Satan first deluded men by introducing the worship of many gods (polytheism) and then when God called Abraham and his seed to witness against this evil, Satan was ready with the lie that there were two gods—one of light and the other of darkness. God then spoke through Isaiah the prophet against the devil’s falsehood of dualism. Israel’s distinct testimony for God, insofar as there was faithfulness, was that Jehovah alone was God—Jehovah being the name by which He had revealed Himself in covenant relationship with Israel.
The Revelation of the Trinity
When we come to the New Testament, we find a further revelation of God, for there we find that there are three distinct Persons in the one Godhead—God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The word “Trinity” has been used to express this blessed truth. That each one of the Persons of the Godhead is God is definitely affirmed in the Scriptures: “My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God” speaks of the Father as God (John 20:1717Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. (John 20:17)). “This is the true God, and eternal life” is conclusive evidence that the Son is God (1 John 5:2020For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth: and he will show him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. (John 5:20)). Many verses speak of the distinctness of the Person of the Holy Spirit and of His deity. In Acts 5 Peter charged Ananias with lying to the Holy Spirit in verse 3, and then in verse 4 he says, “Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.” Of whom but God could it be said that He (the Holy Spirit) divides to every man severally as He will (1 Cor. 12:11)?
While there are intimations in the Old Testament that there are three Persons in the Godhead, it was not really disclosed until the baptism of the Lord Jesus—the Son—in the Jordan River. At that time the heavens were opened on that fair Object on earth, and the Father spoke to the Son, saying, “Thou art My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him (Mark 1:10-1110And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: 11And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Mark 1:10‑11); Matt. 3:1616And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: (Matthew 3:16); Luke 3:2222And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased. (Luke 3:22)).
The Witness in the Old Testament
This revelation of the Trinity was obstinately refused by the Jews, although the Old Testament, which they professed to believe and honor, intimated it; for instance, the very first verse of Genesis 1 was an enigma until this light shone upon it. “In the beginning God created” as written in the Hebrew language has a plural noun (Elohim) combined with a singular verb (created). The inference very plainly is that Elohim includes the different Persons of the Godhead, and the singular verb indicates their acting as one in creation. (We should note, however, that when the creation is attributed to any one Person of the Godhead in particular, it is to the Son [Col. 1:1616For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (Colossians 1:16); Heb. 1:22Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; (Hebrews 1:2)].) The same thing is also seen in connection with the creation of man. In Genesis 1:2626And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:26) we read, “God [Elohim] said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness.”
The Counterfeit
The day is coming soon when Satan will have another counterfeit with which to oppose the Trinity of the Godhead. He will himself head up a trinity of evil. He will give his power to the coming head of the revived Roman Empire (called in Scripture “the beast”), and together they will work with the apostate head of Israel in the land of Palestine (the false prophet that speaks lies) in a last, desperate attempt to frustrate God’s purposes concerning His King in Zion.
In one sense, the false prophet is called the antichrist, but in another sense the whole wicked triumvirate will be anti (or, against) Christ — Christ in His threefold character of prophet, priest and king. The head of the Jewish state will be “anti-prophet,” for he will speak lies and perform lying wonders; the head of the Roman confederacy will be “anti-king,” for he will be the ruler who will exercise great power and defy God and His Christ; the devil himself is “anti-priest,” for he is the accuser of the brethren, and at that time he will throw his power into the fight against the remnant who fear God.
All Enemies Put Down
But all the power and wit of man and devil shall not avail, for Christ will come at the appointed hour and cast the beast and false prophet into the lake of fire (Rev. 19:2020And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. (Revelation 19:20)), and the devil will be cast into the bottomless pit for one thousand years, after which he will also be cast into the lake of fire where the beast and false prophet will still be (Rev. 20:1-3,101And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. (Revelation 20:1‑3)
10And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:10)). All the might of the darkness of this world must give way before Him when He comes to make His enemies His footstool (Psa. 110:11<<A Psalm of David.>> The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. (Psalm 110:1)), and He must reign until He shall have put all enemies under His feet (1 Cor. 15:25). And to think that He will associate us who believe on Him in the day of His rejection with Himself in that day when He shall rule the nations with a rod of iron (Psa. 2:99Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. (Psalm 2:9); Rev. 2:2727And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. (Revelation 2:27))!
“Lord, haste that day of cloudless ray,
That prospect bright, unfailing;
Where God shall shine in light divine,
In glory never fading.”
P. Wilson