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  • Ellen G. White

#62 Satan’s Last Day Deceptions — 2 of 3

Updated: May 26, 2020




Evil Angels Appear as Human Beings

Satan will use every opportunity to seduce men from their allegiance to God. He and the angels who fell with him will appear on the earth as men, seeking to deceive. God’s angels also will appear as men, and will use every means in their power to defeat the purposes of the enemy.—Manuscript Releases 8:399 (1903). {LDE 160.2}


Evil angels in the form of men will talk with those who know the truth. They will misinterpret and misconstrue the statements of the messengers of God.... Have Seventh-day Adventists forgotten the warning given in the sixth chapter of Ephesians? We are engaged in a warfare against the hosts of darkness. Unless we follow our Leader closely, Satan will obtain the victory over us.—Selected Messages 3:411 (1903). {LDE 160.3}


Evil angels in the form of believers will work in our ranks to bring in a strong spirit of unbelief. Let not even this discourage you, but bring a true heart to the help of the Lord against the powers of satanic agencies. These powers of evil will assemble in our meetings, not to receive a blessing, but to counterwork the influences of the Spirit of God.—Mind, Character, and Personality 2:504, 505 (1909). {LDE 161.1}



Personation of the Dead

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.—Evangelism, 604 (1875). {LDE 161.2}


It is Satan’s most successful and fascinating delusion—one calculated to take hold of 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. {LDE 161.3}


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.—The Great Controversy, 552, 560 (1911). {LDE 161.4}



Satan Personates Christ

The enemy is preparing to deceive the whole world by his miracle-working power. He will assume to personate the angels of light, to personate Jesus Christ.—Selected Messages 2:96 (1894). {LDE 162.1}


If men are so easily misled now, how will they stand when Satan shall personate Christ, and work miracles? Who will be unmoved by his misrepresentations then—professing to be Christ when it is only Satan assuming the person of Christ, and apparently working the works of Christ?—Selected Messages 2:394 (1897). {LDE 162.2}


Satan will take the field and personate Christ. He will misrepresent, misapply, and pervert everything he possibly can.—Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 411 (1898). {LDE 162.3}


A power from beneath is working to bring about the last great scenes in the drama—Satan coming as Christ, and working with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in those who are binding themselves together in secret societies.—Testimonies for the Church 8:28 (1904). {LDE 162.4}



Satan Resembles Christ in Every Particular

There is a limit beyond which Satan cannot go, and here he calls deception to his aid and counterfeits the work which he has not power actually to perform. In the last days he will appear in such a manner as to make men believe him to be Christ come the second time into the world. He will indeed transform himself into an angel of light. But while he will bear the appearance of Christ in every particular, so far as mere appearance goes, it will deceive none but those who, like Pharaoh, are seeking to resist the truth.—Testimonies for the Church 5:698 (1889). {LDE 163.1}


As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ. The church has long professed to look to the Saviour’s advent as the consummation of her hopes. Now the great deceiver will make it appear that Christ has come. In different parts of the earth, Satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness, resembling the description of the Son of God given by John in the Revelation. (Revelation 1:13-15). The glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that mortal eyes have yet beheld. The shout of triumph rings out upon the air: “Christ has come! Christ has come!” {LDE 163.2}


The people prostrate themselves in adoration before him, while he lifts up his hands and pronounces a blessing upon them, as Christ blessed His disciples when He was upon the earth. His voice is soft and subdued, yet full of melody. In gentle, compassionate tones he presents some of the same gracious, heavenly truths which the Saviour uttered; he heals the diseases of the people, and then, in his assumed character of Christ, he claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day which he has blessed.—The Great Controversy, 624 (1911). {LDE 163.3}



Satan Pretends to Answer the Saints’ Prayers

Satan sees that he is about to lose his case. He cannot sweep in the whole world. He makes one last desperate effort to overcome the faithful by deception. He does this in personating Christ. He clothes himself with the garments of royalty which have been accurately described in the vision of John. He has power to do this. He will appear to his deluded followers, the Christian world who received not the love of the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness (transgression of the law), as Christ coming the second time. {LDE 164.1}


He proclaims himself Christ, and he is believed to be Christ, a beautiful, majestic being clothed with majesty and, with soft voice and pleasant words, with glory unsurpassed by anything their mortal eyes had yet beheld. Then his deceived, deluded followers set up a shout of victory, “Christ has come the second time! Christ has come! He has lifted up His hands just as He did when He was upon the earth, and blessed us.”... {LDE 164.2}


The saints look on with amazement. Will they also be deceived? Will they worship Satan? Angels of God are about them. A clear, firm, musical voice is heard, “Look up.” {LDE 164.3}


There was one object before the praying ones—the final and eternal salvation of their souls. This object was before them constantly—that immortal life was promised to those who endure unto the end. Oh, how earnest and fervent had been their desires. The judgment and eternity were in view. Their eyes by faith were fixed on the blazing throne, before which the white-robed ones were to stand. This restrained them from the indulgence of sin.... {LDE 164.4}


One effort more, and then Satan’s last device is employed. He hears the unceasing cry for Christ to come, for Christ to deliver them. This last strategy is to personate Christ, and make them think their prayers are answered.—Manuscript 16, 1884. {LDE 165.1}



How the Counterfeit Differs From the Genuine

Satan is not permitted to counterfeit the manner of Christ’s advent.—The Great Controversy, 625 (1911). {LDE 165.2}


Satan ... will come personating Jesus Christ, working mighty miracles; and men will fall down and worship him as Jesus Christ. We shall be commanded to worship this being, whom the world will glorify as Christ. What shall we do? Tell them that Christ has warned us against just such a foe, who is man’s worst enemy, yet who claims to be God, and that when Christ shall make His appearance it will be with power and great glory, accompanied by ten thousand times ten thousand angels and thousands of thousands, and that when He shall come we shall know His voice.—The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 6:1106 (1888). {LDE 165.3}


Satan is striving to gain every advantage.... Disguised as an angel of light, he will walk the earth as a wonder-worker. In beautiful language he will present lofty sentiments; good words will be spoken by him and good deeds performed. Christ will be personified. But on one point there will be a marked distinction—Satan will turn the people from the law of God. Notwithstanding this, so well will he counterfeit righteousness that, if it were possible, he would deceive the very elect. Crowned heads, presidents, rulers in high places, will bow to his false theories.—Fundamentals of Christian Education, 471, 472 (1897). {LDE 166.1}

 

Arthur | (Paulo Rocha) Saúde

Cláudio | (Ruth) Saúde

Levi | Saúde

Luiz e Alejandro | Saúde

Marcos | Saúde

Pedro | (pastor) Saúde

Miguel | (Alex) Saúde

Pr. Ottoni | (pai da Marjorie) Saúde

Thalles | (Juan e Thais) Saúde

Mateus | Saúde

Sandra | (Joezel) Saúde

Isadora | Saúde

Inês | Saúde

Laurete | Saúde

Enock e Túlio | (Silas) Saúde

Nair | (Oliveira) Saúde

Tia Bia | Saúde

Lúcia | (vó Keyse) Saúde

Saul | (família Cruz) Saúde

Elisa | (família Aguiar) Saúde

Jorge | (Ever) Saúde

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