Mysterious Rapping
August 4th, 1850. I saw that the mysterious rapping was the
power of Satan; some of it was directly from him, and some indirectly,
through his agents; but it all proceeded from Satan. It was his work
that he accomplished in different ways; yet many in the churches and
the world were so enveloped in gross darkness that they thought, and
held forth that it was the power of God.
Said the angel, “Should not a people seek unto their God for the
living to the dead? Should the living go to the dead for knowledge?
The dead know not any thing. For the living God do ye go to the
dead? [See
Isaiah 8:19, 20
.] They have departed from the living God
to converse with the dead who know not any thing.”
I saw that soon it would be considered blasphemy to speak against
the rapping, and that it would spread more and more, and Satan’s power
would increase, and some of his devoted followers would have power
to work miracles, and even to bring down fire from heaven in the sight
of men. I was shown that these modern magicians would yet account
for all the miracles wrought by our Lord Jesus Christ by the rapping
and mesmerism, and many would believe that all the mighty works
of the Son of God, when he was on the earth, were accomplished by
this same power. I was pointed back to the time of Moses, and saw the
signs and wonders which God wrought through him before Pharaoh,
most of which were imitated by the magicians of Egypt; and that just
before the final deliverance of the saints God would work powerfully
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for his people, and these modern magicians would be permitted to
imitate the work of God.
That time I saw would soon come, and we shall have to keep hold
of the strong arm of Jehovah; for all these great signs and mighty
wonders of the Devil were designed to deceive God’s people and
overthrow them. Our minds must be staid upon God, and we must not
fear the fear of the wicked, that is, fear what they fear, and reverence
what they reverence, but be bold and valiant for the truth.
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