America in Prophecy by Ellen White [Modern Version]
America’s peculiar origins and hegemonic impact in world affairs stand undisputed. As a superpower birthed from Europe, her eminent history has been celebrated. Foretold since antiquity, a myriad of repressions, revolutions and reforms inspired the first band of pilgrims to settle on a new promised land of liberty. This book enables the reader to understand America’s unique destiny and commanding role while besieged by gross spiritual and political machinations. Clearly, this reading lifts the veil from past events molding America and presaging her cooperation to undermine the very values once cherished. America’s peculiar origins and hegemonic impact in world affairs stand undisputed. As a superpower birthed from Europe, her eminent history has been celebrated. Foretold since antiquity, a myriad of repressions, revolutions and reforms inspired the first band of pilgrims to settle on a new promised land of liberty. This book enables the reader to understand America’s unique destiny and commanding role while besieged by gross spiritual and political machinations. Clearly, this reading lifts the veil from past events molding America and presaging her cooperation to undermine the very values once cherished.
plan, awakened forebodings of evil in minds to whom God's glory was supreme. The heavenly councils pleaded with Lucifer. The Son of God presented before him the greatness, the goodness, and the justice of the Creator, and the sacred, unchanging nature of His law. God Himself had established the order of heaven; and in departing from it, Lucifer would dishonour his Maker, and bring ruin upon himself. But the warning, given in infinite love and mercy, only aroused a spirit of resistance. Lucifer allowed jealousy of Christ to prevail, and he became the more determined. Pride in his own glory nourished the desire for supremacy. The high honours conferred upon Lucifer were not appreciated as the gift of God and called forth no gratitude to the Creator. He gloried in his brightness and exaltation, and aspired to be equal with God. He was beloved and reverenced by the heavenly host. Angels delighted to execute his commands, and he was clothed with wisdom and glory above them all. Yet the Son of God was the acknowledged Sovereign of heaven, one in power and authority with the Father. In all the councils of God, Christ was a participant, while Lucifer was not permitted thus to enter into the divine purposes. "Why," questioned this mighty angel, "should Christ have the supremacy? Why is He thus honoured above Lucifer?" Leaving his place in the immediate presence of God, Lucifer went forth to diffuse the spirit of discontent among the angels. Working with mysterious secrecy, and for a time concealing his real purpose under an appearance of reverence for God, he endeavoured to excite dissatisfaction concerning the laws that governed heavenly beings, intimating that they imposed an unnecessary restraint. Since their natures were holy, he urged that the angels should obey the dictates of their own will. He sought to create sympathy for himself by representing that God had dealt unjustly with him in bestowing supreme honour upon Christ. He claimed that in aspiring to greater power and honour he was not aiming at self-exaltation, but was seeking to secure liberty for all the inhabitants of heaven, that by this means they might attain to a higher state of existence. God in His great mercy bore long with Lucifer. He was not immediately degraded from his exalted station when he first indulged the spirit of discontent, nor even when he began to present his false claims before the loyal angels. Long was he retained in heaven. Again and again he was offered pardon on condition of repentance and submission. Such efforts as only infinite love and wisdom could devise were made to convince him of his error. The spirit of 377
discontent had never before been known in heaven. Lucifer himself did not at first see whither he was drifting; he did not understand the real nature of his feelings. But as his dissatisfaction was proved to be without cause, Lucifer was convinced that he was in the wrong, that the divine claims were just, and that he ought to acknowledge them as such before all heaven. Had he done this, he might have saved himself and many angels. He had not at this time fully cast off his allegiance to God. Though he 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. All the powers of his master mind were now bent to the work of deception, to secure the sympathy of the angels that had been under his command. Even the fact that Christ had warned and counseled him was perverted to serve his traitorous designs. To those whose loving trust bound them most closely to him, Satan had represented that he was wrongly judged, that his position was not respected, and that his liberty was to be abridged. From misrepresentation of the words of Christ he passed to prevarication and direct falsehood, accusing the Son of God of a design to humiliate him before the inhabitants of heaven. He sought also to make a false issue between himself and the loyal angels. All whom he could not subvert and bring fully to his side he accused of indifference to the interests of heavenly beings. The very work which he himself was doing he charged upon those who remained true to God. And to sustain his charge of God's injustice toward him, he resorted to misrepresentation of the words and acts of the Creator. It was his policy to perplex the angels with subtle arguments concerning the purposes of God. Everything that was simple he shrouded in mystery, and by artful perversion cast doubt upon the plainest statements of Jehovah. His high position, in such close connection with the divine administration, gave greater force to his representations, and many were induced to unite with him in rebellion against Heaven's authority. God in His wisdom permitted Satan to carry forward his work, until the spirit of disaffection ripened into active revolt. It was necessary for his plans to be fully developed, that their true nature and tendency might be seen by all. Lucifer, as the anointed cherub, had been highly exalted; he was greatly loved by the heavenly beings, and his influence over them 378
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discontent had never before been known <strong>in</strong> heaven. Lucifer himself did not at first see whither<br />
he was drift<strong>in</strong>g; he did not understand the real nature of his feel<strong>in</strong>gs. But as his dissatisfaction<br />
was proved to be without cause, Lucifer was conv<strong>in</strong>ced that he was <strong>in</strong> the wrong, that the<br />
div<strong>in</strong>e claims were just, and that he ought to acknowledge them as such before all heaven.<br />
Had he done this, he might have saved himself and many angels. He had not at this time fully<br />
cast off his allegiance to God. Though he had forsaken his position as cover<strong>in</strong>g cherub, yet if<br />
he had been will<strong>in</strong>g to return to God, acknowledg<strong>in</strong>g the Creator's wisdom, and satisfied to<br />
fill the place appo<strong>in</strong>ted him <strong>in</strong> God's great plan, he would have been re<strong>in</strong>stated <strong>in</strong> his office.<br />
But pride forbade him to submit. He persistently defended his own course, ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed that<br />
he had no need of repentance, and fully committed himself, <strong>in</strong> the great controversy, aga<strong>in</strong>st<br />
his Maker.<br />
All the powers of his master m<strong>in</strong>d were now bent to the work of deception, to secure<br />
the sympathy of the angels that had been under his command. Even the fact that Christ had<br />
warned and counseled him was perverted to serve his traitorous designs. To those whose<br />
lov<strong>in</strong>g trust bound them most closely to him, Satan had represented that he was wrongly<br />
judged, that his position was not respected, and that his liberty was to be abridged. From<br />
misrepresentation of the words of Christ he passed to prevarication and direct falsehood,<br />
accus<strong>in</strong>g the Son of God of a design to humiliate him before the <strong>in</strong>habitants of heaven. He<br />
sought also to make a false issue between himself and the loyal angels. All whom he could<br />
not subvert and br<strong>in</strong>g fully to his side he accused of <strong>in</strong>difference to the <strong>in</strong>terests of heavenly<br />
be<strong>in</strong>gs. The very work which he himself was do<strong>in</strong>g he charged upon those who rema<strong>in</strong>ed true<br />
to God. And to susta<strong>in</strong> his charge of God's <strong>in</strong>justice toward him, he resorted to<br />
misrepresentation of the words and acts of the Creator. It was his policy to perplex the angels<br />
with subtle arguments concern<strong>in</strong>g the purposes of God. Everyth<strong>in</strong>g that was simple he<br />
shrouded <strong>in</strong> mystery, and <strong>by</strong> artful perversion cast doubt upon the pla<strong>in</strong>est statements of<br />
Jehovah. His high position, <strong>in</strong> such close connection with the div<strong>in</strong>e adm<strong>in</strong>istration, gave<br />
greater force to his representations, and many were <strong>in</strong>duced to unite with him <strong>in</strong> rebellion<br />
aga<strong>in</strong>st Heaven's authority.<br />
God <strong>in</strong> His wisdom permitted Satan to carry forward his work, until the spirit of<br />
disaffection ripened <strong>in</strong>to active revolt. It was necessary for his plans to be fully developed,<br />
that their true nature and tendency might be seen <strong>by</strong> all. Lucifer, as the ano<strong>in</strong>ted cherub, had<br />
been highly exalted; he was greatly loved <strong>by</strong> the heavenly be<strong>in</strong>gs, and his <strong>in</strong>fluence over them<br />
378