Section 32

“They make the same foolish claims concerning the water of the river. They may see that heavy rain has fallen in the regions of Ethiopia and know that this produces the flooding of the river. Before the water reaches Egypt, they run ahead and announce it. Human beings could do the same if they had the same speed as the demons.

“David’s watchman climbed to a high place and saw a man approaching sooner than someone standing below could have seen him. The runner who went ahead reported, before the others arrived, not something that had not yet happened but something already on its way and in the process of happening. In the same way the demons choose to exert themselves and report to others what is already taking place, simply so that they can deceive.

“But if Providence meanwhile determines something different concerning the waters or the travelers—and Providence is able to do this—the demons are shown to be wrong, and those who trusted them are deceived.