The Great Controversy
When one views all that is written on this subject, one arrives at this conclusion as a summation, or as this scripture advises us, Ecclesiastes 12:13 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this [is] the whole [duty] of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil.” But this is God’s advice, so what does the other side say? Genesis 3:4-7 “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree [was] good for food, and that it [was] pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make [one] wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they [were] naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.” When Sin came in, they tried vainly to run away and to hide their sin, and themselves, from God. Satan wanted them to be “Law-less,” you are “god’s” make up your own rules, live forever, do whatever you like, whenever you like.
So Satan insinuated that God was holding out on Adam and Eve, holding back from them exulting experiences, and that he Satan was going to give them a much better way of life, follow me and things will be so much freer and better “and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil,” and we all now wish that we could know zero evil, as evil infiltrates everywhere, and even seeps into the quiet recesses of our minds, Satan was right, that sin would bring a heightened experience, and that is very true, man did learn all about evil, but we get to choose which of the two system we wish to belong to. So where did this “Other System of governance come from?” For this we must go way back in scripture Ezekiel 28:12-18, where using the imagery of “The King of Tyrus,” we have Satan’s start place declared, “O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.” Now we have his conclusion “and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.”
Now the Sanctuary teaches us that on “The Mercy Seat,” there were only two angels, right next to God, thus covering, protecting, serving God, Jesus, God’s Son, is on the right hand of the Father (Acts 2:33) then this leaves only the Left Hand Side position for Satan, Lucifer, as he was the only other covering cherub. Isaiah Chapter 14, gives us a good view of what transpired, Isaiah 14:13-14 “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 [above] the most High.” Revelation 12:7-9 “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world [universe]: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”
So Satan usurped and stole the rulership and dominion from Adam, and set up his own law-less Kingdom here, and human beings, made in the very image of God, are now captive slaves to Satan and to Sin, but God’s Kids, will still live here for just a little longer, Jesus comes back, he Resurrects his dead sleeping children, Translates his living children, and takes them all back home together as a big group to our Heavenly Father. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-17) Now Revelation 12:7-9 tells us that when Sin was fully grown and exposed in Heaven, then God cast Satan to Planet Earth, quarantined them all, to protect the universe from the ravages of sin. That has it solved for the moment, but then Satan charged God with running a corrupted and controlling system, he is not fit to rule, move over God, Satan’s rule is superior. Revelation 12:4 tells us that Satan had eventually convinces 1/3rd of the Angels to join his “New World Order,” a much better way, fuller and freer so who is right, which system is right, let the experiment begin, God run his system his way, and Satan run his system his way, let Satan develop his system to its completion, and then see what is what, and which is the best. So who is the Judge? Jesus Christ, “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:” (John 5:22). So who is “The impartial Jury?” Human Beings, made in the very image of God, they are the Jury, they have a front row seat, they have experienced it all, let them give their witness report, they have experience good and evil, let them vote.
Quote; “Men act out their own free will, either in accordance with a character placed under the molding of God or a character placed under the harsh rule of Satan. Every act, every word, is a seed that will bear fruit. Every deed of thoughtful kindness, of obedience, or of self-denial, will reproduce itself in others, and through them in still others. So every act of envy, malice, or dissension is a seed that will spring up in a “root of bitterness” (Hebrews 12:15), whereby many shall be defiled. Dear young friends, that which you sow, you will also reap. Now is the sowing time for you. What will the harvest be?” {FLB 155} Your “Free Will” is required to sin, or to refuse to sin, Satan and God cannot force you, God works by love and compassion, Satan and Sin work through pride, lust, coercion, and even force and military might, “choose you this day whom ye will serve,” (Joshua 24:15). So Joshua is asking you to give your “Vote,” so which system do you vote for?
God prophetically, advises us “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this [is] the whole [duty] of man.” [Ecclesiastes 12:13a] “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” [Galatians 6:7] Now from your experience and life, which side is best, who gets your Jury Vote? Quote; “There is nothing so offensive to God, or so dangerous to the human soul, as pride and self-sufficiency. Of all sins it is the most hopeless, the most incurable. {COL 154} So are you cured of Sin, or is sin still steadily killing you? Which side of “The Great Controversy” do you currently stand upon? If you discover that you are marching on the wrong Team, switch sides quickly right now. Quote: “Notwithstanding that Satan has been constrained to acknowledge God’s justice and to bow to the supremacy of Christ, his character remains unchanged. {GC 671} There is a Great Controversy raging right now, who holds the supremacy in your life, which team do you support, what is your “Jury Vote?” Hebrews 3:15 “While it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.”
