The Truth about Angels

Chapter 13—The Incarnation and Early Life of Christ The Incarnation a Profound Mystery In contemplating the incarnation of Christ in humanity, we stand baffled before an unfathomable mystery that the human mind cannot comprehend. The more we reflect upon it, the more amazing does it appear. How wide is the contrast between the divinity of Christ and the helpless infant in Bethlehem’s manger! How can we span the distance between the mighty God and a helpless child? And yet the Creator of worlds, He in whom was the fulness of the Godhead bodily, was manifest in the helpless babe in the manger. Far higher than any of the angels, equal with the Father in dignity and glory, and yet wearing the garb of humanity! Divinity and humanity were mysteriously combined, and man and God became one. It is in this union that we find the hope of our fallen race.—The Signs of the Times, July 30, 1896. {TA 154.1} The Universe Was Watching The coming of Christ to our world was a great event, not only to this world, but to all the worlds in the universe of God. Before the heavenly intelligences He was to take upon Himself our nature, to be tempted in all points like as we are.—The Signs of the Times, February 20, 1893. {TA 154.2} By coming to dwell with us, Jesus was to reveal God both to men and to angels.... But not alone for His earthborn children was this revelation given. Our little world is the lesson book of the universe. God’s wonderful purpose of grace, the mystery of redeeming love, is the theme into which “angels desire to look,” and it will be their study throughout endless ages.—The Desire of Ages, 19, 20. {TA 155.1} Why Christ Took Human Nature He [Satan] had proudly boasted to the heavenly angels that when Christ should appear, taking man’s nature, He would be weaker than himself, and he would overcome Him by his power. He exulted that Adam and Eve in Eden could not resist his insinuations when he appealed to their appetite.—The Review and Herald, July 28, 1874. {TA 155.2} The only begotten Son of God came to our world as a man, to reveal to the world that men could keep the law of God. Satan, the fallen angel, had declared that no man could keep the law of God after the disobedience of Adam.—Manuscript Releases 6:334. {TA 155.3} Satan claimed that it was impossible for human beings to keep God’s law. In order to prove the falsity of this claim, Christ left His high command, took upon Himself the nature of man, and came to the earth to stand at the head of the fallen race, in order to show that humanity could withstand the temptations of Satan.—The Upward Look, 172. {TA 155.4} Christ’s Human Nature His [Christ’s] human nature was created; it did not even possess the angelic powers. It was human, identical with our own.—Selected Messages 3:129. {TA 156.1} 76