Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 21 (1906)

Lt 292, 1906

Kress, Brother and Sister [D. H.]

St. Helena, California

September 4, 1906

Portions of this letter are published in TDG 256.

Dear Brother and Sister Kress:

All who are determined to hold fast to every feature of our faith should stand against the wiles of the devil. We are all to understand that there is a fallen angel who was once next to Christ in honor among the heavenly host. His work of deception was done in so great secrecy that the angels in less-exalted positions supposed that he was the Ruler of heaven. Satan made the representation that all wrong insinuations existing in heaven originated among the angels, while he himself had made suggestions which would never have been entertained by the angels, had he not created them. He artfully presented these things to God, as having come from the angels, while they all originated with the evil Satan himself. 21LtMs, Lt 292, 1906, par. 1

We know that there is a fallen angel. He fell because he refused to obey the laws of heaven. He is called the Prince of Darkness, Beelzebub, that old serpent, the Devil, a deceiver, a liar, the prince of the powers of the air, and the god of this world. There is such a power, although concealed under a variety of disguises. Because he was not able to insinuate his deceptions upon Christ, he determined to undermine Him by false statements and reports. War in heaven was the result, and Satan was expelled. He became Christ’s most deadly foe. His constant effort was to counteract, in every possible way, His great work of saving souls. 21LtMs, Lt 292, 1906, par. 2

Christ had worked in the heavenly courts to convince Satan of his terrible error, till at last the evil one and his sympathizers were found in open rebellion against God Himself. Then he claimed a right to take a position above Christ as covering cherub. Expelled from heaven, he came to this earth, determined to work against Christ. He is in no danger of losing the angels that he deceived. He has them under his banner, enlisted to fight against the Son of God. 21LtMs, Lt 292, 1906, par. 3

When Christ came to this world, Satan was constantly on his track, striving to make his work of no avail. When Christ was healing the sick and afflicted, Satan was on the ground, making His work of saving souls as hard as possible. It was because of Satan’s power to afflict and torment human beings that Christ came to our world. He came to counterwork Satan’s power over men and women. But the enemy tried in every way to hinder Him. When souls, convicted and aroused to their danger, began to inquire, “What shall I do that I may have eternal life?” Satan was present, to stir up the minds of the priests and rulers to oppose the Saviour’s work, to hedge up His way. But Christ ever proved Himself superior to Satan. Rebuking the satanic agencies, He set free the poor souls who were bound by his chains and bade them go free. 21LtMs, Lt 292, 1906, par. 4