God. And to sustain his charge of God's
injustice toward him, he resorted to misrepresentation of the words and
acts of the Creator. It was his policy to perplex the angels with subtle
arguments concerning the purposes of God. Everything that was simple he
shrouded in mystery, and by artful perversion cast doubt upon the plainest
statements of Jehovah. His high position, in such close connection with
the divine administration, gave greater force to his representations, and
many were induced to unite with him in rebellion against Heaven's
authority.

God in His wisdom permitted Satan to carry forward his work, until the
spirit of disaffection ripened into active revolt. It was necessary for
his plans to be fully developed, that their true nature and tendency might
be seen by all. Lucifer, as the anointed cherub, had been highly exalted;
he was greatly loved by the heavenly beings, and his influence over them
was strong. God's government included not only the inhabitants of heaven,
but of all the worlds that He had created; and Satan thought that if he
could carry the angels of heaven with him in rebellion, he could carry
also the other worlds. He had artfully presented his side of the question,
employing sophistry and fraud to secure his objects. His power to deceive
was very great, and by disguising himself in a cloak of falsehood he had
gained an advantage. Even the loyal angels could not fully discern his
character, or see to what his work was leading.

Satan had been so highly honored, and all his acts were so clothed with
mystery, that it was difficult to disclose to the angels the true nature
of his work. Until fully developed, sin would not appear the evil thing it
was. Heretofore it had had no place in the universe of God, and holy
beings had no conception of its nature and malignity. They could not
discern the terrible consequences that would result from setting aside the
divine law. Satan had, at first, 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.