The Will Of Him Who Sent Me, Part II

"I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me." (1)

"The earth was dark through misapprehension of God. That the gloomy shadows might be lightened, that the world might be brought back to God, Satan's deceptive power was to be broken. This could not be done by force. The exercise of force is contrary to the principles of God's government; He desires only the service of love; and love cannot be commanded; it cannot be won by force or authority. Only by love is love awakened. To know God is to love Him; His character must be manifested in contrast to the character of Satan. This work only one Being in all the universe could do. Only He who knew the height and depth of the love of God could make it known. Upon the world's dark night the Sun of Righteousness must rise, 'with healing in His wings.' (2)

"The plan for our redemption was not an afterthought, a plan formulated after the fall of Adam. It was a revelation of 'the mystery kept secret since the world began.' (3) It was an unfolding of the principles that from eternal ages have been the foundation of God's throne. From the beginning, God and Christ knew of the apostasy of Satan, and of the fall of man through the deceptive power of the apostate. God did not ordain that sin should exist, but He foresaw its existence, and made provision to meet the terrible emergency. So great was His love for the world, that He covenanted to give His only-begotten Son, 'that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.' (4)

"Lucifer had said, 'I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;... I will be like the Most High.' (5) But Christ, 'being in the form of God, counted it not a thing to be grasped to be on an equality with God, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.' (6) This was a voluntary sacrifice. Jesus might have remained at the Father's side. He might have retained the glory of heaven, and the homage of the angels. But He chose to give back the scepter into the Father's hands, and to step down from the throne of the universe that He might bring light to the benighted, and life to the perishing.

"Nearly two thousand years ago, a voice of mysterious import was heard in heaven, from the throne of God, 'Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me... Then I said, "Behold, I have come-- In the volume of the book it is written of Me-- To do Your will, O God." ' (7) In these words is announced the fulfillment of the purpose that had been hidden from eternal ages. Christ was about to visit our world, and to become incarnate... His divinity was veiled with humanity,-- the invisible glory in the visible human form." (8)

1. John 6:38.
2. Malachi 4:2.
3. Romans 16:25.
4. John 3:16.
5. Isaiah 14:13, 14.
6. Philippians 2:6, 7.
7. Hebrews 10:5-7.
8. Desire of Ages, pp., 22, 23.