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Sabbath Bible Lessons

This We Believe

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Lesson 3 Sabbath, January 17, 2009

The Origin of Sin

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High” (Isaiah 14:12–14).

“Sin originated with him who, next to Christ, had been most honored of God and who stood highest in power and glory among the inhabitants of heaven.”—The Great Controversy, p. 493.

Suggested Reading:   Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 33-43

Sunday January 11

1. AN EXALTED ANGEL

a. Using the figure of the king of Tyre, how does the prophet Ezekiel describe Lucifer? Ezekiel 28:13, 14.

“Lucifer had been the covering cherub. He had stood in the light of God’s presence. He had been the highest of all created beings, and had been foremost in revealing God’s purposes to the universe.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 758.

“Though all [Lucifer’s] glory was from God, this mighty angel came to regard it as pertaining to himself. Not content with his position, though honored above the heavenly host, he ventured to covet homage due alone to the Creator.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 35.

b. Although he had already such an exalted position, what was Lucifer’s ambition? Isaiah 14:13, 14.

“Had Lucifer really desired to be like the Most High, he would never have deserted his appointed place in heaven; for the spirit of the Most High is manifested in unselfish ministry. Lucifer desired God’s power, but not His character. He sought for himself the highest place.”—The Desire of Ages, pp. 435, 436.


Monday January 12

2. SEDITION AND REBELLION

a. What argument was used by Lucifer to persuade the angels to join him? Psalm 55:21.

“Not content with his position, though honored above the heavenly host, [Lucifer] ventured to covet homage due alone to the Creator. Instead of seeking to make God supreme in the affections and allegiance of all created beings, it was his endeavor to secure their service and loyalty to himself. And coveting the glory with which the infinite Father had invested His Son, this prince of angels aspired to power that was the prerogative of Christ alone.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 35.

“The discord which his own course had caused in heaven, Satan charged upon the law and government of God. All evil he declared to be the result of the divine administration. He claimed that it was his own object to improve upon the statutes of Jehovah.”—The Great Controversy, p. 498.

b. After Lucifer convinced a great part of the angels about the need of change in God’s government, what happened to those angels? Revelation 12:4 (first part).

“Satan in his rebellion took a third part of the angels. They turned from the Father and from His Son, and united with the instigator of rebellion.”—Testimonies, vol. 3, p. 115.

“Lucifer had presented the purposes of God in a false light—misconstruing and distorting them to excite dissent and dissatisfaction. He cunningly drew his hearers on to give utterance to their feelings; then these expressions were repeated by him when it would serve his purpose, as evidence that the angels were not fully in harmony with the government of God. While claiming for himself perfect loyalty to God, he urged that changes in the order and laws of heaven were necessary for the stability of the divine government. Thus while working to excite opposition to the law of God and to instill his own discontent into the minds of the angels under him, he was ostensibly seeking to remove dissatisfaction and to reconcile disaffected angels to the order of heaven. While secretly fomenting discord and rebellion, he with consummate craft caused it to appear as his sole purpose to promote loyalty and to preserve harmony and peace.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 38.


Tuesday January 13

3. GOD’S LAW UNCHANGEABLE

a. What does the Bible say about God’s law? Psalms 19:7; 111:7, 8; Romans 7:12. What did Lucifer suggest about it?

“Satan grew bold in his rebellion, and expressed his contempt of the Creator’s law. This Satan could not bear. He claimed that angels needed no law but should be left free to follow their own will, which would ever guide them right; that law was a restriction of their liberty; and that to abolish law was one great object of his standing as he did.”—The Story of Redemption, pp. 18, 19.

“Satan could use what God could not—flattery and deceit. He had sought to falsify the word of God and had misrepresented His plan of government, claiming that God was not just in imposing laws upon the angels; that in requiring submission and obedience from His creatures, He was seeking merely the exaltation of Himself. It was therefore necessary to demonstrate before the inhabitants of heaven, and of all the worlds, that God’s government is just, His law perfect. Satan had made it appear that he himself was seeking to promote the good of the universe.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 42.

b. What did Jesus say about God’s law? Matthew 5:17, 18; Luke 16:17. What is the greatest proof of the immutability of God’s law? Psalm 89:34; James 1:17.

“The death of God’s beloved Son on the cross shows the immutability of God’s law. His death magnifies the law and makes it honorable, and gives evidence of its changeless character.”—The Signs of the Times, August 7, 1879.

“Christ did not, by bearing the sinner’s guilt, release man from his obligation to obey the law; for if the law could have been changed or abolished, He need not have come to this world to suffer and die. The very fact that Christ died for its transgressions attests the unchanging character of the Father’s law.”—Ibid., August 25, 1887.

“Satan’s rebellion was to be a lesson to the universe through all coming ages, a perpetual testimony to the nature and terrible results of sin. The working out of Satan’s rule, its effects upon both men and angels, would show what must be the fruit of setting aside the divine authority. It would testify that with the existence of God’s government and His law is bound up the well-being of all the creatures He has made.”—The Great Controversy, p. 499.


Wednesday January 14

4. WAR IN HEAVEN

a. What took place in heaven between Christ and Lucifer, and what was the outcome? Revelation 12:7–10; Luke 10:18.

“To the very close of the controversy in heaven the great usurper continued to justify himself. When it was announced that with all his sympathizers he must be expelled from the abodes of bliss, then the rebel leader boldly avowed his contempt for the Creator’s law. He reiterated his claim that angels needed no control, but should be left to follow their own will, which would ever guide them right. He denounced the divine statutes as a restriction of their liberty and declared that it was his purpose to secure the abolition of law; that, freed from this restraint, the hosts of heaven might enter upon a more exalted, more glorious state of existence.”—The Great Controversy, p. 499.

“In the banishment of Satan from heaven, God declared His justice and maintained the honor of His throne. But when man had sinned through yielding to the deceptions of this apostate spirit, God gave an evidence of His love by yielding up His only-begotten Son to die for the fallen race. In the atonement the character of God is revealed. The mighty argument of the cross demonstrates to the whole universe that the course of sin which Lucifer had chosen was in no wise chargeable upon the government of God.”—Ibid., pp. 500, 501.

b. What was in reality the target of Lucifer’s attack? Psalms 45:6; 89:14.

“Satan, ambitious to exalt himself, and unwilling to submit to the authority of Jesus, was insinuating against the government of God.”—Early Writings, p. 145.

“Satan has originated fables with which to deceive. He commenced in heaven to war against the foundation of God’s government, and since his fall he has carried on his rebellion against the law of God.”—Testimonies, vol. 1, p. 342.

“It was pride and ambition that prompted Lucifer to complain of the government of God, and to seek the overthrow of the order which had been established in heaven. Since his fall it has been his object to infuse the same spirit of envy and discontent, the same ambition for position and honor, into the minds of men.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 403.


Thursday January 15

5. HEAVEN LIBERATED FROM EVIL

a. What was the fate of Lucifer and his followers, and why? Revelation 12:9; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6. What was his next plan? 1 Peter 5:8.

“Though [Lucifer] had forsaken his position as covering cherub, yet if he had been willing to return to God, acknowledging the Creator’s wisdom, and satisfied to fill the place appointed him in God’s great plan, he would have been reinstated in his office. But pride forbade him to submit. He persistently defended his own course, maintained that he had no need of repentance, and fully committed himself, in the great controversy, against his Maker.”—The Great Controversy, p. 496.

“When Satan refused to exert his influence on the side of truth, heaven must no longer be his home. He gathered with him in rebellion an army of angels who had swerved from their allegiance. With these sympathizers he was cast out of heaven.”—The Review and Herald, April 16, 1901.

b. What took place in heaven when Christ died on the cross? Revelation 12:10. Could Satan visit heaven after the death of Jesus? John 12:31.

“By shedding the blood of the Son of God, [Satan] had uprooted himself from the sympathies of the heavenly beings. Henceforth his work was restricted. Whatever attitude he might assume, he could no longer await the angels as they came from the heavenly courts, and before them accuse Christ’s brethren of being clothed with the garments of blackness and the defilement of sin. The last link of sympathy between Satan and the heavenly world was broken.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 761.


Friday January 16

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

a. What became the aim of Lucifer, and why?

b. How is the scene of Lucifer’s campaign reenacted by many today?

c. In what sense did Lucifer’s rebellion undermine the law of God?

d. What is often the false claim of those who tear down God’s law?

e. When were the loyal angels freed from all doubts regarding Satan?

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