In our modern age, many people are skeptical of claims of healings,
miracles or any supernatural events. The miracles of the Bible are
looked at as quaint fairy tales developed by primitive cultures to
explain the mysteries of nature. Today, science claims to give man the
godlike ability to explain those wonders, and the rational mind believes
all phenomena can be explained by nature—without God.
Yet there remains something just below the surface of the modern psyche
that is tantalized by the mysterious and unexplainable.
UFOs,
ghosts, magic and witchcraft are still incredibly popular. And the
mystical elements of various religions attract myriad new converts every
year. Sites like Fatima, Lourdes and Medjugorje draw millions of
pilgrims each year.
The Bible foretells a time when religion will play a major role in
places like Europe, where religion was written off many decades ago. How
can church again dominate state in such a secular wasteland? It seems
the prophesied miracles will play a major part in bringing about this
change in the “zeitgeist” (spirit of the times) of the Continent.
First, can supernatural wonders really come from a source other than God?
Lying wonders
Even those with a passing knowledge of the Bible have heard of the
Exodus and the parting of the Red Sea . Before the pharaoh was willing
to let his Israelite slaves go, the Bible records 10 devastating plagues
God brought on the stubborn Egyptian ruler and his people.
Interestingly, the pharaoh's magicians were able to duplicate, on a
smaller scale, the first two plagues, making water appear as blood and
making even more frogs appear on Egypt than those God had sent (
Exodus 7:22 and 8:7). They were also able to make their rods change into snakes (
Exodus 7:11-12).
Whether these were tricks and illusions or actual supernatural miracles
from an evil spiritual source, they had the intended effect. They
hardened the pharaoh's heart, meaning they cemented his resistance to
the demands of the Israelites.
Eventually, though, the magicians admitted they were outclassed and
could not duplicate God's third plague. “This is the finger of God,”
they said (
Exodus 8:19).
Because of the existence of false miracles and false prophets, God
warned Israel to reject any miracle worker who denies Him or speaks
contrary to His laws and teachings (
Deuteronomy 13:1-3). God says just because someone's prophecy happens or a miracle occurs doesn't mean we should follow that person.
These warnings continued to apply in the New Testament. “Beware of
false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they
are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits,” Christ warned (
Matthew 7:15-16).
Those fruits obviously went beyond whether the prophecies occurred or
the miracles happened. Christ described some who cast out demons and did
many wonders in His name. “And then I will declare to them, 'I never
knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness” (
Matthew 7:23). Denying God's laws remains a fruit of the way of darkness (
Isaiah 8:20).
End-time warnings
In a prophecy for the end times, Jesus the Christ warned, “False
christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to
deceive, if possible, even the elect” (
Matthew 24:24).
The apostle Paul expands on this in 2 Thessalonians 2, with a warning
about “the lawless one” who comes with “all power, signs, and lying
wonders” (verse 9). Paul says it takes a love of the truth—the Bible and
God's law—to avoid being deceived by this man of sin, this lawless one
(verse 10).
The apostle John also expands on this warning in Revelation 13. This
chapter starts by talking about a “beast” representing a great end-time
empire—a government that will rule much of the earth. Then in verse 11
it talks about another beast with two horns like a lamb—meaning he tries
to appear like Christ, the Lamb—but who speaks like a dragon, Satan.
This is the same one who is called the False Prophet in Revelation 19,
who we believe will be a religious leader in Europe.
Revelation 13:13-14
says: “He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down
from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who
dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the
sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an
image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.”
For more about the meaning of this prophecy and the framework of end-time prophecy, read or request our free booklets
The Book of Revelation Unveiled and
You Can Understand Bible Prophecy at
www.wnponline.org/litreq .
What this means for us
Someday in the not-too-distant future, miracles will occur that will be
widely publicized and that will convince even many of the skeptical
people of our day. Perhaps supernatural fire will destroy enemies, or
other spectacular miracles will occur. Will they convince you to follow
the ones who perform them?
The antidote to lying wonders is to know what the Bible teaches and be
prepared. Those who fall for the “unrighteous deception” of the “lawless
one” are those who “did not receive the love of the truth, that they
might be saved” (
2 Thessalonians 2:9-10).
God's people, on the other hand, are those “who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (
Revelation 12:17).
But even to the Church Christ said, “Be watchful, and strengthen the
things which remain…Hold fast what you have…anoint your eyes with eye
salve, that you may see” (
Revelation 3:2, 11, 18).
The biblical description of God's Church compared to the counterfeits is laid out in detail in the booklet
The Church Jesus Built , also online at
www.wnponline.org/litreq .
Examine the fruits. Are the miracle workers teaching God's laws and
fulfilling His will? Or are they using miracles to trick people into
supporting a government and a religion that are actually opposed to
God's law and His plan? Many people will believe that the miracles they
see are of God. Study God's Word; examine the fruits.
Don't be deceived!
WNP 
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