1/8/2018 - Section 76:20-30
January
8, 2018
Section
76:20-30
Satan, Devil, Lucifer, Cycle of Pride, Satan’s war against
the saints, Spirit of God, Spirit of man, Spirit of the devil, Power to Resist
Satan, Temptation,
V’s
25-29: the Lord speaks of Satan, “an angel of God who was in authority in the
presence of God, who rebelled against the Only Begotten Son” (v25) and what happened to him. It seems just
like the cycle of pride that is discussed over and over in the Book of Mormon.
As I read this brief account of Lucifer’s fall, I started looking at his names.
I thought about the phrase ‘what’s in a name?’ and realized that there can be
quite a lot in a name.
Lucifer
means ‘light bearer or shining one or light bearing…a son of the morning’.
Satan, in Hebrew, means ‘adversary or opponent’.
Chauncey
C Riddle writes:” The name Satan comes from a Hebrew root meaning
"to oppose, be adverse," hence "to attack or to accuse"
(see Rev. 12:10). On this earth the role of Satan and his fellow devils is
to attack the working of righteousness and to destroy it wherever possible (Moses 4:4; D&C 10:20-23;93:39).
Perdition
means ‘loss or destruction’—and Latin translates as ‘ruin or destruction’.
Chauncey C. Riddle states “the term "devil"
denotes anyone who promotes the cause of evil, but it is especially applied to
those unembodied spirits who rebelled against God in the premortal life and
were cast down from heaven to this earth. The devil, who leads them, is also
known by the personal names of Lucifer in the premortal existence and Satan
since being cast down.”
V 29
gives us the ominous warning describing who Satan has singled out as his
enemies: “Wherefore, he maketh war with the saints of God, and
encompasseth them round about.” And then
the very sad v 30 follows: “And we saw a vision of the sufferings of those
with whom he made war and overcame…
I found
these two very interesting quotes—one short & one long—but both spiritually
insightful:
Joseph
Smith: “There are three independent principles: the Spirit of God,
the spirit of man, and the spirit of the devil. All men have power to resist
the devil. They who have tabernacles, have power over those who have not.”
(Teachings pp 189-90)
President
George Q Cannon also testified that every man has power enough to resist Satan:
“The Lord our God has sent us here to get experience in these
things so that we may know the good from the evil and be able to close our
hearts against the evil….It is true that some have greater power of resistance
than others, but everyone has the power to close his heart against doubt,
against darkness, against unbelief, against depression, against anger, against
hatred, against jealousy, against malice, against envy. God has given this
power unto all of us, and we can gain still greater power by calling upon Him
for that which we lack. If it were not so, how could we be condemned for giving
way to wrong influences? There could
be no condemnation for out doing what we could not help; but we can help
yielding to wrong influences and being quarrelsome and selfish. We can help
giving way to the spirit of theft, and w e can resist the spirit of lust. God
has given us power to resist these things, that our hearts may be kept free
from them and also from doubt; and when Satan comes and assails us, it is our privilege
to say, ‘Get thee behind me, Stan, for I have no lot nor portion in you, and
you have no part in me. I am in the service of God, and I am going to serve
Him, and you can do what you please. It is no used you presenting yourself with
your blandishments to me. You come and try to insinuate into my heart evil
thoughts about the servants of God or about the work of God, and I will not
listen to you. ; I will close my hear against you…” Whenever darkness fills our minds, we may
know that we are not possessed of the Spirit of God and we must get rid of it.
When we are filled with the Spirit of God, we are filled with joy, with peace
and with happiness no matter what our circumstances may be; for it is a spirit
of cheerfulness and of happiness.” (Gospel Truth 1:19-20)
I’ll end
today with just a little more from Chauncey C Riddle, which I found so
interesting:
“Righteousness is the condition or action of accomplishing
the greatest possible happiness for all beings affected. The attainment of full
righteousness is possible only with the help of an omniscient and omnipotent
being. This full righteousness is the special order of the Celestial Kingdom
where the Father dwells. When the Father's will is done and his order is in
place, every person and every thing attains, or is attaining, the potential he,
she, or it has for development and happiness. This righteousness is the good of
"good and evil." It is to be contrasted with those human desires that
are contrary to the Father's order and will.
A good (righteous) person is an agentive being who chooses
and accomplishes only righteousness. No mortal is intrinsically and perfectly
good, nor can a mortal alone rise to that standard (Matt. 19:17). But
mortals can do righteous acts and become righteous through the salvation
provided by Jesus Christ. Christ is the fountain of all righteousness (Ether 12:28).
The children of God can achieve the Father's order of righteousness through
Christ if they choose that order in explicit rejection of evil.
Evil is any order of existence that is not righteous. A state
of affairs, an act, or a person not in the order of righteousness is thus evil.
Letting one's neighbor languish in abject poverty while one has plenty, or
stealing, or desiring harm for another person are all evils. Satan promotes
evil everywhere he can, to thwart the righteousness of God (see D&C
10:27). Thus, Satan tempts people to do evil instead of the Father's will.
Satan himself is not necessary to evil, but he hastens and abets evil wherever
he can.
Satan's first targets on earth were Adam and Eve in the
Garden of Eden. Knowing that the Father had commanded Adam and Eve not to
partake of the forbidden fruit on penalty of death, Satan sought to destroy the
Father's work by enticing Adam and Eve to partake of it anyway. Satan's success
marked the beginning of the world (as distinct from the creation of the earth),
of Satan's kingdom on this earth (see JST, Matt. 1:55).”
“What Satan did not realize in Eden was that what he did in
attempting to destroy the Father's work was actually the very thing needed to
fulfill the Father's plan (Moses 4:6).
People could not demonstrate their love of God and their willingness to do the
work of righteousness sufficiently to qualify them for exaltation unless they
were subject to, and able to overcome, evil and devil
adversaries, such as Satan and his hosts (2 Ne. 2:11-22).”
“Satan has power on earth only as individual persons give it
to him by succumbing to his temptations (TPJS, p. 187). The agency of
human beings is to choose righteousness through the Holy Spirit of God or to
choose selfishness through the flesh by succumbing to Satan's temptations (2 Ne. 2:26-29).
(Human flesh is not evil, but Satan may tempt humans through their flesh.)
Individuals who repent in this life are nevertheless tempted by Satan until
their death; then Satan has no power over them ever again. Those who die
unrepentant are still in Satan's power in the spirit prison (Alma 34:34-35).
All except the sons of perdition will eventually accept Christ and obey him,
and thereby escape the dominion of Satan (D&C
76:110). Thus is the Father's plan of agency fulfilled.”
How
amazing it is to have the internet…and google!
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