patriarchs and prophets-第6节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


feelings；　for　a　time　he　had　feared　to　express　the　workings　and　imaginings　of
his　mind；　yet　he　did　not　dismiss　them。　He　did　not　see　whither　he　was
drifting。　But　such　efforts　as　infinite　love　and　wisdom　only　could　devise；
were　made　to　convince　him　of　his　error。　His　disaffection　was　proved　to　be
without　cause；　and　he　was　made　to　see　what　would　be　the　result　of　persisting
in　revolt。　Lucifer　was　convinced　that　he　was　in　the　wrong。　He　saw　that　〃the
Lord　is　righteous　in　all　His　ways；　and　holy　in　all　His　works〃　（Psalm
145：17）；　that　the　divine　statutes　are　just；　and　that　he　ought　to　acknowledge
them　as　such　before　all　heaven。　Had　he　done　this；　he　might　have　saved
himself　and　many　angels。　He　had　not　at　that　time　fully　cast　off　his
allegiance　to　God。　Though　he　had　left　his　position　as　covering　cherub；　yet
if　he　had　been　willing　to　return　to　God；　acknowledging　the　Creator's　wisdom；
and　satisfied　to　fill　the　place　appointed　him　in　God's　great　plan；　he　would
have　been　reinstated　in　his　office。　The　time　had　come　for　a　final　decision；
he　must　fully　yield　to　the　divine　sovereignty　or　place　himself　in　open
rebellion。　He　nearly　reached　the　decision　to　return；　but　pride　forbade　him。
It　was　too　great　a　sacrifice　for　one　who　had　been　so　highly　honored　to
confess　that　he　had　been　in　error；　that　his　imaginings　were　false；　and　to
yield　to　the　authority　which　he　had　been　working　to　prove　unjust。

A　compassionate　Creator；　in　yearning　pity　for　Lucifer　and　his　followers；　was
seeking　to　draw　them　back　from　the　abyss　of　ruin　into　which　they　were　about
to　plunge。　But　His　mercy　was　misinterpreted。　Lucifer　pointed　to　the
long…suffering　of　God　as　an　evidence　of　his　own　superiority；　an　indication
that　the　King　of　the　universe　would　yet　accede　to　his　terms。　If　the　angels
would　stand　firmly　with　him；　he　declared；　they　could　yet　gain　all　that

40

they　desired。　He　persistently　defended　his　own　course；　and　fully　committed
himself　to　the　great　controversy　against　his　Maker。　Thus　it　was　that
Lucifer；　〃the　light　bearer；〃　the　sharer　of　God's　glory；　the　attendant　of　His
throne；　by　transgression　became　Satan；　〃the　adversary〃　of　God　and　holy
beings　and　the　destroyer　of　those　whom　Heaven　had　committed　to　his　guidance
and　guardianship。

Rejecting　with　disdain　the　arguments　and　entreaties　of　the　loyal　angels；　he
denounced　them　as　deluded　slaves。　The　preference　shown　to　Christ　he　declared
an　act　of　injustice　both　to　himself　and　to　all　the　heavenly　host；　and
announced　that　he　would　no　longer　submit　to　this　invasion　of　his　rights　and
theirs。　He　would　never　again　acknowledge　the　supremacy　of　Christ。　He　had
determined　to　claim　the　honor　which　should　have　been　given　him；　and　take
command　of　all　who　would　become　his　followers；　and　he　promised　those　would
enter　his　ranks　a　new　and　better　government；　under　which　all　would　enjoy
freedom。　Great　numbers　of　the　angels　signified　their　purpose　to　accept　him
as　their　leader。　Flattered　by　the　favor　with　which　his　advances　were
received；　he　hoped　to　win　all　the　angels　to　his　side；　to　become　equal　with
God　Himself；　and　to　be　obeyed　by　the　entire　host　of　heaven。

Still　the　loyal　angels　urged　him　and　his　sympathizers　to　submit　to　God；　and
they　set　before　them　the　inevitable　result　should　they　refuse：　He　who　had
created　them　could　overthrow　their　power　and　signally　punish　their
rebellious　daring。　No　angel　could　successfully　oppose　the　law　of　God；　which
was　as　sacred　as　Himself。　They　warned　all　to　close　their　ears　against
Lucifer's　deceptive　reasoning；　and　urged　him　and　his　followers　to　seek　the
presence　of　God　without　delay　and　confess　the　error　of　questioning　His
wisdom　and　authority。

Many　were　disposed　to　heed　this　counsel；　to　repent　of　their　disaffection；
and　seek　to　be　again　received　into　favor　with　the　Father　and　His　Son。　But
Lucifer　had　another　deception　ready。　The　mighty　revolter　now　declared　that
the　angels　who　had　united　with　him　had　gone　too　far　to　return；　that　he　was
acquainted　with　the　divine　law；　and　knew　that　God　would　not　forgive。　He
declared　that　all　who　should　submit　to　the　authority　of　Heaven　would　be
stripped　of　their　honor；　degraded　from　their　position。　For　himself；　he　was
determined　never　again　to　acknowledge　the

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　41

authority　of　Christ。　The　only　course　remaining　for　him　and　his　followers；　he
said；　was　to　assert　their　liberty；　and　gain　by　force　the　rights　which　had
not　been　willingly　accorded　them。

So　far　as　Satan　himself　was　concerned；　it　was　true　that　he　had　now　gone　too
far　to　return。　But　not　so　with　those　who　had　been　blinded　by　his　deceptions。
To　them　the　counsel　and　entreaties　of　the　loyal　angels　opened　a　door　of
hope；　and　had　they　heeded　the　warning；　they　might　have　broken　away　from　the
snare　of　Satan。　But　pride；　love　for　their　leader；　and　the　desire　for
unrestricted　freedom　were　permitted　to　bear　sway；　and　the　pleadings　of
divine　love　and　mercy　were　finally　rejected。

God　permitted　Satan　to　carry　forward　his　work　until　the　spirit　of
disaffection　ripened　into　active　revolt。　It　was　necessary　for　his　plans　to
be　fully　developed；　that　their　true　nature　and　tendency　might　be　seen　by
all。　Lucifer；　as　the　anointed　cherub；　had　been　highly　exalted；　he　was
greatly　loved　by　the　heavenly　beings；　and　his　influence　over　them　was
strong。　God's　government　included　not　only　the　inhabitants　of　heaven；　but　of
all　the　worlds　that　He　had　created；　and　Lucifer　had　concluded　that　if　he
could　carry　the　angels　of　heaven　with　him　in　rebellion；　he　could　carry　also
all　the　worlds。　He　had　artfully　presented　his　side　of　the　question；
employing　sophistry　and　fraud　to　secure　his　objects。　His　power　to　deceive
was　very　great。　By　disguising　himself　in　a　cloak　of　falsehood；　he　had　gained
an　advantage。　All　his　acts　were　so　clothed　with　mystery　that　it　was
difficult　to　disclose　to　the　angels　the　true　nature　of　his　work。　Until　fully
developed；　it　could　not　be　made　to　appear　the　evil　thing　it　was；　his
disaffection　would　not　be　seen　to　be　rebellion。　Even　the　loyal　angels　could
not　fully　discern　his　character　or　see　to　what　his　work　was　leading。

Lucifer　had　at　first　so　conducted　his　temptations　that　he　himself　stood
uncommitted。　The　angels　whom　he　could　not　bring　fully　to　his　side；　he
accused　of　indifference　to　the　interests　of　heavenly　beings。　The　very　work
which　he　himself　was　doing；　he　charged　upon　the　loyal　angels。　It　was　his
policy　to　perplex　with　subtle　arguments　concerning　the　purposes　of　God。
Everything　that　was　simple　he　shrouded　in　mystery；　and　by　artful　perversion
cast　doubt　upon　the　plainest　statements　of　Jehovah。　And　his　high　position；
so　closely　connected　with　the　divine　government；　gave　greater　force　to　his
representations。

42


God　could　employ　only　such　means　as　were　consistent　with　truth　and
righteousness。　Satan　could　use　what　God　could　not　flattery　and　deceit。　He
had　sought　to　falsify　the　word　of　God　and　had　misrepresented　His　plan　of
government；　claiming　that　God　was　not　just　in　imposing　laws　upon　the　angels；
that　in　requiring　submission　and　obedience　from　His　creatures；　He　was
seeking　merely　the　exaltation　of　Himself。　It　was　therefore　necessary　to
demonstrate　before　the　inhabitants　of　heaven；　and　of　all　the　worlds；　that
God's　government　is　just；　His　law　perfect。　Satan　had　made　it　appear　that　he
himself　was　seeking　to　promote　the　good　of　the　universe。　The　true　character
of　the　usurper　and　his　real　object　must　be　understood　by　all。　He　must　have
time　to　manifest　himself　by　his　wicked　works。

The　discord　which　his　own　course　had　caused　in　heaven；　Satan　charged　upon
the　government　of　God。　All　evil　he　declared　to　be　the　result　of　the　divine
administration。　He　claimed　that　it　was　his　own　object　to　improve　upon　the
statutes　of　Jehovah。　Therefore　God　permitted　him　to　demonstrate　the　nature
of　his　claims；　to　show　the　working　out　of　his　proposed　changes　in　the　divine
law。　His　own　work　must　condemn　him。　Satan　had　claimed　from　the　first　that　he
was　not　in　rebellion。　The　whole　universe　must　see　deceiver　unmasked。

Even　when　he　was　cast　out　of　heaven。　Infinite　Wisdom　did　not　destroy　Satan。
Since　only　the　service　of　love　can　be　acceptable　to　God；　the　allegiance　of
His　creatures　must　rest　upon　a　conviction　of　His　justice　and　benevolence。
The　inhabitants　of　heaven　and　of　the　worlds；　being　unprepared　to　comprehend
the　nature　or　consequences　of　sin；　could　not　then　have　seen　the　justice　of
God　in　the　destruction　of　Satan。　Had　he　been　immediately　blotted　out　of
existence；　some　would　have　served　God　from　fear　rather　than　from　love。　The
influence　of　the　deceiver　would　not　have　been　fully　destroyed；　nor　would　be
the　spirit　of　rebellion　have　been　utterly　eradicated。　For　the　good　of　the
entire　universe　through　ceaseless　ages；　he　must　more　fully　developed　his
principles；　that　his　charges　against　the　divine　government　might　be　seen　in
their　true　light　by　all　created　beings；　and　that　the　justice　and　mercy　of
God　and　the　immutability　of　His　law　might　be　forever　placed　beyond　all
question。

Satan's　rebellion　was　to　be　a　lesson　to　the　universe　through　all　coming
agesa　perpetual　testimony　to　the　nature　of　sin　and　its