Who is the most highly honored one in the divine realm? ¶ 35.

Who is the devil or Satan? and who made him? ¶ 36.

What was his original name? ¶ 36.

How does the prophet Ezekiel describe Lucifer? ¶ 36.

What other beings in heaven are called sons of God? ¶ 37.

When God created man, what was the effect upon the host of heaven who observed the creation? ¶ 37.

What is the first string upon the divine harp? ¶ 38.

Does the revelation of this string cause rejoicing? and if so, by whom? ¶ 38.

Who is light and without darkness? ¶ 38.

Has God ever created an imperfect creature? ¶ 38.

What is the disposition of God’s creatures while in harmony with him? ¶ 38.

What was the condition in Eden when man was created? ¶ 38.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER III

String 2:  Justice Manifested

One of the divine attributes is justice.  “Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne.” (Psalm 89:14) Divine wisdom devised the great divine program or plan.  Divine justice must perform its part in harmony with the other divine attributes.  God’s law must be unchangeable.  Being unchangeable, his creatures can have absolute confidence and faith in him, that he always does exactly as he says.  A violation of Jehovah’s law must be followed by punishment in the exercise of justice.  The prerogative of justice is to see that the law is enforced.  The manifestation of justice magnifies the name and the dignity of Jehovah.  Without the manifestation of justice it would have been impossible for Jehovah so fully to manifest his love toward man in providing for his redemption and subsequent blessing.  When one understands the office of justice and why it was manifested, he rejoices.  A failure to understand and appreciate the divine attributes makes it impossible for one properly to appreciate Jehovah’s goodness and loving kindness to mankind.  Jehovah is too good to be unjust.  He is too wise to make a mistake; he is too loving to be unkind; and his power is always exercised in such a way that ultimate good may result.

[40]The manifestation of justice is one of the strings upon the harp of God; but we must see and appreciate it in order to understand the beauty and harmony it brings when used in connection with the other springs.

[41]Good and evil are antagonistic principles or rules of action.  Good is the law or rule of action by which God is always governed.  Evil becomes active only when some creature of Jehovah violates his law.  God made man a free moral agent.  He did not compel him to do or not to do certain things.  He told man that if he did certain things he would be blessed; and that if he did other things contrary to divine law he would suffer punishment; and the punishment prescribed was death.  Mother Eve was deceived by Satan, the devil, and thereby induced to violate the law of God.  Father Adam, seeing that his companion and helpmate had violated the law and judging that she must die, preferred to join her in the transgression and die with her. (1 Timothy 2:14) It will be of interest here to examine the circumstances leading up to the violation of the law of God and to see why his justice toward man was manifested in sentencing him to death.