Chapter 57—Hatred and Revenge
Thought Enfolds the Deed—The spirit of hatred and revenge
originated with Satan, and it led him to put to death the Son of God.
Whoever cherishes malice or unkindness is cherishing the same spirit,
and its fruit will be unto death. In the revengeful thought the evil deed
lies enfolded, as the plant in the seed. “Whosoever hateth his brother is
a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in
him” (
1 John 3:15
).—
Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 56
(1896).
Spirit of Hate Debases—I was shown Satan as he once was, a
happy, exalted angel. Then I was shown him as he now is. He still
bears a kingly form. His features are still noble, for he is an angel
fallen. But the expression of his countenance is full of anxiety, care,
unhappiness, malice, hate, mischief, deceit, and every evil....I saw that
he had so long bent himself to evil that every good quality was debased
and every evil trait was developed.—
Early Writings, 152
(1882).
History of the World a Conflict Between Hate and Love—
Satan’s enmity against Christ has been manifested against His fol-
lowers. The same hatred of the principles of God’s law, the same
policy of deception by which error is made to appear as truth, by
which human laws are substituted for the law of God and men are led
[525]
to worship the creature rather than the Creator, may be traced in all
the history of the past. Satan’s efforts to misrepresent the character of
God, to cause men to cherish a false conception of the Creator and thus
to regard Him with fear and hate rather than with love; his endeavors
to set aside the divine law, leading the people to think themselves free
from its requirements; and his persecution of those who dare to resist
his deceptions, have been steadfastly pursued in all ages. They may be
traced in the history of patriarchs, prophets, and apostles, of martyrs
and reformers.—GC x (1888).
Transgression Put Man in Harmony With Satan—When man
transgressed the divine law, his nature became evil, and he was in
harmony, and not at variance, with Satan.—
The Great Controversy,
505
(1888).
123