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transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty.”
[Exodus 34:6, 7.]
In the banishment of Satan from Heaven, God declared his jus-
tice, and maintained the honor of his throne. But when man had
si
gave an evidence of his love by yielding up his only begotten Son to
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die for the fallen race. In the atonement the character of God stands
revealed. The mighty argument of the cross demonstrates to the
whole universe that God was in no wise responsible for the course
of sin that Lucifer had chosen; that it was no arbitrary withdrawal of
divine grace, no deficiency in the divine government, which inspired
in him the spirit of rebellion.
In the contest between Christ and Satan, during the Saviour’s
earthly ministry, the character of the great deceiver was unmasked.
Nothing could so effectually have uprooted Satan from the minds
and affections of the heavenly angels and the whole loyal universe
as did his cruel warfare upon the world’s Redeemer. The daring
blasphemy of his demand that Christ should pay him homage, his
presumptuous boldness in bearing him to the mountain summit and
the pi
him to cast himself down from the dizzy height, the unsleeping
malice that hunted him from place to place, inspiring the hearts of
priests and people to reject his love, and at the last to raise the cry
“Crucify him! crucify him!”—all this excited the amazement and
indignation of the universe.
It was Satan that prompted the world’s rejection of Christ. The
prince of evil exerted all his power and cu
for he saw that the Saviour’s mercy and love, his compassion and
pitying tenderness, were representing to the world the character of
God. Satan contested every claim put forth by the Son of God, and
employed men as his agents to fill the Saviour’s life with suffering
and sorrow. The sophistry and falsehood by which he had sought to
hinder the work of Jesus, the hatred manifested through the children
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The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4
of disobedience, his cruel accusations against Him whose life was
one of unexampled goodness, all sprang from deep-seated revenge.
The pent-up fires of envy and malice, hatred and revenge, burst forth
on Calvary against the Son of God, while all Heaven gazed upon the
scene in silent horror.
When the great sacrifice had been consummated, Christ ascended
on high, refusing the adoration of angels until he had preferred the
request, “I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me
where I am.” [John 17:24.] Then with inexpressible love and power came forth the answer from the Father’s throne, “Let all the angels
of God worship him.” [Hebrews 1:6.] Not a stain rested upon Jesus.
His humiliation ended, his sacrifice completed, there was given unto
him a name that is above every name.
Now the guilt of Satan stood forth without excuse. His lying
charges against the divine character and government appeared in
their true light. He had accused God of seeking merely the exaltation
of himself in requiring submission and obedience from his creatures,
and had declared that while the Creator exacted self-denial from all
others, he himself practiced no self-denial, and made no sacrifice.
Now it was seen that for the salvation of a fallen and sinful race,
the Ruler of the universe had made the greatest sacrifice which God
could make. It was seen, also, that while Lucifer had opened the
door for the entrance of sin, by his desire for honor and supremacy,
Christ had, in order to destroy sin, humbled himself, and become
obedient unto death.
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God had manifested his abhorrence of the principles of rebellion.
All Heaven saw his justice revealed, both in the condemnation of
Satan and in the redemption of man. Lucifer had declared God’s
law to be of such a character that its penalty could not be remitted,
and therefore every transgressor must be forever debarred from the
Creator’s favor. He had claimed that the sinful race were placed
beyond redemption, and were therefore his rightful prey. But the
death of Christ was an argument in man’s behalf that could not be
turned aside. He suffered the penalty of the law. God was just in
permitting his wrath to fall upon Him who was equal with himself,
and man was set free to accept the righteousness of Christ, and by a
life of penitence and humiliation to triumph as the Son of God had
triumphed over the power of Satan.
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215
God’s law stands fully vindicated. He is just, and yet the justifier
of all who believe in Jesus. Nothing less than this plan of atonement
could convince the whole universe of God’s justice.
In the final execution of the judgment it will be seen that no
cause for sin exists. When the Judge of all the earth shall demand
of Satan, “Why hast thou rebelled against me, and robbed me of
the subjects of my kingdom?” the originator of evil can render no
excuse. Every mouth will be stopped, and all the hosts of rebellion
will be speechless before the great tribunal.
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Chapter 25—Enmity Between Man and Satan
“I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between
thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise
his heel.” [Genesis 3:15.] The divine sentence pronounced against Satan after the fall of man, was also a prophecy, embracing all the
ages to the close of time, and foreshadowing the great conflict to
engage all the races of men who should live upon the earth.
God declares, “I will put enmity.” This enmity is not naturally
entertained. When man transgressed the divine law, his nature
became evil, and he was in harmony, and not at variance, with
Satan. There exists naturally no enmity between sinful man and
the originator of sin. Both became evil through apostasy. The
apostate is never at rest, except as he obtains sympathy and support
by inducing others to follow his example. For this reason, fallen
angels and wicked men unite in desperate companionship. Had
not God specially interposed, Satan and man would have entered
into an alliance against Heaven; and instead of cherishing enmity
against Satan, the whole human family would have been united in
opposition to God.
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Satan tempted man to sin, as he had caused angels to rebel, that
he might thus secure co-operation in his warfare against Heaven.
There was no dissension between himself and the fallen angels as
regards their hatred of Christ; while on all other points there was
discord, they were firmly united in opposing the authority of the
Ruler of the universe. But when Satan heard the declaration that