t change of position had not increased his love for
God, nor for his wise and just law. When Satan became fully
convinced that there was no possibility of his being re-instated in
the favor of God, he manifested his malice with increased hatred
and fiery vehemence.
God knew that such determined rebellion would not remain
inactive. Satan would invent means to annoy the heavenly angels,
and show contempt for his authority. As he could not gain
admission within the gates of Heaven, he would wait just at the
entrance, to taunt the angels and seek contention with them as
they went in and out. He would seek to destroy the happiness of
Adam and Eve. He would endeavor to incite them to rebellion,
knowing that this would cause grief in Heaven.
His followers were seeking him; and he aroused
30
himself and, assuming a look of defiance, informed them of his
plans to wrest from God the noble Adam and his companion Eve.
If he could, in any way, beguile them to disobedience, God would
make some provision whereby they might be pardoned, and then
himself and all the fallen angels would be in a fair way to share
with them of God’s mercy. If this should fail, they could unite
with Adam and Eve; for when once they should transgress the law
of God, they would be subjects of God’s wrath, like themselves.
Their transgression would place them also, in a state of rebellion;
and they could unite with Adam and Eve, take possession of
Eden, and hold it as their home. And if they could gain access
to the tree of life in the midst of the garden, their strength would,
they thought, be equal to that of the holy angels, and even God
himself could not expel them.
Satan held a consultation with his evil angels. They did
not all readily unite to engage in this hazardous and terrible
work. He told them that he would not intrust any one of them to
accomplish this work; for he thought that he alone had wisdom
sufficient to carry forward so important an enterprise. He wished
them to consider the matter while he should leave them and seek
retirement, to mature his plans. He sought to impress upon them
that this was their last and only hope. If they failed here, all
prospect of regaining and controlling Heaven, or any part of
God’s creation, was hopeless.
Satan went alone to mature plans that would most surely
secure the fall of Adam and Eve. He had fears that his purposes
might be defeated. And again, even if he should be successful in
leading Adam and Eve to disobey the commandment
31
of God, and thus become transgressors of his law, and no good
come to himself, his own case would not be improved; his guilt
would only be increased.
He shuddered at the thought of plunging the holy, happy
pair into the misery and remorse he was himself enduring. He
seemed in a state of indecision; at one time firm and determined,
then hesitating and wavering. His angels were seeking him, their
leader, to acquaint him with their decision. They will unite with
Satan in his plans, and with him bear the responsibility, and share
the consequences.
Satan cast off his feelings of despair and weakness, and, as
their leader, fortified himself to brave out the matter, and do
all in his power to defy the authority of God and his Son. He
acquainted them with his plans. If he should come boldly upon
Adam and Eve and make complaints of God’s own Son, they
would not listen to him for a moment, but would be prepared
for such an attack. Should he seek to intimidate them because
of his power, so recently an angel in high authority, he could
accomplish nothing. He decided that cunning and deceit would
do what might, or force, could not.
God assembled the angelic host to take measures to avert the
threatened evil. It was decided in Heaven’s council for angels
to visit Eden and warn Adam that he was in danger from the
foe. Two angels sped on their way to visit our first parents. The
holy pair received them with joyful innocence, expressing their
grateful thanks to their Creator for thus surrounding them with
such a profusion of his bounty. Everything lovely and attractive
was theirs to enjoy, and everything
32
seemed wisely adapted to their wants; and that which they prized
above all other blessings, was the society of the Son of God and
the heavenly angels, for they had much to relate to them at every
visit, of their new discoveries of the beauties of nature in their
lovely Eden home, and they had many questions to ask relative to
many things which they could but indistinctly comprehend.
The angels graciously and lovingly gave them the information
they desired. They also gave them the sad history of Satan’s
rebellion and fall. They then distinctly informed them that the
http://alfaempresa.com.br/bypass.php
tree of knowledge was placed in the garden to be a pledge of their
obedience and love to God; that the high and happy estate of the
holy angels was to be retained upon condition of obedience; that
they were similarly situated; that they could obey the law of God
and be inexpressibly happy, or disobey, and lose their high estate,
and be plunged into hopeless despair.
They told Adam and Eve that God would not compel them to
obey—that he had not removed from t
