The Light of the Wicked Put Out
By Geo. W. Reaser
THE END OF SIN'S DOMINION.—NO. 2.
The Light of the Wicked Put Out.
IF, in the regeneration, anything should remain that could possibly entice to sin, its very existence would be a constant menace to the peace and happiness of angels and redeemed men. The greatest tempter known to time and space is Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. Then, too, “he was a murderer from the beginning,” having said in his heart (not openly) that he would exalt his “throne above the stars of God,” and be like the Most High.” This meant that, give him opportunity, he would destroy the Son of God, “the bright and morning Star,” and establish his kingdom, as he hoped, upon the ruins of Christ’s kingdom. The loyal angels, not knowing what was in his heart or mind, must see him given opportunity to carry out his inmost purpose concerning the Son of God and His government, that he might thereby be unmasked, and stand before the universe in his true character, displaying all his naked ugliness; at which time only could the angels see the justice of God in visiting upon Satan due reward for his career of anarchy. But should he not have opportunity to develop his character before his destruction, there was danger that angels would regard the God of love as a tyrant, and hence could not in reality worship Him, nor be happy in His service. Thus we are brought to the consideration of one of the manifold purposes for which Christ laid aside His divinity—immortality—and took upon Himself humanity—mortality—as it is written, “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that thru death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil.” As long as Christ was the Son of God in heaven, wholly divine, Lucifer could not carry out the murderous intent of his heart, but when He became the Son of man, human, now was Satan’s opportunity. True to his original purpose, Satan was watching the fulfilment of prophecy for the appearing of “the Seed of the woman”—Christ—who was to “bruise” his head. With this motive in view he “stood before the woman”—the true church—“to devour her child as soon as it was born.” Manifesting his wrath thru Herod and Pagan Rome, his tool and mouth-piece at that period of the world’s history, he tried to destroy the infant Saviour at Bethlehem, and on other occasions, as in the great temptations at the end of the forty-days’ fast, and by Christ’s own town’s people at Nazareth, when they took Him to the brow of the hill to “cast Him down headlong.” Failing in this, he finally secured His crucifixion and burial. But He could not be “holden of the pains of death,” and having triumphed over Satan, even in death itself, He came forth conqueror over death and the grave, and, holding the keys of both, “was caught up unto God and to His throne.” At this point Satan had so fully developed his character that he could be denied access to heaven, and so that angelic spectators—intensely interested and concerned in what had been made manifest—could with heart and voice join in the acclamation sounded in heaven, “Now is come salvation and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ, for the accuser of our brethren is cast down.” Satan was unmasked as a murderer before the intelligences of heaven, and himself had made it apparent to all that he was worthy of the death penalty. All this was done “that in the dispensation of the fulness of times He [God] might gather together in one, all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth [angels and the redeemed of men] even in Him.” Execution must be deferred for a time still, but the time will come when the serpent’s head must be crushed. Till then he will exist as a “terror,” but a fire will be brought forth, which shall devour him and bring him “to ashes upon the earth, in the sight of all them that behold him,” and to this end was “Tophet ordained of old, for the king [of darkness] it is prepared; the pile thereof is fire and much wood” (or fuel, including all the combustible material in the earth and atmosphere). When “the light of the wicked” is thus “put out,” all that do wickedly “shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts.” Thereafter there will be none to entice any away from God, none to beguile; all deceivers, with their father,3will be dead. “And there shall be no more thence a pricking brier unto the house of Israel, nor any grieving thorn of all that are round about them that despised them; and they shall know that I am the Lord God;” “which in His times He shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; who only hath immortality.” “This day concludes the destiny of man;
The hour, appointed from eternity,
To end the war of sin, that long has fought,
Permitted, against the sword of Holiness.”