patriarchs and prophets-第6章

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and　therefore；　called　forth　no　gratitude　to　his　Creator。　He　glorified　in　his
brightness　and　exaltation　and　aspired　to　be　equal　with　God。　He　was　beloved
and　reverenced　by　the　heavenly　host；　angels　delighted　to　execute　his
commands；　and　he　was　clothed　with　wisdom　and　glory　above　them　all。　Yet　the
Son　of　God　was　exalted　above　him；　as　one　in　power　and　authority　with　the
Father。　He　shared　the　Father's　counsels；　while　Lucifer　did　not　thus　enter
into　the　purposes　of　God。　〃Why；〃　questioned　this　mighty　angel；　〃should
Christ　have　the　supremacy？　Why　is　He　honored　above　Lucifer？〃

Leaving　his　place　in　the　immediate　presence　of　the　Father；　Lucifer　went
forth　to　diffuse　the　spirit　of　discontent　among　the　angels。　He　worked　with
mysterious　secrecy；　and　for　a　time　concealed　his　real　purpose　under　an
appearance　of　reverence　for　God。　He　began　to　insinuate　doubts　concerning　the
laws　that　governed　heavenly　beings；　intimating　that　though　laws　might　be
necessary　for　the　inhabitants　of　the　worlds；　angels；　being　more　exalted；
needed　no　such　restraint；　for　their　own　wisdom　was　a　sufficient　guide。　They
were　not　beings　that　could　bring　dishonor　to　God；　all　their　thoughts　were
holy；　it　was　no　more　possible　for　them　than　for　God　Himself　to　err。　The
exaltation　of　the　Son　of　God　as　equal　with　the　Father　was　represented　as　an
injustice　to　Lucifer；　who；　it　was　claimed；　was　also　entitled　to　reverence
and　honor。　If　this　prince　of　angels　could　but　attain　to　his　true；　exalted
position；　great　good　would　accrue　to　the　entire　host　of　heaven；　for　it　was
his　object　to　secure　freedom　for　all。　But　now　even　the　liberty　which　they
had　hitherto　enjoyed　was　at　an　end；　for　an　absolute　Ruler　had　been　appointed
them；　and　to　His　authority　all　must　pay　homage。　Such　were　the　subtle
deceptions　that　through　the　wiles　of　Lucifer　were　fast　obtaining　in　the
heavenly　courts。

38


There　had　been　no　change　in　the　position　or　authority　of　Christ。　Lucifer's
envy　and　misrepresentation　and　his　claims　to　equality　with　Christ　had　made
necessary　a　statement　of　the　true　position　of　the　Son　of　God；　but　this　had
been　the　same　from　the　beginning。　Many　of　the　angels　were；　however；　blinded
by　Lucifer's　deceptions。

Taking　advantage　of　the　loving；　loyal　trust　reposed　in　him　by　the　holy
beings　under　his　command；　he　had　so　artfully　instilled　into　their　minds　his
own　distrust　and　discontent　that　his　agency　was　not　discerned。　Lucifer　had
presented　the　purposes　of　God　in　a　false　lightmisconstruing　and　distorting
them　to　excite　dissent　and　dissatisfaction。　He　cunningly　drew　his　hearers　on
to　give　utterance　to　their　feelings；　then　these　expressions　were　repeated　by
him　when　it　would　serve　his　purpose；　as　evidence　that　the　angels　were　not
fully　in　harmony　with　the　government　of　God。　While　claiming　for　himself
perfect　loyalty　to　God；　he　urged　that　changes　in　the　order　and　laws　of
heaven　were　necessary　for　the　stability　of　the　divine　government。　Thus　while
working　to　excite　opposition　to　the　law　of　God　and　to　instill　his　own
discontent　into　the　minds　of　the　angels　under　him；　he　was　ostensibly　seeking
to　remove　dissatisfaction　and　to　reconcile　disaffected　angels　to　the　order
of　heaven。　While　secretly　fomenting　discord　and　rebellion；　he　with
consummate　craft　caused　it　to　appear　as　his　sole　purpose　to　promote　loyalty
and　to　preserve　harmony　and　peace。

The　spirit　of　dissatisfaction　thus　kindled　was　doing　its　baleful　work。　While
there　was　no　open　outbreak；　division　of　feeling　imperceptibly　grew　up　among
the　angels。　There　were　some　who　looked　with　favor　upon　Lucifer's
insinuations　against　the　government　of　God。　Although　they　had　heretofore
been　in　perfect　harmony　with　the　order　which　God　had　established；　they　were
now　discontented　and　unhappy　because　they　could　not　penetrate　His
unsearchable　counsels；　they　were　dissatisfied　with　His　purpose　in　exalting
Christ。　These　stood　ready　to　second　Lucifer's　demand　for　equal　authority
with　the　Son　of　God。　But　angels　who　were　loyal　and　true　maintained　the
wisdom　and　justice　of　he　divine　decree　and　endeavored　to　reconcile　this
disaffected　being　to　the　will　of　God。　Christ　was　the　Son　of　God；　He　had　been
one　with　Him　before　the　angels　were　called　into　existence。　He　had　ever　stood
at　the　right　hand　of　the　Father；　His　supremacy；　so　full　of　blessing　to　all
who　came　under　its　benignant　control；　had　not　heretofore

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　39

been　questioned。　The　harmony　of　heaven　had　never　been　interrupted；　wherefore
should　there　now　be　discord？　The　loyal　angels　could　see　only　terrible
consequences　from　this　dissension；　and　with　earnest　entreaty　they　counseled
the　disaffected　ones　to　renounce　their　purpose　and　prove　themselves　loyal　to
God　by　fidelity　to　His　government。

In　great　mercy；　according　to　His　divine　character；　God　bore　long　with
Lucifer。　The　spirit　of　discontent　and　disaffection　had　never　before　been
known　in　heaven。　It　was　a　new　element；　strange；　mysterious；　unaccountable。
Lucifer　himself　had　not　at　first　been　acquainted　with　the　real　nature　of　his
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　ang