Three Unclean Spirits Like Frogs (Rev 16:13)

The Sixth Vial Plague (Rev 16:13)

Three Unclean Spirits

Revelation 16:13 describes the start of Spiritual Armageddon during the sixth Vial Plague of the Third Woe. In this verse, John 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." The images in this verse are some of the most complex symbols in the entire Book of Revelation.

The three unclean spirits refer to three classes of unembodied and disembodied spirit sons of perdition under the leadership of the Dragon (Satan), the Beast (Cain), and the False Prophet (Judas Iscariot). The Dragon (Satan) is the spiritual head of all unembodied spirit sons of perdition that have followed Satan since their rebellion during the premortal Grand Council. (Rev 12:4) They were cast down to this earth at the time of the physical creation. (Rev 12:9)

The Beast represents Cain, the son of Adam who killed his brother Abel and was promised by Satan that he (Cain) would rule over Satan. (Moses 5:29-30) The disembodied spirit of Cain is the spiritual head of all disembodied spirit sons of perdition who have died as sons of perdition since the time of Adam until the gospel was restored in 1830. John does not identify Cain as the head of the Beast by name in Revelation 16:13. However, the fulfillment of Satan's promise to Cain is reflected in Revelation 13:2 and 13:4. These verses say, "the dragon gave [the beast] his power, and his seat, and great authority.... And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast."

The False Prophet represents Judas Iscariot, who betrayed the Savior and became the prototype for all traitors to the truth. The disembodied spirit of Judas is the spiritual head of all disembodied spirit sons of perdition who become apostates of the latter-day church and become sons of perdition since the time of the restoration in 1830. George Q. Cannon said: "If we turn to the history of the apostles we find a striking instance of this [apostasy] in the case of Judas, one of the twelve Apostles.... In our day the two spirits are manifested, only with more power, with more strength than have been witnessed on the earth since the days of the apostles." (JD, Vol. 11, 227)

Three Unclean Spirits Like Frogs

The image of unclean spirits like frogs in Revelation 16:13 alludes to the plague of frogs caused by Moses in ancient Egypt. In that day, frogs were worshipped. The goddess Heqet had the form of a woman with a frog head, and from her nostrils came life and immortality. God showed his power over these false gods when all the frogs died and left a great stench in the nostrils of all the people.

In John's vision, the three types of unclean spirits symbolically come out of the mouths (nostrils) of the Dragon, Beast, and False Prophet to show that these heads of evil spirits metaphorically lose the breath of life. When this occurs the myriads of evil spirits on earth cease to have life. Since they are spirits they cannot physically die, but they can lose the power of life and the power to influence mortal people who are alive on the earth.

Thus, this rather complex combination of symbols has one simple meaning: All three groups of unclean spirits like frogs - who represent the spirit sons of perdition with power on earth - will lose their power and influence on earth during the sixth Vial Plague.

For a deeper dive into the complex imagery found in Revelation 16:13, check out my podcasts from May 24 and 26, 2026.

May 24, 2026 - Podcast

May 26, 2026 - Podcast