deceives the world ECONOMICALLY. (v.16-18)

1 - He deceives the world SPIRITUALLY. (v.11-12)

"Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed."

During His earthly ministry, Jesus often warned his disciples about the danger of false prophets:
Matt 7:15 - “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves."
Matt 24:4,5 - "And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many." (Almost every NT book)

However, in Revelation, we are introduced to "the False Prophet" who will seek to lead the world astray into the worship of the Antichrist and Satan himself:
He is named "the False Prophet" in 3 places - Rev 16:13, 19:20, 20:10
Rev 19:20 - "Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.

He will seize upon the innate human desire to worship, place there by God Himself:
Blaise Pascal - "There is a God shaped hole in the human heart, and only Jesus Christ can fill it!"
Ecc 3:11 - "He has put eternity in their hearts..."

2 - He deceives the world SUPERNATURALLY. (v.13-14a)

"He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth—by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast.."

There are many miraculous instances of fire falling from Heaven in Scripture:
When the Tabernacle was commissioned; When Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal; When James and John wanted to destroy the Samaritans...

In an attempt to counterfeit this, the False Prophet will call down fire, to deceive the world:
2 Thess 2:9-10 - "The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved."
2 Cor 11:13-14 - "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light."

Does this occur today?? - YES!!!
Protestant Deceptions: "Prosperity" Teachers, "Miracle Healers", "Divine Apostles"...
Catholic Deceptions: Mary paintings weep oil, Mary statues that bleed, Mary fountains that heal, people receive "stigmata"...
Eastern Deceptions: Hindu Gurus, Eastern Mystics, Buddhist monks...
Sci-Fi Deceptions: Worldwide sightings of UFO's, alien encounters, alien abductions...

3 - He deceives the world TECHNOLOGICALLY. (v.14b-15)

"..telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed."

Dan 9:27 - "Abomination of Desolation"
Matt 24:15-16 - “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains."

There are interesting Historical Precedents of this:
Nebuchadnezzar in 632-562BC (Dan 2)
Antiochus Epiphanies in 215-164BC (Dan 11)

What could it look like today, with out modern technology?
Animatronics? A Robot? A Cyborg? An Android? A Clone?

4 - He deceives the world ECONOMICALLY. (v.16-18)

"He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666."

In ancient Rome, numerous individuals were "marked":
Slaves - marked by their owner.
Soldiers - marked by the Empire.
Citizens - marked by Rome.
Pagan Priest - marked for their idols.

This will be a "Cashless Global Economic System"
RFID? Bar Codes? Tattoos? Bio-implant?

Biblical Numerology:
6 = Mankind
666 = Supreme Man? (Dan 2)

APPLICATION

Spiritually, who do YOU point to?
Supernaturally, is there power in YOUR life?
Technologically, do YOU witness for Christ?
Outwardly, are YOU marked for Jesus?