Problem: Following the rebellion of Lucifer and almost one-half of the angels, all heaven was mobilized for the subsequent conflict. Angels who previously functioned as messengers and facilitators were now mobilized and equipped for battle. The Holy Trinity formed a war council to put in practice a plan of action that had previously been formulated. The question is how the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, along with the army of heaven would fit into that plan? All the agencies of heaven were organized to implement the Plan of Salvation, to initiate Operation Human Freedom.
Hypothesis: Heaven is a super organization where there is no confusion, no needless expenditure of energy, no unforeseen emergencies, and no duplication of effort. Any apparent duplication is a result of a cooperative effort to accomplish a common objective. Data which suggest duplication of effort by the angels and the Holy Spirit are listed below.
Seals God's people God's messenger Chooses words for us Means of communication Aids Bible study Brings truth to remembrance Acts as a guide Guides in councils Promotes desire for truth Convicts of sin Works miracles Reads men's thoughts Teaches Brings blessings Imparts spiritual power Wins hearts to Christ Omnipresent Capable of grief Brings repentance Reveals the future |
Angels TM 444, PK 591, 5T 475 PP 34,50 COL 341,342 PP 107,9O16, DA 143 EW 196 GC 600, COL 149 PK 378, DA 71 GC 632 1T 185 DA 104 DA 143 2T 181 FE 420 DA 142-143 DA 473 AA 152-153, COL 179 MH 105 2T 704,COL 192, GC 373 4T 178 EW 230 |
Holy Spirit PP 372 8T 61,62 AA 39 PP 405 DA 322,390,494 DA 335 AA 49-53, DA 379,494 AA 192-195 6T 231, PK 425 AA 43,6T 316 DA 821-823 FE 526 Ed 95 TM 64,DA 672 PK 169,233 DA 300, AA 52 Ed 132 TM 64,97, 5T 120 DA 321-322, AA 52 GC 8, EW 14,42 |
Analysis: The above twenty examples of apparent duplication of effort and personality concern vital elements of the Plan of Salvation and the great controversy between Christ and Satan. This plan is to carried out by the combined efforts of all heavenly agencies in an efficiently coordinated fashion. The great controversy has been a personal conflict between Christ and Satan ever since the rebellion in heaven. Before Christ's first advent He was the Captain of the Lord's host. While here on earth He still maintained that authority, but when He returned to heaven after His resurrection, He entrusted this control to One equal in purpose and power, the Holy Spirit, whom He sent down to earth as His representative to conduct the great controversy.
"All the intelligences of heaven are in this army. And more than angels are in the ranks. The Holy Spirit, the representative of the Captain of the Lord's Host, comes down to direct the battle." Desire of Ages, p 352.
Conclusion: There is no duplication of effort in heaven's organization for war. The Holy Spirit has been commissioned by Christ to command the Lord's Host, composed of millions of angels, to do His appointed task. That task is to pursue the consummation of the great controversy to a triumphant conclusion. Through His and the angels' tireless effort, God's people will be protected and guided to victory, and Satan and his evil minions will be defeated and destroyed. Then heaven's army will be demobilized, and all things will be as they were before the rebellion except for the wounds in Christ's hands and side.
"The great controversy is ended. Sin and sinners are no more. The entire universe is clean. One pulse of harmony and gladness beats through the vast creation. From Him who created all, flow life and light and gladness, throughout the realms of illimitable space. From the minutest atom to the greatest world, all things, animate and inanimate, in their unshadowed beauty and perfect joy, declare that God is love." Great Controversy, p 678.
