and were therefore his rightful
prey. But the death of Christ was an argument in man's behalf that could
not be overthrown. The penalty of the law fell upon Him who was equal with
God, and man was free to accept the righteousness of Christ, and by a life
of penitence and humiliation to triumph, as the Son of God had triumphed,
over the power of Satan. Thus God is just, and yet the justifier of all
who believe in Jesus.

But it was not merely to accomplish the redemption of man that Christ came
to the earth to suffer and to die. He came to "magnify the law" and to
"make it honorable." Not alone that the inhabitants of this world might
regard the law as it should be regarded; but it was to demonstrate to all
the worlds of the universe that God's law is unchangeable. Could its
claims have been set aside, then the Son of God need not have yielded up
His life to atone for its transgression. The death of Christ proves it
immutable. And the sacrifice to which infinite love impelled the Father
and the Son, that sinners might be redeemed, demonstrates to all the
universe--what nothing less than this plan of atonement could have sufficed
to do--that justice and mercy are the foundation of the law and government
of God.

In the final execution of the judgment it will be seen that no cause for
sin exists. When the Judge of all the earth shall demand of Satan, "Why
hast thou rebelled against Me, and robbed Me of the subjects of My
kingdom?" the originator of evil can render no excuse. Every mouth will be
stopped, and all the hosts of rebellion will be speechless.

The cross of Calvary, while it declares the law immutable, proclaims to
the universe that the wages of sin is death. In the Saviour's expiring
cry, "It is finished," the death-knell of Satan was rung. The great
controversy which had been so long in progress was then decided, and the
final eradication of evil was made certain. The Son of God passed through
the portals of the tomb, that "through death He might destroy him that had
the power of death, that is, the devil."(887) Lucifer's desire for
self-exaltation had led him to say, "I will exalt my throne above the
stars of God: ... I will be like the Most High." God declares, "I will
bring thee to ashes upon the earth, ... and never shalt thou be any
more."(888) When "the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven, ... all the
proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that
cometh shall burn them up,