The Dragon is the counterfeit of God the Father. He is identified as Satan, the ultimate source of evil and rebellion against God. He seeks to usurp God’s authority and orchestrate the events of the end times (Rev 12:9). This verse establishes the Dragon as Satan, the archenemy of God, who deceives the world and opposes God’s rule, much like a counterfeit of the Father’s sovereign authority.

The Dragon delegates power and authority to the Beast (Rev 13:2b), paralleling how God the Father shares His authority with the Son (Jn 5:26-27, Mt 28:18). This demonstrates a hierarchical relationship within the unholy trinity, with the Dragon as the source. The Father is the source of divine authority and power (Jn 17:2). Satan, as the Dragon, mimics this by empowering his agents, positioning himself as the ultimate authority behind the unholy trinity.

The Beast (Antichrist) is the counterfeit of God the Son. The first Beast, the Antichrist, is a figure who rises to prominence, demands worship, and deceives humanity by imitating Christ’s role as the mediator and savior (Rev 13:1-4). The Beast receives authority from the Dragon and is worshiped by the world, mimicking Christ, who receives authority from the Father (Jn 10:18) and is worthy of worship (Php 2:9-11). The question “Who is like the beast?” echoes the worship of Christ in Exodus 15:11 (“Who is like you, O Lord?”), but in a blasphemous way.

The Beast’s “mortal wound” that was healed (Rev 13:3,11,12) parodies Christ’s resurrection, presenting the Beast as a false messiah who deceives through signs and wonders. Jesus, the Son, reveals the Father (Jn 14:9) and accomplishes salvation through His death and resurrection. The Beast imitates this by appearing as a savior figure, performing deceptive miracles (Rev 13:13-14), and demanding worship, but for evil purposes.

The False Prophet (Second Beast) is the counterfeit of the Holy Spirit. The second Beast, called the False Prophet, promotes the worship of the first Beast and deceives through signs and wonders, mimicking the role of the Holy Spirit in glorifying Christ and convicting the world.

The False Prophet’s role is to point people to the Beast (Rev 13:11-14), just as the Holy Spirit glorifies Christ (Jn 16:14). Its “lamb-like” appearance mimics Christ’s innocence, but its dragon-like speech reveals its true nature. The signs, like fire from heaven, parallel the Spirit’s miraculous works (Ac 2:3-4) but are used to deceive. The False Prophet’s deceptive miracles lead people to worship the Beast (Rev 19:20), just as the Holy Spirit leads believers to worship Christ (1 Co 12:3). The Holy Spirit testifies to Christ (Jn 15:26), empowers believers, and performs miracles to confirm the gospel (Ac 1:8, Heb 2:4). The False Prophet counterfeits this by performing signs to promote the Beast and deceive humanity.

The Unholy Trinity is a unified opposition to God. The Dragon, Beast, and False Prophet work together as a unified evil force, opposing God’s plan and mimicking the Trinity’s unity and purpose (Rev 16:13-14). This passage shows the three figures acting in concert, united in their deception and opposition to God, paralleling the unity of the Father, Son, and Spirit in accomplishing salvation (Jn 17:21-23).

2 Thessalonians 2:9-11 supports the idea of Satan (Dragon) empowering a figure (the lawless one, the Beast) with deceptive signs (via the False Prophet), forming a triad that mimics God’s redemptive work but leads to destruction. The unholy trinity’s existence in Revelation validates that Satan attempts to counterfeit God’s triune nature to deceive humanity. The Dragon takes the role of the authoritative source (like the Father), the Beast acts as a false messiah (like the Son), and the False Prophet promotes worship of the Beast through deceptive signs (like the Spirit). This imitation underscores Satan’s nature as a deceiver who perverts God’s truth (2 Co 11:14). While the divine Trinity works in perfect unity for salvation, the unholy trinity operates in a distorted unity for deception and destruction.