"The sophistry and falsehood by which he had sought to hinder the work of Jesus, the hatred manifested through the children of disobedience, his cruel accusations against Him whose life was one of unexampled goodness, all sprung from deep-seated revenge. The pent-up fires of envy and malice, hatred and revenge, burst forth on Calvary against the Son of God, while all heaven gazed upon the scene in silent horror." "Now the guilt of Satan stood forth without excuse. He had revealed his true character as a liar and a murderer. It was seen that the very same spirit with which he ruled the children of men, who were under his power, he would have manifested had he been permitted to control the inhabitants of heaven. He had claimed that the transgression of God's law would bring liberty and exaltation; but it was seen to result in bondage and degradation. "Satan's lying charges againt the divine character and government appeared in their true light. He had accused God of seeking merely the exaltation of Himself in requiring submission and obedience from His creatures, and had declared that while the Creator exacted self-denial from all others, He Himself practiced no self-denial, and made no sacrifice. Now it was seen that for the salvation of a fallen and sinful race, the Ruler of the universe had made the greatest sacrifice which love could make; for 'God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself.' It was seen, also, that while Lucifer had opened the door for the entrance of sin, by his desire for honor and supremacy, Christ had, in order to destroy sin, humbled Himself, and become obedient unto death." In the final outcome "the whole universe will have become witnesses to the nature and results of sin. And its utter extermination, which in the beginning would have brought fear to angels and dishonor to God, will now vindicate His love and establish His honor before a universe of beings who delight to do His will, and in whose heart is His law. Never will evil again be manifest. Says the word of God, 'Affliction shall not rise up the second time.' Nahum 1:9. The Law of God, which Satan has reproached as the yoke of bondage, will be honored as the law of liberty. A tested and proved creation will never again be turned from allegiance to Him whose character has been fully manifested before them as fathomless love and infinite wisdom."-Great Controversy, pp. 500-504. H Satan and Evil Angels S has been presented in previous chapters, the angels of heaven are "ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation." Heb. 1: 14. There is, also, another class of angels, "spirits of devils, working miracles" in the earth. Rev. 16: 14. The mission of this satanic host is to "deceive the whole world." Rev. 12: 9. These evil spirits were once sinless angels in heaven, of the same nature and equal in power and glory with the holy beings whom God now uses as His messengers to this earth. But they united with Satan in his rebellion against the government of God, and with him were cast "as profane out of the mountain of God." Eze. 28: 16. At the creation, the dominion of the earth and all it contained was given to man. To the first pair God said, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." Gen. 1:28. THE FIRST DOMINION. Of the dominion of the earth David said, "The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's: but the earth hath He given to the children of men." Ps. 115:16. But when man sinned, he lost this dominion. Paul says, "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey?" Rom. 6:16. And in 2 Peter 2: 19, we read, "For of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage." In yielding to Satan, man became his servant. And in becoming the servant of Satan, man lost his dominion of the earth, and it passed into the possession of his conqueror. Paul speaks of Satan as "the god of this world." 2 Cor. 4:4. Our Saviour three times refers to him as "the prince of this world." John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11. Satan himself takes a bold stand in the very presence of the Saviour, and claims full ownership and control of the world and the works of man that are in it. Of this we read, "And the devil, taking Him up into an high mountain, showed unto Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil "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. At his creation, Adam was placed in dominion over the earth. But by yielding to temptation, he was brought under the power of Satan. Of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.' 2 Peter 2: 19. "When man became Satan's captive, the dominion which he held, passed to his conqueror. Thus Satan became 'the God of this world.' 2 Cor. 4:4. He had usurped that dominion over the earth which had been originally given to Adam. "But Christ, by His sacrifice paying the penalty of sin, would not only redeem man, but recover the dominion which he had forfeited. All that was lost by the first Adam will be restored by the second. Says the prophet, 'O Tower of the flock, the stronghold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion.' Micah 4: 8. "And the apostle Paul points forward to the 'redemption of the purchased possession.' Eph. 1: 14. God created the earth to be the abode of holy, happy beings. The Lord 'formed the earth and made it; He hath established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited.' Isa. 45: 18. "That purpose will be fulfilled when, renewed by the power of God, and freed from sin and sorrow, it shall become the eternal abode of the redeemed. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein forever.' 'And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him.' Ps. 37:29; Rev. 22: 3."-Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 67. said unto Him, All this power Christ came to this earth to redeem man and to bring this lost world back into allegiance to God. This could be accomplished only through the self-denial, suffering, and death of the Son of God. Satan, however, presents another plan by which he promises to abdicate, and turn over the dominion to Christ, thus returning to Him the possession of the earth without the necessity of giving the awful price which He came to pay for it. Divinity flashed through the humanity of our Saviour as He sternly rebuked the enemy, with the words, "Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve." Matt. 4:10. At this command Satan was compelled to leave the Master, and angels came and ministered unto Him. The trial with the prince of this world had been long and severe, and His human frame had become so exhausted that the ministering angels were sent to strengthen and restore Him. While rejecting the offer of Satan, our Lord did not dispute his claim to the supremacy of the earth. But He would carry through the original plan at |