It Is Finished, Part VI

"He said, 'It is finished!' And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit." (1)

"The warfare against God's law, which was begun in heaven, will be continued until the end of time. Every man will be tested. Obedience or disobedience is the question to be decided by the whole world. All will be called to choose between the law of God and the laws of men. Here the dividing line will be drawn. There will be but two classes. Every character will be fully developed; and all will show whether they have chosen the side of loyalty or that of rebellion.

"Then the end will come. God will vindicate His law and deliver His people. Satan and all who have joined him in rebellion will be cut off. Sin and sinners will perish, root and branch (2),--Satan the root, and his followers the branches. The word will be fulfilled to the prince of evil, 'Because you have set your heart as the heart of a god... I destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the fiery stones... You have become a horror, and shall be no more forever.' (3) Then 'the wicked shall be no more. Indeed, you will look carefully for his place, but it shall be no more,' (4) 'they shall be as though they had never been.' (5)

"This is not an act of arbitrary power on the part of God. The rejecters of His mercy reap that which they have sown. God is the fountain of life; and when one chooses the service of sin, he separates from God, and thus cuts himself off from life. He is 'alienated from the life of God.' (6) Christ says, 'All those who hate me love death.' (7) God gives them existence for a time that they may develop their character and reveal their principles. This accomplished, they receive the results of their own choice. By a life of rebellion, Satan and all who unite with him place themselves so out of harmony with God that His very presence is to them a consuming fire.

"At the beginning of the great controversy, the angels did not understand this. Had Satan and his host then been left to reap the full result of their sin, they would have perished; but it would not have been apparent to heavenly beings that this was the inevitable result of sin. A doubt of God's goodness would have remained in their minds as evil seed, to produce its deadly fruit of sin and woe.

"But not so when the great controversy shall be ended. Then, the plan of redemption having been completed, the character of God is revealed to all created intelligences. The precepts of His law are seen to be perfect and immutable. Then sin has made manifest its nature, Satan his character. Then the extermination of sin will vindicate God's love and establish His honor before a universe of beings-- in whose heart is His law.

"Well, then, might the angels rejoice as they looked upon the Saviour's cross; for though they did not then understand all, they knew that the destruction of sin and Satan was forever made certain, that the redemption of man was assured, and that the universe was made eternally secure. Christ Himself fully comprehended the results of the sacrifice made upon Calvary. To all these He looked forward when upon the cross He cried out "It is finished." (8)

1. John 19:30.
2. Malachi 4:1.
3. Ezekiel 28:6, 16, 19.
4. Psalm 37:10.
5. Obadiah 16.
6. Ephesians 4:18.
7. Proverbs 8:36.
8. The Desire of Ages, pp. 763, 764.