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Patriarchs and Prophets
the sentence which transgression had incurred; but before they heard
of the life of toil and sorrow which must be their portion, or of the
decree that they must return to dust, they listened to words that could
not fail to give them hope. Though they must suffer from the power of
their mighty foe, they could look forward to final victory.
When Satan heard that enmity should exist between himself and
the woman, and between his seed and her seed, he knew that his
work of depraving human nature would be interrupted; that by some
means man would be enabled to resist his power. Yet as the plan
of salvation was more fully unfolded, Satan rejoiced with his angels
that, having caused man’s fall, he could bring down the Son of God
from His exalted position. He declared that his plans had thus far
been successful upon the earth, and that when Christ should take
upon Himself human nature, He also might be overcome, and thus the
redemption of the fallen race might be prevented.
Heavenly angels more fully opened to our first parents the plan
that had been devised for their salvation. Adam and his companion
were assured that notwithstanding their great sin, they were not to be
abandoned to the control of Satan. The Son of God had offered to
atone, with His own life, for their transgression. A period of probation
would be granted them, and through repentance and faith in Christ
they might again become the children of God.
The sacrifice demanded by their transgression revealed to Adam
and Eve the sacred character of the law of God; and they saw, as
they had never seen before, the guilt of sin and its dire results. In
their remorse and anguish they pleaded that the penalty might not fall
upon Him whose love had been the source of all their joy; rather let it
descend upon them and their posterity.
They were told that since the law of Jehovah is the foundation of
His government in heaven as well as upon the earth, even the life of
an angel could not be accepted as a sacrifice for its transgression. Not
one of its precepts could be abrogated or changed to meet man in his
fallen condition; but the Son of God, who had created man, could
make an atonement for him. As Adam’s transgression had brought
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wretchedness and death, so the sacrifice of Christ would bring life and
immortality.
Not only man but the earth had by sin come under the power of
the wicked one, and was to be restored by the plan of redemption.