In The Beginning There Was War

Father came forward and presented what had been and is a universal and timeless plan.  The plan was in the beginning, before we were.  For He had creations without number, children without number except to Him.  Universes and eternal glories of beings and worlds.  For ‘He is the Lord God Almighty, and Endless is His name.  For He is without beginning of days or end of years, and is not this endless.’  (Moses 1:3) As an omnipotent supreme being, all knowing, all powerful but vastly more important as a Father whose endless and perfect love is to ‘bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.’   (Moses 1:39)  He put forth to us an offering of love that only he could understand the depths of its implications at the time.  An offering of the chance to grow and learn, prosper and fail, attain knowledge and experience.  This is through our own efforts and choice granted and enabled by the freedom we would have.  There could be no greater love bestowed upon the hearts and minds of man than was this supernal and eternal plan.  With the utmost joy for those of us who would succeed and the deepest compassion and concern for those of us who would fail and turn against him, the plan was put forth. 

We were so young in the annals of time, lacking any physical experience outside of our spiritual forms.  There was no credible way of knowing with certainty what would befall any of us.  How hard would this test and trial be?  How exciting would it be?  What is it like to actually have a body of flesh and bone?  Who would fail?  Who would succeed?  How many would return?

It was then up to us to choose, each one individually.  Would we accept and follow this plan?  We could only look upon the things we had been taught throughout this eternal time with Father and trust His supreme love and knowledge.  Having experienced nothing but love from the day of our creation.  We had to rely on the love and faith we had in Him.  With countless concourses of family around us, it still was and had to be an individual decision.  

It didn’t matter how long the plan had been in existence, how successful its track record, or how glorious the results.  There will always be a group in the rising generation that questions the plan, bucks the rules, and rebels against those in authority.  Father had created a new generation, numberless as the sands of the sea.  Each one different from the other, yet in his likeness and image.  Each one with a capacity to grow and learn.  The ability to reach towards and obtain spiritual adulthood, that of becoming Gods like unto Him.

The reactions to the plan were as vast as the concourses that heard it: joy, excitement, love, gratitude, anxiety, fear, trembling, anger, resentment, abandonment, and even violence. 

Many expressed great joy and love for such an opportunity that was given to become like Him.  How could we not be anything but grateful for such an opportunity of freedom, a chance for learning, and the gift of experience?  With Father to guide us, how could we fail?  For He is all-knowing, all-powerful.  He loves us.  We are His sons and daughters in his similitude, and He has a work for us. (Moses 1:4-6)  There is nothing we cannot accomplish knowing these simple facts.

Others with a real sense of anxiety, fear of what could happen.  This could go really good or really bad.  Could they really make it back?  Could I trust myself with that kind of freedom or will I just be lost forever?  What about the people I cared about?  What would happen to them?  What if they didn’t make it?  How do we know this will work?  This could be too big of a burden.  Willingness to move forward but with a great fear of the unseen, the unknown.

Still others spoke out in anger.  “How can we be abandoned like this?  You don’t love us; if you did, you would come up with a plan that would guarantee our return.  This is reckless; there will be nothing but chaos.  How ignorant is Father to think that such a plan will work?  He is neither all-knowing nor all-powerful, for if He were, He would come up with a better plan.  We all will fail; this is Father’s plan to be the only one with power.  He is condemning us to an eternity of darkness.”

With this began the contention of words.  Father stepped forward, and as the crowd hushed, he continued to say something that would leave an even greater sense of awe in all of us.  For this plan to work, one would have to step forward and be a savior for the rest.  One would have to take the burden of justice upon oneself so bands of mercy could be extended.  One would have to satisfy the eternal demands of the law that must go unbroken.  As the depth and breadth of the sacrifice that was being asked sank into every heart and mind, who could possibly take on all sin, all heartache, all corruption, and all evil that could possibly be created?  Who could possibly carry such a burden and come out on the other side not only unscathed but remaining perfect to every degree?  Who could do such a thing for such a vast number of people?  It looked like an almost insurmountable task, an impossibility.  The silence was deafening until, slowly and humbly, one rose and stood forth.  “I will do it; send me.”

The crowd erupted, most in applause and shouts of joy.  “This can be done; there is one who can satisfy all the demands of the plan.”  Others shouted with vitriol, anger, and cursing.  “This cannot be done!  Who is He to take on such a task?”  Lucifer lunged forward with coy anger.  “This is not a plan; Jehovah cannot accomplish this.  He will perish like the rest of us.”    Turning to the crowd, he screamed, “You will all be lost.”  Father is not all-powerful, nor is He all-knowing, for if He were, He would have come up with a better plan.  This is nonsense; this is chaos.  “I have a plan.”

In his plan, no one would be lost; he would guarantee the return of all.  He would control our decisions and humbly make sure we got back; no one could be trusted with such naive freedom.  Such reckless abandonment could not be trusted or tolerated.  Father is not worthy of such glory.  Lucifer would make sure all were perfected; all would become like Father.  He spoke to the crowd with such anger and cunning in hopes that through sheer numbers the crowd would all at once rush the King, the God of Gods and overthrow Him. 

Lucifer shrieked, “Elohim is no longer fit to be Father and God.  Jehovah is no different than from us; no such task can be accomplished.  All are naive to believe such insane rhetoric.  I will do it; give me the honor and power.  I will be king and god.  All of you can make it and become gods without fear, and I will do it.”

Lucifer, in reality, had no desire to help his fellow siblings; he did not care if the plan worked or if it saved a single soul.  He saw one thing and one thing only: the glory and power he coveted passing to Jehovah.  As all those who spurn evil do, he resented the goodness, righteousness, and mercy of his Father.  He loathed its existence, gagged at the thought of it ruling him, and only desired to knock it down.  Lucifer’s plan was a lie from its utterance.  He knew very well that no one could be obligated and forced into obedience.  Every last soul would rebel, and all would be lost.  With a 100% spiritual fatality rate, he could permanently destroy the glory and power of Father, usurping the power for himself and bringing on darkness.