December 14, 2023 | Silver Spring, Maryland, United States | Ted N.C. Wilson, President, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
We’ve seen the horrific images—children screaming, loved ones weeping, buildings exploding, bodies strewn across the ground in various war-torn areas around the world. And while our hearts ache, we realize these scenes are not new. Human beings have found ways to slaughter each other for millennia. War and violence have been a part of life on this earth ever since Cain killed his brother Abel.
It has been said that “Nobody wins a war. War is a defeat for all of us,” and indeed, this is true as we see peace thrown to the wind and countless human lives snuffed out of existence.
As we ponder the incredible violence, it is natural to ask, “Why doesn’t God do something?!” Doesn’t He see the unspeakable atrocities? Doesn’t He hear the screams of the innocent? If there is a God, why does He allow all of this suffering?
These questions have echoed down the centuries as crimes against humanity have ripped out the souls of fellow human beings. And while there are no easy answers, it may be helpful to go back in time to the very first war. A war, surprisingly, that began in heaven.
This celestial battle began with pride, arrogance, and deception. Through the mystery of iniquity, sin originated in the heart of heaven’s highest angel—Lucifer. We read about it in Isaiah 14:12-14:
“How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! . . . For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. . . I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.”
Spreading vicious rumors and innuendos against God, this once noble angel brought division and dissension into what was once a perfect universe.
We read about it in the powerful book, Patriarchs and Prophets: “Leaving his place in the immediate presence of the Father, Lucifer went forth to diffuse the spirit of discontent among the angels. . . . 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” (p. 38).
For a time, we are told, “God permitted Satan to carry forward his work until the spirit of disaffection ripened into active revolt” (p. 41).
The Bible describes what happened next: “And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out; that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth; and his angels were cast out with him” (Rev. 12:7-9, NKJV).
Why did God allow this rebellion, which led to a war in heaven? Because, we are told, “It was necessary for [Satan’s] plans to be fully developed, that their true nature and tendency might be seen by all” (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 41). You see, friends, Satan was so persuasive, so deceptive, that he was able to win a third of the angels of heaven. Had God destroyed him then and there, questions as to His fairness would have remained in the hearts and minds of the other angels, and indeed the entire universe.
Sadly, Satan brought his deceptions to Earth, and once Adam and Eve succumbed to temptation, the dragon’s war was unleashed on humanity—with its terrible results hitting generation after generation.
Nevertheless, God did not leave humanity without hope. Speaking to the serpent shortly after the Fall, God said, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed: He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Genesis 3:15).
Here in this somewhat cryptic prophecy, is given the outcome of the ultimate war—the great controversy between God and Satan, between good and evil. Here is the promise that while Satan would be allowed to “bruise the heel” of Christ—that is, to bring Him pain, sorrow, suffering, and even death, God would eventually bring Satan to an end.
In this bitterest of wars, no one has suffered more deeply than Christ Himself.
See Him, the God of the universe, coming to Earth as a helpless babe, wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. Imagine as a child beginning to understand His life’s mission, and yet being rejected by those He came to save. Think of the Satanic pressure brought upon the Son of God, alone in the wilderness, hungry and thirsty as the dragon relentlessly fired round after round of his wicked temptations. Imagine being followed day after day by pharisaical critics, eager to hurl accusations and misrepresentations of your words and deeds.
See Him, “a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief,” (Isaiah 53:3) sweating great drops of blood in the Garden of Gethsemane as Satan and his evil angels nearly crushed the life out of God’s Son, urging Him to surrender, to give up the battle, that no one would appreciate His great sacrifice and it would all be for nothing.
“Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah. 53:4,5).
Hanging on the cross, blood flowing from his wounds, Jesus Christ gasps for breath, crying out, “It is finished!” (John 19:30), as He died of a broken heart.
The battle appeared lost. It seemed the dragon had won the war. But appearances can be deceiving.
In the book, The Desire of Ages, we read, “When Jesus was laid in the grave, Satan triumphed. He dared to hope that the Saviour would not take up His life again. He claimed the Lord’s body, and set his guard about the tomb, seeking to hold Christ a prisoner. He was bitterly angry when his angels fled at the approach of the heavenly messenger. When he saw Christ come forth in triumph, he knew that his kingdom would have an end, and that he must finally die” (p. 782).
And yet, the great controversy rages on. Why? First, God has endowed all His creatures with the freedom of choice. Just as the angels of heaven had opportunity to choose between Christ and Satan, everyone on earth is given the same choice. Furthermore, it is imperative that all see the true nature and results of Satan’s wicked accusations and plans, and to understand that God is loving, just, and fair. God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4, NKJV).
Secondly, while visible wars ravage the Earth, there is an even fiercer battle raging within every human heart.
Ellen White writes, “Many look on this conflict between Christ and Satan as having no special bearing on their own life; and for them it has little interest. But within the domain of every human heart this controversy is repeated” (The Desire of Ages, p. 116).
This thought is echoed by Christian author C.S. Lewis, who wrote, “There is no neutral ground in the universe: every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God and counterclaimed by Satan.”
And so, while our hearts ache as we see violence rearing its ugly head and the horrific devastation of wars raging, let us remember that our God understands sorrow, He understands suffering—and He longs to at last bring this great controversy to an end.
A day is coming, my friends, and I believe it is coming very soon, when Christ will stand up and proclaim, “He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still” (Rev. 22:11, NKJV).
My brothers and sisters, while Satan seeks to scourge the planet with war after war, let us make sure he does not win the battle for our hearts. We are given the beautiful invitation: “And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.’” (Rev. 22:17, NKJV).
Jesus is coming soon! In the midst of a world reeling in sin and sorrow, let us proclaim this powerful invitation far and wide. Revelation 21:4 says: “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
What a promise. God will ultimately make everything new with no more death or suffering—you can count on it! Share this good news with everyone.
I invite you to pray with me just now.
Father in heaven. Thank you that you instituted the plan of salvation, that you have allowed the the diabolical concepts and ideas and thoughts of Satan to show the entire universe where they will lead. And, Lord, thank you for the mercy that you have had on each of us as we are part of this great controversy between Christ and Satan. Help us to fully embrace you as our Redeemer and Savior, and then to lean upon you in these very difficult times, recognizing that soon you will put an end to all suffering and death and you will come home here to us and bring us into your home in heaven. Thank you for hearing us in this prayer and thank you for the final wonderful aspect of your completely eliminating death and suffering. We give you all the glory and we thank you for hearing us in Jesus name, Amen.