p. 6 | Satan’s Last Stand by W. A. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Nov 5, 1903

Satan’s Last Stand

By W. A. S.

The hour has come for God’s work in the earth to be finished. The special effort of Satan to frustrate the forward movement called for at this time furnishes cheering, though in another sense, saddening evidence that the time can no longer be delayed.

The enemy can see as well as any down the shining advent pathway to the gates of the city of God. He can see that it is only a little way now; and there falls upon our ears the warning cry from heaven: “Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”

There are two advents before us, the coming of Satan in his final and crowning work of deception, and the coming of Christ in power and glory that shall literally consume the evil one’s counterfeit display. There are two gospels in the world, the gospel of preparation for the coming of the Lord, and the false gospel of preparation for the coming of Satan.

We need not expect that Satan will rightly label his wares. When he comes to deceive if possible the very elect, he will not come in his true colors. He is to come, in the name of philanthropy and religion, as the great humanitarian and healer and medical missionary, in a guise to win the hearts of all who have forgotten the waymarks to the city of God. And the gospel of Satan’s coming is preceding him, just as surely as the gospel of Christ’s coming is preparing the way of the Lord. The enemy’s gospel is sweeping over the world to-day, in religio-scientific phrase, preparing multitudes to hail him at last as the Christ of God. Truly it matters much which gospel a man is preaching, and under which standard we are marching.

It is startling to be brought face to face with a realization of the fact that the time has come when Satan is definitely preparing for his final act in the awful tragedy of deception and sin. We must not remain ignorant of his devices now; for he is knocking at our own doors. We have heard his gospel in our own public assemblies. He is the same who once in heaven dragged a third of the angels from the very throne of God down to destruction. By the same methods he is at work to-day.

But the shield of the faith of Jesus can quench every fiery dart. The clean heart gives the clear vision, with no admixture of the proud self-confidence that brings the snare. The simple advent message that has made us a people, and built up all there is in this great movement, will finish the work which our fathers began. The effort of the enemy to hold back this movement just now, and to throw the advancing ranks into confusion, is an added evidence that the set time has come to enter into the land.

With the Macedonian cry sounding from all the wide world, and a loyal people waking up and ready to respond in the greatest missionary campaign we have ever undertaken, we may ring out the good old advent hymn with a new inspiration,—

“The path to glory now is bright, The Bridegroom soon will come.”

W. A. S.