Origin of Evil
33
would be, to control, not to be controlled.—
The Review and Herald,
April 16, 1901
.
Many of Satan’s sympathizers were inclined to heed the counsel
of the loyal angels, and repent of their dissatisfaction, and be again
received to the confidence of the Father and his dear Son. The mighty
revolter then declared that he was acquainted with God’s law, and if
he should submit to servile obedience, his honor would be taken from
him. No more would he be intrusted with his exalted mission. He told
them that himself and they also had now gone too far to go back, and
he would brave the consequences; for to bow in servile worship to the
Son of God he never would; that God would not forgive, and now they
must assert their liberty and gain by force the position and authority
which was not willingly accorded them.—
The Spirit of Prophecy 1:20,
21
.
So far as Satan himself was concerned, it was true that he had now
gone too far to return. But not so with those who had been blinded
[43]
by his deceptions. To them the counsel and entreaties of the loyal
angels opened a door of hope; and had they heeded the warning, they
might have broken away from the snare of Satan. But pride, love for
their leader, and the desire for unrestricted freedom were permitted
to bear sway, and the pleadings of divine love and mercy were finally
rejected.—
Patriarchs and Prophets, 41
.
The Angels Appear Before the Father
All the heavenly host were summoned to appear before the Father,
to have each case determined. Satan unblushingly made known his
dissatisfaction that Christ should be preferred before him. He stood
up proudly and urged that he should be equal with God, and should
be taken into conference with the Father and understand His purposes.
God informed Satan that to His Son alone He would reveal His secret
purposes, and He required all the family in heaven, even Satan, to
yield Him implicit, unquestioned obedience; but that he had proved
himself unworthy a place in heaven. Then Satan exultingly pointed
to his sympathizers, comprising nearly one half of all the angels, and
exclaimed, These are with me! Will you expel these also, and make
such a void in heaven? He then declared that he was prepared to resist