In Isaiah, chapter thirty-three, verse one, “Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! when thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled; and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee.” The immediate application is to the Assyrians; the ultimate application is to the antichrist and Satan himself. John in Revelation nineteen, verse twenty, describes the false prophet by one outstanding characteristic: he deceived many by performing miraculous signs.
Satan can only counterfeit the genuine things of God. God will do great and mighty things in the end-time; therefore, Satan seeks to counter and deceive by his own counterfeit miracles. In the last days, those who seek to persevere in faithfulness to Christ and His commandments, as in Revelation fourteen, verse twelve, must not base their evaluation of truth solely upon outward success or miracles. The Lord Himself solemnly warns: “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”
The power of Satan will not last forever, for God will throw him into the lake of burning sulfur. There he will not rule, but will be tormented day and night forever. In Isaiah fourteen, verses nine to ten, “Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? Art thou become like unto us? Thee that thou spoilest others will eventually be spoiled himself.