Chapter 10.6

Demonic Miracle Working by satan’s Servants

 

Table of Topics

A) The Fact of Demonic Miracle Working

B) The Types & Purposes of Demonic Miracle Working

B.1) Physical Demonic Miracle Working: to test God’s people & deceive His enemies

B.2) Spiritual Demonic Miracle Working: Possession

Extras & Endnotes

Primary Points

• While the Scriptures seem clear on the fact that satan can perform supernatural acts, many theologians do not consider them to be miracles. However, the Scriptures that the above theologians use to support their view do not seem to do so.
• The Egyptian sorcerers really did make a staff turn into a snake and water into blood.
• The antichrist will perform real miracles with delegated power from God.
• The King thought that demonic miracle working in His Church would be a common thing. Yet this is not our expectation.
• Part of antichrist’s End Time delusion would seem to be nothing less than a Christ-like resurrection from the dead.
• The contemporary Hindu guru sai baba is offered as just one example of many modern miracle workers that clearly, and even frighteningly, demonstrate that not everything supernatural is holy.
• God’s purpose for giving the devil and his demons supernatural powers is to test His people and deceive His enemies.
• Considering satan’s desire to copy God’s works as best he can, it should not surprise us that spiritual demonic miracle working manifests itself in demonic possession.
• Accordingly, we would suggest that demonic possession is a spiritual miracle leading to supernatural evil.
• Perhaps the best case study in Scripture regarding demonic influences in a person’s life is King Saul. Only a man supernaturally controlled by demons would order the murder of eighty five innocent priests.
• Judas is a NT example, and Adolf Hitler a historic one.
• God’s purpose for allowing such demonic spiritual miracle working as in possession is not always entirely clear. However, at times it would seem to be a part of His punishment for considerable sin and rebellion against Him.
• We can be assured that nothing, including demonic possession, occurs without His permission and the assurance that it somehow fits in God’s ultimate plan for the Universe.

A) The Fact of Delegated Demonic Miracle Working

While the Scriptures seem clear on the fact that satan can perform supernatural acts, many theologians do not consider them to be miracles. For example, John Calvin (1509-1564) wrote:

And we may also fitly remember that satan has his miracles, which, though they are deceitful tricks rather than true powers, are of such sort as to mislead the simple-minded and untutored. ^[1]

More recently, the popular Christian apologist Norm Geisler has written:

Miracles have a moral dimension. They bring glory to God by manifesting his moral character. . . . No true miracle, then, is evil, because God is good. . . . God performs true miracles; satan does false signs. God does genuine miracles; satan does counterfeit miracles. This is precisely what the Bible calls them in 2 Thess. 2:9. ^[2]

Likewise, R. C. Sproul, John Gerstner, and Arthur Lindsey suggest concerning satan’s destructive deeds against Job, “None of this was done miraculously but apparently naturally.” ^[3]

Along the same lines, the OT scholar Gleason Archer (1916-2004) wrote:

Pharaoh’s magicians showed a skill not much different from that of professional magicians today, who know how to produce rabbits or doves out of their hats. Their staffs that turned into serpents when cast on the ground may have been snakes that they had charmed into rigidity that made them look like staffs until their bodies hit the ground. Their frogs, apparently few in number compared to the overwhelming host that Moses’ rod produced, may have been concealed at first like the rabbits in the magician’s hat. ^[4]

Neither did C. S. Lewis (1898–1963) discuss demonic miracles in his study of the topic, and seemed to confuse them with the divine when he wrote: “I am in no way committed to the assertion that God has never worked miracles through and for Pagans.” ^[5] There seems to be no place in the theology of these men for demonic miracle working.

However, the Scriptures that the above theologians use to support their view do not seem to do so. For example, Dr. Archer implies that the works of the Egyptian sorcerers who opposed Moses were simply magic tricks. On the contrary, that is not what the actual biblical text states. Concerning the staffs turned into snakes we read:

Aaron threw his [real] staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. ¹¹ Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts: ¹² Each one threw down his [real] staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their [real] staffs. (Exod 7:10-12).

For Dr. Archer’s claim to be true, it would seem the text would have to read that the Egyptian sorcerers threw down charmed snakes. But the Bible says they “threw down” their “staffs” and “did the same things” as Aaron.

Likewise, Aaron made all above ground water in Egypt turn into blood, including the Nile river, “the streams and canals . . . the ponds and all the reservoirs . . . everywhere in Egypt, even in the wooden buckets and stone jars” (Exod 7:19). A remarkable miracle indeed. But we are told, “the Egyptian magicians did the same things” (v. 22). Not just minor, isolated counterfeits, but they too made real blood appear in all the water of Egypt. Also, while Aaron made “frogs” cover “the land” of Egypt, the Egyptian sorcerers “did the same things.” (Exod 8:6-7). Such things require a supernatural power, and it was not divine, but demonic. ^[6]

The description of antichrist’s activities in 2 Thessalonians 2:9 literally reads in the Greek: “lying [pseudous] power, signs and wonders,” suggesting that the falsehood applies to the effect of the miracles rather than their nature. Accordingly, NT scholar Gordon Fee agrees with the majority of commentators ^[7] when he writes:

Paul indicates here that “signs and wonders” can accompany both truth and falsehood. By describing those of the Lawless One as stemming from falsehood, he does not mean that they are “counterfeit” in the sense of not really occurring. . . .

Since this is the only real meaning of “counterfeit,” one wonders whether the NIV is not quite misleading to call them “counterfeit miracles, etc.” See also RSV, which is even worse: “with pretended signs and wonders”-now corrected in NRSV ^[8]. . . .

To the contrary, miracles they are indeed; but they issue from falsehood and as such are intended to deceive, to lead people astray after satan. Indeed, in Paul’s view they are empowered by the “spirit” responsible for all falsehood, satan himself (cf. Eph 2:2). ^[9]

More succinctly, Leon Morris comments on 2 Thessalonians 2:9, “For Paul the miracles are real enough; it is their origin and end that make the lie.” ^[10]

Christ implies as well that demonic miracles are real when He says, “false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great [not fake] signs and miracles to deceive even the Elect” (Matt 24:24). Our King calls these miracles “great” not counterfeit or fake. And it is not because of Christians’ naivety that the deceptive power of such demonic miracle working will be so great, but rather, the power in the miracles is so great. Likewise, end time delegated demonic miracle working is described by the Apostle John when he writes of, “spirits of demons performing miraculous signs” (Rev. 16:14).

Concerning satan’s supernatural deeds against Job, it is admitted that natural means were involved. However, contrary to the theologians above, when we read that, “The fire of God [fell] from the sky and burn[ed] up the sheep and the servants” (1:16), and a sudden rush of “a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house . . . [which] collapsed on them [such that Job’s children were] . . . dead” (1:19), and that all of this occurred on the same day, if not the same hour, we recognize that these natural means are being manipulated in a supernatural way to produce a miracle.

Accordingly, we do not believe it is either biblical or necessary to deny that satan can perform miracles. Rather, we would point to the Bible’s instruction on the critical need to distinguish between divine and demonic miracles (cf. Matt 7:15-22; 24:24; 1 John 4:1), instead of denying the latter. ^[11]

Demonic miracle working is nothing new to the Church. As described elsewhere, as early as the first century, Simon Magus was thought to be a demonically empowered miracle worker. ^[12] Accordingly, the early Church leader Origen (c. 185-c.254) noted, “The cure of bodies is a thing indifferent, and a matter within the reach not merely of the good, but also of the bad.” ^[13]

Demonic miracles reflect our definition of a miracle as an extraordinary occurrence of God’s supernatural power . . . to accomplish . . . His will. First, we would suggest that satan uses the delegated power of God to perform his miracles. As we have written elsewhere:

Of course, all power in the Universe is ultimately God’s power for there is no power, or even mere existence, apart from that which has been granted by the Creator (cf. 1 Chr 29:11-12; John 1:3; 13:3; Col 1:16-17). Whether it is the power operating in plants or planets, humans or even demons, all such power is on loan from God. ^[14]

Whatever powers or dominion satan has, have been given to him, as He admits himself when he tells Christ that, “all the kingdoms of the world [and] . . . all their authority and splendor . . . has been given to me [by God], and I can give it to anyone I want to” (Luke 4:5-6; cf. 1 John 5:19; John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; Rev 13:2). So while indeed everything supernatural is ultimately divine in origin, not everything supernatural is holy in effect.

While we may initially balk at the idea of God delegating supernatural power for the devil’s use, we must remember that everything, whether it be deemed by us to be good or bad, occurs “according to the plan of Him Who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His [predestined] will” (Eph 1:11) and that, “The LORD works out everything for His own ends– even the wicked for a day of disaster” (Prov 16:4).

Christ would seem to describe delegated demonic miracle working when He says:

Many will say to Me on that [last] day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!‘ (Matt 7:22-23).

It can be noted that, first of all, Christ does not deny that what these “evildoers” performed were “many” real “miracles.” As NT scholar D. A. Carson writes, “There is no reason to judge their claims false; their claims [to miracle working] are not false but insufficient [to be Christian].” ^[15] Secondly, the supernatural nature of their deeds suggest a power beyond that which is merely human. Thirdly, their works earn them the label “evil doers.” All of this adds up to suggest that Christ is indeed warning His Church of demonic miracle workers.

And the King thought that demonic miracle working in His Church would be a common thing. He said “Many” “evildoers” will “perform many miracles” all in the “name” of the “Lord.” We should expect that both the number of demonically empowered miracle workers and the number of the miracles they perform will be abundant. Yet this is not our expectation. It would seem the average Christian today is quite reluctant to believe that “many” people would actually “perform many miracles” in the “name” of Christ in His Church, and yet in reality be a demonically deceiving “evildoer.” Yet that is precisely what Christ warned.

The fact that the devil can perform real miracles with God’s power would seem to be especially illustrated by the antichrist and his servants in End Time events. Remembering from the previous chapter that miracles are extraordinary in the sense that they defy natural laws and inspire awe, we see that demonic miracles can do the same. Accordingly, we read of the antichrist:

The coming of the lawless one [antichrist] is apparent in the working of satan, who uses all power, signs, lying wonders, and every kind of wicked deception for those who are perishing. (2 Thess 2:9-10 NRSV)

Part of antichrist’s End Time delusion would seem to be nothing less than a Christ-like resurrection from the dead, which the Apostle John describes as follows: “One of the heads of the beast [antichrist] seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast” (Rev 13:3). ^[16] Such an End Time resurrection would certainly be supernatural and awe-inspiring. Remember, antichrist’s purpose will not only be to oppose Christ, but to duplicate and be accepted as Him (cf. Matt 24:24), making necessary the most supernatural of miracles. ^[17] Accordingly, we discuss elsewhere the fact that divine and demonic miracle working are not to be distinguished by their power, but the virtue of the one performing the miracles. ^[18]

 

B) The Types & Purposes of Delegated Demonic Miracle Working

B.1) Physical demonic miracle working: to test God’s people & deceive His enemies

Like divine miracle working, we see both a physical and spiritual effect for the demonic kind. We have already noted several biblical references of physical demonic miracle working. We would add another in Paul’s mention of, “a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of satan, to torment me” (2 Cor 12:7). Most believe this to be a physical ailment of some sort, and if so, it did not come about by natural causes, but supernatural ones. 

We would also note here the supernatural power that can result from demonic possession. Accordingly, Mark records concerning a demon possessed man:

This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. (Mark 5:3-4; cf. Luke 8:29)

It is no doubt a supernatural feat for a human being to do such things, and these supernatural deeds were empowered by demons.

Perhaps a modern example of demonic physical miracle working would be appropriate here. The contemporary Hindu guru sai baba is offered as just one example of many modern miracle workers that clearly, and even frighteningly, demonstrate that not everything supernatural is holy. His miraculous and obviously demonic feats are worth the following extended excerpt from the Encyclopedia of Mystical & Paranormal Experiences:

[sai baba is a] Hindu avatar [in Hinduism a human incarnation of the Divine] whose alleged miraculous and paranormal feats have attracted a large following of devotees, in both East and West. sai baba is renowned for his healing; for materializations of an incredible array of apports [an object that seems to materialize from thin air]. . . . sai baba quickly attracted followers who were amazed by his miracles and charmed by his personality. . . .

sai baba is best known for his apports; some 75 percent of his devotees claim to have seen or received them. He produces a steady stream of apports with a wave of his hand. They include huge quantities of vibuti, holy ash made from burnt cow dung, which is smeared on the body; foods and liquids; religious statues and objects made of gold; precious jewelry; photographs; business cards; even stamps bearing his likeness. . . .

He reportedly fills empty bowls with hot, steaming Indian food of most unusual flavors, and produces enough to feed hundreds of people at a time [sound familiar? cf. Matt 14:15-21]. He opens his fist and drops sticky sweets into the palms of others, yet his own hands are dry. He also produces amrith, a honey-like substance. All nonfood objects materialized are bright, fresh, and new. Jewelry includes valuable precious gems. Rings requested by followers fit them perfectly; if a person does not like a particular ring, sai baba takes it back and changes it instantly. . . . Many objects are inscribed with his name. . . .

In one reported instance during a trance, sai baba levitated. . . . sai baba would also appear to teleport [move invisibly] himself up a hill, disappearing at its base and appearing at the top of the hill within seconds. From the hilltop he would produce luminosities so brilliant and blinding that others had to shade their eyes. Some witnesses collapsed from the brightness [a counterfeit transfiguration?].

Other phenomena attributed to him include the instant changing of the color of his loose robes; his appearance in the dreams of others, seemingly in answer to needs; weather control; unusual smells, often produced at a distance . . . psychic surgery; the changing of water into gasoline and into other beverages [remember Christ’s first miracle? cf. John 2:1-11]; mind reading; and clairvoyance. . . .

[Before you think the guy is a complete fake] In 1973 Erlendur Haraldsson, a psychologist from the University of Iceland and a psychical researcher, began an investigation of sai baba’s paranormal phenomena that spanned a ten-year period. He made a number of trips to India to interview sai baba, his devotees, and critics. Haraldsson was accompanied on several trips by Karlis Osis, who at the time was with the American Society for Psychical Research; and once by Dr. Michael Thalbourne of Washington University; and once by Dr. Joop Houtkooper of the University of Amsterdam. . . .

While observed by the scientists, sai baba produced an estimated twenty to forty apports [materializations] a day, all spontaneously and with great ease. Many of the objects were rare or unusual. . . . Sleight of hand seemed highly unlikely, for the sleeves of his robes were large and loose. Haraldsson also ruled out hypnosis, and found films of sai baba to be inconclusive. . . . A number of prominent Indian scientists have observed sai baba and feel his miraculous feats are genuine. His followers believe he is God. ^[19]

We would suggest this man is a modern day antichrist (cf. 1 John 2:18), working with demonic supernatural power just like the future ultimate antichrist will. His feats underscore the importance of distinguishing the demonic from the divine, as we discuss in more detail elsewhere. ^[20]

What then is God’s purpose for giving the devil and his demons such supernatural powers? There would seem to be two. The first is to test the people of God. Christ indicates this when He relates that in the End Times: “false Christs and false Prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the Elect–if that were possible” (Matt 24:24). The indication is that the demonic miracle working will not ultimately deceive the Elect into accepting a false Christ, but it will certainly be a test.

We see the same kind of testing revealed in God’s words to the Israelites:

See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it. If a Prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” you must not listen to the words of that Prophet or dreamer.

The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love Him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the LORD your God you must follow, and Him you must revere. Keep His commands and obey Him; serve Him and hold fast to Him. (Deut 12:32-13:1-4)

First, we notice the remarkable warning that God may in fact grant a servant of satan the ability to foretell the future, the foundational authentication of God’s own Prophets (cf. Deut 18:17-22). ^[21] Secondly, the reason He would grant such supernatural knowledge is for nothing less than testing God’s people for what is the most important to Him: whether we “love Him with all [our] heart” (v. 3).

Finally, we see the same divine purpose for the devil’s supernatural abilities in the testing of Job. While it is admitted that the devil’s purpose for such miracle working is to deceive and destroy the Elect, God’s sovereignty is displayed in the fact that even the devil’s purposes ultimately work to accomplish God’s purpose of testing His people to His own glory and theirs.

The other reason God delegates miracle working ability to satan is to deceive His enemies. Such is certainly the case with antichrist. It will be God’s desire to deceive the nations at that time, and therefore, the miraculous powers that the coming antichrist will possess will be part of the “powerful delusion” that “God sends . . . so that they [the world] will believe the [antichrist’s] lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness” (2 Thess 2:11-12, cf. Rev 13-14).

B.2) Spiritual demonic miracle working: Possession

We have distinguished spiritual miracles as those supernaturally influencing a person’s morals. We have also noted that in terms of divine miracles, this kind of miracle manifests itself in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, considering satan’s desire to copy God’s works as best he can, it should not surprise us that spiritual demonic miracle working manifests itself in demonic possession. We have already noted that this can lead to supernatural physical abilities, but here we will note that it results in supernatural moral evil as well.

Again, we read of the Gadarene demoniac, “When He [the King] arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met Him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way” (Matt 8:28). We note the morality of such men in their description as “violent,” certainly the opposite of the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Something of the depravity of such men is communicated when Luke records, “For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs” (Luke 8:27). Demonic possession can lead to suicidal tendencies, as illustrated when the father of a possessed boy tells the King that the demon, “has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him” (Mark 9:22).

Likewise, we read of the metaphorical “Babylon,” which refers to the world system that satan controls, as “a home for demons,” (Rev 18:2) and through such control these demons evidently possess people to kill God’s people (cf. v. 23-4). Which should not be surprising as it would seem demons themselves are portrayed as slaughtering humans in the Day of the Lord (cf. Rev 9:14-19).

Accordingly, we would suggest that demonic possession is a spiritual miracle leading to supernatural evil. While the sinful nature of humans can “naturally” empower evil in humans, demonic possession allows satan to exercise even more control and self-destructive behavior. Accordingly, Mark writes concerning the same man, “Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones” (Mark 5:5).

Perhaps the best case study in Scripture regarding demonic influences in a person’s life is King Saul. When we first meet him in Scripture he is a humble man, quite reluctant to be exalted as King (cf. 1 Sam 9:21; 10:21-22). Nonetheless, God was willing to equip His chosen instrument and “the Spirit of God came upon him in power” (1 Sam 10:10), and “God changed Saul’s heart” (10:9), such that he was actually “changed into a different person” (10:6), even experiencing the ultimate in spirituality in his day, prophesying “among the Prophets” (10:11). Accordingly, the Prophet “Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the man the LORD has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.” Then the people shouted, “Long live the king!’” (1 Sam 10:24).

Early in Saul’s kingship “some troublemakers . . . despised him,” questioning his ability to lead Israel, yet “Saul kept silent” (1 Sam 10:27). Later, after Saul had led them to a great victory we read:

The people then said to Samuel, “Who was it that asked, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring these men to us and we will put them to death.” But Saul said, “No one shall be put to death today, for this day the LORD has rescued Israel” (1 Sam 11:12-13).

Notice that Saul did not even take credit for the victory, but gave God the credit, and apparently forgave his enemies a great offense.

But then everything changed because of the supernatural influence of a demon. Because Saul had gotten nervous about a battle and sought God’s blessing inappropriately, “the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him” (1 Sam 16:14). While the Spirit of God had supernaturally changed Saul into a good person, this demonic spirit would supernaturally transform him into a very bad one. Notice the delegated nature of this “evil spirit,” being described as coming from God to accomplish His purposes. Notice as well the supernatural moral evil that resulted.

Although earlier Saul had loved David as his own son (cf. 1 Sam 16:21-22; 18:2, 5; 24:16; 26:17, 21), he immediately became “angry” and “galled” at him, keeping “a jealous eye on David” (1 Sam 18:8-9). And when “an evil spirit from God came forcefully upon Saul” he tried to spear David to death three different times (cf. 1 Sam 18:10-11; 19:10). He began to hate even his own children, attempting to use his two daughters as bait to kill David (cf. 1 Sam 18:17, 20-21), and trying to murder his son Jonathan simply because he sided with David (cf. 1 Sam 20:33).

Saul’s relationship with God became so distant that he felt the only place he could get spiritual guidance was from a spiritist medium, the very kind that he had previously outlawed and placed under the sentence of death (1 Sam 28:5-9). In essence, Saul went insane, overwhelmed with paranoia (cf. 1 Sam 22:6-8), fear (1 Sam 28:5), and violent mood swings from obsession to deep remorse over his desire to kill David (cf. 1 Sam 24:1-2; 26:21).

Finally, only a man supernaturally controlled by demons would order the murder of eighty five innocent priests, and all the “men . . . women . . . children . . . infants . . . cattle, donkeys and sheep” in “Nob, the town of the priests” (cf. 1 Sam 22:16-19), simply because they helped the man of God, David. This is supernatural evil, caused by the supernatural influence of demonic spirits on a person.

Likewise, was it not supernatural evil for a man like Judas who had personally witnessed Christ’s power and virtue for several years, and even experienced His miracle working power himself (cf. Matt 10:1-4), to betray his mentor? It would seem the Gospels themselves mark Judas’ desire to betray his master with demonic possession, Luke apparently implying such a sequence when he writes:

Then satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And [then] Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. (Luke 22:3-5)

Perhaps Judas himself was overwhelmed by the supernatural evil in his betrayal, and accordingly, Matthew records later:

When Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.” So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. (Matt 27:3-5)

Even if we didn’t have the express statement that Judas was demon possessed, we might infer it from such attributes. We would suggest that many instances in humanity of greater than usual evil, such as existed in Adolf Hitler (1889-1945), were a result of the demonic spiritual miracle working of possession. This will certainly be the case with the antichrist who will “make war against the saints,” (Rev 13:7), exhibiting supernatural immorality.

God’s purpose for allowing such demonic spiritual miracle working as in possession is not always entirely clear. However, at times it would seem to be a part of His punishment for considerable sin and rebellion against Him. We are reminded of the downward spiral of spiritual depravity in Romans chapter one in which because of an exceptionally evil heart, God delivers people over to exceptional evil (cf. Rom 1:21-31). Nonetheless, whatever the reason, we can be assured that nothing, including demonic possession, occurs without His permission and the assurance that it somehow fits in God’s ultimate plan for the Universe.

Extras & Endnotes

Gauging Your Grasp

1. What Scriptures indicate that satan can perform miracles?
2. Who do we claim is a modern day demonic miracle worker? Would you agree or disagree?
3. What are God’s purpose for giving the devil and his demons supernatural powers to work miracles? Give biblical examples of each.
4. What is satan’s version of God indwelling His people with the Spirit? Why do we call this a spiritual miracle?
5. What are some biblical examples of demonic possession? What were the affects?

Recommended Reading

• For further discussion on demonic miracle working, its detection, and modern examples see chapters 11.11-13.

Publications & Particulars

1. John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, Prefatory Address; online at http://www.ccel.org. ↑

2. Norm Geisler, Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics (Baker, 1999), 451, 473. ↑

3. Classical Apologetics: A Rational Defense of the Christian Faith and a Critique of Presuppositional Apologetics (Academie Books, 1984), 158. ↑

4. Gleason Archer, The Encyclopedia of Biblical Difficulties (Zondervan, 1982), 113. ↑

5. C. S. Lewis, Miracles: A Preliminary Study (Macmillan, 1947), 159. ↑

6. Accordingly, C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch remark on Exodus 7:11:

   [W]ho can tell what the ancient [sorcerers] may have been able to effect, or may have pretended to effect, at a time when the demoniacal power of heathenism existed in its unbroken force? The magicians summoned by Pharaoh also turned their sticks into snakes (v. 12); a fact which naturally excites the suspicion that the sticks themselves were only rigid snakes, though, with our very limited acquaintance with the dark domain of heathen conjuring, the possibility of their working “lying wonders after the working of Satan,” i.e., supernatural things (2 Thess 2:9), cannot be absolutely denied.

   The words, “They also, the chartummim of Egypt, did in like manner with their enchantments,” are undoubtedly based upon the assumption, that the conjurers of Egypt not only pretended to possess the art of turning snakes into sticks, but [actually had the ability] of turning sticks into snakes as well, so that in the persons of the conjurers Pharaoh summoned the might of the gods of Egypt to oppose the might of Jehovah, the God of the Hebrews.

   For these magicians, whom the Apostle Paul calls Jannes and Jambres, according to the Jewish tradition (2 Tim 3:8), were not common jugglers, but חֲכָמִים “wise men,” men educated in human and divine wisdom, and חַרְטֻתִּים, ἱερογραμματεῖς, belonging to the priestly caste (Gen 41:8); so that the power of their gods was manifested in their secret [not necessarily merely magical] arts (לְהָטִים from לָהַט to conceal, to act secretly, like לָטִים in v. 22 from לוּט). (Commentary on the Old Testament, Electronic Edition STEP Files CD-ROM [Findex.com, 2000], loc. cit.) ↑

7. F. F. Bruce interprets pseudous in 2 Thessalonians 2:9 as an adjectival genitive meaning “lying,” not false or fake. (1 & 2 Thessalonians (WBC) [Word, 1982], 173.

   More recently, NT scholar Robert Thomas explains concerning the antichrist:

   A superhuman person will utilize the supernatural means of “miracles, signs and wonders.” . . . They will not be “counterfeit” but genuine supernatural feats to produce false impressions, deluding people to the point of accepting the lie as truth. . . . pseudous is probably not a genitive of description, “counterfeit,” telling the intrinsic quality of the miracles (contra Lenski, p. 426). Emphasis on deceit and “the lie” in the next two verses shows these to be miracles “leading to a lie” (Ellicott, p. 116). A genitive of the object is therefore preferable. (1 & 2 Thessalonians (EBC) [Zondervan, n.d.], in loc)

   Likewise, John Stott comments:

   Just as the ministry of Jesus was accredited by ‘miracles, wonders and signs’, and also the ministry of the Apostle Paul, so the ministry of Antichrist will be accompanied by (though not authenticated by) miracles. For his will be counterfeit miracles, probably not in the sense that they will be fakes, but in the sense that they will deceive rather than enlighten. (The Message of 1 & 2 Thessalonians [Intervarsity, 1994], 172)

   Unfortunately, William Mounce in his Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words (Zondervan, 2006), supports the error of seeing these demonic miracles as “counterfeit” (403). Also unfortunate is that the New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Colin Brown, ed., 4 vols., (Zondervan, 1986), doesn’t even comment on 2 Thess 2:9. BADG translates: “deceptive wonders” for pseudo at 2 Thess 2:9 (A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature, Walter Bauer, W. F. Arndt, F. W Danker, F. W. Gingrich, 3^rd ed. [Chicago University Press, 2000] ↑

8. Actually, in our opinion, most translations get this wrong by suggesting that psuedos refers to the false nature of the demonic miracles, rather than their deceptive effect. In addition to the NIV, the NLT and NCV use “counterfeit,” NASB, ESV, and TEV use “false”, and the RSV and CEV use “pretend” to refer to the nature of the miracles. TMSG is perhaps worse with, “The Anarchist’s coming is all Satan’s work. All his power and signs and miracles are fake, evil sleight of hand.”

   On the other hand, the KJV, NKJV, NRSV use “lying” referring to the effect, as does the JB with “deceptive.” ↑

9. Gordon Fee, God’s Empowering Presence (Hendrickson, 1994), 76. ↑

10. Leon Morris, 1 & 2 Thessalonians (TNTC) (Eerdmans, 1984), 133. ↑

11. Regarding the distinguishing of divine vs. demonic miracles see chapter 11.13. ↑

12. Simon Magus was thought to be a demonically empowered miracle worker. See section 11.12.A. ↑

13. Origen, Against Celsus, III.25; online at http://www.ccel.org. ↑

14. Excerpted from section 10.2.A.6. ↑

15. D. A. Carson, “Matthew” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Frank E. Gaebelein ed. CD-ROM (Zondervan, n.d.), in loc. ↑

16. NT scholar Gregory Beale defends our suggestion in his entry to the NIGTC that John is speaking of a real death and resurrection when he writes:

    The conditional translation of [os esphagmenēn] in virtually all English versions (e.g., NASB and Moffatt: “as if it had been slain”; KJV and Douay: “as it were wounded”; RSV and NIV: “seemed to have a mortal wound”; likewise NEB, NRSV, and JB) is misleading and makes it appear as if the beast only looked slain but was not. “As slain” is a much better translation. The phrase is an intended parody of the Lamb in 5:6, where the almost identical [os esphagmenon] is to be translated as “standing as slain” (see on 5:6). Both there and here a real death . . . is portrayed. (The Book of Revelation (NIGTC) [Eerdmans, 2000], 688-89).

    However, Dr. Beale does not believe this event is real, either in the past or future, but writes concerning what we would suggest is an erroneous perspective on Revelation: “No specific prophesied historical events are discerned in the book, except for the final coming of Christ to deliver and judge and to establish the final form of the kingdom in a consummated new creation” (48). For a critique of Dr. Beale’s view see 9.? ↑

17. Accordingly, many commentators note that the prefix “anti” does not only carry the meaning of opposing, but replacing. See Stott, Thessalonians, 109-110. ↑

18. For further discussion on distinguishing divine from demonic miracles see chapter 11.13 ↑

19. Harper’s Encyclopedia of Mystical & Paranormal Experience (EMPE), Rosemary E. Guiley (Harper Collins, 1991), 525-27. For further discussion of sai baba see section ? ↑

20. Regarding the importance of distinguishing the demonic from the divine see sections 11.11.A-B. ↑

21. In agreement with our point above that satan can do real miracles, Keil and Delitzsch write concerning Deuteronomy 13:1-3:

    With regard to the signs and wonders (mopheth, see at Ex 4:21) with which such a prophet might seek to accredit his higher mission, it is taken for granted that they come to pass (בֹּוא); yet for all that, the Israelites were to give no heed to such a prophet, to walk after other gods.

    It follows from this, that the person had not been sent by God, but as a false Prophet, and that the signs and wonders which he gave were not . . . merely seeming miracles, but miracles wrought in the power of the wicked one, Satan, the possibility and reality of which even Christ attests (Matt 24:24). ↑