15. The Trial and Conflict of the Angels

 

 

I. All beings aspire to act according to the full capacity of their nature. The service of free beings must be free: i.e., the choice must be given to them to serve or not to serve; in other words, a trial or test is necessary. Further, the sight and possession of God with its infinite delights is not the proper due of angels or men. It has pleased the All-wise to offer this transcendent gift as a reward to be earned by fidelity under trial. As to men, so also to the angels, a period of probation was appointed, in which they could exercise their liberty of choice and make themselves worthy of God. How long it lasted we cannot know. It may have been as long as that of the human race, or it may have been instantaneous. There was no need for a lengthy trial; in the angelic nature there is no struggle between heterogeneous components, no clouding of mind by matter; the intelligence is prompt and clear, the will is precise and unwavering. With the angels there was no perturbing influence, no inheritance of perversity to be allowed for, such as make the sins and errors of men more excusable and pardonable. They could grasp at once all the aspects of the question; they could have no need of reconsideration; there was no room in them for repentance. The substantial fact remains that they were needs tested as we are. To them was applied the “golden reed” or scale, “the measure of a man which is of an angel” (Apoc. xxi. 17), the option between the life of mere nature independent of God, or submission to God with supernatural life. Your whole life on earth is arranged simply for the solution of this question. Every act of yours contributes towards it.

II. The dragon’s “tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth” (Apoc. xii. 4); for there were many “angels who kept not their principality but forsook their own habitation” (Jude 6); asserting the power of their free-will even to their own destruction. The greatest of all, Lucifer, the bearer of light, was their leader. His splendid endowments filled him with pride, and fascinated his followers, who took him at his own estimate, and were ready to serve him as their natural good instead of the supreme supernatural Good. The other two thirds, in the full exercise of their freedom, elected to be faithful to their Benefactor and their Love. Learn hence that a good commencement is not all, but perseverance is necessary. Observe that the highest natural endowments are no security for moral rectitude and spiritual insight. “The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the learned, nor favour to the skilful” (Eccles. ix. 11). Tremble for yourself, pray, and hope.

III. “There was a great battle in heaven” (Apoc. xii. 7). Such is the universal law of life. From the freedom of the creature proceeds a force opposed to truth and goodness. The two opponents are incompatible and mutually destructive; their activities, being proportioned to their nature, necessarily result in conflict à outrance (death to the very end). There is no such thing as compromise, as fellowship, between light and darkness; the only two alternatives are eternal separation or the destruction of one of the terms. The conflict in heaven may have been very long. It would appear that God did not intervene to check natural activities, but allowed them full scope for good or evil, till at last good by its innate divine force prevailed over evil (Apoc. xii. 8). This struggle must have been gigantic and fearful, carried on as it was between forces full of such immense energies; it was the first engagement of the great war in which we are now involved. It is not sufficient for you to choose good and do it quietly; you must further fight the good fight for it. Because of this many fail. They would willingly be virtuous if there were no temptation; faithful, if the price of treason were not so attractive. Trust in the force of Right and Truth, and in their ultimate victory: but remember that the victory depends on your exertions and will cost dearly.