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The Story of Redemption
thus be elevated to a position where his efforts to keep His law could
be accepted.
The angels related to them the grief that was felt in heaven as
it was announced that they had transgressed the law of God, which
had made it expedient for Christ to make the great sacrifice of His
own precious life.
When Adam and Eve realized how exalted and sacred was the
law of God, the transgression of which made so costly a sacrifice
necessary to save them and their posterity from utter ruin, they
pleaded to die themselves, or to let them and their posterity endure
the penalty of their transgression, rather than that the beloved Son
of God should make this great sacrifice. The anguish of Adam was
increased. He saw that his sins were of so great magnitude as to
involve fearful consequences. And must it be that heaven’s honored
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Commander, who had walked with him and talked with him while
in his holy innocence, whom angels honored and worshiped, must
be brought down from his exalted position to die because of his
transgression?
Adam was informed that an angel’s life could not pay the debt.
The law of Jehovah, the foundation of His government in heaven
and upon earth, was as sacred as God Himself; and for this reason
the life of an angel could not be accepted of God as a sacrifice for
its transgression. His law is of more importance in His sight than
the holy angels around His throne. The Father could not abolish or
change one precept of His law to meet man in his fallen condition.
But the Son of God, who had in unison with the Father created man,
could make an atonement for man acceptable to God, by giving His
life a sacrifice and bearing the wrath of His Father. Angels informed
Adam that, as his transgression had brought death and wretchedness,
life and immortality would be brought to light through the sacrifice
of Jesus Christ.
A View of the Future
To Adam were revealed future important events, from his expul-
sion from Eden to the Flood, and onward to the first advent of Christ
upon the earth; His love for Adam and his posterity would lead the
Son of God to condescend to take human nature, and thus elevate,