God has used signs to display His glory and purpose to people since He gave a sign to Cain after he killed Abel (Gen 4:15) to keep him safe so that no one finding him would slay him (Gen 4:15). Signs have confirmed His word and shown His power. Signs were proof of Jesus’ Messianic claims and confirmation of the truth of the gospel the Apostles preached.
However, signs, wonders, and miracles aren’t limited to only the Lord’s work. Jesus warned that false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect—if that were possible (Mk 13:22). Paul warned, For at the coming of the Lord there will be great activity on the part of Satan, in the form of all kinds of deceptive miracles, signs, and marvels, as well as of wicked attempts to delude (2Th 2:9 TCN).
The Anti-Christ in Revelation will work through the two beasts. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast . . . (Rev 13:13, 14).
The Lord did not create a devil. He created the archangel Lucifer, an exalted being and the most beautiful of all God’s creations. God granted him great power, and he was the highest ranking of the angels. He was perfect; You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created (Ez 28:15 NKJV). God also gave him free will. Lucifer was free to obey God or choose to disobey Him. He chose to disobey and to rebel. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor (28:17). Lucifer was unsatisfied with the position in which God had placed him. He desired to be the supreme authority, sit on God’s throne, and rule the universe. Isaiah revealed Lucifer’s plan, which became his goal—and still is today. You said to yourself, I’ll climb to heaven. I’ll set my throne over the stars of God. I’ll run the assembly of angels that meets on sacred Mount Zaphon. I’ll climb to the top of the clouds. I’ll take over as King of the Universe (14:13-14 MSG).
Isaiah prefaced these verses (13, 14) by first declaring the defeat of Lucifer in v12. How great is your fall from heaven, O shining one, son of the morning! How are you cut down to the earth, low among the dead bodies (14:12 BBE)! After his fall, he was no longer called Lucifer ‘bearer of light or morning star’, but he was known as Satan, ‘the adversary, the accuser, the devil.’ John adds he is the deceiver and the antichrist (2 Jn 1:7). When the Lord threw him out of heaven, Satan didn’t leave alone; he deceived one-third of the angels to rebel and follow him.
Despite being cast out of heaven and defeated by Jesus, Satan still deceives himself into thinking he can still overthrow God and become the supreme ruler. This remains his goal, but in the end, he is thrown in the lake of fire and brimstone . . . and will be tormented day and night forever and ever (Rev 20:10). Until then, He seeks to destroy God’s people. One of his strategies is to dismantle and crush our faith to the point we begin to doubt and choose to disobey God. Space limits us from examining all the ways he does that. But at the top of the list is deception. Jesus warned repeatedly to beware of deception.
His deception includes all kinds of miracles, signs, and false wonders (2Thes 2:9). These will escalate the closer we get to Christ’s return. God produces signs to communicate His glory and purpose. Satan uses signs to communicate his lies in order to deceive people. The purpose of the deception is to lead people away from Christ to something that is pretending to be Him. Scripture does not describe the exact details of signs. However, we have some insight into the things that take place. Note the references to things happening in the heaven or sky.
Jesus told us, there will be terrifying sights and great signs from heaven (Lk 21:11 HCSB). False prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive; notice Jesus added the word great (Matt 24:24). Nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea (Lk 21:25). The second beast in Revelation will perform momentous signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people (13:13). Jesus said, the stars will fall from the sky (Matt 24:29). Star means a luminous light resembling a star—meteorites, comet, falling space debris, etc. Think about the increased sightings people refer to as UAPs or UFOs.
Satan’s signs are often subtle. Satan himself masquerades (disguises, dresses up) as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14). Even believers are deceived and don’t even realize Satan is deceiving them. We must ground ourselves in the Word of God and pray for the discernment of the Holy Spirit. Be aware the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already (1 John 4:3 ESV).
Sustaining Word for the Week: John alerts us, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God (1 John 4:1).