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The Truth About Angels
the sympathies of those who have laid their loved ones in the grave.
Evil angels come in the form of those loved ones, and relate incidents
connected with their lives, and perform acts which they performed
while living. In this way they lead persons to believe that their dead
friends are angels, hovering over them and communicating with them.
These evil angels, who assume to be the deceased friends, are regarded
with a certain idolatry, and with many their word has greater weight
than the Word of God.—
The Signs of the Times, August 26, 1889
.
The coming of the Lord is to be preceded by “the working of Satan
with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness
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of unrighteousness.” And the apostle John, describing the miracle-
working power that will be manifested in the last days, declares: “He
doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven
on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the
earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do.” No
mere impostures are here foretold. Men are deceived by the miracles
which Satan’s agents have power to do, not which they pretend to
do.—
The Great Controversy, 553
.
Satan is a cunning foe. And it is not difficult for the evil angels
to represent both saints and sinners who have died, and make these
representations visible to human eyes. These manifestations will be
more frequent, and developments of a more startling character will
appear as we near the close of time.—
The Review and Herald, April
1, 1875
.
He [Satan] has power to bring before men the appearance of their
departed friends. The counterfeit is perfect; the familiar look, the
words, the tone, are reproduced with marvelous distinctness....
Many will be confronted by the spirits of devils personating
beloved relatives or friends, and declaring the most dangerous heresies.
These visitants will appeal to our tenderest sympathies, and will work
miracles to sustain their pretensions. We must be prepared to withstand
them with the Bible truth that the dead know not anything, and that
they who thus appear are the spirits of devils.
Just before us is the “hour of temptation, which shall come upon
all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” All whose faith
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is not firmly established upon the Word of God will be deceived and
overcome.—
The Great Controversy, 552, 560
.