And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
Unclean spirits like frogs - antitype to the frogs sent on Egypt. The 'unclean spirit' in the land (Palestine) is foretold, Zechariah 13:2, in connection with idolatrous prophets. Beginning with infidelity, as to Christ's coming in the flesh, men shall end in gross idolatry of the beast, the incarnation of all that is self-deifying and God-opposed in the world-powers of all ages. Having rejected Him that came in the Father's name, they shall worship one that comes in his own (John 5:43), really the devil's representative, As frogs croak by night in marshes, so these unclean spirits in dark error teach lies amidst the mire of filthy lusts. They talk of liberty (2 Peter 2:19), not Gospel liberty, but license for lust. There being three, as also seven, in the last and worst state of the Jewish nation (Matthew 12:45), implies a parody of the two divine numbers, three of the Trinity, and seven of the Holy Spirit (Revelation 1:4). Threes frogs were the original arms of France, the center of infidelity, socialism, and false spiritualism. 'Aleph (') A B read, 'as it were frogs,' instead of "like frogs." The unclean spirit out of the mouth of the drayton symbolizes proud infidelity opposing God and Christ. That out of the beast's mouth is the spirit of the world, which in politics, whether lawless democracy or despotism, sets man above God. That out of the mouth of the false prophet is lying spiritualism, which shall take the place of the superseded harlot.
The dragon - Satan, who gives his Vower and throne (Revelation 13:2) to the beast.
False prophet - distinct from the harlot, the apostate church (of which Rome is the chief, though not sole, representative) (Revelation 17:1-3; Revelation 17:16); identical with the second beast: compare Revelation 19:20 with Revelation 13:13; ultimately consigned to the lake of fire with the first beast; also the dragon a little later (Revelation 20:10). The dragon, beast, and false prophet, "the mystery of iniquity," form a blasphemous antitrinity, counterfeit of "the mystery of godliness," God manifest in Christ, witnessed to by the Spirit. The dragon personates the Father, assigning his authority to his representative, the beast, as the Father assigns His to the Son. They are accordingly jointly worshipped: cf. as to the Father and Son, John 5:23: as the ten-horned beast has its ten horns crowned with diadems (Revelation 13:1), so Christ has on His head many diadems (Revelation 19:12). While the false prophet, like the Holy Spirit, speaks not of himself, but tells all men to worship the beast, and confirms his testimony by miracles, as the Holy Spirit attested Christ's divine mission.