Chapter 3. The Plan of Salvation

The Great Controversy, by Ellen G. White, [1858], at sacred-texts.com

CHAPTER 3

The Plan of Salvation

Sorrow filled heaven, as it was realized that man was lost, and the world that God created was to be filled with mortals doomed to misery, sickness and death, and there was no way of escape for the offender.  The whole family of Adam must die.  I saw the lovely Jesus, and beheld an expression of sympathy and sorrow upon his countenance.  Soon I saw him approach the exceeding bright light which enshrouded the Father.  Said my accompanying angel, He is in close converse with His Father.  The anxiety of the angels seemed to be intense while Jesus was communing with his Father.  Three times he was shut in by the glorious light about the Father, and the third time he came from the Father, his person could be seen.  His countenance was calm, free from all perplexity and trouble, and shone with benevolence and loveliness, such as words cannot express.  He then made known to the angelic host that a way of escape had been made for lost man.  He told them that he had been pleading with his Father, and had offered to give his life a ransom, and take the sentence of death upon himself, that through him man might find pardon.  That through the merits of his blood, and obedience to the law of God, they could have the favor of God, and be brought into the beautiful garden, and eat of the fruit of the tree of life.

            At first the angels could not rejoice, for their commander concealed nothing from them, but opened before them the plan of salvation.  Jesus told them that he would stand between the wrath of his Father and guilty man, that he would bear iniquity and scorn, and but few would receive him as the Son of God.  Nearly all would hate and reject him.  He would leave all his glory in heaven, appear upon earth as a man, humble himself as a man, become acquainted by His own experience with the various temptations with which man would be beset, that he might know how to succor those who should be tempted; and that finally, after his mission as a teacher should be accomplished, he would be delivered into the hands of men, and endure almost every cruelty and suffering that Satan and his angels could inspire wicked men to inflict; that he should die the cruelest of deaths, hung up between the heavens and the earth as a guilty sinner; that he should suffer dreadful hours of agony, which even angels could not look upon, but would vail their faces from the sight.  Not merely agony of body would he suffer; but mental agony, that with which bodily suffering could in no wise be compared.  The weight of the sins of the whole world would be upon him.  He told them he would die and rise again the third day, and should ascend to his Father to intercede for wayward, guilty man.

            The angels prostrated themselves before him.  They offered their lives.  Jesus said to them that he should by his death save many; that the life of an angel could not pay the debt.  His life alone could be accepted of his Father as a ransom for man.

            Jesus also told them that they should have a part to act, to be with him, and at different times strengthen him.  That he should take man’s fallen nature, and his strength would not be even equal with theirs.  And they should be witnesses of his humiliation and great sufferings.  And as they should witness his sufferings, and the hate of men towards him, they would be stirred with the deepest emotions, and through their love for him, would wish to rescue, and deliver him from his murderers; but that they must not interfere to prevent anything they should behold; and that they should act a part in his resurrection; that the plan of salvation was devised, and his Father had accepted the plan.

            With a holy sadness, Jesus comforted and cheered the angels, and informed them that hereafter those whom he should redeem would be with him, and ever dwell with him; and that by his death he should ransom many, and destroy him who had the power of death.  And his Father would give him the kingdom, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, and he should possess it forever and ever.  Satan and sinners should be destroyed, never more to disturb heaven, or the purified, new earth. Jesus bid the heavenly host be reconciled to the plan that his Father accepted, and rejoice that fallen man could be exalted again through his death, to obtain favor with God and enjoy heaven.

            Then joy, inexpressible joy, filled heaven.  And the heavenly host sung a song of praise and adoration.  They touched their harps and sung a note higher than they had done before, for the great mercy and condescension of God in yielding up his dearly Beloved to die for a race of rebels.  Praise and adoration were poured forth for the self-denial and sacrifice of Jesus; that he would consent to leave the bosom of his Father, and choose a life of suffering and anguish, and die an ignominious death to give life to others.

            Said the angel, Think ye that the Father yielded up his dearly beloved Son without a struggle?  No, no.  It was even a struggle with the God of heaven, whether to let guilty man perish, or to give his beloved Son to die for them.  Angels were so interested for man’s salvation that there could be found among them those who would yield their glory, and give their life for perishing man.  But, said my accompanying angel, that would avail nothing.  The transgression was so great that an angel’s life would not pay the debt.  Nothing but the death and intercessions of his Son would pay the debt, and save lost man from hopeless sorrow and misery.

            But the work of the angels was assigned them, to ascend and descend with strengthening balm from glory to soothe the Son of God in his sufferings, and administer unto him.  Also, their work would be to guard and keep the subjects of grace from the evil angels, and the darkness constantly thrown around them by Satan.  I saw that it was impossible for God to alter or change his law, to save lost, perishing man; therefore he suffered his beloved Son to die for man’s transgression.

            Satan again rejoiced with his angels that he could, by causing man’s fall, pull down the Son of God from his exalted position.  He told his angels that when Jesus should take fallen man’s nature, he could overpower him, and hinder the accomplishment of the plan of salvation.

            I was then shown Satan as he was, a happy, exalted angel.  Then I was shown him as he now is.  He still bears a kingly form.  His features are still noble, for he is an angel fallen. But the expression of his countenance is full of anxiety, care, unhappiness, malice, hate, mischief, deceit, and every evil.  That brow which was once so noble, I particularly noticed.  His forehead commenced from his eyes to recede backward.  I saw that he had demeaned himself so long, that every good quality was debased, and every evil trait was developed.  His eyes were cunning, sly, and showed great penetration.  His frame was large, but the flesh hung loosely about his hands and face.  As I beheld him, his chin was resting upon his left hand.  He appeared to be in deep thought.  A smile was upon his countenance, which made me tremble, it was so full of evil, and Satanic slyness.  This smile is the one he wears just before he makes sure of his victim, and as he fastens the victim in his snare, this smile grows horrible.

See Isaiah chap.53