concealed his work under a specious profession of loyalty to God . He claimed to be seeking to promote the honor of God , the stability of His government , and the good of all the inhabitants of heaven . While instilling discontent into the minds of the angels under him , he had artfully made it appear that he was seeking to remove dissatisfaction . When he urged that changes be made in the order and laws of God ' s government , it was under the pretense that these were necessary in order to preserve harmony in heaven .
In His dealing with sin , God could employ only righteousness and truth . 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 before the angels , claiming that God was not just in laying laws and rules upon the inhabitants of heaven ; that in requiring submission and obedience from His creatures , He was seeking merely the exaltation of Himself . Therefore it must be demonstrated before the inhabitants of heaven , as well as of all the worlds , that God ' s government was just , His law perfect . Satan had made it appear that he himself was seeking to promote the good of the universe . The true character of the usurper , and his real object , must be understood by all . He must have time to manifest himself by his wicked works .
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 . Therefore it was necessary that he should demonstrate the nature of his claims , and show the working out of his proposed changes in the divine law . His own work must condemn him . Satan had claimed from the first that he was not in rebellion . The whole universe must see the deceiver unmasked .
Even when it was decided that he could no longer remain in heaven , Infinite Wisdom did not destroy Satan . Since the service of love can alone be acceptable to God , the allegiance of His creatures must rest upon a conviction of His justice and benevolence . The inhabitants of heaven and of other worlds , being unprepared to comprehend the nature or consequences of sin , could not then have seen the justice and mercy of God in the destruction of Satan . Had he been immediately blotted from existence , they would have served God from fear rather than from love . The influence of the deceiver would not have been fully destroyed , nor would the spirit of rebellion have been utterly eradicated . Evil must be permitted to come to maturity . For the good of the entire universe through ceaseless ages Satan must more fully develop his principles , that his charges against the divine government might be seen in their true light by all created beings , that the justice and mercy of God and the immutability of His law might forever be placed beyond all question .
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