Chapter 9: Satan's Personation of Christ
What is Satan's masterpiece of deception? Who does he
make himself out to be?
"The conflict is to wax fiercer and fiercer. Satan will take the field and
personate Christ. He will misrepresent, misapply, and pervert everything he possibly
can, to deceive, if possible, the very elect" (TM 411).
"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"
(8T 28 [6BC 1106]).
"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 misrepresntations
then--professing to be Christ when it is only Satan assuming the person of Christ,
and apparently working the works of Christ? What will hold God's people from giving
their allegiance to false christs? 'Go not after them' (Luke 17: 23)" (2SM 394,
395 [see also 2SM 58]).
How close is Satan's resemblance to Christ?
"It was by the display of supernatural power, in making the serpent his
medium, that Satan caused the fall of Adam and Eve in Eden. Before the close of time
he will work still greater wonders. So far as his power extends, he will perform
actual miracles...But 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
Pharoah, are seeking to resist the truth" (5T 698).
"Satan will work with all deceivableness of unrighteousness to personate
Jesus Christ; if it were possible, he would deceive the very elect. Now if the
counterfeit bears so close a resemblance to the genuine, is it not essential to be
on you guard, that no man deceive you?" (2SM 87).
"Satan is not permitted to counterfeit the manner of Christ's advent"
(GC 625).
What will Satan do and say and how will the
people respond?
"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
(Rev. 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!' 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.
"He declares that those who persist in keeping holy the seventh
day are blaspheming his name by refusing to listen to his angels sent to them
with light and truth. This is the strong, almost overmastering 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'" (ibid. 624, 625).
"As the second appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ draws near, satanic
agencies are moved from beneath. Satan will not only appear as a human
being, but he will personate Jesus Christ; and the world that has rejected
the truth will receive him as the Lord of lords and King of kings" (5BC
1105, 1106).
Will he even by accepted by heads of government?
"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" (FE 471, 472).
What shall we do when we are commanded to worship him?
"Satan came as an angel of light in the wilderness of temptation
to deceive Christ, and he does not come to man in a hideous form, as he is
sometimes represented, but as an angel of light. He 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" (6BC 1105, 1106 [RH Dec. 18, 1888]).
Reference Abbreviation Key
