| Will Suffering Always Exist? Must sin and suffering be allowed to exist forever as a consequence of freedom? The answer is an unequivocal no; sin will be eliminated from the universe forever, and everything will be restored to its former state. “What do you imagine against the LORD? He will make an utter end; affliction shall not rise up the second time.”[22] From its very inception, God had a plan that would eliminate sin and its train of pain and death forever; but he would use only methods that were in harmony with his great principles of love, truth, trust, and freedom. He had to do it in a way to secure peace and have a whole and perfect universe, with love springing up in response to love, obedience being freely given, with full understanding. The Accuser Prior to the entrance of sin, peace, happiness and life had reigned in God’s universe in eternity past, because everyone thought of serving others, and thought of the well-being of others first. The only “law” in heaven was love. But Lucifer began to see matters otherwise. He began to see God’s law as limiting life instead of promoting it. He came to see the law of love as infringing on his rights as an intelligent being. He began “merchandising” his views to others[23], first as mere insinuations. He offered “a better way” to run the universe (with him as its leader, of course)—”Look out for number one!” SELF. He convinced a third of his fellow angels that self-seeking was superior to love[24]. The sure results followed—he became a product of his selfishness. No longer a bearer of light but a bearer of lies, the brilliant Lucifer became Satan—the enemy[25]. Finally, he accused God outright, and openly charged him as unworthy of trust and respect. The accusations grew worse and worse—God is arbitrary, exacting, vengeful, unforgiving and severe. He even misconstrued God’s loving warning as a death threat. “God is a tyrant. He is a dictator, who talks of freedom, then tells us that the only way we can live is to follow his law!” God warned him of the consequences of his course, according to “the law of sin and death.”[26] He told him that selfishness destroys—that hatred would result in his death and that of his followers. He explained how love brought life, and selfishness death. God explained that “Sin pays its servants; the wage is death.”[27] He pleaded for him to discontinue his rebellious path. Satan knew God better than anyone else in the universe. He knew that God is love. If he had really believed these things about God, he would have never dared to rebel. He knew that God would not harm him. He knew that God was a Creator, not a destroyer, and would not harm him. He thought he had something stronger than the gentleness of love and could overcome it—the use of force. Thus began the great cosmic war, the great controversy between Christ and Satan over the character and government of God. We are not told the time span, but God bore long with Satan before he had no other choice but to safeguard the peace of Heaven by expulsing him and his followers.[28] “Then war broke out in heaven. Michael [Christ] and his angels fought against the Dragon [Satan] and his angels; but the Dragon was defeated, and he and his angels were not allowed to stay in heaven any longer. The huge dragon was thrown out—that ancient serpent, named the Devil, or Satan, that deceived the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and all his angels with him.”[29] Down to the earth. |
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| 21 see 2 Corinthians 9:7 22 Nahum 1:9 23 Ezekiel 28:16, 18— The Hebrew word translated "merchandising" can also be translated "slander." 24 Revelation 12:4 25 Hebrew HaSatan— “the adversary” 26 Romans 8:2 27 Romans 6:21, Phillips 28 Note: In the book of Jude (verse 6), Satan's exodus from Heaven with his followers is described as their choosing to leave, rather than a forced eviction. When he was here on earth, we are told that Jesus "cast out the spirits with his word" (Matthew 8:16) Since Christ never changes, we can safely assume that Satan was "cast out" of heaven in the same way that he was cast out of human beings when Jesus walked the earth. In Matthew 12:28 we read that Jesus "cast out devils by the Spirit of God", which the Bible tells us is "love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, humility, kindness, self-control." Galatians 5:22 29 Revelation 12:7-9 GNB |
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