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The Beginning of Evil
There was a time when peace and harmony pervaded the entire
universe in a manner that is beyond our imagination. That harmony depended upon
all intelligent beings living in harmony with God’s principles of love:
The law of love being the foundation of the government of God,
the happiness of all intelligent beings depends upon their perfect accord with
its great principles of righteousness. God desires from all His creatures the
service of love—service that springs from an appreciation of His character. He
takes no pleasure in a forced obedience; and to all He grants freedom of will,
that they may render Him voluntary service.
So long as all created beings acknowledged the allegiance of
love, there was perfect harmony throughout the universe of God. It was the joy
of the heavenly host to fulfill the purpose of their Creator. They delighted in
reflecting His glory and showing forth His praise. And while love to God was
supreme, love for one another was confiding and unselfish. There was no note of
discord to mar the celestial harmonies. . . .
Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 34-35
How wonderful it must have been! Unfortunately, the
paragraph doesn’t end there.
. . . But a change came over this happy state. There
was one who perverted the freedom that God had granted to His creatures. Sin
originated with him who, next to Christ, had been most honored of God and was
highest in power and glory among the inhabitants of heaven. Lucifer, “son of
the morning,” was first of the covering cherubs, holy and undefiled. He stood
in the presence of the great Creator, and the ceaseless beams of glory
enshrouding the eternal God rested upon him. “Thus says the Lord God: ‘You were
the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden,
the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering. . . . You
were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; you were on the holy
mountain of God; you walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You
were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was
found in you.’ ” Ezekiel 28:12-15.
Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 35
Clearly, as the passage quoted from Ezekiel 28 bears out,
God created Lucifer a perfect being. However, this highly exalted angel dwelt
upon the talents of position and ability that God had given him until he
convinced himself that he was not receiving the honor he deserved:
Little by little Lucifer came to indulge the desire for
self-exaltation. The Scripture says, “Your heart was lifted up because of your
beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.” Ezekiel
28:17. “You have said in your heart: . . . I will exalt my throne
above the stars of God; . . . I will be like the Most High.” Isaiah
14:13, 14. Though all his glory was from God, this mighty angel came to
regard it as pertaining to himself. Not content with his position, though
honored above the heavenly host, he ventured to covet homage due alone to the
Creator. . . .
Now the perfect harmony of heaven was broken. Lucifer’s
disposition to serve himself instead of his Creator aroused a feeling of
apprehension when observed by those who considered that the glory of God should
be supreme. In heavenly council the angels pleaded with Lucifer. The Son of God
presented before him the greatness, the goodness, and the justice of the
Creator, and the sacred, unchanging nature of His law. God Himself had
established the order of heaven; and in departing from it, Lucifer would
dishonor his Maker and bring ruin upon himself. But the warning, given in
infinite love and mercy, only aroused a spirit of resistance. Lucifer allowed
his jealousy of Christ to prevail, and became the more determined.
Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 35-36
Employing deception and insinuation, Lucifer planted doubts
about God’s character:
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.
Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 36-37
What happened when
Lucifer persisted in open rebellion?
All Scriptures are quoted from the New King James Version,
including those originally quoted by Ellen White from the King James
Version.—Editors
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