Revelation of the Hidden Mystery by I. A. Crane

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 21, 1916

Revelation of the Hidden Mystery

By I. A. Crane

I. A. CRANE

“According to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest . . . to all nations for the obedience of faith.” Rom. 16: 25, 26. What wonderful theme is this which was hidden for ages, but is now being revealed to all? What can be the nature of this mystery, so marvelous, so sublime, so incomprehensible, that even angels in time past were not able to comprehend it? Can it be possible that there is now revealed to man some of God's hidden treasure hitherto unknown even to the angels? Incredible as this may seem, it is nevertheless true; and like all other revelations of truth, it is most reasonable.

We learn only as we are able to comprehend, and as we have opportunity. To illustrate: Let us take some man with whom you are but slightly acquainted. You have never seen him severely tempted; you do not know how he would act under temptation. What would he do if some one were to approach him and begin to heap abuse and insult upon him? You do not know. Neither do you know how he would act if placed where he could obtain immense wealth by fraud. You do not know how he would stand the test if he were tempted like Joseph. His character and moral worth are not known to you, and you can learn of it only as opportunity to do good or evil presents itself to him. He himself does not understand his weakness. He may be noble and good and true, or he may be, in heart, vile and contemptible and mean. All that mortal mind can comprehend, even of our fellow man, is revealed by the way he seizes opportunity to do good or evil. All one's life during probation is but a revelation of his real moral worth.

This is even so with God. Not even the angels knew how good he was. They could believe or disbelieve, but they could not know what was hidden in the heart of the Infinite. The depth of God's love and mercy was made known by the manifestation of Christ's character as the Saviour of fallen man.

Sin, Though Inexcusable, Will Manifest God's Glory

God is not responsible for sin. There is no excuse for it. His law forbade it. He warned man against it. He knew what the effects of transgression would be. Neither angels nor men knew. They could believe his warning and escape sin and death, or they could set up their own wisdom against the counsels of their all-wise Creator. He would not intimidate them. He would not terrorize them into obedience. The use of force would not convince them. It would not make them happy or contented. To be happy they must see that God is good, and his law is just. They must obey him of their own free will. They must learn, either by faith or by experience, that God loves them and knows what is best for them. If they would not believe and trust him, there was no way to convince them except by the sad experience with sin itself. This was the only way that they could be led to trust and obey him whose only desire was for their happiness.

How Sin Began in Heaven

Sin began in heaven when Lucifer, one of the covering cherubs, exalted himself against the knowledge of God. His heart was lifted up because of his beauty and wisdom. Eze. 28: 12, 17. Terrible was the effect of unbelief upon the heart of the first sinner. Doubt of God's goodness poisoned his mind and separated him from the Source of all wisdom. He became more and more blinded as he brooded over imaginary wrongs. Slyly and artfully at first, he began to make known his doubts to the other angels. He criticized God's law and its application in the government of the universe. Since all the angels were holy and endowed with great wisdom, what need was there for a law curtailing their liberties? Pride and unbelief soon led him even to hate the sinless Author of his existence. When pressed, he could even stoop to falsehood and misrepresentation rather than yield his position or confess his wrong. Farther and farther did he depart from the truth, until he had violated every principle of the law.

The all-wise God well understood that there could be no peace nor happiness except by obedience to the just requirements of his holy law. The law points out and forbids those things which bring ruin and death. God cannot make wrong right. God's law is perfect. Ps. 19: 7. It tells the truth. Ps. 119: 142. If it did not forbid sin, it would not be perfect. If it excused sin, or failed to condemn all sin, it would not be true. As it is, God himself cannot change it. It is an eternal standard of truth and justice. This was known to God; but what could be done to convince sinners that these things were so?

The Eternal Plan of Salvation Made Known

The Lord was not surprised by sin. It was to be met according to the eternal purpose which he had purposed in Christ before the world was. Eph. 3: 11; 1: 10. This eternal purpose in which the Father was pledged to allow his own Son to die

that sinners might be convinced of his love, was now made known. Filled with love and pity for erring creatures, the Father and Son were both willing to make any sacrifice to save them. The promise of God to give his Son to die was hailed with doubt and derision by men, the rebel host. They would not believe it.

The Ten Commandments in Heaven

The whole controversy in heaven and on earth is over the justice and the binding obligation of the ten commandments. The angels who went into the rebellion “sinned.” 2 Peter 2: 4. “Sin is the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3: 4. The law which condemns sin is the ten commandments, from which Paul quotes, “Thou shalt not covet.” Rom. 7: 7. That it was the ten-commandment law which the wicked angels transgressed, is further shown by the fact that Jesus mentions two of these commandments which were broken by Satan. He was a liar and a murderer from the beginning. John 8: 44.

The Character of God Revealed by Sin

None of these angels knew, apart from the knowledge of faith, how God would act under temptation. How would he act when by lies and misrepresentation his creatures were being turned against him, when every act of love was misconstrued into weakness and selfishness? How would he act when even the promise of salvation through the death of his Son was doubted and derided? What would Christ do when in the weakness of the flesh he was accused and assailed by the adversary? Would he be patient when even his dying agony was greeted with scoffs and jeers? No one knew until it was revealed in his life on earth. Not even the angels could understand the unsearchable riches of his grace until he had drunk the bitter cup of suffering to its dregs. He died to cure unbelief and sin. He died for all. O, what wonderful love! No wonder that unfallen worlds looked on aghast, amazed at the depth of his love,—a love so boundless, so unsearchable, so incomprehensible! No wonder that all nature heaved with mighty convulsions, and the sun refused to shine! Yet how strange it is that those for whom such love was manifested should seem so little concerned! “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” The entrance of sin had indeed opened the way for the manifestation of the love that passeth all understanding.

“Mine is an unchanging love, Higher than the heights above, Deeper than the depths beneath, Free and faithful, strong as death.”

Surely, if the truth of the cross will not lead to repentance, if it will not cure sin, the case is hopeless. Infinite love can do no more. Clearly those who believe shall be saved, but those who refuse must reap the results of their own choice.

The Controversy Settled in Heaven

Since the death of Christ the unfallen worlds can never be led to doubt God's goodness nor the justice of his law. To all eternity they will never doubt his word or his love. Christ has forever vindicated the law. He himself was obedient to its claims, even unto death. Phil. 2: 8. By God's love and mercy, shown to sinful man through Christ, there is revealed to men, and through men to all the universe, the glorious treasures of God's goodness, which never could have been shown in any other way. Satan's accusations no longer have influence in heaven.

At the death of Christ, Satan was forever cast out of heaven into the earth. There was great rejoicing then in heaven; but “woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” Rev. 12: 7-12. The controversy, now confined to earth, must soon be forever ended. Satan knows that he has but a short time. Still his hatred increases as he enters the last struggles against the remnant church. It alone in all the earth disputes his authority by keeping the commandments of God. Rev. 12: 17; 14: 12. The bitter hatred shown today against the ten commandments is proof of Satan's wrath.

Dear reader, where do you stand in this closing conflict? Can you afford to array yourself with the rebel hosts against the law of the Most High? May God forbid. “As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live.” Eze. 33: 11.

Waurika, Okla.