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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 4
delusion. Like the Samaritans who were deceived by Simon Magus,
the multitudes, from the least to the greatest, give heed to these
sorceries, saying, This is “the great power of God.”
But the people of God will not be misled. The teachings of this
false Christ are not in accordance with the Scriptures. His blessing
is pronounced upon the worshipers of the beast and his image,—
the very class upon whom the Bible declares that God’s unmingled
wrath shall be poured out. And, furthermore, Satan is not permitted
to counterfeit the manner of Christ’s advent. The Scriptures teach
that “as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto
the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be;” [
Matthew
24:27
.] that he “cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him;”
[
Revelation 1:7
.] that he will “descend from Heaven with a shout,
with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God;” [
1
Thessalonians 4:16
.] that he will “come in his glory, and all the holy
angels with him,” [
Matthew 25:31
.] and will “send his angels with a
great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect.”
[
Matthew 24:31
.] Those who have received the love of the truth will
be shielded from the powerful delusion that takes the world captive.
By the testimony of the Scriptures they will detect the deceiver in
his disguise.
To all, the testing time will come. By the sifting of temptation,
the genuine Christian will be revealed. Are the people of God now
so firmly established upon his word that they would not yield to
the evidence of their senses? Would they, in such a crisis, cling to
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the Bible, and the Bible only? Satan will, if possible, prevent them
from obtaining a preparation to stand in that day. He will so arrange
affairs as to hedge up their way, entangle them with earthly treasures,
cause them to carry a heavy, wearisome burden, that their hearts
may be overcharged with the cares of this life, and the day of trial
may come upon them as a thief.
Satan will continue to act a double part. Appearing to be the
dispenser of great blessings and divine truths, he will, by his lying
wonders, hold the world under his control; and at the same time he
will indulge his malignity by causing distress and destruction, and
will accuse God’s people as the cause of the fearful convulsions of
nature and the strife and bloodshed among men which are desolating
the earth. Thus he will excite to greater intensity the spirit of hatred