The World’s Greatest Issues: Military, Diplomatic, Religious

CHAPTER X. - THE BEAST

The final crisis in the Turkish possession of Constantinople is certainly imminent. WGI 166.1

After that, there is just one thing remaining in the history of Turkey—the Turkish Capitol to be established in Jerusalem: and then that power comes to its end because none shall help him. WGI 166.2

When that power comes to its end the way of the kings of the East is thereby prepared; and from the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, there go out the evil spirits to gather the kings of the earth and the whole world to the battle of that great day and of Armageddon. WGI 166.3

This great coalition in a world-Federation that marks the supreme and final apostasy and the crowning development of Satanic power, is even now so far under way that it is almost in sight. WGI 166.4

By the Scriptures it is true, and it is therefore certain, that by “the spirits of devils working miracles” in the crowning development of Satanic power, the kings of the East and of the earth and of the whole world are to be filled to the breaking point with the spirit of war, and are then to be gathered to the battle of the great day and of Armageddon. WGI 166.5

It is worth while to set down here in order the Scriptures that reveal this final and miracle working development of Satanic power. They the following:— WGI 167.1

I. “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall very elect.” Matthew 24:23, 24. WGI 167.2

2. “And then if any man shall say to you, or, Lo, here is Christ, or, lo, he is there; believe him not; for false Christ’s and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.” Mark 13:21, 22. WGI 167.3

3. Referring to the coming of the lord Jesus, the Word says: “Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10. WGI 167.4

4. “And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.... And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceived them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast: which had the wound by a sword and did live.” Revelation 13:11-14. WGI 167.5

5. “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” Revelation 16:13, 14. WGI 168.1

6. “And I saw Heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he cloth judge and make war.... And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.... And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived that had the mark of beast, and them that worshiped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.” Revelation 19:11-21. WGI 168.2

There is no need here to enter upon any discussion, or any fine distinction, as to whether anybody but God can really work miracles. Indeed, in the presence of these Scriptures there is no room for any such discussion or distinction. There stand the plain statements that these false Christs and false prophets “shall shew great signs and wonders;” and so great and so deceitful that if it were possible they would deceive even the very elect. There stand the plain words that Satan will work “with all power and signs and lying wonders.” There are the words plain and positive that he “deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by means of those miracles which he had power to do.” “The spirits of devils working miracles;” “wrought miracles ... by which he deceived them.” WGI 169.1

In the presence of these perfectly plain statements of the Word of God there is no room for any question as to whether such miracles will be actually wrought. It is certain that Satanic power and spirits of devils will work miracles to deceive and lead to destruction kings, nations, and peoples at the time of the ending of the Turkish power; and through the grand coalition, in a world-federation, of the three great apostasies. WGI 169.2

The two great events—the ending of the Turkish power, and the world-federation of religions—that indicate the time of this deceitful and destructive working, are both now so near that the loss of Constantinople by the Turkish power is the only great event that stands between this time and that time. Instead, therefore, of spending any time in vain and fruitless discussion as to whether the miracles will be real or not, it is now high time diligently to consider how we may surely escape the deception and the destruction to which the Satanic miracles only lead. WGI 170.1

This preparation can never possibly be gained by any study or investigation of those deceiving miracles themselves, nor of any theories concerning them. It is only the knowledge of the truth, that will ever enable any one to detect error. It is only a knowledge of the true, that can expose the false. WGI 170.2

And while Satan is thus working with all power and signs and lying wonders and all deceivableness of unrighteousness, can anybody suppose that God will do nothing? While the spirits of devils shall be working their deceiving and destructive miracles, shall it be supposed that the Spirit of God shall make no manifestation of the true power, and of instruction in the righteousness of God?—No. By every possible consideration the answer is, No. For from long ago it stands written, “When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him, and put him to flight.” Isaiah 59:19, with margin. WGI 170.3

Therefore, in the time of the greatest manifestation of Satanic power in the multitude of deceiving miracles, there will also be manifested the mightier power of God in his own true miraculous working in righteousness. Accordingly, in this time there is no room for any question as to whether we shall believe in miracles or not: for everybody in the world will presently believe in miracles. The only question that can possibly remain is, Which miracles shall we believe—the wrong ones, or the right ones? the deceiving and destroying ones, or the faithful and saving ones? the Satanic ones, or the divine ones? For in one or the other all will finally believe. WGI 171.1

Another thing that, from these truths is evident: that is, that no miracle is of itself any evidence of divinity, of truth, or of righteousness. The only thing of which any miracle is of itself evidence, is power,—superhuman or super- natural power. The power may be benign or baleful, divine or devilish; but of the character or source of the power, the miracle of itself is no evidence; that must be known by some other means, and must be found by some other test. Therefore, the Scripture gives to all this very, and very important, instruction: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God, because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1. WGI 171.2

But the moment that there is recognized the principle that every miracle must be tested, that moment all miracles are relegated to second place, and truth and righteousness take first place. And this itself is a defense against deceiving miracles. WGI 172.1

And that this principle must be recognized is plain from the Scripture just quoted. But that is not the only instruction from God on this point. Read this: “And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.” Deuteronomy 18:21, 22. WGI 172.2

That is plain and easy as to the thing that comes not to pass. How then as to the other way? Suppose the thing does come to pass, is that sufficient ground upon which to accept as true that prophet or dreamer of dreams or miracle worker?—Not at all. Even then, the tendency, the character, of the sign or wonder that has come to pass, must be tested. Read it: “If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams; for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.” Deuteronomy 13:1-4. WGI 172.3

It is therefore evident that any and every miracle, sign, or wonder, the specific aim of which is not the keeping of the commandments of God, is unworthy of any attention at all: it is a deception. WGI 173.1

The direct design of every miracle, or sign, or wonder, wrought by the Spirit of God, is the keeping of the commandments of God. and the Spirit of God does employ many of these, and in a diversity of ways, to affect that good design. Read it: “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues; but all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-11. WGI 173.2

All these, and more, compose the diversities of gifts and operations of the Spirit of God; and all are to the one great aim of bringing believers to the keeping of the commandments of God. For it is plainly written that the one supreme object of all the gifts of God, in Christ, by the Holy Spirit, is “the perfecting of the Saints” in the love of God or “charity, which is the bond of perfectness.” “And this is the love of God that we keep his commandments.” And “In Christ Jesus circumcision is nothing: the want of it is nothing; but to keep God’s commands is everything.” Ephesians 4:11-13; 1 John 5:3; 1 Corinthians 7:19. Twentieth Century Version. WGI 174.1

And it is further written that when, by means of all this diversity of gifts, operations, and administrations, of the Spirit of God, that which is perfect has come, then all these will vanish away; their purpose accomplished, their object obtained. For “charity,” the love of God, which is the keeping of the commandments of God in very truth and righteousness—“never faileth; but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.... But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.” 1 Corinthians 13:8-10. WGI 175.1

When it is divinely true that the one supreme object of all these wonderful workings of God himself, is to bring believers to the standard of perfection in the love of God which is the keeping of the Commandments of God, then this makes it certain that even the miracles which the Lord himself works, hold only a secondary place, and never the first place. And whosoever puts even a miracle of God in the first place, and makes it the chief point of attention and of interest, misses the whole aim of the miracle, and perverts the purpose of God in it. WGI 175.2

The truth and righteousness of God manifested in believers in Jesus, holds rank above even miracles. And the truth and righteousness of God, perfectly manifested in believers in Jesus, in the love of God which is the keeping of the Commandments of God, ranks higher than the mightiest miracle ever wrought even by the power and Spirit of God. For, the mightiest miracle, yes, all the miracles, ever thus wrought were aimed solely to the accomplishment of that one supreme thing. WGI 176.1

Therefore, the true keeping of the Commandments of God in the truth and righteousness of God, in this world in human flesh, is the greatest of all miracles. And for God to make a man in this world a perfect keeper of his commandments in the truth and righteousness of God, is the greatest miracle that can ever be wrought even by God. WGI 176.2

And this greatest of all miracles that even he can work, God proposes and promises now, in this very time, to work in every believer in Jesus. For in this very time and upon this mighty issue that faces the whole world, He declares of those who refuse to worship the beast and his image, “Here are they which keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:9-12. WGI 176.3

And in this splendid truth there lies the perfect security against any and all manner of deceiving miracles. For when one knows that God’s transcendent miracle is to make a man a keeper of His commandments, then it is impossible for any other miracle ever to have any weight with him except only as it contributes to this one transcendent purpose of all God’s gifts, administrations, and operations. And, whosoever knows that in his own heart and life there is constantly being wrought by God through his Holy Spirit this greatest of all miracles that even the Lord can work, then never by any possibility can any deceiving and Satanic miracle appeal to him. WGI 177.1

And this is the only security against the Satanic miracles, against the miracles of the spirits of devils, that deceive the world into the worship of the beast and his image, and which, from the coalition and federation of the dragon, the beast and the false prophet, gather the kings of the earth and of the whole world to the destruction of the battle of that great day and of Armageddon. WGI 177.2

Nor is this thought as to the greatest miracle and its being the sure defense against the supreme manifestation of Satanic power in deception, a new one to Protestant Christians. More than five hundred years ago, by the splendid Protestant Christians of Bohemia, it was clearly seen; and by Brother John Huss was then beautifully expressed in the words that follows. WGI 177.3

“Anti-christ will have the power of deceiving by wonders. In the last times, miracles are to be retrenched. She [the church of Christ] is to go about only in the form of a servant; she is to be tried by patience. The lying wonders of the servants of Anti-christ are to serve for the trial of faith. By its own intrinsic power faith shall preserve itself in the elect, superior to all arts of deception. Prophecy is wrapt in obscurity; the gift of healing removed; the power of long, protracted fasting diminished; the word of doctrine silent; miracles are withheld. Not that Divine Providence utterly suspends these things; but they are not to be seen openly and in great variety, as in earlier times. WGI 178.1

“All this, however, is so ordered by a wonderful arrangement of Divine Providence, that God’s mercy and justice may be revealed precisely in this way. For while the Church of Christ must, after the withdrawal of her miraculous gifts, appear in greater lowliness, and the righteous, who venerate her on account of the hope of Heavenly good, not on account of visible signs, fail of their reward in this earthly life; there will, on the other hand, be a more speedy manifestation of the temper of the wicked, who, disdaining to follow after the invisible things which the Church promises, cling fast to visible signs. WGI 178.2

“This servant of the true Church, in which the power of the invisible Godlike is all that attracts, as contrasted with the abundance of lying wonders in the worldly Church of Anti-christ, appearing in glory, serves as the means of separating the elect form the reprobate. The elect must pass through this trial in order to bring out their genuine character; the reprobate must be deceived, according to the just judgment of God. Therefore, in these times, it is rather the servants of Anti-christ, than the servants of Christ, who will make themselves known by wonders. WGI 179.1

“It is a greater miracle to confess the truth and practise righteousness, than to perform marvelous works to the outward senses. The priest or deacon who loves is enemies, despises riches, esteems as nothing the glory of this world, avoids entangling himself in worldly business, and patiently endures terrible threatenings, even persecutions, for the Gospel’s sake,—such a priest or deacon performs miracles, and has the witness within him that he is a genuine disciple of Christ.”—“Ecclesiastical Empire,” Chapter XXIII, Par. 119-121. WGI 179.2

O soul, have you given yourself to God, so that by whatever gift, administration, and operation, of his divine power and Spirit, he may accomplish in your heart and life his transcendent purpose of making you a keeper of his commandments? WGI 180.1

O soul, is there being wrought constantly in your heart and life by the power and Spirit of God, this greatest of all miracles? WGI 180.2

And are you thus perfectly secured against the worship of the beast and his image; against all deception of the Satanic miracles, signs, and wonders; and made sure of glorious deliverance in that time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation, that is the certain and only ending of the Eastern Question? WGI 180.3

THE END