Chapter 1—The Fall of Satan
The Lord has shown me that Satan was once an honored angel in
heaven, next to Jesus Christ. His countenance was mild, expressive
of happiness like the other angels. His forehead was high and broad,
and showed great intelligence. His form was perfect. He had a noble,
majestic bearing. And I saw that when God said to his Son, Let us
make man in our image, Satan was jealous of Jesus. He wished to be
consulted concerning the formation of man. He was filled with envy,
jealousy and hatred. He wished to be the highest in heaven, next to
God, and receive the highest honors. Until this time all heaven was in
order, harmony and perfect subjection to the government of God.
It was the highest sin to rebel against the order and will of God.
All heaven seemed in commotion. The angels were marshaled in
companies with a commanding angel at their head. All the angels
were astir. Satan was insinuating against the government of God,
ambitious to exalt himself, and unwilling to submit to the authority of
[18]
Jesus. Some of the angels sympathized with Satan in his rebellion, and
others strongly contended for the honor and wisdom of God in giving
authority to his Son. And there was contention with the angels. Satan
and his affected ones, who were striving to reform the government
of God, wished to look into his unsearchable wisdom to ascertain
his purpose in exalting Jesus, and endowing him with such unlimited
power and command. They rebelled against the authority of the Son
of God, and all the angels were summoned to appear before the Father,
to have their cases decided. And it was decided that Satan should be
expelled from heaven, and that the angels, all who joined with Satan
in the rebellion, should be turned out with him. Then there was war in
heaven. Angels were engaged in the battle; Satan wished to conquer
the Son of God, and those who were submissive to his will. But the
good and true angels prevailed, and Satan, with his followers, was
driven from heaven.
After Satan was shut out of heaven, with those who fell with him,
he realized that he had lost all the purity and glory of heaven forever.
15