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At this stage in our surveying of God’s Plan for Man, it may be well to go back to the time when the Bright One deviated from His course in righteousness.
True, he was ‘created perfect’, but not begotten in the perfect fullness of a God. Thus far, there has been but ONE thus begotten; He is known as THE SON. At the time that wave upon wave of myriad virgin spirits were begotten thru His spoken word, Lucifer as the firstborn, was given charge of the realm to lead and direct them in their labors.
This progressed well until the time that the day of the mammals reached their ascendancy on earth (before the era of man). It was then that lucifer realized that thru a deeper integration in the soul-bodies of the mammals, he and his realm could actually take control of the animal: stimulating them to mating out of season-that their kind might fill the earth. And goading them to a wild fury in battle with one another.
All this was contrary to the Father’s explicit instructions. But comparatively speaking, lucifer was then in the young adolescent’s year of ego and folly.
Moreover, the brightness of his emanating light, and majesty of stature, was such that he commanded awe and respect in the realm of his domain. Then arose the vain desire to be like unto his Father – in a hurry: to become worshipped instead of merely obeyed: to be the sole issuer of instructions instead of but an officer to implement his Father’s orders.
He had also come to discern that stimuli could be experienced thru the aroused passions in animals, and that their released blood while warm, yielded an available substance which could be appropriated for their own soul-bodies, making them far more sensitive to stimuli by the animals’ aroused passions. It was then that He said in his heart: I will greatly speed up my Father’s plan for learning and soul growth and, simultaneously, become worshipped. Wherefore it was written:
“I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; —I will be like the most High.” Isaiah 14:13-14
Whereupon he shared his ‘learning’ and wisdom with a multitude of group-leaders in his realm, which captains were to convey the secrets to their pupils. THEN arose the great moment of decision: OBEY the Father, or, FOLLOW the leader? A multitude of captains were ‘taken in’ by Lucifer’s brightness and wisdom. And myriads more listened to the captains: jubilant over the prospects of more rapid progress, and an exiting life. “And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth” (Rev 12:4). One third of the heavenly host chose to follow the brightness of their Leader: was he not the elder Prince of God?
Here we should understand that it was not because of any ‘evil’ in their hearts (as we understand ‘evil’), that they decided to follow Lucifer, who had already been their Chieftain thruout many cycles of time; but rather their desire for ‘an exiting life’ made possible thru violation of the Father’s commandment. Also, their desire for more rapid ‘soul’- growth thru the self-same violation. Their great ‘sin’ was that of OBEDIENCE to the Father.
As to Lucifer, he had been subtle. We could scarcely accuse him of any evil in the sense that we today think of ‘evil’. He had been too ‘smart’ for his age. He was too young – as it were – to bear the weight of his own brightness and understanding: it ‘went to his head.’ He became enamored of himself. This vanity developed selfishness. He yearned to be adored and ‘become like unto the Most High.’ It was not that he wished any evil or misery upon those whom he had planned to take in his net, nor yet upon the stratas, of the animal kingdom over which he reigned, but he WANTED A FOLLOWING, AND ADORATION. And, IF he could secure a following great enough, then would his kingdom rival that of the Father’s! (What glory!)
To secure this following, or, any following at all, he had to have something of apparent value to offer. His prize reward and bargaining power was the exiting life he offered which in itself would speed up the densification of their soul-structures; which in turn would add to the desirable excitement of their life. It was what we would now term ‘a viscous circle.’ The rebellion became a success, with Lucifer at the head of one third of the heavenly armada.
