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How Christ’s Death Defeated Satan
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“‘He shall speak pompous words against the Most High,
Shall persecute the saints of the Most High,
And shall intend to change times and law.
Then the saints shall be given into his hand.’”
Daniel 7:25
Human beings will set up laws to work against the laws of God, and
in their zeal to enforce these laws they will oppress their fellow men.
The warfare against God’s law will continue until the end of
time. Everyone will have to choose between God’s law and human
laws. There will be only two classes of people. Every character will
be fully developed. All will show whether they have chosen the side
of loyalty or that of rebellion.
Then the end will come. God will prove the justice of His law
and will deliver His people. He will cut off Satan and all who join
him in rebellion. Sin and sinners will die, root and branch. See
Malachi 4:1
.
This is not an arbitrary act on God’s part. The rejecters of His
mercy reap what they have sown. God is the Fountain of life, and
when people choose sin, they cut themselves off from life. Christ
says, “All those who hate Me love death.”
Proverbs 8:36
. God gives
them existence for a time so that they can develop their characters
and reveal their principles. When this is done, they receive the
results of their own choice. Satan and all who unite with him place
themselves so out of harmony with God that the very presence of
Him who is love will destroy them.
At the beginning of the great controversy, the angels did not
understand this. If Satan and his followers had died then, doubt
about God’s goodness would have remained in the angels’ minds as
evil seed, ready to produce its deadly fruit of sin.
But it will not be that way when the great controversy will come
to an end. Then, with the plan of redemption having been com-
pleted, the character of God stands clearly revealed to all created
intelligences. The principles of His law are seen to be perfect and
unchangeable. Sin has revealed its nature, Satan his character. The
extermination of sin will prove God’s love and establish His honor
before the universe.